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Mobile Food Licensing

 

*** Mobile licenses issued before December of 2023 will expire on March 1, 2024. To continue operating after this date, renew your mobile license by going to https://eztrak.cagis.org and creating an ezTrak user account. For more information on ezTrak and the new license renewal process, clicke HERE. 

 

The Cincinnati Health Department licenses and inspections mobile food service operations and mobile retail food establishments. 

A mobile food service operation (FSO) or mobile retail food establishment (RFE) is one that is operated from a movable vehicle, portable structure, or watercraft and routinely changes location. Mobile FSOs and RFEs include those that do not remain in any one location for more than 40 days. Mobile licenses are renewed annually and expire on March 1st of every year.  Applications for mobile food licenses should be submitted to the licensor for the health district in which the applicant's business headquarters are located, or if the headquarters are located outside the state, to the licensor for the district where the applicant will first operate in Ohio. 

 

A current Ohio Mobile Food License is required to operate in the City of Cincinnati, but mobile food licenses from any board of health in the State of Ohio are accepted.

To apply for and obtain a Mobile Food Service Operation or Mobile Retail Food Establishment license:

  1. Download - Mobile food license application and/or mobile food operation guide
  2. Apply - Mail the application to: Mobile Food Licensing, 3845 William P Dooley Bypass, Cincinnati, OH 45223.
  3. Review - You will be contacted within 30 days regarding your application.
  4. Inspection/Licensing - Once the application has been approved, most mobile vehicles will be inspected and licensed in person by Cincinnati Health Department personnel at the Food Safety and Inspections Office. No food may be sold in the City of Cincinnati from the mobile vehicle until the application has been approved, and the vehicle has been inspected and licensed by the Cincinnati Health Department (unless you have a valid Ohio Mobile Food license from another county or city health department). 
For questions related to mobile food service or mobile retail food establishment licensing in the City of Cincinnati: 
Email Philip.Murdock@cincinnati-oh.gov or call 513-564-1753.