Getting a Business License
There are three types of licenses that your local city hall may require that you have: Business License. Location Permit. Special Events Permit. Business Licenses are usually procured at city hall. The cost usually varies from about $60.00 to as much as $300.00 per year depending on the city. Often cities have information about business licenses posted on the city web site. You may even be able to obtain and pay for your license online. They should, at the same time, give you details about the Do’s and Don’ts, where you can and can not locate your hotdog cart, and information on any other local by-laws that apply to the hot dog vending business. This is a good time to ask any questions about the retail food business as it applies to your area. Check at the same time to see if you will also require a Location License for your hot dog cart. For instance, if you want to have one location for mid week business, Monday to Friday, and another location for working on the weekend, you may be required to have separate location permits for these. One final license that you should inquire about is a Special Events Permit. If you want to take advantage of any special tourist events, sports events, etc, you may be required to also have a separate permit for those occasions in addition to your normal location permit.