Food Truck Permit Requirements in Fort Wayne, IN

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

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

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Indiana Department of Revenue — Registered Retail Merchant Certificate

   Required for all businesses selling tangible personal property at retail in Indiana. Indiana charges a flat 7% state sales tax with no additional local sales tax. Register online via INBiz.

   Official government source

   $25 one-time registration fee·Immediate (online via INBiz)

   $25 one-time registration fee

   Immediate (online via INBiz)

2. Indiana Department of Health — Certified Food Protection Manager Requirement

   Indiana's food protection rule (410 IAC 7-26, with certification under 410 IAC 7-22 as amended by HEA 1210) requires every retail food establishment — including catering operations and mobile food units — to employ at least one certified food protection manager. The certification must come from an ANSI/ANAB-accredited program such as ServSafe Manager, the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals or Prometric; a basic food handler card does not satisfy it. Certification is typically valid five years, and the certificate holder's name and expiration date must be listed on your local health department permit application.

   Official government source

   Set by the training provider, not the state. Examples listed by Vanderburgh County Health Department: ServSafe Manager class, book and exam about $160; exam only $65; or a $36 ServSafe voucher plus a $45 proctor fee ($81 total)·Same day for the exam; 1–2 weeks for the certificate

   Set by the training provider, not the state. Examples listed by Vanderburgh County Health Department: ServSafe Manager class, book and exam about $160; exam only $65; or a $36 ServSafe voucher plus a $45 proctor fee ($81 total)

   Same day for the exam; 1–2 weeks for the certificate

1. Allen County Department of Health — Annual Mobile Food Service Permit

   Every food truck operating in Fort Wayne is permitted by the Allen County Department of Health's Food & Consumer Protection division — Fort Wayne has no separate city health department. You must first secure an approved licensed commissary, submit the Annual Mobile Food Service Permit application (VIN, plate, gross weight, menu, person-in-charge and certified food handler), pass a pre-opening inspection of the unit, and pay all fees before the permit is issued. The unit must comply with 410 IAC 7-26 and Allen County Code Title 10 Article 2. Renewed annually.

   Official government source

   $200/year on-time renewal ($250 if paid after the 15th of the due month); new establishments and changes of ownership also pay a $280 plan review and initial inspection fee·2–4 weeks after application and pre-opening inspection

   $200/year on-time renewal ($250 if paid after the 15th of the due month); new establishments and changes of ownership also pay a $280 plan review and initial inspection fee

   2–4 weeks after application and pre-opening inspection

2. Fort Wayne — No General Business License

   Fort Wayne has no general city business license, and there is no "Department of Neighborhood Code Enforcement" business license. The city's official Starting a Business guide states: "The City of Fort Wayne does not currently require a general business license." What does apply: register your business name with the Allen County Recorder if it does not include the owner's last name, verify zoning with the Allen County Department of Planning Services, and obtain a Certificate of Occupancy from the Allen County Building Department after final inspection of any commercial space.

   Official government source

   $0 — no general business license exists. Related fees: Certificate of Assumed Business Name $25 (Allen County Recorder); Allen County Building Department permit and contractor license fees vary by project.·Not applicable — there is no general license to apply for. Certificate of Occupancy timing depends on Allen County Building Department plan review and final inspection.

   $0 — no general business license exists. Related fees: Certificate of Assumed Business Name $25 (Allen County Recorder); Allen County Building Department permit and contractor license fees vary by project.

   Not applicable — there is no general license to apply for. Certificate of Occupancy timing depends on Allen County Building Department plan review and final inspection.

3. Allen County Department of Health — Mobile Retail Food Establishment and Commissary Agreement

   Every mobile food unit in Fort Wayne must operate from an approved, licensed commissary and file a signed Mobile Retail Food Establishment and Commissary Agreement Form with the Allen County Department of Health's Food Protection Division before the permit is issued. The form names the commissary, the foods prepared there, the days and times you report for servicing, and which functions you are approved to perform — food storage, preparation, dishwashing or packaging. Both parties agree to comply with 410 IAC 7-26 and the Allen County Food and Beverage Ordinance (Allen County Code Title 10, Article 2), and the commissary owner is held responsible for any violations observed in the licensed facility.

   Official government source

   No county fee for the agreement itself; commissary rental is a private arrangement priced by the host kitchen·Arranged and signed before the mobile food unit permit application

   No county fee for the agreement itself; commissary rental is a private arrangement priced by the host kitchen

   Arranged and signed before the mobile food unit permit application

Official Sources

• Fort Wayne / Allen County Health Department
• Indiana Department of Revenue — Registered Retail Merchant Certificate

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