Food Truck Permit Required in Murfreesboro

Vendors interested in operating a food truck within Murfreesboro City limits are required to have a Mobile Food Service Vehicle permit. The annual permit is $50.00.

A downloadable PDF of The Permit Application for Mobile Food Service Vehicle is available at http://www.murfreesborotn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4502. Vendors can apply for the permit from the Murfreesboro Planning Department, City Hall, 2ndFloor, 111 W. Vine Street. Murfreesboro, TN. 37130.

Vendors must also obtain a Fire Safety Inspection. Mobile Food Service Vehicle Fire Safety Inspections are conducted by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, please contact the Fire Marshall's Office at 615-849-2605 during regular business hours, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. A copy of the Fire Safety Inspection form is available for information purposes only at http://www.murfreesborotn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4523.

The City of Murfreesboro began accepting permit applications following the adoption of a new Food Truck Ordinance by the City Council in November 2016. The Murfreesboro City Council amended City Code and added new regulations on food trucks operating within the City limits. Council approval came after truck operators and restaurant owners provided input on the revised regulations.

Food truck permit information is available under the "Doing Business" tab on the City's homepage at www.murfreesborotn.gov.

The full ordinance is available for review and downloadable from the City of Murfreesboro website http://www.murfreesborotn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/4410.

City administrators sought to balance the flexibility of allowing food trucks within the City limits with regulations necessary for the health, safety, and welfare of our citizens. The ordinance includes seven major sections: 1) Purpose, 2) Definitions, 3) Generally 4) Locations and Hours of Operation, 5) Operating Requirements 6) Mobile Food Service Permits, and 7) Food Truck Rallies.

The proposed ordinance includes some of the following important regulations:

• "City Parks" is included to the public property where Food Trucks may operate. Operators must obtain written permission from the Park Department and comply with all of the Rules and Regulations of the Department.
• Private Property on which Food Trucks may operate is defined to "within commercial, office, educational, and industrial zoning districts."
• Food Trucks may not operate on Unimproved Properties "unless that parcel is paved, has paved ingress and egress, and has on the parcel a principal structure with an operating restroom."
• Frequency Food Trucks may operate is "no more than four days per calendar week at a location."
• Right-of-Way restriction requires that "No Mobile Food Service Vehicle may remain in the right-of-way designated as a permitted Food Truck location non-operational and not open to the public for more than two hours."
• Food Truck Rallies, defined as 4 or more trucks in a single location on public or private property, require a Special Event Permit.

A violator found operating without a permit, and an operator whose permit has been suspended or revoked will incur additional fees to reinstate their permits.

All related documents, including a memo to the City Council and Maps, regarding the proposed Food Truck Ordinance and Regulations are available on the City webpage, at Food Truck Permits webpage http://www.murfreesborotn.gov/index.aspx?NID=928.

For more information, contact the City Planning Department at 615-893-6441.