9 permits · verified 2026-09-14
What permits do you need to open a food truck in Aberdeen?
In short
A food truck in Aberdeen, SD has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 6 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services charges $150 filed online; paper filing costs $165 for the articles of organization (llc). 2 of the 9 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-14 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a food truck in Aberdeen
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transient Merchant License (the route a mobile vendor encounters)only if it applies to you | City of Aberdeen Finance Office | By duration under Chapter 38 (§38-34, which sets the per-day, per-week and per-month fees by the City's fee schedule) and the 2026 Fee Schedule: $43.00 per day, $117.00 per week or $234.00 per month. A $22.00 investigation fee applies to the application, and a $1,000.00 bond must be posted. A mobile food unit additionally needs the state food service establishment license under SDCL 34-18-11 at $30.00 to $100.00 by employee count. | one day, one week or one month as elected | 2026-09-14 |
| Food Service Manager Certification | South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health Protection | No fee | set by the accredited training provider rather than state regulation | 2026-09-04 |
| Food Establishment License | South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health Protection | $140–$275 a year, banded by seating capacity; a new establishment adds a $100 initial fee on top | annual — every license expires December 31 regardless of issue date, with a discounted half-year fee for openings after July 1 | 2026-09-04 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Aberdeen
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Business License — City of Aberdeen Positiononly if it applies to you | City of Aberdeen Finance Office | No fee | not applicable to a general license | 2026-09-14 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
SD registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services | $150 filed online; paper filing costs $165 | perpetual, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services | $150 filed online; paper filing costs $165 | perpetual, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-04 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services | $55 a year filed online; paper filing costs $70 | annual — due the first day of the entity's anniversary month of formation | 2026-09-04 |
| General Business License — State of South Dakota positiononly if it applies to you | South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services | No fee | not applicable | 2026-09-04 |
| Sales Tax License | South Dakota Department of Revenue | No fee | no stated expiration | 2026-09-04 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
How much does it actually cost to permit a food truck in Aberdeen?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 9 records listed for a food truck in Aberdeen, SD, 3 apply to every business of this type and 6 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
2 of the 9 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 4 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Transient Merchant License (the route a mobile vendor encounters): By duration under Chapter 38 (§38-34, which sets the per-day, per-week and per-month fees by the City's fee schedule) and the 2026 Fee Schedule: $43.00 per day, $117.00 per week or $234.00 per month. A $22.00 investigation fee applies to the application, and a $1,000.00 bond must be posted. A mobile food unit additionally needs the state food service establishment license under SDCL 34-18-11 at $30.00 to $100.00 by employee count.
Food Establishment License: $140–$275 a year, banded by seating capacity; a new establishment adds a $100 initial fee on top
Which offices issue these permits in Aberdeen?
Permits for a food truck in Aberdeen, SD come from 4 separate offices: City of Aberdeen Finance Office, South Dakota Secretary of State, Business Services, South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health Protection, South Dakota Department of Revenue. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- City of Aberdeen Finance OfficeIssues 2 permits on this page: Transient Merchant License (the route a mobile vendor encounters), General Business License — City of Aberdeen Position123 South Lincoln Street, Aberdeen, SD 57401 · (605) 626-7025www.aberdeen.sd.us/191/Licenses-Permits
- South Dakota Secretary of State, Business ServicesIssues 4 permits on this page: Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation, Annual Report, General Business License — State of South Dakota position500 E Capitol Ave, Pierre, SD 57501 · (605) 773-4845sdsos.gov/business-services/default.aspx
- South Dakota Department of Health, Office of Health ProtectionIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Service Manager Certification, Food Establishment License600 East Capitol Ave, Pierre, SD 57501 · (605) 773-4945doh.sd.gov/topics/food-lodging-safety/licensure-and-codes/food-service
- South Dakota Department of RevenueIssues 1 permit on this page: Sales Tax License445 East Capitol Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501 · 1-800-829-9188dor.sd.gov
What does a food truck need in Aberdeen that other businesses do not?
Food Service Manager Certification
No fee, because South Dakota does not itself administer or price this certification — every food establishment must have at least one staff member who has completed an 8-hour food service training and certification program, but the training is delivered and priced entirely by approved third-party providers rather than by the state.
Food Establishment License
A restaurant with no dedicated seating pays $140 a year; 1 to 50 seats, $170; 51 to 100 seats, $230; more than 100 seats, $275. A mobile food unit or limited-menu establishment pays a flat $88. Every fee is halved for an establishment opening after July 1, since every license still expires that December 31 regardless of when it started. Yearly inspections are already included in the license fee rather than billed separately.
Shared with other businesses in Aberdeen
- Transient Merchant License (the route a mobile vendor encounters) — City of Aberdeen Finance Office, By duration under Chapter 38 (§38-34, which sets the per-day, per-week and per-month fees by the City's fee schedule) and the 2026 Fee Schedule: $43.00 per day, $117.00 per week or $234.00 per month. A $22.00 investigation fee applies to the application, and a $1,000.00 bond must be posted. A mobile food unit additionally needs the state food service establishment license under SDCL 34-18-11 at $30.00 to $100.00 by employee count., one day, one week or one month as elected. Also required for retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
The other 1 local permit in the tables apply to every type of business in Aberdeen, SD; what each one involves is set out on the Aberdeen permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across SD and are covered on the SD state page.
How does a food truck compare with other businesses in Aberdeen?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 2 of these permits. A food truck also needs Transient Merchant License (the route a mobile vendor encounters). A coffee shop needs Food Service Establishment License (State-issued; no municipal food license) and Sign Permit, which a food truck does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a food truck | Only a food truck needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Restaurants | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Retail stores | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Auto repair shops | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Childcare centres | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Fitness studios | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Salons and barbers | 4 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| Veterinary clinics | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Sources
Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Aberdeen permits page and the SD state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- South Dakota Department of Health — food service manager training requirementSouth Dakota Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
- South Dakota Department of Health — food license application, fee table by seating capacitySouth Dakota Department of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-04
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.