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16 permits · verified 2026-10-02

What permits do you need to open a food truck in Henrico County?

In short

A food truck in Henrico County, VA has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 12 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Henrico County Health Department charges $80 combined permit and plan review fee, per mobile food unit, as published on the Henrico County Health Department's own fee page for the mobile food unit permit. 7 of the 16 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-02 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a food truck in Henrico County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Mobile Food Unit PermitHenrico County Health Department$80 combined permit and plan review fee, per mobile food unit, as published on the Henrico County Health Department's own fee pageNot stated on the county's fee page; Henrico does not publish a specific permit duration for this permit.2026-10-02
Foodservice Plan Reviewonly if it applies to youHenrico County Health Department$40 one-time, for a new or remodeled food facility's plan review, as published on the Henrico County Health Department's own fee pageOne-time, before opening a new facility or completing a remodel.2026-10-02
Temporary Food Establishment Permitonly if it applies to youHenrico County Health Department$40.00 for the first Temporary Food Establishment Permit obtained in a calendar year; no additional fee for further temporary permits obtained in that same calendar year.Per calendar year; one permit per physical unit or booth per event.2026-10-02
Food Establishment PermitVirginia Department of Health, Division of Food and Environmental Services$40 a year; a new establishment also pays $40 for plan reviewannual — no more than twelve months from issue2026-09-03
Certified Food Protection Manageronly if it applies to youVirginia Department of Health, Division of Food and Environmental ServicesNo feeno state-set period — the certifying programme sets its own2026-09-03

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 Henrico County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Commercial Building Permit (Base Fee)only if it applies to youHenrico County Department of Building Construction & InspectionsVaries — formula on the Henrico County pagePer project.2026-10-02
Plan Re-Review Feeonly if it applies to youHenrico County Department of Building Construction & Inspections$25 per plan re-review beyond the first two reviews included in the base permit feePer re-review.2026-10-02
Provisional Use Permitonly if it applies to youHenrico County Division of Planning / Board of Zoning AppealsVaries — formula on the Henrico County pagePer application.2026-10-02
BPOL Business License Application (All Industries)Henrico County Department of Finance, Business License SectionVaries — formula on the Henrico County pageAnnual; due March 1. License year ends December 31.2026-10-02
Temporary Certificate of Occupancy Feeonly if it applies to youHenrico County Department of Building Construction & Inspections$25 per temporary certificate of occupancy request or extensionPer request or extension.2026-10-02
Variance / Board of Zoning Appeals Applicationonly if it applies to youHenrico County Division of Planning / Board of Zoning Appeals$300 per variance or Board of Zoning Appeals applicationPer application.2026-10-02

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

VA registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to youVirginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the Clerk$100 one-time filingno expiry, but a $50 annual registration fee is due every year2026-09-03
Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to youVirginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the ClerkVaries — formula on the VA pageno expiry, but an annual registration fee and a free annual report are due2026-09-03
Annual Registration Feeonly if it applies to youVirginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the ClerkVaries — formula on the VA pageannual — the last day of the twelfth month after the month of formation2026-09-03
Dealer's Certificate of RegistrationVirginia Department of TaxationNo feeindefinite — valid until the business closes or the certificate is revoked2026-09-03
General Business License — Local BPOL License (Virginia)only if it applies to youVirginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the ClerkVaries — formula on the VA pageannual — usually due 1 March2026-09-03

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 Henrico County?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 16 records listed for a food truck in Henrico County, VA, 4 apply to every business of this type and 12 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.

Of the 4 that always apply, 2 carry a flat fee, coming to $120.00. That is a floor, not a total. 7 of the 16 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 2 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Temporary Food Establishment Permit: $40.00 for the first Temporary Food Establishment Permit obtained in a calendar year; no additional fee for further temporary permits obtained in that same calendar year.

The other 6 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Henrico County permits page and the VA state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Henrico County?

Permits for a food truck in Henrico County, VA come from 7 separate offices: Henrico County Health Department, Henrico County Department of Building Construction & Inspections, Henrico County Division of Planning / Board of Zoning Appeals, Henrico County Department of Finance, Business License Section, Virginia State Corporation Commission, Office of the Clerk, Virginia Department of Health, Division of Food and Environmental Services, Virginia Department of Taxation. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.

What does a food truck need in Henrico County that other businesses do not?

1 of the 5 permits particular to a food truck here applies to no other business type we cover in Henrico County: Mobile Food Unit Permit.

Mobile Food Unit Permit

A food truck operating in Henrico County needs this Mobile Food Unit Permit from the Health Department, priced at a combined $80.00 permit-plus-plan-review fee per unit, as published on the Department's own fee page and re-confirmed live as current. A mobile unit also requires a commissary and sign-off from Planning & Zoning, Building Inspections, and Fire, in addition to Health. The Health Department is a local health district of the Virginia Department of Health, cost-shared 55.0% state funds and 45.0% county funds per Henrico's own FY26 Approved Budget. No adoption date or specific permit duration is published on the county's own fee page.

Shared with other businesses in Henrico County

  • Foodservice Plan Review — Henrico County Health Department, $40 one-time, for a new or remodeled food facility's plan review, as published on the Henrico County Health Department's own fee page, One-time, before opening a new facility or completing a remodel.. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Temporary Food Establishment Permit — Henrico County Health Department, $40.00 for the first Temporary Food Establishment Permit obtained in a calendar year; no additional fee for further temporary permits obtained in that same calendar year., Per calendar year; one permit per physical unit or booth per event.. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
  • Food Establishment Permit — Virginia Department of Health, Division of Food and Environmental Services, $40 a year; a new establishment also pays $40 for plan review, annual — no more than twelve months from issue. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
  • Certified Food Protection Manager — Virginia Department of Health, Division of Food and Environmental Services, No fee, no state-set period — the certifying programme sets its own. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.

The other 6 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Henrico County, VA; what each one involves is set out on the Henrico County permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across VA and are covered on the VA state page.

How does a food truck compare with other businesses in Henrico County?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 4 of these permits. A food truck also needs Mobile Food Unit Permit. A coffee shop needs Food Establishment Permit and Alcoholic Beverage Licensing — State-Exclusive, which a food truck does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Henrico County, VA, compared with a food truck
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a food truckOnly a food truck needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops6412
Restaurants6412
Auto repair shops2052
Childcare centres1051
Contractors and trades5055
Fitness studios2052
Retail stores2052
Salons and barbers2052
Veterinary clinics2052

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 coffee shops page and restaurants page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Henrico County permits page and the VA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. Henrico County — Mobile Food Unit Permit Application pageHenrico County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02
  2. Henrico County FY26 Approved Budget, Public Health section (55%/45% state/county funding split)Henrico County Department of Finance · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-02

Related

Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.