The next step is to get a business license from your municipality. These generally cost anywhere from $60.00 to $350.00 depending on your city. The larger cities tend to charge more for these than do the smaller towns. What you need to do is visit the Small Businesses Office of your local area to find out the fees and the paperwork that needs to be completed to be duly licensed to operate your food concession stand.
There are three types of licenses that your local city hall may require that you have:
- Business License. – This is the grant of the privilege for an individual to operate a business.
- Location Permit. – This allows the individual concessionaire to operate at a given location for a defined period of time.
- Special Events Permit. – This is a special permit given to operators of events that will house a number of people at a given public location for a specific time.
The city government may also require you to obtain a separate vendor location permit for each and every location you plan to use. Some cities like New York have a limited number available and there is a waiting list that you would need to be listed in.
Event permits may be required for setting up at special temporary venues like sporting events or car shows. These special events require special set-ups such as fencing and crowd control as well as parking and traffic amenities.
Check with the local authorities and ask about all three of these types of licenses. In some places, all three are required. In other places, only the business license is needed. At the same time, be sure to check on the local rules and by-laws for food vendors. Often nowadays all of this can be done on-line at the city’s web site. There are also downloadable forms but you still need to go down to the local office in order to submit these particular forms and pay for the fees required.
Business Licenses are usually procured at city hall. Often cities have information about business licenses posted on the city web site. You may even be able to obtain and pay for your license online. In some cities, there is a waiting time for the issuance of business licenses, together with a listing of documentation requirements for the application’s completion. You need to take this into consideration as it may take some time before you are allowed to operate your concession stand.
They should, at the same time, give you details about the Do’s and Don’ts, where you can and cannot locate your hotdog cart, and information on any other local by-laws that apply to the hot dog vending business. This is a good time to ask any questions about the retail food business as it applies to your area. This is important so you would not run afoul of the law and ordinances and thus be fined for your infractions.
Obtaining a Health Department Permit
This permit may cost between $50.00 and $250.00 depending on the county. Check our Health Department Help section on this web site to locate and contact your local county health department. This permit certifies that your concession stand and your processes have passed the minimum standards set by the law for the operation of your business.
Also keep in mind that you may be required to take a course in food handling. This is actually a good idea even if it is not a legal requirement. These food handling courses may range from 4 hours in length to a couple of full work days. Either way, it would fully inform you of all of the local county health requirements for your hot dog cart. Do plan on paying a separate fee for this course. It may be offered by the health department directly or by an authorized food service company. It would also be good marketing for your concession stand to show that you have been properly trained to do your concession business.
The health authorities may ask you to submit details regarding your hot dog cart specifications. They want to check that the hotdog cart will meet all of their local health codes. These details, drawings and specifications can be downloaded from our web site in the Cart Selection section that shows the pictures of all the various hot dog carts. This would serve to show that you have complied with the legal requirements set for the safe handling and serving of food.
Some county health departments will ask if the hotdog cart is NSF approved. The NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) is a quality assurance agency that certifies that food equipment meets certain standards of design, operation and materials of construction. Without this certification, the food concession stand may be made of substandard materials or non hypo allergenic surfaces. As a leader in hotdog cart design and manufacture, this approval is not a problem for companies like Willy Dogs. Because it involves extra time and work though, NSF approval is a chargeable option on Willy Dogs hot dog carts. If NSF certification is required by your county, you must mention this when ordering so that the proper certification paperwork and procedures will be done on your hotdog cart. As an option for your hot dog cart from Willy Dogs, you can be assured that your hot dog cart uses top of the line materials and has been engineered for safety.
Familiarize yourself with the health code regulations for your area. You can do this by visiting your local office or going on line to get a copy of the list of requirements for your business needs. This may affect the types of food that you can supply from your hotdog cart, the options that you will need to order, and thus also the cart that you pick. With full knowledge of these regulations, you are better equipped to do well in your business. You also have the hot dog cart Operations and Maintenance Manual on our web site is a good place to start for general operating procedures for conforming to most health codes in many areas.
Keep in mind though that your local health department may have slightly different specific requirements or procedures. An example of this is with regard to sinks for washing hands and for washing dishes or food preparation utensils. Some county health departments specify that a hotdog cart must have separate sinks for hand washing and dish washing. Check on these requirements first before ordering your hot dog cart as non-compliance with these simple requirements may be the difference between being able to operate your concession and having a white elephant in your garage.
The health department may also want to physically inspect your cart once you receive it but before you start operating. This physical examination is standard for many counties as this serve to verify the documentation you have submitted in your license applications. This also will involve a fee, which is a requirement for the full compliance with the licensure requirements.
If you have any further questions regarding meeting health code regulations, we are happy to assist you. Just visit our site and find your location and the health regulations applicable to your area of operation.
Frequently Asked
Health Department Questions
Q: Do I need approval from the local Health Department authorities?
A: Yes. This is a standard requirement before being allowed to operate your concession stand. Check with your local Health Department. They may be listed on the city’s web site. Get the details on the local health code requirements. There may be an initial inspection fee on your cart.
Q: What does NSF certified mean and does my hot dog cart need it?
A: NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization that develops standards for food service equipment manufacturers and provides third-party conformity assessment services for these food service equipment manufacturers. The NSF has developed standards for American hot dog carts.
To have NSF certification means that NSF has assessed and certified the conformity of the equipment with the appropriate NSF and ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standards.
Part of the certifications process is to have the equipment production facility audited annually so as to ensure that all the relevant standards continue to be met.
For hot dog cart s this means that the materials used in construction are nontoxic, corrosion and heat resistant, and any coatings are tested for durability and abrasion resistance. In addition, the equipment has demonstrated that it can attain and maintain appropriate temperatures for reheating food in a prescribed time. Also temperatures indicating devices used are verified to be accurate. hot dog carts of Willy Dogs come under NSF/ANSI Standard 59 for Food Carts.
Your local Health Department may specify that your hot dog cart must meet NSF standards. Or they may not. Some though do not require such a certification. It is best that you seek advice from your county business office to ensure compliance with ordinance requirements.
Hot dog carts come under NSF/ANSI Standard 59 for Food Carts.
Q: Can a hot dog cart serve pre-cooked chicken or ribs?
A: Yes, but not all the time. However, your local county Health Department may not allow this. Canadian and American hot dog cart operators follow very strict health guidelines. They may not allow vendor carts to serve what they classify as hazardous pre-cooked meats that often include pre-cooked chicken or pre-cooked pork ribs. Check with your local Health Department first before planning to serve such items.
Q: Can a hot dog cart cook raw steak, chicken or pork?
A: Yes, but this may not be allowed in all areas. You need to check first with local Health Department Codes as the ordinances may not allow this. The health code may not allow vendor carts to serve what they classify as hazardous uncooked meats. This definition often includes raw or frozen chicken, raw or frozen beef, raw or frozen pork, and ground meats. As mentioned in the previous FAQ question and answer, Canadian and American hot dog carts often must conform to very strict local guidelines. Check with your local Health Department first before planning to serve such items.
Q: Where can I get instructions on how to operate my Willy Dogs cart so as to meet all the Health Department guidelines?
A: The Operations Manual Section of this guide has some good suggestions in plain language on how to meet the general guidelines of most health departments including washing and sanitizing the cart and in safely serving food. This is the basic process in order to keep your hot dog cart clean and in pristine condition. On top of this, each city or county health department will have their own set of rules that they will make available to you. Ask them for clarification if any parts are not clear to you. You need to be fully apprised of these in order to keep your cart within the bounds of the law.
Q: Does the cart have hot and cold running water?
A: Yes. Most of the carts are completely self-contained with hot and cold running water. Check the specifications page for each individual cart at www.willydogs.com . Click on the picture of each cart for more details and specifications of equipment included with each cart. Many health codes require hot and cold running water in food concession carts. The hot water is to keep your food implements properly sanitized. The cold water is for washing purposes.
In addition, your wastewater must not just be thrown anywhere. In Willy Dogs hot dog carts, the wastewater is collected so it can be disposed properly. This is a requirement with many health codes and must be complied with strictly.
