A mobile retail food establishment is defined as "any movable restaurant, truck,van, trailer, cart, bicycle, watercraft, or other movable unit including hand carried, portable containers in or on which food or beverage is transported, stored, prepared for retail sale or given away at temporary locations." Mobile food operations are subject to Ch. 24, NJ's Food Code.

Mobile operations are required to operate from a base location that is referred to as a servicing area. The mobile unit must return to the servicing area on a daily basis for cleaning, discharging liquid or solid wastes, refilling water tanks, ice bins and boarding food. A private home, a room used as living or sleeping quarters, or an area directly opening into a room used as living or sleeping quarters may not be used for conducting retail food establishment operations.

Please contact the Department of Health for specific requirements for mobile food operations, which may vary, depending on the type of mobile unit, menu and vending location.