Most mobile food operations need a licensed commissary as a home base, plus a truck or trailer equipped to code. These questions cover how commissaries work and how to size the equipment — sinks, water tanks, generators, propane, and fire suppression. Requirements vary by jurisdiction. See our commissary kitchens section for more.
In most areas, yes. A commissary is a licensed commercial kitchen where mobile units prep, store food, get potable water, and dump waste. Many health departments require a commissary agreement to issue a mobile permit. A few jurisdictions allow self-sufficient trucks to skip it, but this is the exception. Check your local rules and see our commissary kitchens section to understand how they work.
A commissary is a licensed, inspected commercial kitchen that serves as a mobile unit's home base. Operators use it to prep and store food, refill fresh water, dispose of wastewater and grease, clean equipment, and sometimes park the truck. Many health departments require one to grant a mobile permit. Learn more in our commissary kitchens section.
You sign an agreement with a licensed commissary and use it as your base: prepping and storing food, filling potable water tanks, emptying wastewater and grease, and cleaning. You typically pay monthly rent or a per-use fee, and the commissary provides documentation your health department may require. Access hours, storage space, and parking vary by facility, so compare options against your menu's prep and storage needs.
Trucks have limited space, water, and storage, so health codes generally require a licensed base for safe prep, cold storage, water refilling, and waste disposal. The commissary ensures these happen in an inspected commercial kitchen rather than an unregulated space like a home. It is a public-health safeguard, and in most jurisdictions a commissary agreement is a condition of getting and keeping your mobile permit.
Florida's rules for mobile food dispensing vehicles are set at the state level through DBPR, and whether a commissary or approved base is required can depend on your unit type and how it is equipped. Some self-sufficient units may have different requirements than others. Because the specifics vary, confirm directly with DBPR whether your operation needs a commissary before you build or apply.
In North Carolina, mobile food units generally require a commissary or commissary agreement, verified by local environmental health as part of permitting. The commissary handles prep, storage, water, and waste that the unit cannot fully support on its own. Because enforcement is at the county level, confirm the specific requirement and any documentation with your local environmental health department before applying.
Usually no. Most jurisdictions require a separate licensed commissary because a truck lacks the space, water capacity, and storage to safely handle all prep, cleaning, and waste. A few areas permit fully self-sufficient units to operate without a separate commissary if they meet strict equipment standards. Check your local rules — assuming your truck qualifies without confirmation can stall your permit.
Commissary costs vary by region and facility, typically charged as monthly rent or per-use fees, with dense cities costing more. Some bundle storage, parking, water, and waste; others charge separately. Shared kitchens are often cheaper than dedicated space. Because pricing varies widely, get quotes from a few local commissaries and match the plan to your needs; see our commissary kitchens section.
Search for licensed commissary or shared commercial kitchens in your area, ask other local operators, and check with your health department, which sometimes keeps lists. Compare access hours, storage, water and waste facilities, parking, and price against your menu. Confirm the facility is licensed and will provide the documentation your permit requires. Our commissary kitchens section explains what to look for.
It is a written agreement between you and a licensed commissary confirming you will use their facility for prep, storage, water, and waste. Health departments often require this document to issue or renew your mobile permit as proof you have a compliant base of operations. It usually specifies services, access, and fees. Keep a current copy on file, since inspectors may ask to see it.
A commissary is a licensed commercial kitchen with prep tables, commercial refrigeration and freezers, warewashing sinks, dry storage, a potable water fill station, and wastewater and grease disposal. Many also offer truck parking and power. Shared commissaries serve multiple operators on scheduled access. Sizes and amenities vary, so visit before signing to confirm it fits your prep volume and storage needs.
A commissary must be a licensed, inspected commercial kitchen with adequate prep, storage, warewashing, potable water, and waste facilities. A mobile unit must carry required sinks, safe hot/cold holding, water and waste tanks, and often ventilation and fire suppression for cooking. Both must meet local health code, which varies by jurisdiction. Confirm specifics with your local health department and review our requirements section.
Opening a commissary means building or leasing a licensed commercial kitchen with prep space, warewashing, refrigeration, potable water, and waste disposal, then meeting health, fire, and zoning codes to serve multiple mobile operators. It is a commercial-kitchen business in its own right. Start with local health and zoning authorities on licensing, and see our commissary kitchens section for how operators use them.
A food truck is a licensed food establishment, but it is generally not treated as a full commercial kitchen or commissary because of its limited space, water, and storage. That is why most jurisdictions still require a separate commissary for prep and storage. Some self-sufficient units meet higher standards, but they are the exception. Confirm how your local health department classifies your unit before relying on it as your only kitchen.
Most jurisdictions require a three-compartment sink for washing, rinsing, and sanitizing, plus a separate dedicated handwashing sink. Some very limited-menu units may qualify for reduced requirements, but full-service cooking trucks almost always need both. Sink size, hot water, and water/waste tank capacity are common inspection points. Confirm the exact sink requirements with your local health department before building, since retrofitting later is costly.
If you cook with grease-producing equipment like fryers, griddles, or char-broilers under a hood, most fire codes require an automatic fire-suppression system and a hood, plus a portable extinguisher rated for kitchen fires. Trucks serving only pre-made or non-cooked items may not. Requirements follow your equipment and local fire code, so confirm with your fire marshal; see our do I need a hood tool.
Most food trucks that cook need a Class K extinguisher for grease and oil fires, plus a general-purpose ABC extinguisher, with the exact size and rating set by local fire code. Extinguishers must be accessible, mounted, and inspected regularly. Because requirements depend on your equipment and jurisdiction, confirm the required class, size, and count with your local fire marshal during your fire inspection.
Size the generator to the total wattage of everything running at once — refrigeration, cooking equipment, lights, and small appliances — plus a safety margin for startup surges. Add up your equipment's running and starting watts to find the minimum, then size up. Undersized generators trip and shorten equipment life. If you are unsure, our kitchen equipment configurator helps you map out equipment loads.
Tank size depends on your cooking equipment's total BTU demand and how long you operate between refills. Many trucks use one or more 20- to 100-pound tanks; higher-BTU setups need more capacity. Tanks must be mounted, secured, and installed to fire code, and are checked at inspection. Calculate your combined BTU load and consult your fire authority to confirm safe capacity and mounting requirements.
Health codes usually require fresh and wastewater tanks sized to your operation, with the wastewater tank typically larger than the fresh tank. Minimum capacities vary by jurisdiction and menu, and inspectors check that both meet local rules. Bigger tanks mean fewer refills but more weight. Confirm your area's minimum fresh and gray-water capacities before building, since undersized tanks are a common inspection failure.
You need enough hot water to supply your handwashing and three-compartment sinks at the temperature your code requires. Many trucks use compact electric or propane on-demand or small tank heaters sized to sink demand. The heater must keep up during peak service and meet local temperature standards. Confirm your jurisdiction's hot-water requirements, since inspectors test that sinks reach the required temperature.
Cooling depends on your truck's size, insulation, cooking heat load, and climate. Kitchens generate significant heat, so size the unit to the space plus the equipment's heat output rather than square footage alone. An undersized unit will not keep staff safe in summer. Consider the electrical load too, since AC adds to your generator or shore-power demand. A builder or HVAC pro can size it to your layout.
Core equipment includes cooking gear matched to your menu (griddle, fryer, range), refrigeration and freezing, hot/cold holding, prep surfaces, a three-compartment sink plus a handwashing sink, water and waste tanks, a water heater, and often a hood with fire suppression. Power comes from a generator or shore power. Map equipment to your menu and space with our kitchen equipment configurator.
Size follows your menu and volume. A short truck suits simple menus and one or two staff; larger trucks fit more cooking equipment, storage, and crew but cost more to buy, fuel, and park. Common food trucks run roughly 16 to 26 feet. Plan your equipment layout first, then choose a length that fits it comfortably with safe workflow, rather than buying big and filling space later.
Food trailers range from small units around 8 to 12 feet up to large ones over 24 feet, not counting the tow vehicle. Bigger trailers hold more equipment and storage but need a more capable tow vehicle and larger parking spots. Match the size to your menu and the events you will work. Confirm your tow vehicle's rating against the loaded trailer weight before buying.
Building a trailer means starting with a properly rated frame, then adding compliant electrical, plumbing (fresh and waste tanks, sinks, water heater), ventilation, and kitchen equipment to meet health and fire code. Many owners hire experienced builders to ensure it passes inspection. If you build it yourself, work from your local code checklist and consider a plan review. Our requirements section outlines what inspectors look for.
A concession trailer build follows the same essentials: a rated frame and axles, code-compliant wiring and plumbing, fresh and waste water systems, the required sinks, and ventilation and fire suppression if you cook. Layout should support a safe, efficient workflow in tight space. Because it must pass health and fire inspection, build from your local code — a plan review before construction can prevent costly rework.
Trailer electrical must safely handle your equipment loads from a generator or shore power, with proper breakers, GFCI protection, and grounding — and it must meet electrical code. Cooking and refrigeration draw heavily, so circuits must be sized correctly. This is a job for a licensed electrician in most cases, both for safety and to pass inspection. Mistakes here are a common cause of failures and fire risk.
Costs vary by whether you clean it yourself at your commissary or hire a service, and by how deep the cleaning is — routine daily sanitation versus periodic hood and grease-system cleaning. Professional hood and exhaust cleaning is a recurring, code-related expense for trucks that cook. Budget for regular deep cleaning as part of operating costs, since sanitation is a core inspection and safety requirement.
A food-grade trailer is one built with materials and finishes suitable for safe food handling — smooth, non-porous, cleanable surfaces like stainless steel, proper sinks, and sanitary plumbing — so it can meet health-code standards. Not every enclosed trailer qualifies; converting a general trailer means upgrading surfaces, plumbing, and equipment. Confirm a trailer can meet your local food-code requirements before buying it for food use.
Weight varies widely with size and equipment. Small carts are light enough to push or tow easily; fully equipped trailers with tanks, refrigeration, and cooking gear can be heavy, especially loaded with water and propane. This matters for choosing a tow vehicle and for where you can legally park. Check the unit's gross weight rating and your tow vehicle's capacity before buying to stay safe and legal.
A concession trailer is a towable unit used to prepare and sell food and drinks at fairs, festivals, sporting events, and markets. It offers more space and equipment than a cart and, unlike a motorized truck, is towed and often left on-site for an event. Like other mobile units, it must meet health and fire requirements and usually needs a commissary and the proper permits to operate.
Setting up means equipping the trailer to code, arranging a commissary, securing permits and insurance, and passing health and fire inspections before service. On-site, level and stabilize the trailer, connect power and water, and set up service and sanitation stations. Plan the interior workflow around your menu so staff can work safely in tight quarters. Confirm your local requirements so the trailer passes inspection.