Boone County, KY
Food Truck Permit

What Permit Do You Need in Boone County?

To legally operate a food truck, food trailer, or any mobile food unit in Boone County, Kentucky, you need a Mobile Food Unit (MFU) permit issued by the Northern Kentucky Health Department (NKY Health). NKY Health serves as the local health authority for Boone, Kenton, Campbell, and Grant counties, which means one permit covers all four.

Kentucky's system works like this: your county health department issues the permit and conducts the initial plan review and inspection. Once issued, the permit is recognized statewide — you can operate anywhere in Kentucky. However, every county where you operate still requires you to notify the local health department at least 48 hours before your first operation there and may conduct a local inspection.

The NKY permit does not cover Ohio operations. If you want to operate across the Ohio River in Cincinnati or anywhere in Ohio, you need a separate Ohio Mobile Food Service Operation (MFSO) license from an Ohio health district. See our cross-state operations guide for the full process.

NKY Health Department — Contact & Location

Permit Fees (2025)

NKY Health sets permit fees based on the risk level of your food operation. Operations preparing and serving potentially hazardous foods (meats, dairy, eggs) are classified at a higher risk level and pay a higher fee than operations serving only low-risk or pre-packaged items.

Step-by-Step: How to Get Your Boone County Food Truck Permit

• 1

  Secure a Licensed Commissary

  Before NKY Health will approve your permit, you must have a signed commissary agreement with a licensed food service establishment. Your commissary is where you store food, clean your truck, dispose of waste, and restock fresh water. NKY Health requires a completed commissary agreement form — available on their website — signed by both you and the commissary owner. The commissary must itself hold a valid NKY Health food service permit.

• 2

  Submit Plan Review Application

  New food trucks must submit a Mobile Food Establishment Plan Review Application along with a $150 plan review fee to Ted Talley at NKY Health. Your submission must include: a detailed floor plan of the truck showing sink locations, equipment layout, handwashing station, water tank locations, and cooking equipment. Plans must be submitted before you begin operating or making significant equipment changes.

• 3

  Apply for the MFU Permit

  Complete the Mobile Food Unit permit application through NKY Health. Submit along with: your signed commissary agreement, approved plan review (or submit simultaneously), your menu (menu items must be approved before permitting), and the annual permit fee. Call (859) 341-4151 to confirm current application procedures and whether online submission is available.

• 4

  Pass the Pre-Operation Inspection

  An NKY Health environmental health specialist will inspect your truck before your permit is issued. The truck must be fully operational — all equipment connected, working, and stocked. Common failure points include missing handwashing sink (separate from the 3-compartment sink), inadequate fresh water capacity, missing thermometers in coolers, and improper ventilation over cooking equipment.

• 5

  Notify Counties Where You Operate

  Once permitted, your MFU permit is valid across all four NKY counties (Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Grant) and statewide in Kentucky. When operating in other Kentucky counties outside NKY Health's jurisdiction, you must contact that county's health department at least 48 hours in advance. For the Lexington-Fayette area, an additional $25 per-location fee applies.

• 6

  Renew Annually

  MFU permits in Kentucky run on a calendar year (January 1 – December 31) and must be renewed each year. Begin the renewal process in November/December to avoid a lapse. The truck may be re-inspected at renewal. Keep your commissary agreement current — an expired commissary agreement can cause your permit to lapse.

Equipment Requirements — What the Inspector Checks

NKY Health inspectors follow the Kentucky Food Code during the pre-operation inspection. Every full-service MFU must have the following equipment installed and operational:

• Handwashing sink — dedicated, separate from the 3-compartment sink, with hot and cold running water, soap, and single-use towels
• 3-compartment sink — for wash, rinse, and sanitize of equipment and utensils
• Fresh water holding tank — minimum capacity sufficient for a full day of operation
• Wastewater holding tank — must be 15% larger than the fresh water tank; all waste must be disposed at your commissary
• Mechanical refrigeration — for all potentially hazardous foods; ice alone is not sufficient for a full MFU permit (though it may qualify under restricted concession rules)
• Hood ventilation system — required over all cooking surfaces, with removable grease filters and mechanical exhaust to the outside
• Automatic fire suppression system — under the hood over cooking equipment; required by Kentucky State Fire Marshal
• Thermometers — in all coolers and freezers, plus a metal-stem probe thermometer for cooked food
• Shatter-resistant lighting — all interior light fixtures must be shielded or coated
• Insect control — screening or air curtains on all openings
• 2A-40BC fire extinguisher — mounted and accessible

Commissary Requirements in Detail

A commissary is a licensed commercial kitchen or food service facility where your truck services daily — meaning where you refill fresh water, dump wastewater, clean the truck, store food, and complete any advance food prep. NKY Health requires that every MFU operator have an active commissary agreement on file.

The commissary agreement must be signed by both you (the truck operator) and the commissary owner/manager, and must include: the commissary's name and address, its NKY Health permit number, a description of the services provided, and the signature of both parties. NKY Health provides a standard commissary agreement form on their website.

Finding a commissary in Boone County and the NKY area: licensed commissaries include commercial kitchens at restaurants, church kitchens with commercial equipment, and purpose-built commissary facilities. Some food truck operators arrange informal agreements with restaurants that have off-hours kitchen availability. Any commissary you use must hold its own valid NKY Health food service permit.

For detailed guidance on what health departments inspect in commissary agreements and what questions to ask before signing, see our Commissary Agreement Guide.

Operating in Covington and Newport (Kenton & Campbell Counties)

Because NKY Health covers Boone, Kenton, Campbell, and Grant counties jointly, a Boone County-issued MFU permit is automatically valid in Covington (Kenton County) and Newport (Campbell County). You do not need a separate permit or application for those cities.

However, the cities of Covington and Newport each have their own zoning and parking regulations that layer on top of the health permit:

• Covington: Food trucks may operate in designated public locations (including Philadelphia Street in MainStrasse Village, Seventh Street near Braxton Brewing, and several city parking lots) between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. A city permit may be required for public-right-of-way locations. Private property operation is generally unrestricted within commercial zones during business hours. Call the Covington City Solicitor's office for current ordinance status.
• Newport: Food trucks must operate at least 250 feet from any brick-and-mortar restaurant under the 2019 ordinance. Certain corner locations on Bellevue Avenue have been subject to ongoing city council review. Verify current rules with Newport City Hall before selecting a permanent pitch.

Boone County Business License

In addition to the NKY Health MFU permit, you will need a Kentucky business license if you are selling goods subject to sales tax — which food sales in Kentucky generally are, unless you qualify for a specific exemption. Obtain a Kentucky Sales and Use Tax Permit from the Kentucky Department of Revenue (revenue.ky.gov) — this is free to register. If your business is an LLC or corporation, file your entity formation documents with the Kentucky Secretary of State before applying for your tax permit.

Temporary Event Permits in Boone County

If you are only operating at a single event in Boone County (fewer than 14 days per year), you may qualify for a temporary food service permit rather than the full annual MFU permit. Temporary permits must be applied for at least 3 business days before the event start date. Fees are $60 for 1–3 days, $90 for 4–7 days, and $125 for 8–14 days. Cancellations must be made at least 24 hours in advance for a refund.

Out-of-state operators (Ohio, Indiana) bringing food into NKY for an event must supply a copy of their home state operating permit and their most recent regular inspection report when applying for the temporary NKY permit. Contact Brittany Fultz at NKY Health (brittany.fultz@nkyhealth.org or 859-363-2026) for temporary event permit applications.

Related Counties & Cross-State Guide

Because NKY Health covers a four-county region, the permit process is identical for Kenton, Campbell, and Grant counties. Use the links below to read county-specific zoning and parking information for each:

• Kenton County Food Truck Permit Guide — Covington, Independence, Erlanger
• Campbell County Food Truck Permit Guide — Newport, Alexandria, Cold Spring
• Grant County Food Truck Permit Guide — Williamstown, dry county considerations
• Cross-State Operations: Running Both KY and OH →
• Hamilton County, Ohio Food Truck License →

Frequently Asked Questions