Shelby County, Tennessee
What permits do you need to open a food truck in Memphis?
In short
A food truck in Memphis, TN needs 5 permits to open, including a mobile food unit permit ($310, renewed annually) issued by Metro Public Health. Filing fees total $685, and a typical opening runs 5–8 weeks from first application to trading.
Pre-launch build. The permit records on this page are sample data used to build the site structure. None has yet been verified against a primary source, so nothing here should be relied on.
The permits at a glance
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Food Unit Permit | Metro Public Health | $310 | annually | 11 Aug 2026 |
| Commissary Agreement Letter | Metro Public Health | No fee | annually | 11 Aug 2026 |
| Fire Suppression Inspection | Nashville Fire Marshal | $120 | annually | Re-check due · 96 days |
| Mobile Vendor Business Licence | Metro County Clerk | $15 | annually | 12 Aug 2026 |
| Sales & Use Tax Certificate | TN Dept. of Revenue | No fee | no expiry | 12 Aug 2026 |
Verified 12 August 2026 against Metro Public Health published fee schedule
Every requirement in detail
Mobile Food Unit Permit
11 Aug 2026- Fee
- $310
- Renews
- annually
- Issued by
- Metro Public Health
Note: unit inspection at a fixed site.
Commissary Agreement Letter
11 Aug 2026- Fee
- No fee
- Renews
- annually
- Issued by
- Metro Public Health
Note: signed by a permitted commissary.
Fire Suppression Inspection
Re-check due · 96 days- Fee
- $120
- Renews
- annually
- Issued by
- Nashville Fire Marshal
Note: required where cooking produces grease vapour.
Mobile Vendor Business Licence
12 Aug 2026- Fee
- $15
- Renews
- annually
- Issued by
- Metro County Clerk
Note: gross receipts filing.
Sales & Use Tax Certificate
12 Aug 2026- Fee
- No fee
- Renews
- no expiry
- Issued by
- TN Dept. of Revenue
Note: file before first sale.
What order do you have to file these in?
Some permits cannot be applied for until another has been granted. In Memphis the dependency chain sets the floor on your timeline more than any single agency’s processing time.
- 01Secure a commissary agreement
- 02Mobile food unit inspection
- 03Fire suppression inspection
- 04Vendor business licence
How much does it cost to permit a food truck in Memphis?
Filing fees for a food truck in Memphis total $685 across 5 permits. That figure covers published permit fees only — plan review, re-inspection and per-face signage charges are billed separately and are the usual reason an outturn exceeds a forecast.
How long does it take to open a food truck in Memphis?
A typical food truck opening in Memphis runs 5–8 weeks. The constraint is sequencing rather than any individual agency: occupancy must be certified before the health permit can be issued, and the health permit must be in hand before trading.
Food trucks in nearby cities
Sources
No sources are published for this page yet. Each requirement will cite the agency page, fee schedule or code section it was verified against, with the date it was retrieved — see how the data is verified.
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.