Food Trucks and Mobile Vendors

Food trucks – also known as mobile food premises – often contain all the facilities required to prepare, cook and sell food and so must have a current food registration certificate under the Food Act 2014. 

Like other food businesses, food trucks must be registered and verified to ensure they're preparing and selling safe food safely. There are also special safety requirements, rules and regulations about where you can park a food truck and how you operate your business.

To find the right plan or programme to use, complete the 'Food Safety Rules' tool through Ministry of Primary Industries.

An initial inspection of the food truck or mobile food vendor and meeting can be arranged with our Environmental Health Officer at your request. The Environmental Health Officer can answer any questions you may have and go over any registration requirements.

Setting up a safe food truck or mobile food vendor

Your food truck or mobile food vendor must be suitably constructed for food preparation and handling and sale activities. You must:

• make sure all surfaces (floors, walls, ceiling, shelving and benches) are smooth, waterproof and easy to clean.
• provide ventilation to maintain comfortable conditions for people working in the truck, prevent condensation and remove bad odours.
• have enough space for everyone who will be working in the truck and cleaning the truck. 
• provide sinks and hand wash basins, with enough hot water to allow effective cleaning and hand washing.
• drain waste water to a big enough holding tank, and dispose of it into the sewerage system or through a sink attached to a grease trap.
• provide at least one rubbish bin outside your mobile food truck/temporary site for patrons to use.
• comply with the following electrical/fire safety requirements:
• All food trucks connected to power must have a current electrical WOF.
• All electrical equipment/appliances brought on site must have a current electrical safety test tag.
• All food trucks with cooking or reheating appliances must have a fire extinguisher and/or fire blanket, and a first aid kit as part of their equipment.

If there is not enough space to prepare food, you can use an alternative preparation kitchen. You'll need to make sure the preparation kitchen is covered by your registration and is included in your application.

To operate your food truck within the district ONLY, you can apply and be verified by Council here.

To operate your food truck outside of the district, you will need to find and contact a recognised verifier before you apply for your registration certificate with us. You will need to have:

• your NZ business number and a copy of your certificate of incorporation, if your business is a limited liability company.
• a confirmation letter from your national programme verifier. 

Operating guidelines for a food truck or mobile food vendor

1. Trading may not be carried out within Business Zone 1 (Waipukurau and Waipawa) as defined in the District Plan.

2. No standalone food truck or mobile food vendor shall be permitted to operate within 200 metres of the nearest fixed premises selling the same or similar products.

3. No standalone food truck or mobile food vendor shall be permitted to operate out of a Council-owned park, reserve or off-road car park.

4. General hours of operation should fall between 9.00 am to 6.00 pm, seven day per week.

5. Signage for the food truck or mobile food vendor must comply as per the requirements of the District Plan.