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

Mobile Service Base License — Base Without Food Processing

The Racine County Public Health Division's mobile fact sheet states that each mobile food establishment 'shall have a licensed service base of operations'. Where that base does no food processing and sits in the Division's jurisdiction (all of Racine County except the City of Racine), it is licensed as a Mobile Service Base - No Food Processing. Per the Division's April 2026 - March 2027 Environmental Health fee schedule (posted April 13, 2026), the license is $237, with a $167 pre-license inspection fee and a $72 plan review fee for a new base; the '2026 Fee' column of the county's Proposed Fee Schedule for the 2027 fiscal year shows the same amounts, and a roughly 2% increase proposed for 2027 has not been adopted. A base that processes food is licensed in the matching retail food establishment tier instead. The license expires June 30 under Wis. Stat. § 97.30(2)(a). Contact the Division at 262-898-4460.

Mobile Retail Food Establishment License

A food truck or other mobile retail food establishment based in Racine County outside the City of Racine is licensed by the Racine County Public Health Division as the State's agent (County Code § 21-13). The Division's April 2026 - March 2027 Environmental Health fee schedule (posted April 13, 2026) prices mobile units on the same tiers as fixed establishments: serving meals, mobile, $237 Prepackaged (TCS), $375 Simple, $644 Moderate, $864 Complex, with pre-license inspection fees of $167 / $298 / $372 / $447 and plan review fees of $54 / $72 / $214 / $250; not serving meals, mobile, $151 Prepackaged (TCS), $237 Simple Non-TCS, $439 Simple TCS, $644 Moderate, $1,246 Complex. The '2026 Fee' column of the county's Proposed Fee Schedule for the 2027 fiscal year matches; a roughly 2% increase is proposed for 2027 and has not been adopted. The Division's mobile fact sheet states that each mobile establishment 'shall have a licensed service base of operations' (see the separate service base license). Licenses expire June 30 under Wis. Stat. § 97.30(2)(a). Operating without a permit carries a $942 fee plus the pre-license inspection and permit fees. Contact the Division at 262-898-4460.

Transient Retail Food Establishment License (special events)

A restaurant or vendor that sells food at a fixed spot during a special event in Racine County outside the City of Racine needs a transient retail food license from the Racine County Public Health Division, issued as the State's agent. The Division's transient fact sheet describes a transient retail food establishment as one that 'operates at a fixed location in conjunction with a special event and sells or serves food for a period of no more than 14 consecutive days or in conjunction with an occasional sales promotion'. Per the Division's April 2026 - March 2027 Environmental Health fee schedule (posted April 13, 2026), the fee is $127 for non-TCS food, $230 for TCS (time/temperature control for safety) food and $127 for prepackaged TCS food only. The '2026 Fee' column of the county's Proposed Fee Schedule for the 2027 fiscal year shows the same amounts; a roughly 2% increase is proposed for 2027 and has not been adopted. Events inside the City of Racine are licensed by the City of Racine Public Health Department instead. Contact the Division at 262-898-4460.

Inspection Fee — Mobile or Transient Unit Licensed by Another Jurisdiction

County Code § 21-16 provides that a valid food establishment permit issued by the State of Wisconsin or any other competent health department for a mobile food establishment 'will be honored by the Racine County Public Health Division', but the unit 'may be required to be inspected' and 'shall pay an inspection fee for this inspection'. Per the Division's April 2026 - March 2027 Environmental Health fee schedule (posted April 13, 2026), the line 'Transient or Mobile Food Estab. w/ license from another jurisdiction-Inspection Fee' is $52. This applies to food trucks licensed elsewhere that operate in the Division's jurisdiction, which is all of Racine County except the City of Racine. It is an inspection fee, not a second license. Contact the Division at 262-898-4460.

Certified Food Protection Manager

No state fee and no state certificate — an accredited exam provider issues it and sets the price, which is a real contrast with states that run a registry and charge for it. Most licensed food establishments need at least one certified manager, but the exemptions are broader than usual: prepackaged retail establishments whether or not they serve meals, operations handling only fresh fruit or produce, transient events and micro markets are all outside it. A new establishment or one changing operator has ninety days to have a certified manager in place, and the certificate must be posted in public view. A small operator with five or fewer food handlers may recertify through an approved short course rather than sitting the full exam, provided they do it within ninety days of expiry; past that, everyone retakes the exam.

Shared with other businesses in Racine County

• Retail Food Establishment License — Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Division of Food and Recreational Safety, $105–$1,457.35 a year — $105 to $540 from the state, more where a local health department is the licensing agent, annual, expiring 30 June. Also required for restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.