Mobile Food Trucks and Push Carts

Mobile food establishments are a growing trend in Greene County. At a summer event, or at a food truck court, these mobile food trucks must have the essentials to prepare and serve food safely. The Health Department views these mobile food trucks as a kitchen on wheels. As such, they are required to have the same basic equipment as a full-service restaurant.

Mobile Food Trucks and push carts have several requirements. To make sure your mobile food unit is ready, please review our requirements here.

Mobile Food Permit Process

The mobile food permitting process has changed slightly with the recent adoption of a new inspection software in June of 2021. The new process provides a clear set of milestones for Owner/Operators to progress through to become permitted. Below is a guide that walks you through the specific milestones that all mobile food establishments must follow in order, to become permitted.

  1. Application and Pre-Screen. Submitting your application will create the file for your mobile food establishment. Our team of inspectors will review your application, menu, and food processes to determine your priority, frequency of inspection, and permit fee. With the information on your application, our team will communicate to you how to pay your permit fee at the next milestone. You can submit applications by email to [email protected] 
  2. Pay Permit Fee. There are several ways to pay your permit fee (over the phone, in person, or by mail).
  3. Pre-Opening Inspection. After you have applied and paid your permit fee, one of our inspectors will schedule an inspection with you and your mobile food establishment here at our office located at 320 E. Central. This Pre-operational inspection will be conducted only on Thursdays between 9:00am - 12:00pm, and will be done in cooperation with Springfield Fire Department and Environmental Clean Water Services.   
  4. Issue Permit. Once our inspector has been able to verify through a pre-operational inspection that your mobile food establishment meets all of our requirements in our Food Code, we will issue your permit. 
  5. Renew Permit. If you wish to renew your permit for another consecutive 6 months, you must renew before your current permit expires. If you allow your permit to expire, you will be required to start this process over from the beginning.  

Mobile food permits are valid for 6 months and may be used anywhere in Greene County (provided local zoning allows). 

Permit Fees

The 6-month permit fees for mobile food trucks are separated into 2 categories, based on the type of food and preparation involved with each mobile food truck. 

The permit fees for mobile food establishments are as follows:

  •  High Priority Mobile Food Establishment Permit $138.00
  •  Low Priority Mobile Food Establishment Permit $86.00

In general, high priority establishments will receive 2 unannounced inspections every 6 months and low priority establishments will receive 1 unannounced inspection every 6 months.

Renewal of Mobile Permits

Mail a check or visit our main office to renew your 6-month permit before it expires. (Checks must be mailed before the permit expires.)

Beginning May 1st, 2022, if you let your current Mobile Food Permit lapse for 15 calendar days or more before you renew, you will be required to complete the permit process again from the beginning.  This ensures that all mobiles who wish to operate for another 6 months consecutively, maintain a current valid mobile food permit.  Also, for mobile food establishments that close over the winter months, we will ask that they begin the same application process again to have an initial inspection conducted at our office when they wish to re-open the following Spring or Summer.  This will allow us to ensure that all plumbing fixtures have been properly winterized and are in good working order prior to the new permit being issued for the following Spring or Summer.

Make checks payable to ’City of Springfield’ to:
Springfield-Greene County Health Department 
Attn: Food Inspections
227 E Chestnut Expwy Springfield, MO 65802

Other Requirements

  • Please review the following Fire Department requirements here and here.  To ensure your mobile food truck or push cart meet Fire Code standards, please contact the Springfield Fire Department at (417) 874-2300. 
  • To ensure your mobile food truck or push cart complies with the Clean Water Services, please contact the Fats, Oils, Grease program at (417) 864-1923. 
  • To get a mobile vendor site approved within the city limits of Springfield, contact Building Development Services at (417) 864-1059.