12 permits · verified 2026-10-06
What permits do you need to open a food truck in Snohomish County?
In short
A food truck in Snohomish County, WA has 6 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 6 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health charges $10 per card, State-set; replacement for a lost card $10 for the food worker card. 3 of the 12 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-06 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a food truck in Snohomish County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Food Unit Annual Permit | Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health | New mobile food unit plan review (SCBHC 1.40.040(A)(b)): $1,155 from November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027; $1,190 after October 31, 2027. Annual permit for each unit, priced by risk category (low, medium, high): set in SCBHC 1.40.043 as amended by Ord. BOH26-03 §8, effective November 1, 2026; contact the Snohomish County Health Department for the annual permit amount in effect. | annual permit; each mobile food unit is permitted separately | 2026-10-06 |
| Food Worker Card | Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health | $10 per card, State-set; replacement for a lost card $10 | two-year initial card; three-year or five-year renewal (five-year renewal requires ANSI-approved Certified Food Protection Manager certification) | 2026-10-06 |
| Food Establishment Plan Review (general plan review and pre-operation inspection) | Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health | $1,155 per general plan review, including the pre-operation inspection, from November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027; $1,190 after October 31, 2027 | one-time per project | 2026-10-06 |
| Temporary Food Service Permit (single event, recurring event, blanket event, food demonstrator)only if it applies to you | Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health | Set in SCBHC 1.40.044 by permit type and risk category: single event; recurring events, including farmers' markets, with an added fee per additional location; blanket event (judged cooking); food demonstrator (single, recurring, recurring additional); a processing fee for an event vendor exempt from permit; and a late fee for an application filed 1-13 days before the event. Ord. BOH26-03 §9 sets new amounts for every line from November 1, 2026; contact the Snohomish County Health Department for the amount in effect. | per event, or per recurring-event permit | 2026-10-06 |
| 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.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Snohomish County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snohomish County Business License (Title 6 regulated businesses in unincorporated areas only)only if it applies to you | Snohomish County Licensing (Auditor's Office) | No fee | not applicable to a business outside the Title 6 list; Title 6 business and employee licenses are renewed every year | 2026-10-06 |
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 Snohomish County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 12 records listed for a food truck in Snohomish County, WA, 6 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.
Of the 6 that always apply, 4 carry a flat fee, coming to $1,225.00. That is a floor, not a total. 3 of the 12 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:
Mobile Food Unit Annual Permit: New mobile food unit plan review (SCBHC 1.40.040(A)(b)): $1,155 from November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027; $1,190 after October 31, 2027. Annual permit for each unit, priced by risk category (low, medium, high): set in SCBHC 1.40.043 as amended by Ord. BOH26-03 §8, effective November 1, 2026; contact the Snohomish County Health Department for the annual permit amount in effect.
Temporary Food Service Permit (single event, recurring event, blanket event, food demonstrator): Set in SCBHC 1.40.044 by permit type and risk category: single event; recurring events, including farmers' markets, with an added fee per additional location; blanket event (judged cooking); food demonstrator (single, recurring, recurring additional); a processing fee for an event vendor exempt from permit; and a late fee for an application filed 1-13 days before the event. Ord. BOH26-03 §9 sets new amounts for every line from November 1, 2026; contact the Snohomish County Health Department for the amount in effect.
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 Snohomish County?
Permits for a food truck in Snohomish County, WA come from 5 separate offices: Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health, Snohomish County Licensing (Auditor's Office), 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.
- Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental HealthIssues 4 permits on this page: Mobile Food Unit Annual Permit, Food Worker Card, Food Establishment Plan Review (general plan review and pre-operation inspection), Temporary Food Service Permit (single event, recurring event, blanket event, food demonstrator)3020 Rucker Avenue, Suite 104, Everett, WA 98201-3900snohomishonline.envisionconnect.com/Login#
- Snohomish County Licensing (Auditor's Office)Issues 1 permit on this page: Snohomish County Business License (Title 6 regulated businesses in unincorporated areas only)Robert J. Drewel Building, 1st floor, 3000 Rockefeller Avenue, M/S 506, Everett, WA 98201 · (425) 388-3371snohomishcountywa.gov/247/Business-Licenses
- 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 Snohomish County that other businesses do not?
1 of the 6 permits particular to a food truck here applies to no other business type we cover in Snohomish County: Mobile Food Unit Annual Permit.
Mobile Food Unit Annual Permit
A food truck, trailer or cart operating in Snohomish County needs an annual mobile food unit permit from the Snohomish County Health Department, one permit per unit, priced by risk category under SCBHC 1.40.043. A new unit first pays the general plan review fee, which takes effect at $1,155 on November 1, 2026 and rises to $1,190 after October 31, 2027 under Ordinance No. BOH26-03; the Health Department's Mobile Food Units page lists $1,100 for a new mobile food unit under the schedule in force before November 1, 2026, and lists the annual permit fee as a separate charge on top of plan review. According to that page, 'Mobile Food Units that have not been inspected and approved for use by' the Washington Department of Labor and Industries 'will not be permitted,' the pre-operational inspection takes place at the approved commissary, the annual permit is invoiced after the inspection is passed, and the unit may open once the annual fee is paid; the annual operating permit must be posted where customers can see it. A unit already permitted in another Washington county can apply by reciprocity under RCW 43.20.148. Ordinance No. BOH26-03 also re-prices the annual permit itself from November 1, 2026; ask the Health Department for that amount.
Shared with other businesses in Snohomish County
- Food Worker Card — Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health, $10 per card, State-set; replacement for a lost card $10, two-year initial card; three-year or five-year renewal (five-year renewal requires ANSI-approved Certified Food Protection Manager certification). Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
- Food Establishment Plan Review (general plan review and pre-operation inspection) — Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health, $1,155 per general plan review, including the pre-operation inspection, from November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027; $1,190 after October 31, 2027, one-time per project. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Temporary Food Service Permit (single event, recurring event, blanket event, food demonstrator) — Snohomish County Health Department (formerly the Snohomish Health District), Food Safety and Environmental Health, Set in SCBHC 1.40.044 by permit type and risk category: single event; recurring events, including farmers' markets, with an added fee per additional location; blanket event (judged cooking); food demonstrator (single, recurring, recurring additional); a processing fee for an event vendor exempt from permit; and a late fee for an application filed 1-13 days before the event. Ord. BOH26-03 §9 sets new amounts for every line from November 1, 2026; contact the Snohomish County Health Department for the amount in effect., per event, or per recurring-event permit. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the restaurants 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 other 1 local permit in the tables apply to every type of business in Snohomish County, WA; what each one involves is set out on the Snohomish County permits 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 Snohomish County?
The closest match is a restaurant, which shares 5 of these permits. A food truck also needs Mobile Food Unit Annual Permit. A restaurant needs State Liquor License — County Notice and Objection Outside Cities and Towns, Food Service Establishment Annual Permit, Food Service with On-Site Sewage System Review and On-Site Sewage (Septic) System Permit, which a food truck does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a food truck | Only a food truck needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants | 9 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| Coffee shops | 10 | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Auto repair shops | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Childcare centres | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Contractors and trades | 3 | 0 | 6 | 3 |
| Fitness studios | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| Retail stores | 4 | 0 | 6 | 4 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 6 | 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 restaurants page and coffee shops page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Snohomish County permits page and the WA state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Ordinance No. BOH26-03, 'Relating to Health Department Fees; Amending Chapter 1.40 of the Snohomish County Board of Health Code' (enacted text; fee schedules from November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027 and after October 31, 2027)Snohomish County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-06
- Mobile Food Units — plan review process, Mobile Food Unit Fees table, L&I approval and reciprocitySnohomish County Health Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-06
- Snohomish County Board of Health Code chapter 1.40, Fees (§§1.40.040-1.40.045, 1.40.080-1.40.081), as amended by Ord. BOH25-08Snohomish County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-06
- Ordinance No. BOH26-03 enactment record — amends SCBHC chapter 1.40 fees; adopted April 14, 2026; effective November 1, 2026Snohomish County Board of Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-06
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.