10 permits · verified 2026-10-26
What permits do you need to open a food truck in Benton County Wa?
In short
A food truck in Benton County Wa, WA has 5 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 5 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Benton-Franklin Health District charges $10 per card, set by state rule (WAC 246-217-025(2)); a duplicate card is $5 on the BFHD sheet for the food worker card. 3 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-26 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a food truck in Benton County Wa
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Food Unit Permit (per unit) | Benton-Franklin Health District | $200–$400 a year per unit by risk level 1/2/3: $200/$300/$400 (BFHD sheet effective 01/01/24); plan review $500 | annual; expires December 31 (BCC 6.40.050) | 2026-10-26 |
| Temporary and Seasonal Temporary Food Establishment Permitonly if it applies to you | Benton-Franklin Health District | $30–$400 per permit by hazard level low/moderate/high (BFHD sheet effective 01/01/24): temporary permit $60/$90/$120; qualified operator at a temporary event $30/$45/$60; seasonal temporary $200/$300/$400; seasonal temporary (caterer) $100/$150/$200; additional event days $15; application less than 14 business days before the event +$50; late changes $30 | per event; a temporary permit runs for the period stated in the application, not more than 21 calendar days (BCC 6.40.050) | 2026-10-26 |
| Food Worker Card | Benton-Franklin Health District | $10 per card, set by state rule (WAC 246-217-025(2)); a duplicate card is $5 on the BFHD sheet | per card | 2026-10-26 |
| Food Establishment Permit | Washington State Department of Health, Food Safety Program | $240–$1,386 a year, set by the local health jurisdiction — there is no state fee | annual, on a cycle the local jurisdiction sets | 2026-09-03 |
| Food Worker Card | Washington State Department of Health, Food Safety Program | $10 per card | 2 years first time, 3 on renewal, 5 with extra food safety training | 2026-09-03 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
WA registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division | $180 one-time filing on paper; $200 online | no expiry, but a $70 annual report is due each year | 2026-09-03 |
| Reseller Permitonly if it applies to you | Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service | No fee | 4 years, or 2 in defined circumstances | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Formation (LLC)only if it applies to you | Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division | $180 one-time filing on paper; $200 online | no expiry, but a $70 annual report is due each year | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division | $70 a year | annual — due the last day of the month the entity was formed or registered | 2026-09-03 |
| Washington State Business License | Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service | $50 to open, plus each endorsement's own fee; $5 a year to renew | annual — one expiration date governs every endorsement on the license | 2026-09-03 |
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 Benton County Wa?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 10 records listed for a food truck in Benton County Wa, WA, 5 apply to every business of this type and 5 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 5 that always apply, 3 carry a flat fee, coming to $70.00. That is a floor, not a total. 3 of the 10 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 1 has no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Mobile Food Unit Permit (per unit): $200–$400 a year per unit by risk level 1/2/3: $200/$300/$400 (BFHD sheet effective 01/01/24); plan review $500
Temporary and Seasonal Temporary Food Establishment Permit: $30–$400 per permit by hazard level low/moderate/high (BFHD sheet effective 01/01/24): temporary permit $60/$90/$120; qualified operator at a temporary event $30/$45/$60; seasonal temporary $200/$300/$400; seasonal temporary (caterer) $100/$150/$200; additional event days $15; application less than 14 business days before the event +$50; late changes $30
Food Establishment Permit: $240–$1,386 a year, set by the local health jurisdiction — there is no state fee
Which offices issue these permits in Benton County Wa?
Permits for a food truck in Benton County Wa, WA come from 4 separate offices: Benton-Franklin Health District, Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division, Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service, Washington State Department of Health, Food Safety Program. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Benton-Franklin Health DistrictIssues 3 permits on this page: Mobile Food Unit Permit (per unit), Temporary and Seasonal Temporary Food Establishment Permit, Food Worker Card7102 W. Okanogan Place, Kennewick, WA 99336 · 509-460-4200 (Food Safety 509-460-4205)www.bfhd.wa.gov/programs_services/food_safety/applications
- Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities DivisionIssues 3 permits on this page: Articles of Incorporation, Certificate of Formation (LLC), Annual ReportPO Box 40234, Olympia, WA 98504-0234 · (360) 725-0377www.sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/business-entities
- Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing ServiceIssues 2 permits on this page: Reseller Permit, Washington State Business LicensePO Box 9034, Olympia, WA 98507-9034 · (360) 705-6705dor.wa.gov/open-business/apply-business-license
- Washington State Department of Health, Food Safety ProgramIssues 2 permits on this page: Food Establishment Permit, Food Worker Card(360) 236-4700doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/food
What does a food truck need in Benton County Wa that other businesses do not?
Mobile Food Unit Permit (per unit)
A food truck, trailer or coffee cart operating in Benton County needs a mobile unit permit from the Benton-Franklin Health District (BFHD), which serves both Benton County and Franklin County. Per the BFHD fee sheet 'BFHD Food Establishment Fees', stamped 'Effective 01/01/24' and linked by BFHD as its 'Current Food Safety Fee Schedule', the 'Mobile Unit - Per Unit' line is $200, $300 or $400 a year for risk level 1, 2 or 3, charged for each unit, with a $500 plan review. BFHD's Food Safety Applications page also states: 'Starting January 1, 2024, the Benton-Franklin Health District (BFHD) Food Safety Program will no longer issue temporary food service permits to vendors using mobile food units without Washington State Labor & Industries (WA L&I) certification or approval.' The annual permit follows the BCC 6.40 cycle, expiring December 31 with the renewal fee due by January 31. Contact BFHD Food Safety at 509-460-4205.
Temporary and Seasonal Temporary Food Establishment Permit
A restaurant, coffee business or food truck serving food at a fair, festival, market or other event in Benton County needs a temporary food establishment permit from the Benton-Franklin Health District (BFHD), which serves both Benton County and Franklin County. Under BCC 6.40.050 a temporary permit expires at the end of the period stated in the application, which may not exceed 21 calendar days. Per the 'Temporary Food Permits' block of the BFHD fee sheet stamped 'Effective 01/01/24' (linked by BFHD as its 'Current Food Safety Fee Schedule'), a temporary permit is $60 for low hazard, $90 for moderate hazard and $120 for high hazard; a qualified operator at a temporary event pays $30/$45/$60; a seasonal temporary permit is $200/$300/$400; and a seasonal temporary permit for a caterer is $100/$150/$200. Additional days for an event are $15, an application made less than 14 business days before the event adds $50, and late changes to a permit are $30. Contact BFHD Food Safety at 509-460-4205.
Shared with other businesses in Benton County Wa
- Food Worker Card — Benton-Franklin Health District, $10 per card, set by state rule (WAC 246-217-025(2)); a duplicate card is $5 on the BFHD sheet, per card. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Food Establishment Permit — Washington State Department of Health, Food Safety Program, $240–$1,386 a year, set by the local health jurisdiction — there is no state fee, annual, on a cycle the local jurisdiction sets. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Food Worker Card — Washington State Department of Health, Food Safety Program, $10 per card, 2 years first time, 3 on renewal, 5 with extra food safety training. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across WA and are covered on the WA state page.
How does a food truck compare with other businesses in Benton County Wa?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 5 of these permits. A coffee shop needs Food Establishment Permit (food service, by seats and risk level), Retail Food (Grocery Store) Permit and Liquor License — County Notice and Objection (locations outside city limits), 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 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 |
| Restaurants | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 3 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| Contractors and trades | 4 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| Fitness studios | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Retail stores | 3 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
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. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Benton County Wa permits page and the WA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- BFHD Food Establishment Fees, Effective 01/01/24Benton-Franklin Health District · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Food Safety — Applications (links the "Current Food Safety Fee Schedule"; mobile unit L&I statement)Benton-Franklin Health District · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Benton County Code ch. 6.40, Food Service Establishments (§§6.40.030, 6.40.050, 6.40.060, 6.40.070)Benton County · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.