City and County of Denver

Food Truck Guide

A Multi-Departmental Guide

Food Truck Businesses

DRAFT 1.25.2011

What is a Food Truck?

A Food Truck, or Mobile Retail Food Vendor/Establishment is a readily moveable, motorized wheeled vehicle,
or a towed wheeled vehicle, designed and equipped to serve food.

Where can I locate a Food Truck?

■ Parked on the street
■ On private property
■ In a city park
■ At a special event
What do I need before operating a Food Truck?
■ All Food Trucks need a business license, which includes approval from Environmental Health
■ Parked on the street - no permit, but need to follow certain standards
■ On private property - need a zoning permit
■ In a city park, in designated locations - need a temporary vending permit
■ If part of a special event, please contact the event coordinator for specific rules and regulations

All FOOD TRUCKS - Business License

DRAFT
A business license is required to operate a Food Truck and falls under the class of “Retail Food Establishments, Restau-
rant Mobile.” Environmental Health requires that all Food Trucks, or mobile units, operate in conjunction with a commis-
sary kitchen or other licensed kitchen. Commissary shall mean an approved catering establishment, restaurant, or other
approved place in which food, containers or supplies are kept, handled, prepared, packaged or stored.

What you need to get approved...
■ An application with Excise and
Licenses
■ Valid Colorado identification
■ General business questionnaire
■ Zoning use permit of where ve-
hicle will be stored, if in the City and
County of Denver
■ Pass required inspections:
Environmental Health
Fire (If propane used on truck)
■ A completed Affidavit of Com-
missary form. Applicants need to
contract with a local commissary, or
may use their own approved com-
mercial kitchen if they have one.
How to get approved... More info...
■ Apply in person Excise and Licenses
■ Submit required documents www.denvergov.org/exciseandlicenses
■ Pay fees: 201 West Colfax Ave
Application Fee: $200.00 Room 2.H.9
License Fee (per year): $125.00 Denver, CO 80202
■ Schedule a licensing inspection
with the Department of Environmental Environmental Health
Health. Licensing inspections are www.denvergov.org/phi
conducted between 9:00 am - 11:00 201 West 14th Ave.
am every Wednesday Suite 200
■ Upon completion of a satisfactory Denver, CO 80204
inspection, DEH shall approve the
affidavit and will sign the form, as well References:
as the license application. Denver Revised Municipal Code:
■ The applicant shall return the Definitions: Section 23-2-23
signed documents to Excise and Regulations: Section 23-51
Licenses to receive their license. Fees: Section 32-106.5

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 Denver Guide for Food Trucks
FOOD TRUCK PARKED ON THE STREET - Department of Public Works
Public Works allows licensed Food Trucks on most streets without a permit (Please note that if within 300’ of a Denver
park, a permit from Department of Parks and Recreation is required.) All Food Trucks need a license from the Depart-
ment of Excise and Licenses.

You can park for vending on any
street, with the following
exceptions:
■ Within 20’ of an intersection
when making a sale or attempting
to make sale
■ Any street, alley or public right-
of-way within a defined central busi-
ness district (see map below)
■ If selling ice cream as more than
10% of the gross income from the
food truck, you cannot sell on any
arterial street, collector street or
laned highway. (www.denvergov.
org/LUTP/FunctionalClassification/
tabid/390275/Default.aspx)
What other rules apply... More info...
■ All parking rules must be fol- Public Works
lowed. For example, you cannot www.denvergov.org/publicworks
double park or park at a meter 201 West Colfax Ave
without paying the required fee. If Dept. #507
a parking meter is bagged for a Denver, CO 80202
special event, can only park there if
part of the event References:
■ Cannot sell to any person who is Denver Revised Municipal Code
standing in the street Chapter 54, Article XII, Section
■ Cannot place chairs or tables on 54-675
a public sidewalk or in the street
■ If parking within 300’ of a public

DRAFTpark, need a permit from Depart-

ment of Parks & Recreation

Food Trucks not allowed on streets bounded by and within the

area below:

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This Guide should not be used as a substitute for codes and regulations. The applicant is responsible for
2
compliance with all code and rule requirements, whether or not described in this Guide.
 Denver Guide for Food Trucks
FOOD TRUCK ON PRIVATE PROPERTY - Zoning Permit from Development Services
Zoning allows licensed Food Trucks as a temporary use known as “Retail Food Establishment, Mobile.” They are allowed
in Mixed Use Commercial Zone Districts, the OS-B Zone District, and all Industrial Zone Districts where permitted. (Find
your zoning at www.denvergov.org/zoning). Please note that Food Trucks providing catering services to a residence is
allowed and does not require a zoning permit (sales to general public not allowed).

What you need to get approved... How to get approved: More info...

■ If operating for less than 30 ■ Apply in person Development Services

minutes at a location, no permit is ■ Pay Fees: development.services@denver-
required Permit: $50 gov.org
■ If operating for more than 30 Annual Renewal: $50 201 West Colfax Ave
minutes at a location, a Zoning Dept. #205
Permit is required Denver, CO 80202
■ To obtain a permit, certain stan-
dards apply, including: References:
Hours: Denver Zoning Code
Can only operate up to 4 consec- www.denvergov.org/zoning
utive hours each day per zone lot Article 11, Section 11.11.14, Re-
Hours of operation are between 8 tail Food establishment, Mobile
am and 9 pm
Location:
Operations are prohibited on
undeveloped zone lots and zone
lots with unoccupied structures or
unpaved surfaces.
DRAFT Definition: Article 13, Section
13.3

Only 1 allowed per zone lot

Must be 200’ from any eating
and drinking establishment
Must be 200’ from any other
food truck
Must be at least 50’ from any
Residential Zone District

Other siting, signage and waste

disposal standards apply

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This Guide should not be used as a substitute for codes and regulations. The applicant is responsible for
3
compliance with all code and rule requirements, whether or not described in this Guide.
 Denver Guide for Food Trucks
FOOD TRUCK IN A PARK - Vending Permit from Department of Parks and Recreation
Licensed vendors may temporarily sell food and non-alcoholic beverages at designated sites within a Denver park. A
Temporary Vending Permit is required. Also, if within 300’ of a Denver park, vendors must obtain a permit from the De-
partment of Parks and Recreation.

What you need to get approved... Parks Atheletic Fields

■ Signed “Request for Certificate ■ Barnum Park ■ Barnum East Ballfield
of Taxes Due” 4th & Hooker (1 location) 5th & Federal
■ Copy of current insurance policy ■ Civic Center Park ■ Barnum North Ballfields
or certificate of insurance for: Colfax Ave and Bannock Street 8th & Federal
- Vehicle insurance for cart *Central Plaza - now coordinated ■ Bible Park Ball Field
- General Liability Insurance by Civic Center Conservancy Yale & Newport
- Minimum coverage: $1,000,000 ■ Confluence Park ■ Garland Park Fields
- Additionally insured: The City 15th Street (1 location) Arizona & Leyden
and County of Denver, its officers, ■ Garfield Park ■ Green Valley East
officials and employees Newton & Arizona (1 location) 47th Ave & Jebel St
■ Copy of current Business Sales ■ Huston Park ■ Kennedy Ball Field Complex
License Ohio Ave & Bryant (1 location) Dartmouth & South Kenton
■ Complete menu, including pric- ■ Denver Skate Park ■ Kennedy Soccer Fields
ing information
■ Photograph or detailed drawing
of vehicle
■ Completed Application
How to get approved...
DRAFT 19th & Little Raven (1 location)
■ Skyline Park
North Block (2 locations)
Mid Block (2 locations)
South Block (3 locations)
■ Sloan’s Lake Park
Dartmouth & South Denton
■ Lowry Soccer Fields
Fairmont Dr & Sports Blvd
■ Montbello Central Park
Andrews Dr & Crown Blvd
■ Ruby Hill Complex
■ Apply in person 26th & Tennyson Jewell & Navajo
■ Pay Fees: 17th & Utica (side near play- ■ Val Verde Field
Application Fee: $25.00 ground) Cedar Ave & Navajo St
(non-refundable) ■ Washington Park ■ Vanderbilt Complex
Monthly Permit: $200.00 Northwest of Smith Lake Platte River Dr & Tennessee St
One Day Only Permit: $100.00 Diagonal Parking Lot ■ Veterans Park
Late Fee: $15.00 East of Pavilion Iowa & S Vine St
West of Pavilion & PC2
More info...
Parks and Recreation Outdoor Pools
www.denvergov.org/parksandrecre- ■ Argo ■ Green Valley Ranch East
ation 47th Ave & Logan St 4415 N Jebel St
201 West Colfax Ave ■ Aztlan ■ Harvey
Denver, CO 80202 4435 Navajo St 2150 S Tennyson St
■ Barnum ■ Harvard Gulch
370 N Hooker St 555 E Iliff
■ Berkeley ■ Lincoln
5105 W 46th Ave 11th Ave & Osage St
■ Congress ■ Mestizo-Curtis
914 N Elizabeth St 3115 Champa St
■ Cook ■ Ruby Hill
1655 S Oneida 1555 W Mexico Ave
■ Eisenhower ■ Swansea
4300 E Dartmouth Ave 2650 E 49th Ave
■ Garfield Lake
1295 S Lowell Blvd

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This Guide should not be used as a substitute for codes and regulations. The applicant is responsible for 4
compliance with all code and rule requirements, whether or not described in this Guide.