LA food truck permits, commissaries, and health inspection basics

Operator checklist

• Confirm which health department covers your base of operations. LA County Environmental Health enforces the California Health and Safety Code countywide except Long Beach, Pasadena, and Vernon, which run their own environmental health programs.
• Classify the vehicle honestly against LA County's published risk tiers before you budget fees or build a menu: Low Risk (whole uncut produce / certain prepackaged non-PHF examples), Moderate Risk (PHF or unpackaged food without raw meat/fish/poultry), High Risk (preparation including raw meat, fish, or poultry). Occupied high-risk trucks/trailers must be fully enclosed and require HCD certification per the county supplemental application.
• For a new or remodeled MFF, start with Plan Check ((626) 430-5560 per county materials): submit the Plan Check service request, plans/specs, menu/SOPs as required, ownership documents, and a commissary contract dated within the past 30 days. Do not treat construction as finished until plans are approved - county plan-check materials state plans must be approved before construction/equipment installation, and operating without final inspection, approval, and a valid health permit is a misdemeanor.
• Complete the Public Health Permit/License application plus the Mobile Food Facility supplemental application (one application per MFF). The supplemental form also collects commissary details, vehicle identifiers, plan-check SR # for new MFFs, and Certified Food Protection Manager / food handler card timing (CFPM proof within 60 days; food handler card within 30 days of start of operation, per the form).
• Expect a final evaluation/inspection path: county new-construction checklist steps include Plan Check evaluation of the MFF (and commissary evaluation if applicable), then paying the Public Health Permit fee after a passing final inspection, then receiving the inspection report/approval letter authorizing operation.
• Lock a permitted commissary (or other facility approved by the enforcement agency). California law defines a commissary as a food facility that services MFFs/MSUs/vending where food/supplies are stored, food is prepared/prepackaged for other locations, utensils are cleaned, and/or wastes are disposed / potable water obtained. State law generally requires MFFs to operate in conjunction with a commissary, MSU, or other approved facility; to be stored at/within a commissary or other approved location; to be cleaned and serviced at least once daily during an operating day; and - except for limited exceptions - to report to the commissary or other approved facility daily.
• File and keep your Mobile Food Facility Route Sheet current. LA County Code Title 8 §8.04.403 (as summarized on the county MFF page) requires owners/operators to list complete address, telephone, and arrival/departure times for each retail location; county materials say failure to notify of significant route changes may result in suspension or revocation of the Public Health Permit. Use the county online Route Sheet form, or one of the county-listed alternative posting methods (county notes those platforms are not endorsed).
• Plan for ongoing inspection visibility: county materials state every approved food truck in LA County should display a Letter Grade and a certification sticker as a permitted facility, and they publish a Mobile Food Facility Inspection / Marking Guide describing what inspectors mark.
• Separate health compliance from payment ops. A health permit does not replace business licensing, parking/vending rules, or processor KYC - but once you are selling, keep the same day-level discipline for cash/card reconciliation and fee math that you keep for commissary receipts and route records. Use the fee calculator and the reconcile / payment-setup guides when you are ready to model card cost; do not treat payment tooling as a substitute for Plan Check or Mobile Food Program instructions.