Become a Food Truck Vendor

Step 1.Pass a Fire Inspection

All food trucks, hot dog carts, and ice cream trucks are required to pass a Clearwater Fire & Rescue Inspection to operate within Clearwater city limits prior to the event to be able to participate. If you complete your food truck inspection prior to the event, the fee is $50. Food trucks will be inspected in accordance with the NFPA 1 Fire Code Chapter 50 Mobile and Temporary Cooking.

All tented vendors who are grilling or frying are also required to be inspected by the Clearwater Fire Department. The inspections for tented vendors will take place on the day of the event.

If you are cooking under a tent, your setup must comply with all State of Florida requirements, including the use of a flame-retardant (fireproof) tents, fire extinguishers and other approved safety equipment, etc.

Schedule an Inspection

Step 2.Documentation Requirement

The following documentation is required to be a food vendor at city of Clearwater produced events. This documentation can be uploaded via the Special Event Vendor Inquiry Form or emailed directly to the Special Events team.

• W9 Form (March 2024 version)
• Business Licenses (State and Local)
• Certificate of Insurance listing the City of Clearwater as additionally insured (see sample(PDF, 75KB))
• Details of your booth setup and product description
• As part of our city’s compliance with local and state regulations, we require all vendors and contractors to provide proof of workers’ compensation insurance. This simply ensures that any employees working on city property are covered in the event of an injury while performing their duties. By submitting the workers’ compensation documentation, you help us maintain the necessary safeguards for both your team and our city’s risk management protocols. If you are exempt, you still need to provide proof of exemption. You may satisfy the city’s requirements in one of the following 3 ways:
  • Proof of WC coverage on a COI.
  • Proof of Letter of Exemption, by filling out the exemption link and getting a certificate.
  • A PDF letter from the vendor on a letterhead including their business name, address, and signature stating they are not required per state guidelines to provide WC coverage since they are a Sole Proprietor with less than 4 employees.

Step 3.Review the Public Utilities On-Site Cooking Guidelines

To minimize pollution, these rules must be followed:

• Food trucks (mobile food dispensing vehicles) must be licensed by the state and the license number provided. This serves as an assurance that gray water is legally disposed of at an approved location. Every mobile food vendor should be able to provide a permit or license from one of the following three Florida agencies: Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Department of Business and Professional Regulation, or the Department of Health.
• Cooking oil cannot go down a storm drain or onto the ground. Used oil must go into a used cooking oil recycling bin. There is one of these at the City of Clearwater Recycling Center at 1701 Hercules Ave. For larger events, used cooking oil bins can be provided by a grease waste disposal company (ask for list if interested).
• Grey water that was used in cooking and washing must be hauled off-site and disposed of at a legal wastewater disposal site (This is why food trucks must be licensed by the state).
• Food scraps can be disposed of with other solid waste and go out with the trash.
• On-site green space (vegetated or bare soil) can be used for the disposal of clean ice.
• The area under grills or other cooking appliances must be covered to protect the pavement or vegetation from oil or other cooking waste that may drip or spill.