A motor vehicle or a food trailer designed and equipped to sell food or beverages directly to consumers. Does not include wholesale food distributors.
This use does not apply to food sales from food trucks parked at events including but not limited to fairs, carnivals, festivals, public events/public assemblies on farmland, and rental facilities on farmland.
If you have a licensed food truck and are interested in becoming a vendor for Calvert County Parks & Recreation, please see the Mobile Food Vendors page!
Interactive map of permissible locations coming soon! If you are unsure of permissible locations, please contact the Department of Planning and Zoning, or review the Calvert County Zoning Ordinance use table.
The food truck shall be located on property with the permission of the property owner. If the food truck is scheduled to be located on the same property for three or more days per week a plot plan showing where the food trucks are located on-site shall be required and submitted with the use permit application; and
The food trucks shall not interfere with pedestrian or traffic flow on-site and shall not reduce the number of parking spaces required for the property.
Placement of a food truck or mobile food unit at an established location for three or more days per week requires a Commercial Application for Zoning and Use permit.
Environmental Health Food Service Facility Licensing
All mobile food service facilities are required to apply for and obtain a retail food license prior to serving food and/or beverages. The Office of Environmental Health’s Food Program* reviews all mobile food service facilities to ensure the unit meets the minimum requirements in the Maryland State Regulations, COMAR 10.15.03.
All licensed mobile units, except for those only serving commercially pre-packaged ice cream, are required to have a base of operations (a licensed retail food service facility used by the owner or operator of the mobile unit for food storage, potable water, safe disposal of waste and sewage, and, if necessary, utensil washing).
Properties served by well and/or septic will require an Environmental Health (EH) Department review. A Site Evaluation application (percolation testing), and a Sanitary Construction permit application may be required based on the scope of work. If the permit involves construction of an exterior structure, please see item 8 on the attached Building permit FAQ page for setback requirements.
Please note that by submitting a building permit application our office is granted permission to conduct site visit(s) as necessary at our discretion to facilitate the review of the project. If you need assistance locating the well and/or septic systems, you may fill out a Public Information Request Form to obtain the property's file.
If a mobile food service facility undergoes a change of ownership, this will also require a review by the Food Program because retail food licenses are non-transferable to the new owner.
An already-licensed mobile food service facility that is planning to remodel or renovate their currently licensed mobile unit will need to notify the Food Program prior to beginning the work.
Plan Submittal Requirements
The following information must be submitted with applicable permit application(s):
Plot Plan/Site plan of the property, showing proposed location of mobile food unit, with approximate distances to property lines (If you cannot locate a site plan, you may use a satellite imaging software). View an interactive map.
Business Description Letter – Contact information (admin address, email, phone number), days and hours of operation at the proposed location, brief description of business, number of employees onsite, etc.
Reminder: The food trucks shall not interfere with pedestrian or traffic flow on-site and shall not reduce the number of parking spaces required for the property.
Fees
Application fee of $50 due at permit application package submittal. Payment options are cash (exact change), money orders, or checks made payable to Calvert County Treasurer. Credit cards are not accepted at this time.
IF the property lies within Chesapeake Beach or North Beach, please contact your appropriate municipality regarding their zoning & permitting requirements.