Mobile Food Vendor Permit — Downtown Core zones (NDOT): Nashville restaurant guide
Nashville Department of Transportation (NDOT)
What it is
Permission to park and sell from a permanently enclosed food truck in the signed food-truck zones in the Downtown Core right-of-way. Elsewhere, vending happens on private property with the owner's written permission, and pushcarts are routed through the County Clerk.
When a restaurant needs it
Before vending in a downtown zone; permits run two months at a time.
How to apply
Apply in ePermits with your business license, tax ID, driver's license, Metro Health letter/score and commissary agreement, Fire Department letter with equipment list, menu, unit photos, floor plan and a wastewater discharge agreement.
Documents you’ll need
- Davidson County business license
- Tax ID and government ID
- Metro Health approval and commissary agreement
- Nashville Fire Department letter and permit
- Menu, photos (front/sides/rear) and floor plan
- Wastewater discharge agreement
Good to know
Vending hours in the zones are 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and 6 p.m.–3 a.m.; keep a 6-ft pedestrian path and stay 150 ft from restaurants unless the owner approves. Metro Codes' Commercial Permit Application also has a 'Food Truck' permit type for a fixed private-property location.
Official source
NDOT — Mobile food vendor permit · NDOT — Mobile food vendor program guidelines (PDF)
Answer a few questions about your space and get every permit in order, with a timeline, a cost range, walkthroughs, and every application filled in for you to sign with Open.
Last reviewed 2026-10-06. Guidance only, not legal advice.