Food Trucks, Trailers, and Push Carts
All mobile food businesses must be inspected and licensed to operate in Adams County. Let’s make that process easier together with guides and resources.
What is a Food Truck and Trailer?
A retail food establishment that is a wheeled vehicle or trailer that is readily movable and designed to serve food from the interior of the unit and is intended to physically report to and operate from a commercial commissary kitchen for serving, restocking, and maintenance each operating day.
What is a Push Cart?
A retail food establishment that is a non-motorized unit, designed so that foods are served from the exterior of the unit and require very little preparation, such as hot dogs. Push carts are intended to physically report to and operate from a commercial commissary kitchen for servicing, restocking, and maintenance each operating day.
New or Renewing a Mobile Food License
A Food License is Required
A retail food license from the health department is required annually for mobile food trucks, trailers, and pushcarts. Your retail food license will expire on December 31 of each year, regardless of when the license was issued, and must be renewed each year if you will be operating. Please call our Environmental Health office to schedule a renewal inspection at 303.288.6816.
Mobile Unit Plan Review
If your mobile truck, trailer, or push cart has not been licensed by the Adams County Health Department (ACHD) in the past, either by you or by a previous owner, you must complete and submit a Mobile Unit Plan Review form. Contact our Plan Review Hotline at 720.713.6200 or submit plan review questions to EHPlanReviewSupport@adamscountyco.gov.
Licensed in the Past?
If ACHD has licensed your mobile truck, trailer, or push cart in the past, you can call to make an appointment for a renewal inspection or reserve a spot at our all-day mobile renewal events. Dates for the all-day events are announced in the fall. Once the all-day events are wrapped up, you can call to make an individual appointment.
Mobile Inspection Checklist
- Original State Sales Tax License (Request from the Colorado Department of Revenue website)
- Commissary Agreement Form (commissary must be located within Adams County)
- Lettering 3 inches high and 3/8-inch wide, with the name and phone number on one side
- Food probe thermometer capable of reading between 0°F and 220°F
- Refrigerator/Hot box thermometer
- Hot and cold running water in all sinks
- Written menu
- Sanitizer test strips (chlorine or quaternary ammonium)
- Hand soap and disposable paper towels
- Restroom Affidavit (if regularly operating for extended periods in a fixed location)
- Food Protection Manager Certification
Mobile Food Forms and Packets
Mobile Food Establishment Plan Review Packet
Retail Food Commissary Agreement
COMING SOON: Approved Commissary Facilities
Mobile Food Handouts
As part of our efforts to support you and your mobile food business, we have put together a friendly packet of handouts that you can download, print, hand out, and hang in your business as needed. Please contact our team if you have any questions about specific handouts. Our packet includes
- Operational Requirements
- Required Equipment
- Commissary Kitchen Use Guidance
- Mobile Unit Cleaning
- Mobile Unit FAQs
Contact the Retail Food Team
Environmental Health Office
Commerce City, CO 80022