What is a Mobile Food License?

A mobile food establishment is a moveable vehicle, push cart, trailer, or boat which periodically or continuously changes location. Essentially it is a restaurant on wheels, many of the same code requirements for restaurants apply to mobile food establishments. 

Please note that this will require a mobile and a base license. 

The base license is going to be the designated brick and mortar location where food prep, storage, obtaining fresh water, and dumping gray water will take place. 

This mobile license will be valid throughout the state of Wisconsin. The local jurisdiction does have the right to inspect when in their county, and potentially charge a fee for the inspection. All preparations of food must be done onsite or in a licensed facility. Foods made at a residential home are forbidden to be sold under the Mobile license. 

Applying for a Mobile Food License

Please give our department at least 14 days prior to your first event in order to process your application and fees. 

Follow the steps below to start obtaining a license:

1. IDENTIFY YOUR LICENSING CATEGORY
In order to obtain a Mobile License you will need to determine if you are “NOT Serving Meals” or “Serving Meals”. See below for the definitions:

• NOT Serving Meals: sales are more than 50% in non-food or meal items such as ice cream, coffee, candy, and prepackaged items.
• Serving Meals: sales are more than 50% in food that is considered a meal such as hamburgers, pasta, sandwiches, pizza, rice dishes, etc. 

2. IDENTIFY YOUR RISK CATEGORY
Once you have determined if you are serving meals vs not serving meals you will need to identify what risk category you are in based on your activity. There will be a different risk rating for your base and a different risk rating for your mobile unit depending on what you will be doing at each location. 
Hazard Assessment to Determine License Category

This can be confusing, so if you have questions please contact our department for guidance at environmental.health@sheboygancounty.com or call (920) 459-3207. 

Quick guide:

• If you are: cold holding, hot holding, using raw products, cooling, catering you would most likely be a COMPLEX
• If you are: cold holding, hot holding, using raw products you would most likely be a MODERATE
• If you are: cold or hot holding you would most likely be a SIMPLE 
  (examples: special coffee drinks, scooping ice cream, all products are precooked)

3. FILL OUT APPLICATION
Once you have determined your categories, fill out the appropriate application below. 

• Retail Food Application - NOT Serving Meals - Mobile
  
• Retail Food Application - Serving Meals - Mobile

4. SUBMIT APPLICATION AND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION

• Plan Review Checklist
• We will need a copy of your menu
• Mobile food truck specs/information - to get an idea of the equipment, sinks and their location, and the fresh water and gray water tanks on the mobile unit. 
• Certified Food Protection Manager Requirement is a prerequisite for Simple - Complex Retail Food Licenses that must be obtained within 90 days of licensing.

5. PAY FOR LICENSE
See payment options available here.

6. SETTING UP PRE-INSPECTION
Once we receive this information and payment you will be assigned a sanitarian. Your assigned sanitarian will reach out to you to go through all of your information that you have submitted and then schedule the pre-inspection.

7. GETTING YOUR LICENSE
If during your pre-inspection, your establishment meets all code requirements you will be issued a license.

Questions and Resources

Do you have questions about lodging establishments in Sheboygan County? 
Contact us at (920) 459-3207 or email at environmental.health@sheboygancounty.com. 

10/6/2025

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