A mobile vendor any person in charge of or driving any motorized mobile vending vehicle requiring a valid state driver’s license to operate, either as agent, employee, or otherwise under the direction of the owner.

As provided in Orange Municipal Code, the following schedule of administrative fines is adopted for a violation of Chapter 5.53 by a mobile vendor:

• An administrative fine not exceeding $100 for a first violation;
• An administrative fine not exceeding $200 for a second violation within one year of the first violation; and
• An administrative fine not exceeding $500 for each additional violation within one year of the first violation.

Mobile Vendors with a valid mobile vending permit may conduct mobile vending activities at approved locations such as but not limited to:

• Specific location or address on a public street:
• A maximum of 4 hours per stop in any commercial or industrial zone excluding residential zones.
• Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. daily or consistent with the hours of operation of the businesses on the same street block in commercial, manufacturing, or industrial zones.
• A mobile food vehicle that is vending for longer than one hour during any 24-hour period must be legally parked within 200 feet of an approved and readily available toilet and hand-washing facility with the property owner’s permission.
• Mobile vendors in residential zones shall move continuously except when necessary to complete a sales transaction but must not exceed a maximum of 10 minutes to complete the transaction.
• Vending within the public right-of-way shall not be conducted before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. in any residential zone.
• Roaming areas/routes on a public street:
• A maximum of 4 hours per stop in any commercial or industrial zone excluding residential zones.
• Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. daily or consistent with the hours of operation of the businesses on the same street block in commercial, manufacturing, or industrial zones.
• A mobile food vehicle that is vending for longer than one hour during any 24-hour period must be legally parked within 200 feet of an approved and readily available toilet and hand-washing facility with the property owner’s permission.
• Mobile vendors in residential zones shall move continuously except when necessary to complete a sales transaction but must not exceed a maximum of 10 minutes to complete the transaction.
• Vending within the public right-of-way shall not be conducted before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. in any residential zone.
• Active constriction sites with the property owner’s permission:
• Mobile food vehicles may park on private or public property at the request and with written consent of the person who is in legal control of the property where the performance of lawful construction activity with a valid City building permit has been issued for the property.
• No sales of food or drinks shall be made to the general public and be parked for a period of more than one hour.
• Mobile food vehicle must either park on the construction site of the private property or immediately in front of it on the public street abiding by any and all parking restrictions, codes or laws.
• Vending within the public right-of-way shall not be conducted before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. in any residential zone.
• Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. daily or consistent with the hours of operation of the businesses on the same street block in commercial, manufacturing, or industrial zones.
• Private property with the property owner’s permission:
• A maximum of 4 hours per stop in any commercial, manufacturing, or industrial zone excluding residential zones.            
• Only one mobile vendor is allowed on any individual private property at any given time that the mobile vending activity is in operation.
• Between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. daily or consistent with the hours of operation of the businesses on the same street block in commercial, manufacturing, or industrial zones.
• A mobile food vehicle that is vending for longer than one hour during any 24-hour period must be legally parked within 200 feet of an approved and readily available toilet and hand-washing facility with the property owner’s permission.
• Shall only occupy parking spaces not required to meet the minimum requirements of the current permitted uses on the private property per Title 17 of the City code or of other off-site uses if those spaces are leased under a shared parking facility agreement with a conditional use permit.
• Private Catered Event with the property owner’s permission:
• Private event that is held exclusively on the private property and that is not open to the general public.
• No sales of food or drinks shall be made to the general public including any persons who are attendees of the privately catered event.
• City parks with Community Services Director’s permission:
• Please contact the Community Services Department at (714) 744-7274 for permission to vend on public parks.

Please contact the Code Enforcement Office at (714) 744-7244 for more information.

To apply for a mobile vending vehicle permit, you must have:

• All Sales: A California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) Seller’s Permit. Visit their website or call (949) 440-3473.
• Food Sales: A Public Health Permit from Orange County Health Care Agency - Environmental Health. Visit their website or call (714) 433-6000.
• Learn more about our Ordinance No. 11-23.

All mobile vendors in the City of Orange must have a business license. Apply for a business license online or call (714) 744-2270 if you have any questions.

To sell food and/or merchandise on public streets and/or private property, you must have a mobile vending vehicle permit from the Community Development Department’s Code Enforcement Division.

Below is an explanation of the forms you will need to submit in order to apply for the Mobile Vending Vehicle Permit Program. Bring all required forms to 300 E. Chapman Avenue, Orange, CA during City Hall business hours and days. If you have any questions, please call (714) 744-7244. 

• Form A - Applicant: This form applies to any person who will be solely responsible for the Mobile Vending Vehicle Permit.
  • If that person is employed or engaged by another individual or a business or will use a mobile vending vehicle owned by another individual or a business, then they must also submit Form B. All applicants must be at least eighteen (18) years of age or older.

• Form B - Business Owner Addendum: If the applicant is an agent of an individual, company, partnership, corporation, or other entity who owns the business and/or the mobile vending vehicle, you must submit this form as well.

• Form C - Employee Addendum: Any person who will be employed by the applicant to work as a mobile vendor must submit this form.

• Form D - Special Request Addendum: Any applicant who is making a special request for shade structure / umbrella, generator, portable sign(s) and/or portable cooking equipment or heating elements as part of their mobile vending activity must submit this form.

• Letter of Consent Form – This form shall be required for any mobile vendor who intends on operating their mobile vehicle activities on private property. The mobile vendor must obtain written consent from the private property owner to use their private property.

• Restroom Authorization Form – This form shall be required for any mobile food vehicle that is vending for longer than one hour during any 24-hour period must be legally parked within 200 feet travel distance of an approved and readily available toilet and handwashing facility with the property owner’s permission. The mobile vendor must obtain written authorization from a property owner to use their restroom facility on private property.

Applicable Fees

• An Application Permit Fee of $645 per vending cart shall be required for an application for a Mobile Vending Vehicle Permit.
• An Employee Application Permit Fee of $169 per employee shall be required of all person(s) who will be employed by the applicant for a Mobile Vending Vehicle Permit.
• A Mobile Vending Vehicle Permit Change of Information Fee of $169 shall be imposed when any applicant who has been issued a Sidewalk Vender Permit changes any information as provided in the application or Chapter 5.53.