Each row is the verification state of one aspect for Illinois, taken from the data we hold. A check does not mean every local amendment or county fee was individually reviewed.
These come from the FDA Food Code — a model code that nearly every state adopts and amends, with enforcement that varies by jurisdiction. Treat them as commonly required, not universal: your menu, your state’s adopted edition, and your local authority (AHJ) may impose different or additional requirements.
Labels flag how firm each item is — Common baseline core Food-Code expectation · Frequently required usual on plan review · Varies locally set by local/plumbing code · Verify with AHJ confirm the specifics locally. The finer details (drainboard count, which sanitation listings are accepted, interceptor sizing) are plan-review and plumbing-code matters that vary by jurisdiction; the notes below are FoodServiceNerd planning guidance, not a code citation.
Varies locally Also required in most kitchens: a mop/service sink, mechanical exhaust hood (Type I over grease/smoke), adequate hot water, indirect waste/air gaps on food & warewashing equipment, and a grease interceptor where local plumbing code requires it — which apply, and their sizing, are set locally.
Licensing authority: County/municipal health departments; Chicago via BACP + CDPH. Regime: Fully local - Chicago is a separate regime.
No state-level food truck licence. IL Dept. of Public Health sets sanitation standards under 410 ILCS 625; every permit comes from a county or municipal health department. CHICAGO IS THE MOST RESTRICTIVE MARKET IN THE DATASET: two licence classes, Mobile Food Preparer $1,000 / Mobile Food Dispenser $700, both assessed every TWO years; MFP for on-board cooking, MFD for pre-prepared enclosed portions only. Also required: Shared Kitchen User licence, commissary relationship, CDPH consultation and vehicle inspection, city debt check. Fire Safety Permit needed if the unit has a generator, propane/CNG, Type I or II hood or suppression. 200-FOOT RULE from any brick-and-mortar restaurant, upheld by the Illinois Supreme Court in LMP Services v. City of Chicago (2019), plus a GPS-tracker mandate. A county permit does NOT authorise operation inside Chicago city limits - many operators work suburban Cook, DuPage or Lake specifically to avoid the city layer. Suburban counties roughly $350-600/yr, 2-5 week timelines. Free CDPH/CFD pre-application vehicle assessment is available and worth using.
New builds and remodels almost always require a plan review and a pre-opening inspection. Submit your equipment layout early — the sink count, hood, and hot-water sizing are the usual sticking points.
Permit fees, plan review and local requirements are set by your county/city health department (the AHJ) — confirm the current specifics with them.
Food-permit basics, inspection grading and your local health-department contact, county by county. Fees and plan review are set locally — find yours below.