How to Start a Food Truck in Georgia
Georgia changed for the better in 2023 and a lot of advice online has not caught up. You still get permitted in your county of origin, and you still need two permits: one for your base of operations and one for the mobile unit itself. But since 1 January 2023, a permit in good standing is recognized in other counties. You notify the county you want to work in, they verify your permit on the state database, and they recognize it rather than making you start over.
Every figure below is sourced to the agency that issues it.Updated October 9, 2026
The short version
- Who permits you
- County board of health, in your county of origin
- County of origin
- Where your base of operations is
- Permits needed
- Two (One for the base of operations, one for each mobile unit)
- Base of operations
- Required
- Working other counties
- Permit is recognized (Since 1 January 2023, after you notify them)
- Permit fee
- Set by your county (DPH does not publish a statewide figure)
- The rules
- Georgia Food Code, Chapter 511-6-1
The steps, in order
Establish your base of operations, because it decides your county
Georgia requires a base of operations, and the county where it sits becomes your county of origin. That single choice determines which health department permits you, inspects you and sets your fees.
You apply for permits for both your base of operation and your unit at the health department in the county of origin. A food service permit is issued for the base of operation, and a separate mobile food service unit permit is issued for each mobile unit operating from that base.
If you run two trucks, that is two unit permits from one base.
Ask your county health department for their current base of operations and mobile unit permit fees. DPH does not publish statewide figures, so your county is the only reliable source.
Know the 2023 change, because it is the thing that saves you money
Beginning 1 January 2023, permits for mobile food service establishments operating from their county of origin are recognized in outside counties. This is the rule that opened up events and catering across Georgia.
It is recognition, not a free pass. Before operating, you apply for authorization to operate from the health department in the outside county where you intend to work. That county then verifies on the Department of Public Health's permit inspection database that your permit is in good standing, and, provided there are no public health or safety concerns, must recognize it.
Two practical consequences. First, keeping your home county permit in good standing is now worth real money, because it is your passport to the rest of the state. Second, you still have to notify each county in advance, so build that into your event planning rather than turning up.
Register the business and get your sales tax number
Separate from the health permits. Check your name and register with the Georgia Secretary of State if you are forming an LLC, get a free EIN from the IRS, and register for Georgia sales and use tax with the Department of Revenue, because prepared food is taxable.
Build or buy a unit your county will actually permit
Your mobile unit has to satisfy the Georgia Food Code, Chapter 511-6-1, as applied by your county's environmental health section. Water, waste, handwashing and equipment requirements all live there.
Talk to your county before you commission a build or buy a used truck from out of state. A unit that was permitted somewhere else is not automatically a unit your county will permit.
Ask your county environmental health section for their mobile unit checklist and whether they do a plan review before you buy. This is the cheapest hour you will spend on this business.
Sort out where you can park, and use the free advisors
Permit recognition across counties solves health permitting, not location. Where you may park and vend is still set by cities, private property owners and event organizers.
The Georgia SBDC offers no-cost business consulting. On a food truck, where margins are thin and equipment decisions are permanent, an outside eye on your numbers is worth taking.
What it costs
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Base of operations permitDPH does not publish a statewide figure | Set by your county |
| Mobile unit permitOne per unit | Set by your county |
| Authorization in outside countiesRecognition is required, but ask about any administrative fee | Ask each county |
| Georgia LLC registration | See Secretary of State fee schedule |
| Georgia sales tax registrationDepartment of Revenue | Check current fee |
| Federal EINFree from the IRS. Never pay a third party for this. | $0 |
| The truck and the build-out | The dominant cost |
Georgia's permit fees are county-set, so the honest answer on cost is one phone call to your county health department. What Georgia gives you that most states do not is that one permit, kept in good standing, now works statewide.
This guide is the overview. A plan is the whole thing.
Everything above is free and it is the state-level picture. An Offramp plan is built around you: your city, your budget, the licenses that apply to your specific setup, the people near you to call, and the order to do it in so nothing stalls.
Build my Georgia plan$79 $49Common questions
Do I need a permit in every Georgia county I work in?
No, not a separate permit. Since 1 January 2023, a mobile food service permit in good standing in your county of origin is recognized in outside counties. You must still apply for authorization to operate from that county's health department first, and they verify your permit on the DPH database before recognizing it.
What permits do I need for a food truck in Georgia?
Two: a food service permit for your base of operations, and a separate mobile food service unit permit for each mobile unit operating from that base. Both come from the health department in your county of origin.
Do I need a base of operations for a Georgia food truck?
Yes. Georgia requires a base of operations, and the county it sits in becomes your county of origin, which determines who permits and inspects you.
How much does a food truck permit cost in Georgia?
Permit fees are set at county level and Georgia DPH does not publish a statewide figure. Call your county health department for the current base of operations and mobile unit fees rather than relying on a number from an article.
What is a county of origin in Georgia?
The county where the permit holder's base of operations is located. It is the county that issues your permits and the one whose good standing other counties verify before recognizing your permit.
Can I keep my permit if I move my base of operations?
Moving your base changes your county of origin, which changes who permits you. Talk to both county health departments before you move, because this is not a change to make quietly.
What to confirm yourself
We would rather tell you what we don’t know than make it up. These are the parts that are local, that change, or that the agency does not publish.
- Permit fees are county-set. Georgia DPH does not publish statewide amounts. Call your county health department.
- Before working in an outside county, apply for authorization from that county's health department in advance. Recognition is not automatic on arrival.
- Mobile unit construction requirements are applied by your county environmental health section under Chapter 511-6-1. Confirm their checklist before buying or building a unit.
- Parking and vending locations are still local. Call the city you intend to operate in.
- Fire safety for propane and cooking suppression is enforced locally. Ask the local fire marshal.
Sources
- Georgia DPH: Mobile Food Frequently Asked Questions · checked October 9, 2026
- Georgia Secretary of State: business registration · checked October 9, 2026
- Georgia Department of Revenue: tax registration · checked October 9, 2026
Related guides
- How to Start a Daycare in Georgia
- How to Become an Electrician in Georgia
- How to Start a Food Truck in Texas
Offramp is not a law firm, an accountant or a government agency, and nothing here is legal, tax or financial advice. Fees and requirements change. Confirm with the agency before you file or pay. See all guides.