Food Truck Permit Requirements in Des Moines, IA

Complete permit and license guide for starting a food truck in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa.

Verified 2026-09-03 6 stops $600–$1,500 est. 3–6 weeks to obtain all permits and pass inspections
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Not legal advice. Requirements may change — always verify with your local government authority before applying. Key agencies and fees on this page were re-checked against official government sources on .

Federal — start here

1 stop

  1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

    Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

    Official government source

    FreeImmediate (online application)

State of Iowa

2 stops

  1. Iowa Department of Revenue — Sales Tax Permit

    Required for businesses selling taxable goods or services in Iowa. The state rate is 6%, and local option sales tax of up to 1% may apply. Iowa taxes about 75 enumerated services, so check whether your service is taxable before assuming you need a permit. Register with the Iowa Department of Revenue online.

    Official government source

    Free — no fee to register for a sales tax permitRegister online through GovConnectIowa, the state's tax portal

  2. Certified Food Protection Manager (Iowa DIAL)

    Iowa follows FDA Food Code 2-102.12: the person in charge of a food establishment must be a certified food protection manager who has passed a test from an accredited program. Certification is earned through ANSI-accredited providers such as ServSafe (offered through the Iowa Restaurant Association) and other approved online or in-person courses; the Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing lists the accepted programs but does not itself run the training.

    Official government source

    No state fee — course and exam prices are set by the private ANSI-accredited providersMost providers run the course and exam in one or two days

City of Des Moines / Polk County

3 stops

  1. Des Moines Mobile Food Vendor License + State Mobile Food Unit License

    Food trucks in Des Moines need two approvals. The food-safety license is a state Mobile Food Unit license issued by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing — Polk County is not one of Iowa's ten contracted local inspection jurisdictions, so DIAL licenses and inspects the unit directly, and the truck must pass inspection before opening. Separately, the Des Moines City Clerk issues a Mobile Food Vendor License for vending in the city.

    Official government source

    $250 per year for the state Mobile Food Unit license; the city Mobile Food Vendor License fee is set by the City ClerkSubmit the state application at least 30 days before you intend to operate; the license must be issued before opening

  2. No Des Moines General Business License Required

    Des Moines has no general or blanket business license, and the Development Services Department does not issue one. The City Clerk's Office licenses only specific regulated activities - alcohol, tobacco, transient merchants, mobile food vendors, peddlers, pawnbrokers, theaters, coin-operated machines, solid waste haulers and similar categories. Most businesses need nothing from the Clerk. What a commercial tenant does need is a Certificate of Occupancy for the space, issued by the Permit and Development Center, and home-based businesses go through home occupation review with Zoning Enforcement.

    Official government source

    Nothing - there is no such license. A commercial Certificate of Occupancy is $51.50Not applicable

  3. Commissary Agreement

    Iowa licenses mobile food units in the county where they are stored and serviced, and the licensing process expects the unit to work out of an approved servicing area or commissary - a licensed commercial kitchen used for food prep, storage, water and waste servicing, and cleaning. You submit a signed commissary agreement with the food license application, along with the floor plan, menu, and equipment list. Des Moines sits in a county DIAL licenses directly, so the application goes to DIAL's Food Safety Bureau.

    Official government source

    Commissary rent is a private-market cost negotiated with the kitchen, commonly a few hundred dollars a month; it is not a government fee. The mobile food unit license itself is $250 a yearArrange the commissary before applying - the application goes in at least 30 days before you start operating

Terminus

Open for business — est. $600–$1,500 · 3–6 weeks to obtain all permits and pass inspections

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