Starting a Food Truck in Michigan: Licenses, Permits, and Who to Call
You are starting, buying, leasing, or changing a Michigan food truck, trailer, cart, or other mobile food unit. The example below follows one broad food-truck purchase and shows who decides each task, what to ask, what to have ready, and the official sources behind it. Unit, menu, commissary, route, and event facts can change the list.
Protect the closing from taxes, license gaps, and inherited problems
Official check
Michigan warns that a purchaser can become personally liable for unpaid seller taxes unless enough purchase money is withheld in escrow until tax clearance. Food licenses, local permissions, commissary and host agreements, inspection duties, employees, event deposits, and accounts each need their own handoff instead of an assumed transfer.
Ask
“Before the offer or closing, what Treasury escrow and tax-clearance steps, UIA information, new applications, written consents, inspections, corrections, refunds, and contract protections are needed before the buyer serves food?”
Have ready
Draft offer and asset list, seller entity and tax-clearance request, purchase-price allocation and escrow, UIA records, food licenses and applications, plans and inspections, violations and complaints, event and customer deposits, commissary and host agreements, employees, tax accounts, insurance, and closing schedule.
Who decides
Michigan Treasury, UIA, each issuing office, and qualified legal and tax advisers
Never assume a license, permit, agreement, tax account, or inspection status transfers. This route cannot determine successor liability or interpret the deal.
Apply for the buyer's own food license before the ownership change
Official check
Michigan requires a new application for a change of ownership; a seller's license does not become the buyer's permission to operate. The agency's current general guidance says new and change-of-ownership applications are due 30 calendar days before the planned opening or ownership change.
Ask
“What must the buyer submit at least 30 calendar days before the ownership change, and what plan review, inspection, local, tax, and closing steps must finish before operation?”
Have ready
Current license and approved plans, buyer and seller entities, application, menu and process changes, unit and equipment changes, commissary agreement, water and waste plan, inspection reports, local approvals, tax details, and target date.
Who decides
The food-licensing office that controls the operation
This check does not transfer a license, calculate a filing deadline for a specific closing, reserve an inspection, or authorize operation during review.
Inspect the used unit against your menu before money changes hands
Official check
A food-truck license, inspection sticker, prior menu, VIN, or seller promise does not prove that the unit is approved, transferable, roadworthy, fire-safe, or capable for the buyer's operation. Food licenses do not simply follow a new owner.
Ask
“Will the plan reviewer accept this layout and equipment for my menu, and what title, lien, road, fire, plumbing, tank, refrigeration, power, repair, and ownership-change issues must be resolved before closing?”
Have ready
VIN, title and lien search, purchase agreement, equipment and serial list, scaled layout, prior license and approved plans, inspections and corrections, commissary file, water and waste tanks, fire and fuel records, service history, damage, and test results.
Who decides
The food-licensing plan reviewer, Michigan Secretary of State, local fire office, and qualified vehicle, equipment, and legal professionals
This check does not inspect the unit, find liens, value assets, transfer a title or license, or promise approval after purchase.
Have the licensing office classify the whole operation
Official check
Truck, trailer, cart, tent, menu, prep, servicing, travel pattern, and event facts can point to different Michigan paths. Transitory Food Unit—still called a Special Transitory Food Unit or STFU on some Michigan forms—is a licensing decision, not a label an operator can choose.
Ask
“Which agency handles this exact operation, what license or exemption decision applies, and which application, plan review, inspection, notice, and renewal steps come first?”
Have ready
Owner and business details, unit type and VIN if any, every menu item and process, where food comes from, prep and storage locations, commissary or servicing plan, water and waste plan, equipment, sales locations and dates, and existing records.
Who decides
The local health department or MDARD office identified through Michigan's food-establishment routing guidance
This route does not assign a license class, confirm an exemption, approve a unit, or identify the correct office from a typed address.
Food-license exemptionsMichigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development · Reviewed July 12, 2026
Get permission for every place and time you plan to sell
Official check
A Michigan food license does not create statewide permission to park or vend. each city, village, or township where the unit will stop and the property, street, park, school, market, fair, brewery, or event owner may have separate zoning, vending, right-of-way, parking, hours, fire, restroom, trash, sign, and event rules. Host approval alone is not the local government's answer.
Ask
“May this exact unit sell this menu at this exact spot, date, and time, and what local, property-owner, road, park, school, market, fair, fire, sign, parking, or event approvals are required in writing?”
Have ready
Exact address or mapped space, dates and hours, unit dimensions, menu, queue and seating plan, parking and generator placement, fire systems, restrooms, trash and grease plan, host agreement, insurance, and food-license status.
Who decides
Each local clerk, planning or zoning office, property or event owner, road or public-property authority, and fire office tied to the selling site
This check cannot grant vending rights, reserve a space, interpret an ordinance, or turn one city's approval into permission elsewhere.
Match every off-unit task to a capable licensed commissary
Official check
Michigan's ordinary mobile-food path returns to a licensed commissary for servicing and maintenance at least once every 24 hours. The commissary must be able to support the unit's actual storage, prep, dishwashing, water, wastewater, cleaning, and other needs; a restaurant license or handshake alone does not prove that fit.
Ask
“Will the licensing office approve this facility and written agreement for every off-unit task, capacity need, access time, water source, and waste destination before the unit operates?”
Have ready
Commissary license and inspection contact, signed verification or agreement, access schedule, storage allocation, prep and sink capacity, water and sewer details, waste and grease plan, cleaning area, travel schedule, and backup plan.
Who decides
The unit's licensing office and the office that oversees the proposed commissary
This check does not approve a commissary, prove capacity, create access rights, or say a different license class may skip commissary review.
Ask whether the complete plan fits the Transitory Food Unit path
Official check
A fully equipped or self-contained claim does not itself remove the commissary requirement. The licensing office must decide whether the whole unit and operating plan fit the Transitory Food Unit path and approve the plans and procedures.
Ask
“Does this exact unit, menu, capacity, water and waste system, cleaning plan, food source, travel pattern, and servicing plan qualify for a Transitory Food Unit license, and what plan review and inspections apply?”
Have ready
Complete worksheet and plans, menu and volume, equipment, water and waste tank calculations, food sources, prep and storage, warewashing, cleaning and servicing, power and fire systems, routes, schedules, and SOPs.
Who decides
The local health department or MDARD plan reviewer handling the proposed license
This tool cannot decide that a unit is self-contained, qualifies as a TFU, or may operate without a commissary.
Build one file for the unit, business, and every selling location
Practical step
A license sticker is only one piece. Approved plans and menu, inspection corrections, commissary terms, local permissions, TFU notices or temporary licenses, fire records, title, water and waste records, and tax files answer different questions.
Ask
“Which current official records match this owner, unit, menu, commissary, route, and selling calendar, and what is missing, expired, open, or only verbal?”
Have ready
Every selected record category, agency contacts, issue and expiration dates, correction proof, applications, notices and delivery proof, agreements, service records, title and liens, and a list of missing items.
Who decides
Each issuing health, local, fire, vehicle, tax, and employer office
This tool cannot verify a document, search agency files, close a correction, or prove that no other record exists.
Check catering and service away from the unit as a separate food path
Official check
A mobile-unit approval does not automatically cover food prepared, transported, displayed, or served from tables, rooms, homes, temporary setups, or other places away from the approved unit. A fixed catering kitchen, temporary establishment, or another approved service arrangement may control part of the work.
Ask
“Which license and approved plans cover the prep kitchen, transport, holding, setup, service, leftovers, water, wastewater, and each off-unit event or service site?”
Have ready
Menus and process flow, prep and storage address, kitchen license and plans, transport and holding equipment, event sites and dates, service setup, staff, water and waste plan, contracts, and current approvals.
Who decides
The food-licensing office for the prep kitchen and each service site
This mobile route does not decide whether catering is covered by the unit's license or approve a kitchen, event, temporary setup, or remote service site.
02Before ordering equipment, building, or changing the site
Submit the real unit, menu, and procedures before buying equipment
Official check
Michigan's current mobile and transitory worksheet asks for the menu, flow, equipment, finishes, water and wastewater tanks, servicing, food sources, procedures, and plans. A used unit or vendor drawing is not the licensing office's approval for your menu and operation.
Ask
“What plan-review package, fee, drawings, equipment sheets, menu, procedures, commissary information, and inspection steps are required before construction, conversion, or operation?”
Have ready
Scaled unit layout and finish details, menu and process flow, equipment and spec sheets, plumbing and tank sizes, power and fuel, ventilation and fire systems, food sources, servicing plan, commissary documents, SOPs, and target schedule.
Who decides
The local health department or MDARD plan reviewer assigned to the operation
This check cannot review plans, size sinks or tanks, approve equipment, predict fees, or say the unit will pass inspection.
Trace drinking water and every liquid waste destination
Official check
A potable-looking hose, bottled water, holding tank, commissary, sewer bill, storm drain, ground, or home drain does not by itself prove an approved food-unit water or wastewater path. Michigan's Food Code requires approved water and sanitary waste handling; mobile waste removal goes through an approved servicing area or lawful transport path.
Ask
“Will the licensing and sewer or health authorities approve the water source, hoses, fill point, tank capacities, waste tank, grease handling, connection, transport, and final disposal for the real menu and daily volume?”
Have ready
Water source and testing if applicable, food-grade hoses and fill protection, tank specs and capacity, menu and volume, sinks and equipment, waste and grease streams, discharge or pump-out point, written sewer or onsite approval, service receipts, and backup plan.
Who decides
The food-licensing office and the sewer, onsite-wastewater, or environmental authority that controls final disposal
This check does not certify water, calculate tank capacity, approve septic or sewer use, or make dumping to a drain, ground, ditch, or storm system lawful.
Have the exact cooking, fuel, power, and fire setup reviewed
Official check
Propane, generators, fuel, fryers, grills, ranges, hoods, suppression, solid fuel, compressed gas, tents, clearances, and crowded vending sites can raise different local fire and mechanical questions. Michigan's state LPG program uses much larger system thresholds, but a small cylinder is not a blanket pass from local fire or event review.
Ask
“Which local fire, mechanical, electrical, gas, hood, suppression, cylinder, generator, tent, clearance, inspection, tagging, and event rules apply to this exact unit and each selling site?”
Have ready
Unit and site layout, appliance and fuel list, cylinder and tank sizes, piping and shutoffs, generator and cords, hood and suppression details, installation and service records, extinguishers, ventilation, clearances, event rules, and photos.
Who decides
The local fire and code offices for the unit's base and each selling location, plus Michigan Bureau of Fire Services if its LPG or tank program applies
This check does not apply a universal food-truck fire code, inspect a system, size ventilation or suppression, or say small propane containers need no review.
Match the menu to safe space, equipment, and written procedures
Official check
Raw food, cooking, cooling, reheating, hot or cold holding, produce washing, ice, allergens, and specialized processing change the sinks, storage, temperature control, separation, capacity, and procedures the reviewer needs to see.
Ask
“For each menu item, what approved source, receiving, storage, prep, cook, cool, reheat, hold, serve, allergen, cleaning, and discard procedure and equipment are required? Does any process need a variance or HACCP review?”
Have ready
Complete recipes and process flow, suppliers, volumes, times and temperatures, equipment and capacity, thermometer plan, cleaning and sanitizing, employee health, allergen information, labels, and any proposed special process.
Who decides
The food-licensing plan reviewer
This tool does not approve a menu, write a complete food-safety plan, classify a process, or decide that a variance is or is not required.
Michigan Modified Food CodeMichigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development · Reviewed July 12, 2026
03Before opening or putting the change into use
Check the current food office for each state or county fair
Official check
Michigan publishes current food-licensing and inspection assignments for state and county fairs. The responsible MDARD or local health office can vary by fair and year, so an old event packet or last year's inspector is not a safe routing answer.
Ask
“For this fair and year, which office receives the application or TFU notice, who inspects the unit, what deadline and fee apply, and which fair, local vending, fire, utility, and insurance steps are separate?”
Have ready
Fair name and county, current year and dates, organizer packet and contact, unit and owner, license class or application, menu, notice records, prior inspection, utilities and fire systems, insurance, and setup schedule.
Who decides
The MDARD or local health department listed for the current fair, plus the fair organizer and local fire or site offices
This tool does not assign the inspector, apply a prior year's list, submit a fair application or notice, or replace the organizer's site rules.
Send each TFU location notice at least four business days before service
Practical step
For a licensed Transitory Food Unit, Michigan requires written notice to the local health department for each service location at least four business days before food is prepared or served there. The first stop counts, and the notice repeats as the unit enters later jurisdictions. Some current forms still use the older name Special Transitory Food Unit or STFU.
Ask
“Where and how does each jurisdiction want the notice sent, what proof should be kept, and which local vending, event, fire, or property approvals are separate?”
Have ready
Current TFU license, operator and unit details, exact service address, dates and hours, menu, responsible person, notice form, delivery proof, calendar, and separate local approvals.
Who decides
The health department for each service jurisdiction
The notice rule does not replace local vending permission, event approval, fire review, or any license condition. This tool does not send or track notices.
Check the exact vehicle, trailer, load, plate, and driver facts
Official check
Food-truck, trailer, commercial, air-brake, propane, and employee-driver labels do not by themselves decide title, plate, insurance, chauffeur, CDL, medical, carrier, weight, inspection, or interstate duties. Actual ownership, use, ratings, weights, combination, cargo, and route matter.
Ask
“For each power unit, trailer, driver, cargo, and route, what title, registration, commercial or elected-GVW plate, insurance, chauffeur or CDL, medical, carrier, inspection, load, and interstate rules apply?”
Have ready
VINs and titles, ownership, empty and loaded weights, GVWR and GCWR labels, trailer rating, axle and combination details, cargo and propane amounts, routes and state lines, driver duties and licenses, insurance, and maintenance records.
Who decides
Michigan Secretary of State and Michigan State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, with federal review when interstate rules apply
This tool does not decide plate type, CDL or chauffeur status, hazmat rules, carrier status, roadworthiness, or a driver's qualifications.
Set up tax accounts and map each sale to current food rules
Official check
Michigan's tax treatment can turn on whether food is heated, combined, sold with utensils, packaged, or otherwise treated as prepared food. A food-license result does not answer the tax question, and a narrow food-license exemption does not create a tax exemption.
Ask
“Which Treasury accounts are needed, and how should each product, package, service, fee, event, and point-of-sale button be treated under current prepared-food rules?”
Have ready
Entity and federal tax IDs, ownership and start dates, every product and service, recipes and handling, packaging and utensils, pricing and fees, event contracts, sales channels, and point-of-sale setup.
Who decides
Michigan Department of Treasury, with a qualified tax adviser when needed
This check does not register the business, classify a sale, calculate tax, or give a universal tax answer for food trucks.
Name the person in charge for every shift and stop
Official check
Michigan retail food establishments need a person in charge during all hours of operation. Michigan Food Law generally also requires a non-temporary food service establishment to employ at least one currently certified managerial employee; the licensing office must apply those rules to the actual license and operation.
Ask
“Who is the person in charge for every shift and location, what must that person know and show, and who will hold the required current manager certification?”
Have ready
Names and schedules, training and current certificates, menu and processes, employee-health and allergen procedures, temperature and cleaning records, and backup coverage.
Who decides
The food-licensing office
This check does not approve a certificate, staffing plan, person's knowledge, or license classification.
Michigan Modified Food CodeMichigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development · Reviewed July 12, 2026
Set up employer accounts, food training, and mobile-work safety
Official check
Part-time, seasonal, family, event, prep, driving, and cleanup workers can raise different payroll, unemployment, workers' compensation, food-safety, wage, driving, heat, lifting, slip, burn, cut, gas, electrical, and emergency duties.
Ask
“Before each worker starts, which Treasury, UIA, workers' compensation, wage, record, driver, food-safety, MIOSHA, training, equipment, and emergency duties apply to the real job?”
Have ready
Entity and tax IDs, start dates, headcount and hours, worker relationships, duties and work locations, payroll, insurance, drivers and vehicles, menu and equipment, fuel and chemicals, hazards, written procedures, training, and emergency contacts.
Who decides
Michigan Treasury, UIA, Workers' Disability Compensation Agency, MIOSHA, and the food-licensing office
This is an employer starting point. It does not classify a worker, calculate coverage, approve training, or replace a job-specific safety and food-safety program.
04After opening, finishing work, or putting the change into use
Schedule both TFU operating evaluations and send each report
Practical step
A licensed Transitory Food Unit holder must request and receive two operating evaluations during each licensing year, spaced generally across the operating season, and send each evaluation report to the licensing office within 30 days after receiving it.
Ask
“Who will perform both evaluations, when should each be requested, where must each report go, and what proof of the request, evaluation, fee, receipt, and 30-day submission should be kept?”
Have ready
TFU license and licensing-year dates, operating calendar and jurisdictions, evaluator contacts, requests, appointments, fees, reports, receipt dates, submissions, delivery proof, and correction records.
Who decides
The licensing office and the local health departments that perform the evaluations
This tool does not schedule an evaluation, calculate a report deadline, prove receipt, close a correction, or preserve TFU eligibility.
Calendar licenses, notices, inspections, and local renewals
Practical step
Most Michigan food-establishment licenses run through April 30, while temporary licenses, TFU notices, local vending permissions, fire service records, event approvals, vehicle registrations, and employee records can follow different dates and triggers.
Ask
“What expiration, renewal, notice, inspection, correction, service, event, and change-reporting dates apply to this owner, unit, commissary, and selling calendar?”
Have ready
Issued license and conditions, inspection and correction files, TFU notices and proof, temporary and local permits, commissary dates, fire and equipment service, vehicle registration, event calendar, and responsible staff.
Who decides
Each issuing food, local, fire, vehicle, tax, and employer office
This tool does not renew, send, or track filings and cannot promise that a reminder list is complete.
Some questions have no safe generic answer without the exact address, records, people, or equipment. The interactive check keeps each one visible instead of turning it into a silent gap:
Written local vending and site permission for every planned stop is not confirmed.
Coverage receipt
What this guide covers
This is a starting map for a mobile food operation, not permission to build, buy, park, vend, prepare, serve, travel, or open.
Checked
the food-license agency and classification starting point; local vending and site permission; unit and menu plan-review routing; commissary and daily servicing; the Transitory Food Unit candidate path without deciding eligibility; TFU location notices; TFU operating evaluations and report delivery; the current state or county fair licensing assignment; drinking water and liquid-waste routing; local fire, fuel, power, hood, and suppression routing; used-unit purchase questions; business-buyer tax and handoff questions; vehicle, plate, driver, weight, and route screening; first employee and safety starting points; catering and off-unit service handoff.
Still decided elsewhere
The assigned food-licensing office decides the license class, exemption, plan approval, commissary fit, inspection result, and food-safety conditions. Each city, property owner, event, fire office, road or public-property authority, and utility decides its own part.
Not checked
A parcel or ordinance lookup, final license class, exemption, approved menu or plans, equipment or tank sizing, food safety, fire inspection, wastewater approval, vehicle or driver classification, tax calculation, contract, insurance, valuation, financing, emergency response, enforcement defense, or legal advice.