Florida Pushcart / Mobile Food Cart Compliance Guide

Regulatory Overview
In Florida, mobile food vending is regulated at three levels:  
1. State Level: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) + Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS)  
2. County/City Level: Business Tax Receipt, Zoning, Fire Safety, Local Vendor Permits  
3. Federal Level: IRS (EIN)  

Key Classification 
- Hot food prepared and served on-site (tacos, hot dogs, fried chicken, burritos, etc.) → Regulated by **DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants**  
- Pre-packaged, non-potentially-hazardous food → Regulated by **FDACS**  

If you cook/serve hot food from a pushcart, you fall under **DBPR** rules.

Recommended Step-by-Step Process

1. Business Entity Registration
   Purpose: Legally establish your business entity  
   Agency: Florida Department of State – Division of Corporations (Sunbiz)  
   Required Documents:  
   - ID (driver’s license/passport)  
   - Articles of Organization (LLC) or DBA (Fictitious Name) form  
   - Business address  
   Website: https://dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz  
   Processing Time: Instant to 2–3 business days (online)  
   Cost: LLC ≈ $125 | DBA ≈ $50  

2. Federal EIN + Florida Sales Tax Number 
   Purpose: Tax ID and sales tax collection  
   Agencies:  
   - EIN → IRS (federal)  
   - Sales Tax Certificate → Florida Department of Revenue (DOR)  
   Required Documents: Business registration info, address, business type  
   Websites:  
   - EIN: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-ein  
   - DOR Registration: https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/registration  
   Processing Time: EIN instant | DOR 1–2 weeks  
   Cost: Both free  

3. Secure an Approved Commissary (Commercial Kitchen)
   Purpose: All mobile food carts MUST be attached to a licensed commissary for water refill, wastewater disposal, cleaning, and overnight storage  
   Required Documents:  
   - Signed Commissary Letter of Agreement  
   - Copy of commissary’s DBPR license  
   Time: Few days to several weeks to find and sign  
   Cost: $300–$1,000/month (most common range in Miami/Orlando/Tampa)  

4. Food Manager Certification
   Purpose: At least one person must hold a certified food manager certificate  
   Approved Providers: ServSafe, National Registry of Food Safety Professionals, etc.  
   Website: https://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hr/food-lodging/food-manager-certification/   

   Duration: 1–2 days training + exam  
   Validity: 5 years  
   Cost: $100–$200  

5. Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicle (MFDV) License – Pushcart/Hot Dog Cart License 
   Agency: DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants  
   Required Documents:  
   - Form HR-7007 (Application for Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicle)  
   - Menu and equipment list  
   - Commissary agreement  
   - Food manager certificate  
   - Photos and floor plan of cart  
   - Water/wastewater system description  
   Website: https://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/licensing/food-trucks-and-mobile-food-dispensers/  
   Processing Time: 3–6 weeks + onsite inspection  
   License Fee: $347 (includes initial inspection)  
   Validity: 1 year, annual renewal required  

6. Local Business Tax Receipt (County/City Business License)
   Agency: County Tax Collector or City Clerk  
   Examples:  
   - Miami-Dade: https://www.miamidade.gov/taxcollector/  
   - Orange County: https://www.octaxcol.com/  
   - Hillsborough: https://www.hillstax.org/  
   Processing Time: 3–10 business days  
   Cost: $30–$100/year  

7. Zoning Approval & Vending Location Permit 
   Agency: City Planning/Zoning Department or Public Works  
   Required Documents: Business license, DBPR permit, cart photos, site map, proof of insurance  
   Examples:  
   - Miami: https://www.miamigov.com/  
   - Orlando: https://www.orlando.gov/  
   - Tampa: https://www.tampa.gov/  
   Processing Time: 2–4 weeks  
   Permit Fee: $50–$300 (annual or per location)  

8. Fire Department Inspection (if using propane, grills, generators)
   Agency: Local Fire Marshal  
   Required Documents: Equipment manuals, fire extinguisher tags, propane tank specs, cart photos  
   Processing Time: 1–3 weeks for appointment  
   Inspection Fee: $50–$200  

9. Insurance
   Required: General Liability (most cities require minimum $1M)  
   Recommended: Commercial Property, Workers’ Comp (if you have employees)  
   Cost: $300–$1,200/year (typical for pushcarts)  

10. Final DBPR Inspection & Opening Approval
    After all documents are submitted, DBPR schedules the final cart inspection  
    Once passed → License issued same week  
    Processing: 1–3 weeks for inspection scheduling  

Estimated First-Year Startup Costs (Pushcart Only)  
Business registration & EIN: $125–$175  
Food manager certification: $150  
DBPR MFDV license: $347  
Commissary (3 months): $900–$3,000  
Local business tax + vending permits: $200–$500  
Fire inspection: $100  
Insurance (1 year): $500–$1,000  
Total realistic range: **$3,000 – $7,000** (excluding cart purchase)

Official Website Summary  
- Sunbiz (business registration): https://dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz  
-  
- IRS EIN: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-ein  
- Florida DOR Sales Tax: https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/registration  
- DBPR Mobile Food Licensing: https://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/  
- Food Manager Certification: https://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hr/food-lodging/food-manager-certification/  
- Florida Business Portal (check city-specific rules): https://openmyfloridabusiness.gov/

Practical Tips & Common Requirements
- Cart must return to commissary **every operating day** for cleaning and wastewater disposal.  
- All food, ice, utensils must come from approved sources.  
- Cart must have: handwashing sink, wastewater tank (1.5× fresh water capacity), hot water, refrigeration, etc.  
- License must be carried on the cart at all times.  
- No vending on public roads unless specifically allowed; private property requires owner permission.  
- For festivals/markets: additional Temporary Event License required (very easy, $27–$91).