Mobile Food Units

Below is a list of requirements to obtain a mobile food unit permit. This is not an all-inclusive list of items; additional requirements may be mandatory based on your operation.  To obtain a permit you must still submit a plan review application and all information must be filled out before we can begin our review of your proposal.

  • Your mobile food unit must have a commissary kitchen in Walla Walla County. You must submit a completed Mobile Base of Operation - Commissary form. A commissary kitchen is an approved food establishment where food is stored, prepared, portioned or packaged. Your commissary kitchen must provide:
    • Potable water        
    • plan review application
    • Three-compartment dishwashing sink
    • Handwashing sink
    • Garbage disposal 
    • Mop sink
    • Backup refrigeration (as necessary)
    • Food preparation sinks (as necessary)
    • Cooking equipment (as necessary)
  • If you are going to occupy the mobile food unit it must be inspected and approved by the Department of Labor and Industries before we will complete a pre-opening inspection. No permit will be issued until this is completed.
  • Your mobile food unit must be marked with its name, in a place where customers can see.
  • During transport, your mobile food unit’s hot and cold-holding equipment must run off the engine, propane or generator and keep cold food at or below 41°F and hot food at or above 135°F.
  • Your mobile unit must have a garbage container for waste made during operation.
  • Your mobile unit must be mobile and return to your commissary kitchen each day for storage and cleaning. We must pre-approve other servicing locations.
  • You must keep a copy of your Food Service Establishment Permit in your mobile food unit.
  • You must have mechanical refrigeration for food that must stay cold. You must pre-chill refrigerators before putting food in them. Food that must stay cold for safety must stay at or below 41°F.
  • You may have 1 ice chest for storing beverages that do not need to stay cold for safety.
  • You must have mechanical equipment powered by electricity, propane or generator to keep hot food hot. You must pre-heat equipment before putting food in it. Food that must stay hot for safety must stay at or above 135°F.
  • Food that must stay hot for safety must be served on the same day. You cannot cool and reuse hot food. You must discard hot food at the end of each day.
  • Serve condiments in single-serve packages or squeeze bottles. If a condiment is not available in single-serve packages and cannot be served in a squeeze bottle, it may be served in bulk. Condiments served in bulk cannot require refrigeration and must be protected by a sneeze-guard.
  • When completing the Plan Review Application, provide detailed preparation steps for all menu items. You must indicate which steps happen in your commissary kitchen and which happen in the mobile food unit.
  • Your mobile food unit’s handwashing sink must be easy to access. It cannot be located underneath a counter.
  • Your mobile food unit must have a hot water heater that provides water at or above 100°F to all sinks.
  • Your mobile food unit’s hot water heater must be large enough to completely fill two compartments of the 3-compartment sink with hot water (100°F or above) without the handwashing water temperature dropping below 100°F.
  • Your mobile food unit must have a three-compartment sink with drainboards attached on both ends. The sink compartments must be large enough to submerge and wash all equipment used on the mobile unit. Drainboards must be the size of the sink compartment.
  • Your mobile food unit’s freshwater tank must hold at a minimum 5 gallons, but depending on sink size and use in the mobile food unit, a larger tank may be required. You cannot use a bucket.
  • Your mobile food unit’s wastewater tank must hold at least 15% more than its freshwater tank (minimum 6 gallons if you have a 5 gallon freshwater tank). You cannot use a bucket.
  • Your mobile food unit’s freshwater tanks and all piping and tubing must be made of food-grade materials.
  • You must use food-grade hoses to fill freshwater tanks.
  • You must be able to easily empty the wastewater tank. The wastewater tank and its connections cannot leak. Wastewater must be disposed of at an approved location.
  • Mobile food units can be small. We may require you to offer limited menu items.