Mobile Vending Carts and Food Carts on Private Property

If you want to buy, install or use a mobile vending cart or food cart, you need to know which Building and Zoning Code

standards apply. Get information about permits and resources for food carts, food trucks, mobile food units and vending

carts in the City of Portland.

The permits you’ll need to get and the code standards depend upon the location of the vending cart or food cart, the

type of vending cart, and which zones allow vending carts.

REGULATIONS REQUIREMENTS

Electrical

work

Requires an

electrical

permit

(www.portland.gov/bds/commercial-permitting/commercial-electrical-permits) and

inspection.

Only a licensed electrical contractor can do this work.

Food

service

Needs approval from the

Multnomah County

Health

Department

. (www.multco.us/services/food-carts)

Private property or

public

right-of-way

For carts located on private property, check with

Planning

and

Zoning

(www.portland.gov/bds/zoning-land-use) to

determine if retail sales and service uses are allowed at your proposed location. Transportation approval required if

placement is to be in

right-of-way

(www.portland.gov/transportation/permitting/apply-vending-cart-permit).

Mobile vending carts or food

carts 16 feet or less in length

Non-motorized utility trailers measuring 16 feet or less in length are allowed in existing, paved vehicle areas such as

parking lots. If new paved vehicle area is proposed, you must have a

zoning

permit

(www.portland.gov/bds/zoning-

land-use/zoning-permits) or Development Review Permit. Other permanent structures such as trash and recycling

enclosures or restrooms require a separate

building

permit

(www.portland.gov/bds/building-and-zoning-permit-

application).

Mobile vending carts over 16 feet

in length or motorized food trucks

Additional zoning restrictions apply. Check with

Planning

and

Zoning

(www.portland.gov/bds/zoning-land-use). In

most zones that allow retail sales and service uses, mobile vending carts longer than 16 feet in length are not allowed.

Plumbing for water and

sanitary sewer services

Commercial

plumbing

permits

(www.portland.gov/bds/commercial-permitting/commercial-plumbing-permits)

and

inspections

(www.portland.gov/bds/commercial-permitting/commercial-permit-inspections) are required.

Portable

Signs

Sign regulations apply and you must have a

sign

permit

. (www.portland.gov/bds/sign-permits)

Propane

use

Portland

Fire

Rescue

requires

annual

permit

(www.portland.gov/fire/permits-inspections/code-policies-pfrs-fire-safety-inspection-program/vending-food-cart)

Zoning code for vending carts

Vending carts are a Retail Sales and Service use. They’re subject to all regulations

regarding that use. Zoning Code requirements for vehicles also apply to vending

carts. They may also have accessory uses such as storage, garbage enclosures, or

bathrooms.

If you plan to put a vending cart on private property, check to see if the zoning on

the site allows retail sales and service uses. To research zoning, enter the address

on Portland Maps (www.portlandmaps.com) or call the Zoning information line.

There are very limited locations for drive-through vending carts in Portland.

Regulated by the Zoning Code (www.portland.gov/bds/zoning-land-use/zoning-code-overview). Check with Planning

and Zoning. Requires a commercial building permit (www.portland.gov/bds/building-and-zoning-permit-application) and

inspections (www.portland.gov/bds/commercial-permitting/commercial-permit-inspections).

Mobile Vending Carts

and Food Carts on

Private Property

1900 SW 4th Avenue

ortland, Oregon 97201

503-823-7300

bds@portlandoregon.gov

www.Portland.gov/BDS

Mobile Vending Carts and Food Carts on Private Property

Small Business Empowerment Program

The Small Business Empowerment Program assists Black, Indigenous, people of color business owners and business

owners with disabilities recognized by the ADA who have experienced barriers in the review process. Email us at

empowered@portlandoregon.gov or give us a call at 503-823-7300.

SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCES

Some more small business resources to check out:

• The Black American Chamber of Commerce provides

business networking events, community-building

events and more. www.blackamericanchamber.org

• The Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber works to help

Latinos prosper and contribute as business owners

and industry leaders. www.hmccoregon.com

• Mercy Corps Northwest provides vital financing,

mentorship and education to small business owners

across the Pacific Northwest.

nw.mercycorps.org/what-we-do/business

• Oregon state Office of Small Business Assistance helps

small businesses that have questions about state or

local government.

www.oregon.gov/smallbusiness/Pages/default.aspx

• The Portland Small Business Development Center

offers tools and resources to help you get started.

www.oregonsbdc.org/centers/portland-sbdc

• Prosper Portland offers a range of economic

development programs that support small businesses.

www.prosperportland.us

• SCORE Portland, the nation’s largest network of volunteer,

expert business mentors, helps small businesses get

off the ground, grow and achieve their goals.

www.portlandor.score.org

• Venture Portland supports Portland businesses.

www.ventureportland.org

Free 15-minute appointment with a City planner

You can set up a free virtual 15-minute appointment (www.portland.gov/bds/early-assistance/15-minute-appointments) to talk

about your vending cart or food cart. You'll want to meet with a planner for a general zoning and tree code appointment.

WHERE CAN YOU PUT A VENDING CART OR FOOD TRUCK?

Vending carts on private property

If you want to set up a vending cart, first you’ll decide

on the location. The location of the vending cart decides

which codes apply and what permits you need.

If you plan to put a vending cart on private property,

check to see if the zoning on the site allows retail uses.

To research zoning, enter the address on Portland Maps

(www.portlandmaps.com) or call the Zoning information

phone number.

Vending carts on public property

If you want to place a vending cart in the public right-of-

way (on the sidewalk), you must apply for a permit (www.

portland.gov/transportation/permitting/apply-vending-cart-permit)

with Transportation.

Vending carts in City parks

Portland Parks & Recreation requires a permit for all

commercial activity on park property. For information on

permits for pushcarts, trailers and motorized vehicles in

any City park, contact Portland Parks and Recreation

(www.portland.gov/parks/customer-service-center) to ask about

concessions.

Mobile Vending Carts and Food Carts on Private Property

Vending carts that drive around

Vending from the roadway is allowed in the City of

Portland. You don’t need a permit, but you must

follow specific traffic regulations.

You can’t leave mobile vending carts unattended for 30 or

more minutes, parked or stored overnight on any public

grounds, street, or highway. You can’t conduct business

in a roadway next to or directly across from residential

property within the same block for more than 10 minutes.

You also can’t return to the same block within two hours.

Vending cart pods and pods of food carts

Vending cart pods need a Development Review (DR)

permit to review zoning and utility requirements. If any

permanent structures, such as restrooms or covered

eating areas are proposed, these will need a commercial

building permit. Please call or visit the Development

Services Center for more information.

Mobile Vending Carts and Food Carts on Private Property

Source controls & System Development Charges (SDCs) for vending carts/food trucks

Garbage and recycling areas must be screened to the base zone standard and meet Environmental Services'

requirements for pollution prevention. The Environmental Services' Source Control Manual (Chapter 6) (www.portland.

gov/bes/stormwater/scm) has specific criteria for vending carts. Also, BES requires a dump station for two or more carts

which requires payment of System Development Charges (SDCs) as well. (www.portland.gov/bds/current-fee-schedules/

systems-development-charges-sdcs)

Which zones allow a mobile food unit or vending cart?

The uses allowed on a property vary based on the property’s zoning. Only some zones allow for retail sales and services

uses. Learn more about where you can use a vending cart for retail sales and services:

• Residential (R) Zones: RH and RX have provisions for Retail Sales and Service uses but only as new floor area within

a multi-dwelling development.

• Commercial/Mixed Use (C) Zones: You can have vending carts set up for retail sales and services in CM2, CM3, CE,

and CX. CR and CM1 limit the square footage of Retail Sales and Service uses. Hours of operation are also limited in

the CR zone. Please check with a planner to determine if a new Retail Sales and Service can be developed on your site.

• Employment (E) Zones: You can have vending carts set up for retail sales and services here.

• Industrial (I) Zones: All of the industrial zones have limits on the number of retail uses on a site. Please check with

a planner to determine if a new Retail Sales and Service use can be developed on your site.

• Campus Institutional (CI) Zones: You can have vending carts set up for retail sales and services in CI2. CI1 limits the

square footage of Retail Sales and Service uses. IR allows Retail Sales and Service uses as accessory and if identified

in the institution’s approved impact mitigation plan or conditional use master plan.

Please call the Planning and Zoning information phone number if you have questions.

Put food carts and vending carts in vehicle areas

Vehicles are allowed on legally established parking or vehicle areas only. If new parking or vehicle areas are created,

they must meet development standards including vehicle area limitations on frontage, placement and paving

(33.266.130.C or 33.266.120), landscaping requirements (33.248), and any overlay zone or plan district standards.

Vehicles can be allowed on nonconforming vehicle or parking areas if the areas were legally established. Parking areas

must always be paved unless legally established without paving.

The difference between parking areas and vehicle areas

Parking areas are areas where motorized vehicles are kept. If a car, truck, or any vehicle with an engine is kept in

this area, it is a parking area. New parking areas always require landscaping and paving and must meet all of the

development standards of 33.266.130 including striping, aisle width, paving, and landscaping. Additional standards may

apply depending if the site is in an overlay zone or plan district.

Vehicle areas are areas where non-motorized vehicles are kept. Utility trailers can be kept in vehicle areas that do not

have striping and aisle width requirements and that may or may not need landscaping and paving depending on the

base zone, overlay zone, and plan district.

Mobile Vending Carts and Food Carts on Private Property

How is the vending cart classified?

• Utility Trailers are vehicles designed to be pulled by a motor vehicle that are used to carry property, trash, or

special equipment and are 16 feet or less in length. Trailers longer than 16 feet are Heavy Trucks.

• Light Trucks are trucks and similar vehicles with single rear axles and single rear wheels.

• Medium Trucks are trucks and similar vehicles with single rear axles and dual rear wheels.

• Heavy Trucks are trucks, including truck tractors, and similar vehicles with two or more rear axles. Trailers longer

than 16 feet are Heavy Trucks.

What zones allow which type of vending carts?

Some zones have restrictions on the types of vehicles allowed:

• Utility Trailer: Allowed in all Commercial/Mixed Use (C), Employment (E) zones, Industrial (I), and Campus

Institutional zones.

• Light Truck: Allowed in all Commercial/Mixed Use (C), Employment (E) zones, Industrial (I), and Campus

Institutional zones.

• Medium Trailer: Allowed in CE and CM3, and Employment (E), Industrial (I), and CI2 zones.

• Heavy Trailer: Allowed in EG1 and EG2 and all Industrial (I) zones.

Public health requirements for food

carts and food trucks

Vending carts providing food or beverages for public

consumption must receive approval from the Multnomah

County Health Department. Multnomah County requires

that all plumbing fixtures be connected to an approved

drainage system (OPSC 304.0, 305.0 and 713.0). Visit the

Multnomah County Health Department website (multco.us/

health) or call 503-988-3400 for more information.

ADA requirements

All businesses are required to make themselves

accessible to people with disabilities under the

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title III guidelines.

For more information visit this website: adata.org/guide/

ada-national-network-disability-law-handbook#Public%20

Accommodations%20and%20the%20ADA

Vending cart and food truck signs

Vending carts are allowed one portable sign (A-board)

(www.portland.gov/bds/documents/portable-board-sign-

registration) per cart. The sign must comply with

Title 32.30.030, Portable Sign Regulations. For more

information on registering a portable sign, please call 503-

823-2633.

More information about vending carts

and mobile food units

• Location/Zoning, Signs, electrical, plumbing, Permitting

• Location if using sidewalk/public property (Right of Way)

• You'll need a City of Portland Business license

• Propane use- Portland Fire & Rescue requires an

annual permit for vending carts that utilize propane

for cooking.

• Water service and /or sanitary sewer- A plumbing

permit is required if a water service or sanitary sewer

is installed. The plumbing must comply with the

Oregon Plumbing Speciality Code.

• Wastewater (grey water) (www.portland.gov/bes/

stormwater/scm), Fat, Oil and Grease disposal (www.

portlandoregon.gov/bes/54538), Trash Enclosure

Requirements. You must meet the Storm Water

Management Manual requirements. Contact

Pollution Prevention for more information at 503-

823-7122.

• Garbage, Recycling & Composting (www.portland.gov/

bps/garbage-recycling/business-recycling)

• Electrical service- An electrical permit is required for

electrical work. Work must be done by a licensed

electrical contractor.

Also, Multnomah County Health Department (www.multco.

us/services/food-carts) must inspect and license all mobile

food carts. You might also want to read more about

Multnomah County food cart guidelines (www.multco.us/

assessment-taxation/multco-food-carts).

Mobile Vending Carts and Food Carts on Private Property

RESOURCES

Bureau of Development Services

City of Portland, Oregon

1900 SW 4th Avenue, Portland, OR 97201

www.portland.gov/bds

Office Hours:

Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

BDS main number: 503-823-7300

Permit Information is available at the following location:

• Development Services Center (First Floor)

For Hours Call 503-823-7300 or visit www.portland.gov/bds

Important Telephone Numbers

BDS main number

.....................................................

503-823-7300

Residential information for one- and two-family dwellings

503-823-7388

Neighborhood

Inspections

.............................................

503-823-2663

Maintenance

Bureau

(dye

test)

..........................................

503-823-1700

BES

Hotline

..................................................................

503-823-7761

BES

Clean

River

Rewards

....................................................

503-823-1371

BES

Nonconforming

Sewer

Hotline

.......................................

503-823-7869

Multnomah County Vector Control

...............................

503-988-3464

Call

before

you

dig

............................................................

503-246-6699

BDS

24-hour

inspection

request

line

(requires IVR number and three-digit inspection code)

.....

503-823-7000

PBOT Sewer Repair/Right-of-way Inspection

.............

503-823-7002

Oregon

Relay

Service

........................................................ ..............

711

For more detailed information regarding the

bureau’s hours of operation and available services:

Note: All information in this brochure is subject to change.

The City of Portland is committed to providing meaningful access. For accomodations, modifications, translation,

interpretation, or other services, please call 503-823-7300

or the Oregon

Relay

Service

at 711.

16_comm_vendingcarts January 2024