Food Carts

To operate a food cart, you will need to obtain a non-motorized refreshment vehicle owner licence. Ensure that you are compliant with zoning bylaws and have obtained permission from the property owners.

To sell your food on city property, you will need to obtain a sidewalk vending permit and apply for designated sidewalk locations. Please note the following:

  1. Food Cart locations are not assigned by the City of Toronto.
  2. Each location must be reviewed by the applicant to ensure applicable bylaw and application criteria is met before applying.
  3. The City does not maintain a list of available locations.

If approved, you can operate:

  • on sidewalks (in selected wards; 10 Spadina-Fort York, 11 University-Rosedale & 13 Toronto Centre are restricted vending zones)
  • at least 25 metres from an open and operating restaurant and another sidewalk vendor selling food
  • at least 30 metres from a place of worship or the property line of a school
  • 2.5 metres of paved sidewalk shall remain cleared for uninhibited pedestrian passage.

You must not operate in front of a building entrance/exit, name/number, fire hose connection, or display window.

In March 2025, City Council approved a pilot that now allows trailers (a non-motorized vehicle that is enclosed and is towed by a motorized vehicle) to obtain a Mobile Food Vending permit. This, along with a valid business licence will allow trailers to operate in a Mobile Vending Zone in Ward 11, from April 1 to December 31, 2025. More information is available below.

Sole proprietorships (individuals), partnerships or corporations.

Identification

All applications must include two pieces of government-issued identification (one must be photo ID):

  • Canadian Passport
  • Driver’s Licence
  • Canadian Birth Certificate
  • Citizenship Card
  • Permanent Resident Card
  • SIN Card (Social Insurance Number)
  • Valid Work Permit

Note:

  • First and last names must match on all identification
  • We do not accept Health Cards
  • For sole proprietorship or individual applicants, one piece of ID must provide proof of work status
  • Identification is required for all officers/directors listed on the Articles of Incorporation, Corporate Profile

Documentation

Additional documentation may be required:

If you use propane to prepare food, please submit:

If you are applying as a corporation, please submit:

If you are applying as a designate for a corporation, please submit all corporation requirements as well as an original letter advising of signing authority on corporation letterhead, signed by a director of the corporation and dated within 30 days.

Vehicle Requirements

Painted with Contrasting Colours on Front (Facing Public)

Client’s Name: 10 cm. (approx. 4 inches) in height

Licence Numbers: 6.3 cm. (approx. 2.5 inches) in height

Plate Number: 15 cm. (approx. 6 inches) in height

Apply online

Please have all required documents ready to upload before starting the application, as it requires 10-15 minutes to complete and cannot be saved. Download a step by step guide on how to submit a new application. Licence application fees can be paid online or by sending a cheque.

Submit Application

If you have already submitted an application and a representative has contacted you about uploading additional documents, you may do so using the upload token provided to you by the representative. Please note, you cannot upload additional documents using this tool if you do not have an upload token.

Upload Documents for Existing Request

Apply in-person

In-person services are available at the Licence and Permit Issuing Office, 850 Coxwell Avenue, 3rd Floor.
You must bring hard copies of all application requirements. Applications will not be started unless all requirements are provided. Digital copies of documents will not be accepted.

Payment can only be made by debit, credit or cheque. Cash will not be accepted.

Walk-in Services

Walk-in services are available for new applications Monday – Wednesday starting at 8:30AM subject to capacity. The office is closed from 12:30PM – 1:30PM daily.

Appointments

Appointment services are available on Fridays only.

Book Appointment

Please arrive 10-15 mins early to check in and be on time for your appointment or you may be turned away and asked to re-book for another day and time, subject to availability.

Application fee: $204.58

  • The application fee is non-refundable and is required upon submittal of a complete application.

Licence fee: $277.23

  • The licence fee is due upon approval of the application.

Total fee (Application fee + Licence fee) for Non-Motorized Refreshment Vehicle Owner licence: $481.81

Sketch of proposed vending location

Provide sketch of proposed vending location showing all relevant dimensions, street name, curb, proposed location of cart and all street furnishings – utility pole, garbage bin, fire hydrant, tree, etc.

A 2.50 metre pedestrian clearance must be maintained and shown in the proposal

All measurements must be in metric.

Photographs of proposed location

Provide current photographs of the proposed vending location (showing at least three angles – front and two sides)

Photograph of cart

Provide a photograph of the cart

Business Improvement Area (BIA)

If the proposed vending location is in a Business Improvement Area (BIA), obtain an approval letter from the BIA.

Fees

The permit cost of $481.81 plus one of the two fees depending on where you would like to operate:

  • Minor Arterial Roads Permit: $3,680.41
  • Major Arterial Roads permit: $6,766.42

*All fees include HST

Insurance

Applicants must provide proof of $2,000,000 in Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance. The completed Certificate of Insurance must be signed and stamped by the insurer. The Certificate must be sent by email to MLSroadallowance@toronto.ca directly from the Insurance Representative.

Apply in-person

In-person services are available at the Licence and Permit Issuing Office, 850 Coxwell Avenue, 3rd Floor.
You must bring hard copies of all application requirements. Applications will not be started unless all requirements are provided. Digital copies of documents will not be accepted.

Payment can only be made by debit, credit or cheque. Cash will not be accepted.

Walk-in Services

Walk-in services are available once a week.
Please contact MLSroadallowance@toronto.ca for the next weekday availability.

Please note office hours:
Monday – Friday 8:30am-12:30pm and 1:30-4:00pm.
The office is closed from 12:30–1:30pm daily.

Appointments

Appointment services are available. Please contact MLSroadallowance@toronto.ca.
Please arrive 10-15 mins early to check in and be on time for your appointment or you may be turned away and asked to re-book for another day and time, subject to availability.

Mobile Food Vending permit holders are allowed to operate at all pay-and-display stations on major, minor arterial and collector roads. These vendors are required to abide by all relevant parking regulations and pay for parking. Vendors may also identify other areas that are not pay-and-display stations that may be suitable for mobile vending. Upon review, these areas may be designated as Mobile Vending Zones, where food trucks could operate for up to five hours at a time.

The Mobile Food Vending Pilot in Ward 11 will allow non-motorized refreshment vehicles with a valid Non-Motorized Refreshment Vehicle business licence to use a trailer to vend in a Mobile Vending Zone, as long as they follow certain requirements:

  • The trailer must have trailer licence plates, in accordance with the Highway Traffic Act.
  • While in a Mobile Vending Zone, the trailer must be readily movable, for example, in the event of an emergency.
  • The size of the trailer cannot be more than three metres by ten metres
  • All conditions in the Street Vending Bylaw must be followed, which includes only vending in permitted areas, a vending time limit of five hours in a 24-hour period, pedestrian safety requirements, and compliance with other bylaws, rules and legislations, such as parking, traffic and the Highway Traffic Act.

NOTE: The pilot will launch on April 1, 2025 and run until December 31 in Ward 11 only.

Business Licence

A Non-Motorized Refreshment Vehicle business licence is required in order to qualify for the Mobile Food Vending permit.

Without a business licence (starting with V27) an application for Mobile Food Vending permit will not be processed.

Please review ‘How To Apply’ instructions above, for submitting a Non-Motorized Refreshment Vehicle owner business licence.

Permit fee

Six-month permit: $3,746.71
Nine-month permit: $5,620.08

*Inclusive of HST

Insurance

Applicants must provide proof of $2,000,000 in Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance. The completed Certificate of Insurance must be signed and stamped by the insurer. The Certificate must be sent by email to MLSroadallowance@toronto.ca directly from the Insurance Representative.

Apply in-person

In-person services are available at the Licence and Permit Issuing Office, 850 Coxwell Avenue, 3rd Floor.

You must bring hard copies of all application requirements. Applications will not be started unless all requirements are provided. Digital copies of documents will not be accepted.

Payment can only be made by debit, credit or cheque. Cash will not be accepted.

Walk-in Services

Walk-in services are available once a week.

Please contact MLSroadallowance@toronto.ca for the next weekday availability.

Please note office hours:

Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 – 4 p.m.
The office is closed from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. daily.

Appointments

Appointment services are available. Please contact MLSroadallowance@toronto.ca.

Please arrive 10-15 mins early to check in and be on time for your appointment or you may be turned away and asked to re-book for another day and time, subject to availability.

ML&S shall deny an application for, or a renewal for any business, trade or calling for which a vehicle and it’s driver are licenced or required to be licenced by the City under this Chapter and for which a licencesee is required to hold a valid provincial driver’s licence under this Chapter where the licensee or applicant has:

    1. Been convicted at any time of a sexual offence against a minor or a person with a disability under any of sections 151 to 153.1 of the Criminal Code;
    2. Been convicted of any sexual offence under the Criminal Code in the preceding ten years;
    3. Been convicted of an offence under the following Criminal Code sections in the preceding five years:
      1. 84 to 117.15 (Firearms and Other Weapons);
      2. 264.1 to 286.1 (Offences Against the Person);
      3. 321 to 378 (Offences Against Rights of Property);
      4. 379 to 462 (Fraudulent Transactions, Wilful and Forbidden Acts of Certain Property, Offences Relating to Currency);
      5. 462.3 to 462.5 (Proceeds of Crime).
    4. Been convicted at any time of an offence under the following Criminal Code sections:
      1. 83.01 to 83.33 (Terrorism);
      2. 219 to 248 (Major Offences Against the Person);
      3. 267, 268, 270.01, 272, 273 (Major Assaults or Major Sexual Assaults).
    5. Been convicted of an offence under the following Controlled Drugs and Substances Act sections in the preceding ten years:
      1. 5 (Trafficking);
      2. 6 (Importing and exporting);
      3. 7 (Production);
      4. 7.1 (Possession for use in production or trafficking).
    6. Been convicted of any offence under section 4 (Possession or obtaining) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act in the preceding five years;
    7. Been convicted of five or more offences under Chapter 545 or 546 of the Toronto Municipal Code in the preceding three years;
    8. Any overdue by-law fines, unless the applicant provides proof that such fines have been subsequently paid.
    9. Been convicted of any offence under sections 249, 252, or 253 of the Criminal Code or sections 320.13 to 320.18 (Offence Relating to Conveyances) (Motor Vehicles, Vessels, and Aircraft) in the preceding five years;
    10. Accumulated nine or more demerit points on his or her driving record abstract at the time the application for a licence or renewal is made;
    11. Been convicted of any of the following offences under the Highway Traffic Act in the preceding five years:
      1. Careless driving;
      2. Racing or stunt driving;
      3. Exceeding the speed limit by 50 km/hour or more;
      4. Failing to stop for a school bus or when signaled or asked by a police officer;
      5. Failing to remain at the scene of a collision;
      6. Driving while licence suspended.

Despite these screening criteria, if a licence has been previously issued or renewed and the applicant’s or licensee’s record discloses no new breach of the screening criteria, the licence may be issued or renewed without the matter being referred to the Toronto Licensing Tribunal.

These screening criteria do not apply to any offence for which a licensee or applicant has been granted a criminal record suspension (i.e. a pardon) by the Parole Board of Canada.

December 4, 2023

Your licence will expire annually on the anniversary of the date that the licence was first issued. The expiry date is written on your licence for your reference.

A courtesy notice will be mailed to your mailing address on file identifying any documents required to renew the licence. As a licensee you are responsible for ensuring that your business licence is valid while operating. If you have not received your renewal notice and your licence is about to expire, please contact us at mlsbusinesslicence@toronto.ca for additional information.

The renewal fee is $337.03

Find your outstanding business licence or permit renewal invoice.

Existing licensees must renew their licences online or in-person. Licence renewal fees can be made in-person, paid online or by sending a cheque.

If you fail to renew your licence according to the bylaw, your licence will be cancelled and you will have to reapply.

Renew Licence

Renew In-Person

Walk-in renewal services are available Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Licence and Permit Issuing Office, 850 Coxwell Avenue, 3rd Floor starting at 8:30AM subject to capacity. The office is closed from 12:30PM – 1:30PM daily.

Renewals Forms