Food Truck Permits in Georgia: Every License You Need

The Atlanta food truck shutdown that started over one missing piece of paper

A guy I know ran a smash-burger truck out of East Atlanta for most of 2024. He had his Fulton County Board of Health Mobile Food Service Permit, a Georgia Sales and Use Tax Number, and the Atlanta Mobile Food Services permit. What he did not have was a current commissary letter on file with Fulton County after his original commissary lost its lease and he switched to a new one in DeKalb. A Code Enforcement officer at a Ponce City Market event asked for his commissary documentation, he could not produce a current one, and the inspector pulled him for the day. Three weekend events later (about $4,800 in lost revenue plus a $400 re-inspection fee from the county), the new commissary letter was finally on file and he was back operating. The problem was not the new commissary — that part was legal. The problem was that "I told them last week" does not count when the inspector is standing at your service window asking to see the paper.

Operating a food truck in Georgia means stacking at least three layers of licensing — county health, state tax, and city — before you can legally serve a single sandwich. Add a Federal EIN, commercial general liability and auto insurance, a commissary agreement, fire suppression inspections, and event-specific Temporary Food Service permits, and the typical Georgia food truck owner deals with 5 to 8 separate agencies in the first year. This is the full breakdown.

Every permit a Georgia food truck needs

Permit/License	Issuing Agency	Cost	Renewal
Mobile Food Service Permit	County Board of Health (under DPH Rule 511-6-1)	$200-$500	Annual
Georgia Sales and Use Tax Number	Georgia Department of Revenue	Free	Permanent (filings monthly/quarterly)
Federal EIN	IRS	Free	Permanent
Atlanta Mobile Food Services permit	City of Atlanta Office of Revenue	$250-$600	Annual
Savannah Mobile Food Vendor permit	Savannah Revenue Department + Chatham County Health	$200-$500	Annual
Augusta-Richmond Mobile Food Service license	Augusta License and Inspection + East Central Health District	$150-$400	Annual
Macon-Bibb Mobile Vendor permit	Macon-Bibb Business License Division + North Central Health District	$150-$350	Annual
Commissary agreement	Licensed commissary kitchen	$300-$1,000/month	Monthly contract
Fire suppression inspection (if cooking on board)	Local fire marshal	$75-$300	Annual or semi-annual
Commercial auto and general liability insurance	Insurance carrier	$2,200-$5,500/year	Annual
Workers' Compensation (3+ employees)	Private carrier or State Board of Workers' Compensation	Premium varies	Annual
Special event Temporary Food Service Permit	Per-county Board of Health	$30-$100 per event	Per event

Georgia is one of the states where the Department of Public Health writes the rules but local County Boards of Health actually issue every food permit. The state agency you Google does not issue the license you need — your county does. That single quirk causes most of the early confusion for new Georgia food truck owners.

1. Mobile Food Service Permit — the core county health license

Every Georgia food truck that prepares or serves food to the public needs a Mobile Food Service Permit issued by the County Board of Health where the truck is "based" (typically the county where the commissary kitchen is located, or where the truck is parked overnight). The legal authority is Georgia Department of Public Health Rule 511-6-1 (Food Service), which incorporates the FDA Food Code with Georgia-specific amendments.

The trick: you do not apply to the state. Georgia DPH writes the rules and oversees the program, but the actual permit is issued by your local County Board of Health under those rules. Once issued, the permit is generally recognized in other Georgia counties for short-term vending — but most counties require advance notification (and sometimes a courtesy inspection) before you operate within their jurisdiction.

The application requires:

A Certified Food Safety Manager certification (ServSafe, Prometric, or another ANSI-CFP-accredited program). At least one Person in Charge with this certification must be on the truck during all operating hours under DPH Rule 511-6-1-.04.
A signed commissary agreement — see Section 4 below. The truck must return to the commissary at least daily for cleaning, water tank refilling, wastewater disposal, and food storage.
A floor plan of the truck showing all equipment, sinks (a three-compartment warewashing sink and a separate handwashing sink are required), water tanks (potable and wastewater), refrigeration, hot-holding, and ventilation.
Specifications for water tanks: minimum 5 gallons potable plus a wastewater tank at least 15% larger than the potable tank.
Vehicle registration, VIN, and license plate.
The permit fee in full at submission.

The County Board of Health does a pre-permit inspection of the truck (often at the commissary). Allow 4 to 8 weeks from application to permit in hand. Some counties (DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett) do same-week inspections; others schedule out 6+ weeks during peak season (March through May, when every new truck is trying to open before festival and Braves home-game season).

Permit fees vary by county and risk classification. Typical ranges:

Fulton County (Atlanta): $300-$500 annually depending on risk level
DeKalb County: $250-$450 annually
Cobb County: $200-$400 annually
Gwinnett County: $250-$425 annually
Chatham County (Savannah): $225-$425 annually
Richmond County (Augusta): $175-$375 annually
Bibb County (Macon): $175-$350 annually

Renewal is annual, but the cycle varies by county. Some counties (Fulton, DeKalb) renew on the truck's anniversary date. Others (Cobb, Chatham) use a fixed January 1 cycle. Check with your specific county at the time of application — late renewal carries a 25% to 50% penalty depending on the county, and operating with an expired permit is a misdemeanor under O.C.G.A. § 26-2-376 carrying up to a $1,000 fine and 12 months in jail per violation.

2. County health inspections (and what "courtesy notification" actually means in Georgia)

Even with a current Mobile Food Service Permit, every Georgia County Board of Health can independently inspect your truck when it operates within their jurisdiction. Most counties ask for advance notification when you plan to vend in their county for the first time, even if you already hold a current permit from another county. This is not a separate license — but it is a real obligation, and skipping it is the most common reason out-of-county vendors get pulled at festivals.

Georgia DPH Rule 511-6-1 requires at least one inspection per permit year, and most counties inspect more frequently for higher-risk operations. Common Georgia inspection frequencies:

Low-risk (packaged or limited handling): once per year
Medium-risk (limited prep, no raw meats): twice per year
High-risk (extensive prep, raw meats, multiple processes): three to four times per year

Inspectors check for: water tank capacities and labeling, working refrigeration with thermometers, hot-holding above 135°F, cold-holding below 41°F, no bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods, three-compartment sink with sanitizer test strips, handwashing sink with hot water and soap, food protection from contamination, allergen labeling, and the Person in Charge's Certified Food Safety Manager credential. The most-cited Georgia mobile food violations are improper hot- and cold-holding temperatures, missing handwashing supplies, and an absent Certified Food Safety Manager.

Georgia uses a numerical inspection score (100-point scale), and a score of 70 or below fails. Failed inspections require correction and re-inspection within 10 days. Repeat failures within a single permit year escalate to formal enforcement, including permit suspension or revocation under O.C.G.A. § 26-2-373.

3. Georgia Sales and Use Tax Number

Georgia requires every business making taxable retail sales to register for a Georgia Sales and Use Tax Number through the Georgia Department of Revenue at gtc.dor.ga.gov (Georgia Tax Center). Prepared food sold for immediate consumption is taxable in Georgia at the state rate (4%) plus county and local sales taxes that apply at the location of the sale.

Registration is free, immediate, and online. The number never expires, but you are required to file sales tax returns even in months with zero sales. Filing frequency depends on volume:

Monthly: Required if your average monthly tax liability exceeds $200. Returns are due the 20th of the following month.
Quarterly: For sellers with monthly tax liability under $200. Returns due the 20th of the month following each quarter.
Annual: For very small sellers, by Department of Revenue assignment. Return due January 20.

The combined sales tax rate varies by location. Atlanta (Fulton County, inside the city) is 8.9% (4% state + 3% county MARTA + 1.5% special purpose + 0.4% other). Savannah (Chatham County) is 7%. Augusta-Richmond is 8%. Macon-Bibb is 8%. Smaller counties run 6% to 8%. The Georgia Department of Revenue publishes a Sales Tax Distribution Rates table at dor.georgia.gov — check it before you price your menu, because Georgia is a destination-based sourcing state for prepared food and you collect at the rate where the sale happens, not where your commissary is.

Late or missing filings carry a penalty of the greater of $25 or 5% of the tax due for the first month, escalating to 25% maximum, plus interest at the federal short-term rate plus 3 percentage points. The Georgia Department of Revenue cross-references mobile food permit holders with active sales tax accounts; trucks that hold a county Mobile Food Service Permit but no sales tax number receive notices within months.

4. Commissary agreement

Georgia DPH Rule 511-6-1-.05 requires every mobile food service operation to operate from a commissary — a licensed permanent kitchen or food facility where the truck returns at least once every 24 hours to clean, restock, refill the potable water tank, dispose of wastewater, and store food when the truck is not operating. You cannot legally operate from your home garage; the commissary must be a separately-permitted Food Service Establishment licensed by its own County Board of Health.

The commissary agreement must be in writing, must be signed by both you and the commissary operator, and must be submitted to your County Board of Health as part of the Mobile Food Service Permit application. The commissary itself must be permitted by its own County Board of Health, and that permit must be current at all times. If your commissary's permit lapses or the agreement ends, your Mobile Food Service Permit is automatically out of compliance until you find a new commissary and update the agreement on file with both the new commissary's county and your home county.

Commissary costs run $300 to $1,000+ per month in the major Georgia metros. Atlanta has the largest commissary market — Smallcakes Commercial Kitchen, Prep Atlanta, The Cook's Warehouse Commissary, and several others — but capacity tightens January through April when new trucks scramble to license before festival season. Savannah's commissary market is small and tight; many Savannah trucks share kitchen space with restaurants during off-hours, which is allowed if the restaurant is permitted and the arrangement is documented in writing. Augusta and Macon have fewer purpose-built commissaries; many trucks in those markets contract with church kitchens, school cafeterias, or VFW halls that hold current Food Service Establishment permits.

Common Georgia commissary mistakes that get trucks shut down:

Using a commissary in a different county than your Mobile Food Service Permit without notifying both County Boards of Health
Signing an agreement with a commissary that turns out to have an expired or suspended permit
Not actually returning to the commissary daily — many counties require commissary log entries the inspector checks at random
Storing food in a home refrigerator instead of the commissary (an automatic critical violation)
Letting the commissary agreement lapse without renewal — exactly the East Atlanta scenario at the top of this article

5. City of Atlanta Mobile Food Services permit

Atlanta is the largest food truck market in Georgia, with hundreds of trucks operating across Fulton and DeKalb counties. The City of Atlanta requires a separate Mobile Food Services permit on top of the Fulton or DeKalb County Mobile Food Service Permit — both are required to operate within city limits.

The Atlanta Mobile Food Services permit costs $250 to $600 annually depending on truck size and operations classification. Apply through the City of Atlanta Office of Revenue (atlantaga.gov/revenue) and the Department of City Planning. The application requires:

Current Fulton or DeKalb County Mobile Food Service Permit
Current Georgia Sales and Use Tax Number
Proof of commercial general liability insurance with a minimum $1 million per-occurrence limit, naming the City of Atlanta as additional insured
Commercial auto insurance for the truck
Vehicle registration and VIN
A photo of the truck showing the business name displayed in lettering at least 3 inches high

Atlanta restricts where mobile food trucks can park and vend. The general rules under Atlanta City Code Chapter 30 (Sidewalk Vending and Mobile Food Vending):

Public right-of-way (street vending): Permitted only in approved Mobile Food Vendor Zones designated by the Department of City Planning. The Downtown, Midtown, and Old Fourth Ward zones are heavily over-subscribed.
Private property: Permitted with the property owner's written consent, subject to Atlanta Zoning Ordinance §16-28A.013. The lot must be zoned commercial or mixed-use; pure residential zoning prohibits truck vending.
Special events: Permitted at city-approved special events (Music Midtown, Atlanta Jazz Festival, Sweet Auburn SpringFest, A3C, Inman Park Festival) with an additional Special Event vending permit ($30 to $100 per event).
Distance restrictions: No vending within 100 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant entrance during the restaurant's operating hours under Atlanta City Code §30-1428, unless the restaurant operator gives written consent.
Hours: Most zones limit operations to 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., with extended hours in the late-night entertainment zones (Edgewood, Castleberry Hill).

Atlanta Office of Revenue, the Department of City Planning, and the Atlanta Police Department jointly enforce. Citations run $250 to $1,000 per violation, with revocation possible after three citations within a 12-month period. The Atlanta Police Department also has authority to direct trucks to move when blocking right-of-way.

6. Savannah Mobile Food Vendor permit

Savannah's mobile food vending program is run jointly by the City of Savannah Revenue Department and the Chatham County Health Department under City Code Chapter 6 (Business Tax and Regulatory Fees). The annual Mobile Food Vendor permit costs $200 to $500 depending on truck classification.

Savannah requires:

A Mobile Food Vendor permit from the city, separate from the Chatham County Mobile Food Service Permit
A separate Public Right-of-Way Vending permit from the City of Savannah Department of Mobility and Parking Services if you intend to vend on public streets, plus an annual lottery for high-demand locations on River Street, Forsyth Park, and the City Market
Commercial general liability insurance with a $1 million minimum per-occurrence limit, naming the City of Savannah as additional insured
Truck must be lettered with the business name and permit number visible from at least 25 feet
No vending within Historic Landmark District boundaries except at city-approved events (the Historic District is heavily restricted because of preservation rules and tourist density)
No vending within 200 feet of a public school during school hours under Savannah City Code §6-1107
No vending within 100 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant entrance during the restaurant's hours, with the restaurant consent exception

Savannah's Historic District restrictions are real and frequently catch new owners. Most "I want to park near River Street" plans require either a special event permit or a private property arrangement with one of the few non-residential lots in the district. The Forsyth Park concession lottery and the City Market vendor program are the two main official paths into the tourist core.

7. Augusta-Richmond Mobile Food Service license

Augusta-Richmond is a consolidated city-county government, so the Augusta-Richmond Mobile Food Service license operates as a single combined city-county permit. It is administered by Augusta License and Inspection in coordination with the East Central Health District (which handles food service permits for Richmond County). The annual license costs $150 to $400.

Augusta-Richmond requirements:

Current East Central Health District Mobile Food Service Permit (the county-level permit)
Augusta-Richmond Mobile Food Service license from Augusta License and Inspection
Commercial general liability insurance with $1 million minimum per-occurrence, naming Augusta-Richmond County as additional insured
Distance restrictions: no vending within 100 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant during operating hours, no vending within Augusta National's surrounding restricted zone during the Masters Tournament week (a special enforcement window each April), and no vending within 200 feet of a public school during school hours
Hours: Most zones 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; extended hours in the Riverwalk and Broad Street entertainment zones

Augusta enforces aggressively during Masters Week (early April). The combination of restricted zones around Augusta National, increased enforcement personnel, and intense competition for the few approved vendor slots means most non-permitted trucks are turned away or cited that week. If you plan to work Masters Week, the application process opens the previous October and slots fill by early December.

8. Macon-Bibb Mobile Vendor permit

Macon-Bibb is also a consolidated city-county government. The Macon-Bibb Business License Division issues the Mobile Vendor permit in coordination with the North Central Health District (which handles food service permits for Bibb County). The annual permit costs $150 to $350.

Macon-Bibb requirements:

Current North Central Health District Mobile Food Service Permit (Bibb County)
Macon-Bibb Mobile Vendor permit from the Business License Division
Commercial general liability insurance with $1 million minimum per-occurrence, naming Macon-Bibb County as additional insured
Distance restrictions: no vending within 100 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant during operating hours, no vending within 200 feet of a public school during school hours, no vending within Mercer University or Wesleyan College campus boundaries without university approval
Hours: Most zones 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; extended hours in the Downtown Cherry Street entertainment district

Macon-Bibb's Cherry Blossom Festival (March) is the biggest annual food truck opportunity in Middle Georgia and follows a separate event-vendor application process opening in November of the prior year.

9. Other Georgia cities

Most other Georgia cities have lighter mobile food vending requirements. A few worth knowing:

Athens-Clarke County: Consolidated city-county. Mobile Food Service license through Athens-Clarke County Building Permits and Inspections, $150-$300/year. Restricted near downtown brick-and-mortar restaurants. UGA football game-day vending requires a separate Game Day Vendor permit.
Columbus-Muscogee County: Consolidated city-county. Mobile Vendor permit through the Columbus Business License Office, around $200/year. Lighter restrictions; generally permissive in the Uptown entertainment district.
Sandy Springs / Dunwoody / Roswell / Alpharetta (north metro Atlanta): Each has its own city-level mobile food vendor permit on top of the Fulton County health permit. Fees range $150-$400 per city. Trucks that work multiple north metro cities often hold three or four city permits simultaneously.
Marietta / Smyrna / Kennesaw (Cobb County): Cobb County health permit plus city-level business licenses. Cobb is more permissive than Atlanta on right-of-way; many trucks operate primarily on private commercial lots.
Decatur / Brookhaven / Chamblee (DeKalb County): DeKalb County health permit plus city-level business tax certificates. Decatur restricts vending in the downtown square except at city-approved events.
Smaller cities and unincorporated areas: Many rely entirely on the County Board of Health Mobile Food Service Permit. But you must still verify with the city or county business license office before operating — some areas require a basic business tax certificate ($25-$100) regardless of food permit status.

If you operate at college campus events (Georgia Tech, UGA, Emory, Georgia State, Mercer, Savannah College of Art and Design, Kennesaw State, Georgia Southern, Valdosta State), each university has its own vendor approval process on top of the city and county requirements.

10. Special event and Temporary Food Service Permits

If you vend at festivals, fairs, sporting events, or other special events, you may need a Temporary Food Service Permit from the County Board of Health where the event is held — even if you already hold a current Mobile Food Service Permit elsewhere in Georgia. The Temporary permit is event-specific and runs $30 to $100 per event in most counties.

Major Georgia events that require Temporary Food Service Permit coordination:

Music Midtown (Atlanta, September)
Atlanta Jazz Festival (Memorial Day weekend)
Sweet Auburn SpringFest (Atlanta, May)
Inman Park Festival (Atlanta, late April)
Savannah St. Patrick's Day Festival (March)
Savannah Music Festival (March-April)
Augusta Masters Tournament Week (early April, restricted zones)
Macon Cherry Blossom Festival (March)
Atlanta Pride (October)
Atlanta Dogwood Festival (Piedmont Park, April)
Georgia State Fair (Hampton, October)
Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Braves home games (event-specific stadium vendor programs)
UGA football game days (Athens, September through November)
Georgia Tech football game days (Atlanta, September through November)

Most major events handle the Temporary Food Service Permit paperwork through the event organizer — they collect from each vendor and submit a master application to the host County Board of Health. You still need to provide proof of your Mobile Food Service Permit, sales tax number, and insurance certificate to the event organizer 2 to 6 weeks in advance.

11. Fire suppression inspection

If your truck has any cooking equipment that produces grease-laden vapor (a deep fryer, flat-top griddle, charbroiler, wok burner, or open flame), you need a fire suppression hood system installed and inspected. Georgia's fire code adopts NFPA 96 (Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations) by reference and is enforced by the local fire marshal in each county. Requirements:

An Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listed wet-chemical fire suppression system installed over all cooking surfaces
Type K-rated portable fire extinguisher (minimum 6L wet chemical) plus a 2A:10B:C extinguisher
Semi-annual inspection of the suppression system by a Georgia-licensed fire suppression contractor
Annual inspection by the local fire marshal

The local fire marshal inspection costs $75 to $300 depending on jurisdiction. The semi-annual contractor inspection runs $200 to $400 per visit. Operating with an expired suppression tag or missing extinguishers is grounds for immediate shutdown by either the fire marshal or the County Board of Health inspector.

12. Insurance and workers' comp

Insurance is not optional in Georgia for a food truck. You need:

Commercial general liability: Minimum $1 million per occurrence, $2 million aggregate. Required by every major Georgia city for the Mobile Food Vendor permit. Annual premium typically $1,200 to $2,400 for a small truck.
Commercial auto: Personal auto policies do not cover business use. Commercial auto runs $1,400 to $3,200 annually in Georgia.
Workers' compensation: Required in Georgia once you have three or more employees (regular or part-time) under O.C.G.A. § 34-9-1. This is a higher threshold than most states (most require coverage at one employee). Premium for a small food truck typically $400 to $1,200 annually depending on payroll and class code (NCCI class 9082 — Restaurants). The State Board of Workers' Compensation enforces; coverage can be purchased from any licensed Georgia carrier.
Product liability: Often bundled with the general liability. Critical for any truck serving allergen-heavy food.
Equipment / inland marine: Covers your kitchen equipment and inventory if the truck is damaged or stolen. $300 to $800 annually depending on coverage limits.

Operating without required workers' comp coverage in Georgia (3+ employees) is a misdemeanor under O.C.G.A. § 34-9-126 carrying penalties up to $10,000 per occurrence, plus retroactive premium and any claim costs. The State Board of Workers' Compensation cross-references with the Georgia Department of Labor unemployment insurance database; trucks that file DOL-4N quarterly unemployment reports for three or more employees but show no active workers' comp policy receive notices within months.

13. Federal requirements

Two federal items every Georgia food truck needs:

Federal EIN (Employer Identification Number): Free from the IRS at irs.gov, immediate online issuance. Required for opening business bank accounts, payroll, and most state and local registrations.
FDA registration: Not required for a typical food truck (you are exempt as a "retail food establishment" under FDA jurisdiction), but if you also produce packaged food for wholesale distribution from your commissary, the commissary itself needs FDA Food Facility Registration.

What inspectors actually check on a Georgia food truck

County Board of Health inspectors do unannounced inspections, often during peak service hours. The most-cited Georgia mobile food violations:

Cold-holding above 41°F: Coolers should hold at 41°F or below. A thermometer must be visible inside every cold-holding unit. This is the #1 cited violation in Georgia mobile food inspections.
Hot-holding below 135°F: Hot food must hold at 135°F or above. Steam tables must be set hot enough; chafing dishes alone often fail.
Bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food: Gloves, tongs, deli paper, or other utensils must be used. No exceptions.
Handwashing sink unavailable or unsupplied: Must be stocked with soap, single-use paper towels, and hot running water. Can never be blocked or used as a prep sink.
No Certified Food Safety Manager on site: Automatic critical violation. The certificate must be physically on the truck or accessible by phone.
Sanitizer concentration wrong: Test strips must be on the truck. Chlorine sanitizer at 50-100 ppm, quat at 200-400 ppm depending on the product.
Food protection: Food stored on the floor, food stored without covers, raw meat above ready-to-eat — all critical.
Water tank issues: Potable water tank not labeled, wastewater tank smaller than required, or visible cross-connection.
Allergen labeling on packaged items: The 9 major allergens (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy, sesame) must be declared on packaged items per the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education and Research Act (FASTER Act, 2021).
Expired or missing posted permits: Current Mobile Food Service Permit must be posted visibly. Sales tax number must be on file with the truck's business records.
Outdated commissary letter: The most quietly common Georgia citation — the commissary letter on file with the County Board of Health has expired or the commissary itself has changed.

Georgia uses a 100-point inspection score. A score of 70 or below fails and triggers a re-inspection within 10 days. Critical violations require immediate correction; if not corrected during the inspection, the truck is closed until a follow-up inspection passes. Repeat critical violations within a 12-month period escalate to formal enforcement and possible permit suspension under O.C.G.A. § 26-2-373.

Penalties for operating without proper licenses in Georgia

Operating without a Mobile Food Service Permit: Misdemeanor under O.C.G.A. § 26-2-376 — up to $1,000 fine and 12 months in jail per violation. Each day of unlicensed operation can be charged as a separate violation. The County Board of Health can also seek a court injunction forcing closure.
Operating without a Georgia Sales and Use Tax Number: Civil penalty of the greater of $25 or 5% of tax due per filing period missed, escalating to 25% maximum. The Department of Revenue can issue a Final Assessment that converts to a tax lien and levy on bank accounts and merchant accounts.
Operating without a city-level Mobile Food Vendor permit (Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta-Richmond, Macon-Bibb): $250 to $1,000 per citation. Three citations within a 12-month period generally trigger revocation. Right-of-way enforcement can also direct you to leave or cite for blocking public way.
Operating without required workers' compensation (3+ employees): Up to $10,000 per occurrence under O.C.G.A. § 34-9-126, plus retroactive premium and any claim costs incurred during the uncovered period.
Operating without commercial auto insurance: Misdemeanor under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-10 plus license suspension and a $200 reinstatement fee.
Failing a critical health violation: Immediate closure until corrected and re-inspected. Re-inspection fees range from $100 to $400 depending on the County Board of Health.
Operating with an expired commissary agreement: Same as operating without a Mobile Food Service Permit — the permit is automatically out of compliance until a new commissary agreement is on file.

Most Georgia County Boards of Health publish inspection scores publicly through online portals (Fulton County's Health Inspections portal, DeKalb County's Health Department site, Chatham County's Environmental Health page). Failed inspections and suspended permits show up in those portals and surface in Google searches when potential customers look up your truck name.

Georgia-specific rules that catch out-of-state owners

Permits are issued by County Boards of Health, not the state: Georgia DPH writes the rules, but every Mobile Food Service Permit is issued and inspected by the local county. Out-of-state owners often spend weeks looking for a state portal that does not exist.
The 3-employee workers' comp threshold: Georgia is one of only a handful of states where workers' comp is not required until you hit three employees. Most states require coverage at one employee. Solo operators and 2-person trucks often legitimately operate without workers' comp in Georgia — but the day you hire your third person, coverage is required immediately, and there is no grace period.
Consolidated city-county governments: Augusta-Richmond, Macon-Bibb, Columbus-Muscogee, and Athens-Clarke are consolidated. The Mobile Food Vendor license is one combined city-county permit, not two separate ones. New owners moving from cities with separate city/county tracks (like Atlanta) get tripped up by this difference.
Sales tax is destination-based and county-layered: Combined rates range from 6% (rural counties) to 8.9% (Atlanta inside Fulton). Trucks operating across counties must collect at the rate of the location of each sale, not their commissary location. The Atlanta MARTA tax adds 1% on top of base sales tax inside MARTA service area boundaries.
City permits are stacked on top of county permits: Atlanta, Savannah, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Roswell, Alpharetta, and the major north metro cities each require their own Mobile Food Vendor permit on top of the county Board of Health permit. New owners often miss this layer and get cited within their first month of city operations.
Distance restrictions from brick-and-mortar restaurants are real: All four major Georgia metros (Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta-Richmond, Macon-Bibb) enforce 100-foot distance rules from existing restaurants during the restaurants' operating hours. Restaurant operators sometimes call in complaints when a truck parks too close.
The Certified Food Safety Manager must be on site: Georgia requires the Person in Charge to hold an ANSI-CFP-accredited Certified Food Safety Manager credential (ServSafe, Prometric, or 360training are the common options). At least one must be physically on the truck at all times — not "on call."
Savannah Historic District is restricted: Most "I'll just park near River Street" plans require either a special event permit, a private property arrangement in one of the few non-residential lots, or participation in the Forsyth Park or City Market vendor programs. Casual street vending in the Historic District is not permitted.
Masters Week in Augusta is a special enforcement window: Augusta-Richmond enforces aggressively during the early-April Masters Tournament. Non-permitted trucks are turned away. The application window for Masters Week vendor slots opens the previous October.
Allergen labeling is enforced: Inspectors check packaged items for the 9 major allergens. Missing labels are non-critical violations but cited frequently in 2024-2026 sweeps.

Total first-year cost

For a single truck operating in Atlanta with a commissary in Fulton County, two part-time employees (under the workers' comp threshold), and standard cooking equipment:

Fulton County Mobile Food Service Permit: $400
Georgia Sales and Use Tax Number: Free
Federal EIN: Free
Atlanta Mobile Food Services permit: $450
Commissary kitchen rental: $700/month average = $8,400/year
Fire suppression installation (one-time, not in the recurring total): $2,000-$4,000; semi-annual inspections: $600/year ongoing
Local fire marshal annual inspection: $200
Commercial general liability insurance: $1,800/year
Commercial auto insurance: $2,200/year
Equipment / inland marine insurance: $500/year
Special event Temporary Food Service Permits (10 events/year): $500/year
Certified Food Safety Manager (every 5 years): $150 every five years, amortized $30/year

Total first-year operating cost: roughly $15,080 in fees, insurance, and commissary rent — before food, fuel, marketing, or staff wages. Add the one-time fire suppression installation ($2,000 to $4,000) and any truck build-out costs separately. Add a third employee and budget another $400 to $1,200/year for required workers' comp. Savannah, Augusta-Richmond, and Macon-Bibb run roughly $1,500 to $3,000 less per year than Atlanta due to lower commissary costs and lower city permit fees.

Renewal dates you need to track

Georgia food truck owners typically miss renewals because the dates come from completely separate agencies on completely separate schedules. The full list:

Mobile Food Service Permit: Annual, on county-specific cycles — Fulton and DeKalb use anniversary date, Cobb and Chatham use January 1, others vary
City Mobile Food Vendor permit (Atlanta, Savannah, Augusta-Richmond, Macon-Bibb): Annual on city-specific cycles — Atlanta uses a January 1 cycle, Savannah uses anniversary date
Right-of-way vending permit (Atlanta, Savannah): Annual lottery, varies by city
Georgia Sales and Use Tax Number: Permanent (no renewal), but sales tax filings are monthly, quarterly, or annual depending on volume — monthly returns due the 20th of the following month
Commercial general liability insurance: Annual policy renewal
Commercial auto insurance: Annual or semi-annual policy renewal
Workers' comp policy (if 3+ employees): Annual policy renewal set by carrier
Fire suppression contractor inspection: Semi-annual
Local fire marshal inspection: Annual
Certified Food Safety Manager (ServSafe): Every 5 years
Commissary agreement: Whenever your commissary's contract term ends — often 12 months, sometimes month-to-month
Special event Temporary Food Service Permits: Per event, typically applied 2 to 6 weeks before each event
Sales tax returns: Monthly (the 20th), quarterly, or annual depending on Department of Revenue assignment
Quarterly DOL-4N unemployment filings (if employees): Last day of the month following the end of each quarter

The County Board of Health sends Mobile Food Service Permit renewal notices to the address and email on file 30 to 60 days before the renewal date. If you have moved or changed email addresses, the notice may not arrive — and the county has no obligation to track you down. Update your contact info with both your home County Board of Health and the Georgia Department of Revenue any time you move.

Check your full Georgia food truck permit list

Use the free permit checker to see every permit your Georgia food truck needs. Pick your city and county, select food truck as the business type, and get the full list with fees, deadlines, and links to the County Board of Health, the Georgia Department of Revenue, and your local Mobile Food Vendor office.

Comparing across states? Read our California food truck permits guide, Texas food truck permits guide, Florida food truck permits guide, New York food truck permits guide, Illinois food truck permits guide, Pennsylvania food truck permits guide, and Ohio food truck permits guide — Georgia's three-employee workers' comp threshold, the county-issued (not state-issued) Mobile Food Service Permit, the consolidated city-county tracks in Augusta-Richmond, Macon-Bibb, Columbus-Muscogee, and Athens-Clarke, the Savannah Historic District restrictions, and the Augusta Masters Week enforcement window are the biggest differences. Our food truck permits by state comparison covers all 50 states side by side, the food truck permits overview walks through the universal categories, the how to start a food truck guide covers the full permit timeline, and mobile food vendor license vs food truck permit explains the terminology that varies state to state. Tracking the County Board of Health Mobile Food Service Permit, the Georgia Sales and Use Tax Number, the Atlanta or Savannah or Augusta-Richmond or Macon-Bibb city permit, the commissary agreement, the fire suppression schedule, the Certified Food Safety Manager renewal, and every per-event Temporary Food Service Permit by hand is how Georgia food trucks get pulled at lunch service over a piece of paper. The PermitDue dashboard puts every deadline in one place with reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days so the truck never gets shut down at a Ponce City Market event over an outdated commissary letter.