Definitions and Fees

• A Mobile Food Dispenser (MFD) is any person who, by traveling from place to place upon the public ways from a mobile food vehicle, serves individual portions of food that are totally enclosed in a wrapper or container and which have been manufactured, prepared or wrapped in a licensed food establishment.
• Such food may undergo a final preparation step immediately prior to service to a consumer in conformity with the rules and regulations of the board of health.

Free MFV Assessment

To help MFV license applicants prepare for the Department of Public Health (CDPH) and, if applicable*, Chicago Fire Department (CFD) inspections, we are providing a FREE MFV Assessment prior to, or during, the license application process.

The MFV Assessment consists of a mobile food vehicle review by CDPH and CFD inspectors, who will provide applicants with an inspection report explaining the results of their compliance assessment.  Please be sure that your MFV is fully functional so that the inspectors may review every part of the MFV appropriately. Specifically:

• There must be a permanent divide between the front driving area and the back cook/prep area;
• All equipment must be up and running at the proper temperatures including the water which must be of sufficient quantity for assessment purposes;
• All Mobile Food Preparer trucks must have a grease trap under the three compartment sink.

MFV Assessments are conducted by appointment only.  Appointments can be made online or by calling 312.74.GOBIZ / 744.6249.

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* MFVs equipped with a gasoline, diesel or electric generator, propane or compressed natural gas, type II exhaust hood or fire suppression system, are required to be inspected by the Chicago Fire Department.

Step 1: Submit License Application at Business Affairs & Consumer Protection (BACP)

Step 2: Health Consultation and Fire Safety Permit

• Proposed menu including a list of all food items the applicant intends to serve.
• Blueprints (plans) of the MFV.
• Specification sheets on equipment installed and used within the MFV.
• Inspection report from within the last 90 days from the state or local health authority where the food source or commissary is located, if the applicant is  from outside of Chicago.
• Blueprints (plans) of the commissary, if the applicant is from outside of Chicago. [MFPs only]
• If the MFV has a gasoline, diesel or electric generator, propane or compressed natural gas, type II exhaust hood or fire suppression system, then the license applicant will be provided with an MFV Fire Safety Permit application which must be completed and submitted to the Chicago Fire Department (CFD) for approval; if not, then the applicant may skip the Fire Safety Permit step below.

• A $100.00 check or money order made payable to the “City of Chicago” for the MFV Fire Safety Permit Application Fee, and
• Any required documents.  A printed copy of the MFV Fire Safety Permit Consultation Packet may be obtained from the Sanitarian during the Health Consultation step above.

• Classes are conducted at the 2nd floor of the Bureau of Fire Prevention, 444 N. Dearborn, on Thursdays, at 9 a.m.
• Registration for, and rescheduling of, the FSC is done through your SBC Business Consultant.
• Attendees must bring a valid Driver’s License, State ID, or another Government-issued photo ID.
• Attendees should also bring a Combustible Gas Detector to learn how to properly check for LP/CNG leaks in the MFV.
• Any owner or operator not receiving a Fire Safety Permit within six (6) month period from their original FSC will need to repeat the class.
• Fire Safety Class Information and Registration Instructions

• Have the COMPANY that designed/installed their MFV’s fire suppression system submit MFV plans, on company letterhead, to the CFD at the Bureau of Fire Prevention Headquarters, 444 N. Dearborn, 2nd Floor.
• Forward a $150.00 check, or money order, made payable to the “City of Chicago” for the FSS Plan Review.

• An on-site inspection of the applicant’s MFV will be conducted along with CDPH at 2133 W. Lexington, in Chicago.
• On-site inspections will be scheduled by BACP (see Step 3 below).

• The MFV has passed the onsite inspection.
• If applicable, the owner and employees (MFV operators) have attended the Fire Safety Class (FSC).
• All CFD fees have been paid.

Mobile Food Vehicle (MFV) Requirements

Step 3: On-Site Inspection by Health, and Fire if applicable.

• After completing the license application with your Business Consultant, and payment of the application fee, the MFV to be licensed must be made available for inspection by CDPH, and if applicable, CFD.
• Your Business Consultant will schedule your MFV License Inspection, which will be conducted at 2133 W. Lexington, in Chicago.

Step 4:  License Issuance

Recurring and License Renewal Inspections

Operational Requirements

A. All MFVs must be equipped with an operational Global Positioning System (GPS) device. The device must meet the requirements set forth in Section 7-38-115 of the Municipal Code of the City of Chicago, as well as the following:

1. The device must be permanently installed in, or on, the MFV.
2. The device must be an “active”, not “passive” device that sends real-time location data to a GPS service provider; the device is not required to send location data directly to the City.
3. The device must be accurate no less than 95% of the time.
4. The device must function while the MFV is vending food or otherwise open for business to the public, and when the MFV is being serviced at a commissary as required by Section 7-38-138 of the Municipal Code of the City of Chicago or these regulations. The device must function during these times regardless of whether the engine is on or off.
5. When the GPS device is required to function, the device will transmit GPS coordinates to the GPS service provider no less frequently than once every five (5) minutes.

B. City personnel will not request location information from a GPS service provider pertaining to a mobile food vehicle unless:

1. The information is sought to investigate a complaint of unsanitary or unsafe conditions, practices, or food or other products at the MFV;
2. The information is sought to investigate a food-related threat to public health;
3. The information is sought in connection with establishing compliance with Chapter 7-38 of the Municipal Code of Chicago or the regulations promulgated thereunder;
4. The information is sought for purposes of emergency preparation or response;
5. The City has obtained a warrant or other court authorization to obtain the information; or
6. The City has received permission from the licensee to obtain the information.

C. The GPS service provider must maintain at least six (6) months of historical location information and be able to provide the following:

1. When requested, as per the regulations stated in section B of these GPS requirements, reports of each transmitted position including arrival dates, times, addresses, and duration of each stop, in a downloadable format (i.e. PDF, CVS or Excel). If the request is to provide the current location of a vehicle, the GPS service provider must respond immediately with the most recent location information for the MFV.
2. Reports that provide anonymous, aggregate information regarding MFV operations within the City, and do not identify specific MFVs.
3. An application programming interface (API) that is available to the general public.

D. If the City establishes a website for displaying the real-time location of MFVs, for purposes of marketing and promotional efforts, the licensee may choose to provide the appropriate access information to the API of its GPS to enable the posting of the MFV’s location on such website. The licensee is not required to provide such information or otherwise allow the City to display the MFV’s location.

E. The following will serve as evidence that the GPS requirements have been met:

1. Proof of GPS installation.
2. Proof from a GPS tracking device service provider the operator is in compliance with the requirements as stated in Rule 8 of the MFV Rules and Regulations.

You may apply in-person at BACP’s Business Assistance Center, 121 North LaSalle Street, Room 800.

• Application intake hours are from 8:30 AM through 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday.
• An appointment is recommended, and can be made by calling 312.74.GOBIZ / 744.6249.

Resources

• Ordinance
• Business Information Sheet (BIS) - Pre-Application Form
• Mobile Food Vehicle (MFV) Certificate of Insurance - SAMPLE
• Mobile Food Truck Stands Map
• Mobile Food Dispenser (MFD) Fact Sheet
• Mobile Food Preparer (MFP) Fact Sheet
• Mobile Food Vehicle (MFV) Assessment Information and Checklist
• Mobile Food Vehicle (MFV) Fire Safety Class Fact Sheet
• Mobile Food Vehicle (MFV) Fire Safety Permit Consultation Packet
• Mobile Food Vehicle (MFV) Rules and Regulations
• Mobile Food Video
• Mobile Food Truck Fest Start Up Guide
• Operating a Food Truck in Chicago
• Join the Chicago Food Truck Industry in Chicago