Most city offices and the yard waste drop off site are closed Friday, July 4th for Independence Day. Refuse, recycle, and yard waste curbside services are delayed one day after the holiday.
Do you operate a food truck, trailer, or concessionaire in Grand Rapids? You'll need a Mobile Food Vending Truck license to operate in the City.
You are eligible if you have a valid driver's license and don't owe money to the City. We're unable to issue you a business license if you don't meet these requirements.
You'll need commercial general liability insurance for $1,000,000 and a public liability and property damage motor vehicle policy for $1,000,000. We'll ask you to upload a copy of the certificate of insurance in the online application. If you don't have a copy, you can have your insurance agent send the certificate. Make sure to list the City of Grand Rapids on the policy as an additional insured, and also have them add the comment, "The City of Grand Rapids is additional insured".
You'll need to have a state food license from the Health Department. Contact your local Health Department (Kent County Health Department if you live in the City of Grand Rapids) for more information on how to apply.
We'll ask you to attach copies of both the State license and sticker you will receive to your application.
You'll also need to complete a fire inspection with the Grand Rapids Fire Department. Contact Lisa Smith to schedule an inspection. You can reach her by email at lacosta@grcity.us. Or you can give her a call: her primary phone number is 616-456-3115.
Have questions? Give us a call at the number listed in the Contact Us section of this page. There are many things that you need to do to apply for the license. We recommend reviewing the Mobile Food Vending Truck Checklist(PDF, 187KB) for more details.
Use the Food Vending Truck Map to pick an eligible location for your food truck.
There is a $361 license application fee for the first truck/vehicle/structure. There is a $24 fee for each additional truck/vehicle/structure you need to license. Application fees are non-refundable.
Are you only planning to operate at one event? You will need a Mobile Food Vending Truck - Special Event license. The fee is $238 for one event plus $47 for each additional event at which you will be operating in the City of Grand Rapids. Application fees are non-refundable.
We use a third party system called Citizen Access for business license applications. If this is your first time using this system, it's a good idea to learn How to Create a Citizen Access Account.
Your application might take some time. That's why we recommend that you gather all the required information first.
Apply in English
It takes us 5-10 business days to process applications. Keep in mind that it may take longer to process your application if we find that you need to make changes. We'll call or email you to let you know that your license and vehicle decals are ready. You can either pick them up from the office or we'll mail it to you.
Make sure to keep a copy of your license in each licensed vehicle. Your decals should be prominently displayed on each vehicle.
Your license is valid for one year from when it is issued. Make sure to note your expiration date before renewing your license.
FIRE INSPECTION
Here's a look at your payment options:
Fill out the PDF application and return it to us by mail or in person.
Download Application in English
Make sure you have the appropriate payment ready. Refer to step 4 for accepted payment methods.
You can find our number in the Contact Us section of this page. We'll get you all the information you need to apply for your business license.
We don't take applications over the phone, but we'll make sure you have everything you need to apply. Our office hours are 8 AM - 5 PM, Monday through Friday. We are out of the office on public holidays.
We'll ask you to attach copies of both the State license and sticker you will receive to your application
QUESTIONS?
Visit us on the 2nd floor of City Hall. Our address is in the Contact Us section of this page. We'll get you an application and answer all of your questions about the process. Make sure you have your payment ready. You can see our accepted payment methods in step 3 above.
Mobile Food Vending Truck Checklist(PDF, 187KB)
Food Vending Truck Locations Map
Mobile Food Vending Truck Ordinance