Mobile Food Units

General Information:

Mobile food units may operate at one location or multiple locations and may change a location by bringing restroom availability and property owner permission letters to the Planning Department.  All mobile food units must be taken to an approved food source kitchen daily to be serviced.  You may plan ahead by bringing several restroom availability and property owner permission letters at the time of application. All mobile food units require potable and wastewater systems, including a code-compliant utensil sink and separate hand sink. To view the current ordinance for mobile food units, click here!

Examples of this type of unit:  Catering trucks, mobile taquerias, snow cone trailers, barbecue trailers, (any enclosed, road-worthy, wheel-mounted vehicle that portions, prepares or handles any foods not received and handed to customer in the same sealed packages). foodtruck

Running a route vs. operating at one location:  Trucks that do not operate at any location for more than an hour per day do not need restroom or property letters.  

Types of locations: Private property (private land or business). This type of property will need a property agreement letter and a restroom availability letter in order to operate a mobile food unit. 

Downtown- (To see the the downtown area, click here.) Locations downtown will not need a restroom availability letter, but will need to be approved by the city as a property owner. Owners of the mobile food unit will need to have knowledge of where restrooms are located downtown for their customers. 

Public Parks- (For a list of public parks, click here.) Mobile food units operating in public parks will need restroom access and will will need to be approved by the city as a property owner.

How to submit permit packet: 

You may submit your application and packet in two ways. 

1. Print application and permit packet. Submit your application and packet to the City Hall Planning Department located at 202 E Pilar Street, between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm Monday-Friday. 

2. Fill out application and packet on your computer, or print the information and scan it back in as a new document. Email the application and packet to pollettej@nactx.us in the correct order (listed below). 

If the application packet are missing important information, describe features inconsistent with the Nacogdoches Food Ordinance, they may be rejected. In this case, you will be given a list of items that need to be changed. You should obtain the Checklist of Required Documents for mobile food unit packet and use it to assure the packet has all required information before submitting it to the Planning Department. 

When your application packet  has been reviewed, you will be notified at the phone number you provide us.  Make sure you give us a good, legible phone number. Please allow 3-5 business days to process this information. 

Mobile Food Unit Information Package:

(Print Mobile Food Unit Packet to make sure you include all required information in packet; summarizes how unit must be to pass inspection)

foodtruck1

FAQ

Q. Can I have a route for my mobile food unit?

A. Yes! Our ordinance allows for you to have a route for your mobile food unit as long as you hame met all requirements for each location. You will need new restroom and property agreement letters for every location on your proposed route. Additionally, you will need to meet all other requirements within the ordinance. Please remember you cannot stop for longer than a total of 16 hours before returning to your approved food source kitchen.


Q. Can I have my mobile food unit connected to water and sewer so I won’t have to take my unit to the Approved food source kitchen?

A.  No.  Water, sewer, gas, permanently-connected electrical or other permanently-connected utility lines are prohibited in the case of mobile food units.  The building department of the City will not allow permanent structures which do not conform to all building codes.  All mobile food units must return to their commissary once for each day of operation.


Q.  Can I have the waste-water tank pumped by a truck instead of taking my unit to the commissary? 

A.  No.


Q.  I would like to open a small snack/food stand without wheels.  Can I get a permit for this?

A. Not unless your stand meets all applicable building codes.


Q. Does the propane gas equipment on my unit have to be inspected every year?

A.  Yes.  Take the unit to an approved dealer and bring the invoice to the Health Department inspection along with the paid Fire Dept invoice for the LP Gas permit.  For a list of dealers licensed to do these inspections, see information package above.


Q.   How can I change, or add to, operation locations? 

A.   In the case of mobile food units, you must bring in the new address(es), including street number(s) and name(s). Also bring property and restroom letters for any locations where the unit will operate for more than 1 hour per day.  This must be done at least 48 hours before the unit can operate at any new location.