Vehicle Based Food Service (Mobile Food Vendors)

Vehicle Based Food Service Vendors (Mobile Food Vendors) who plan to move from one location to another must obtain a business license for both the State and City through the State of Washington Department of Revenue. Once applications have been submitted through the Department of Revenue, applicants are required to complete our Mobile Food Vendor Addendum.

Vendors who plan to be stationary and operate for a long period of time in a parking lot or City property are considered an "itinerant merchant" and can complete a Temporary Business License application.

The following items are required prior to business license approval:

  • Valid Benton-Franklin Health District Permit
  • City of Richland Fire Department Vehicle Inspection Approval
  • Approval From entity that owns the underlying land where operating:
    • City of Richland Parks and Facilities Contract/Approval (If operating on City property)
    • Permit, written agreement, or contract from property owner (If operating on private property)
  • Detailed map of proposed location and layout

Businesses who plan to cook in their food vehicle or use any type of propane or gas will need our City of Richland Fire Department  to complete an inspection of your vehicle and approval must be received from our Fire Department before we can complete the approval process of your application.  If  your vehicle requires inspection from our Fire Department, please contact (509)942-7718 at your earliest convenience to schedule an inspection. 

Businesses operating on City property, must obtain approval through Parks and Facilities. Please contact (509)942-7463 to begin the Parks and Facilities approval Process.

 

Zoning and Land Use in general

As you are identifying a location you will want to pay attention to what zoning district it is located within. Zoning Districts define the underlying allowable use of a property or building, and determine the allowances created for new construction and modification of existing structures appropriate to the surrounding area. Zoning Districts are typically made across an entire property parcel and set allowances for all structures on that property, but in some cases a parcel may be subject to multiple zoning or overlay requirements.

Use this map to identify the zoning district of the property you'd like to locate on.