$280 base permit (valid ~2 years); add $25 if serving frozen desserts. At least one supervisor must hold a Food Protection Certificate. Business may open 22 days after applying even without a pre-permit inspection.
Turnaround: Pre-permit inspection scheduled around the 22-day mark
Full-term MFV unit permit ~$200 (2-yr); operator Mobile Food Vending License ~$50 (2-yr). REALITY: full-term permits are hard-capped and frozen since the early 1980s — decades-long waitlist; Local Law 18/2021 & LL54/2026 add permits gradually (target +12,780 by 2031). New 'supervisory license' tier created; supervisory license renewal is $438/2-yr (initial issuance free). Gray-market permit leases run ~$15k-$25k per 2-yr cycle.
| Category | Annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| caterer | — | Caterers operate under a Food Service Establishment Permit ($280 new); a valid FSE or Mobile Food Vending permit exempts an operator from needing a separate temporary permit at events. |
| temporary/seasonal/special-event | $70 | "Temporary Food Service Establishment Permit" to make/serve food at a temporary special event from booths, stands, kiosks, vehicles or carts; $70.00. |
| food processing/wholesale | +$25 frozen dessert endorsement | FSE permit is $280; add $25 if making frozen desserts. NYC food manufacturers/processors are primarily regulated by NYS Dept of Agriculture & Markets, not DOHMH. |