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Food Truck Inspection Requirements in Missoula, MT: Your 2026 Permitting Guide

/ Food Truck Regulations / By

Missoula is one of the best food truck towns in the Northern Rockies, with the university, a busy downtown and Out to Lunch every summer Wednesday. This guide was rewritten in October 2026 and updated in November 2026 with the city’s new license fees.

The health license

Recent Montana Builds

Real rigs we have built and delivered to Montana operators.

16ft Burger Food Truck

Bozeman, MT
Read the video transcript: Bozeman Burger
Hello and welcome to Zion Foodtrucks. Today we have this beautiful 16 ft food truck that we are shipping out to Montana. Let's check out its many features. We start on the inside today just because the outside is a little chilly. Right up here is the plumbing unit that has the three compartment sink, hand wash sink, the water tanks, and the water heater. You'll notice that um wherever there is a gap, we have filled that in with coke. Make sure that water does not get in between. Also, there is a splash guard between the handwash sink and the three compartment sink. Of course, there's a shelf on top. Soap dispenser, towel dispenser, refrigerator. All equipment of course are mounted to the floor with washers and all equipment stay six in above the ground to make sure they're compliant with code. So you can put a broom underneath or like a mop underneath and clean it. Right next to that is a freezer. Small work table. Another table that is the freshwater tank that you're looking at. goes the ABC fire extinguisher. That's the K series fire extinguisher. That is the egress in this food truck. Right up there is the junction box. As with all our trucks, every piece of equipment has its own breaker. It's not been labeled yet, but it will be soon. Fire suppression system is of course labeled and tagged. You'll notice all the is inside conduits, not inside the walls areas that um the walls of the truck, they flex when they drive and uh chafe it. This of course prevents that. Plus, it's easy to access that as well. Sandwich prep. Oh, before that, the generator door turned a box which we make into a workt. Nice work table. So, we can do all your prep there if you want to. Floor is aluminum diamond plate. Sandwich prep, steam table. This one's electric. Under that is the chef base, two fryers, each of them, two basket, and a griddle. It's not just a griddle. There's a it's a range. So, there is the oven right under that. Of course, a two on a stove. You'll see all the walls are stainless steel and uh and inside the walls is 1 in of insulation, 9/16 in of uh plywood. Forgot to show you this one. This is the uh self-closing window. You lift up the product and close by itself. Let's go see outside. And this, of course, started out as a 16 ft Freightlininer diesel truck. There's a shelf, outside shelf for the service window. Let's have you fill the water. The outside access door. Truck's not been wrapped yet, but it will be. customer decided to do that themselves. Uh so we'll ship it and uh they will wrap it themselves. That of course is the generator which you'll notice is in a nice tray. That's the shore power plugin. Of course, you'll notice the hood on top. Sorry, hood fan on top. Look at that. beautiful 16 ft food truck that we are shipping out. If you have any questions or if you would like one like this yourself, do contact us through our website zionfoodtrucks.com. Thank you. Have a nice day.

16-foot custom burger food truck built for a Bozeman operator. Read the full build story.

12ft Funnel Cake Trailer

Billings, MT
Read the video transcript: Billings Funnel Cake
Hello and welcome to Zan Food Trucks. Check out this cute little doughut and ice cream trailer that we are shipping off to Montana today. This one is of course for this organization. Um, and it is 12 ft long. It's small, but it has all kinds of features. Let's go check it out. Outside of course is the you can see our seamless construction, which means you would not see any rivets on the outside. makes the trailer a lot longlasting and uh well the wrap doesn't bubble around it so the wrap lasts a lot longer as well. Of course uh you can't forget the wrap on the outside. Check out the clarity on this. Let me show you the the features. You can actually see each of the grains of the wheat. Something we are very very proud of. Of course, also outside are two LED lights. Well, four of them in two sets. outside shelf and the um serving window which is of course self-closing. That is how it do it look when it is in operation. On this side of course that's how you drain the water. That's how you fill the water and that's the shore power connection. This has a donut fryer inside. Therefore has propane tanks. And you can see the propane going under the floor of the trailer. Very important. Um it is required by code in many places also. Um it's much safer 10 years from today if it leaks it leaks outside. Giant bowls you see are holding up the fire suppression system. Of course like all trailers that we built the this is also double axle heavy duty of course. You can see the that was the exhaust fan with the grease catch pan of course. Let's go inside. To prevent the doors from fluttering around, there is a little catch there. Floor is aluminum diamond plate. Cooking wall of course is stainless. You can see the large doughut fryer up there. This was supplied by the customer. And the ice cream machine. little ice cream machine, but works really well for them. Three compartment sink, hand wash sink. Hand wash sink of course has a splash guard. They haven't labeled the um the breakers yet, but we will of course before shipping. And you can see every single piece of equipment has its own breaker, soap dispenser, towel dispenser, and the fire suppression system is of course um you can see has tags. Between every panel there is a um there is a trim piece to prevent grease from going inside and whatnot. The hood of course slightly oversized. idea is that tomorrow they might want to add another piece of equipment. So we picked a rather large cylinder for this richen freezer and refrigerator. Both will open completely of course. And uh here is one of the highlights of our construction. Every all our wiring is inside conduits. This way, this trailer lasts for as long as it needs, 20, 25, 30 years. If we we were to put it inside the walls, the wires would eventually chafe due to the motion of the trailer and you would develop short circuits. You also see how every piece of equipment has its own breaker. That brings us to the end of Oh, before that, let me show you this thing. You see how every piece of equipment is bolted to the floor with washers. If you have any questions um or if you would like a trailer or truck like this, please do contact us through zonfuttras.com. Thank you. Have a nice one.

12-foot funnel cake trailer built for a Billings operator. Read the full build story on the 12ft funnel cake and ice cream trailer we built for Billings.

The state retail food license under MCA 50-50-205 is $150 a year for a small mobile unit (two or fewer employees at peak) or $225 for a large one, with a $25 late fee. It expires on 31 December, the county health officer validates it, and counties may not add their own inspection fees unless a violation goes uncorrected after two inspections.

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Missoula Public Health charges a $285 base plan review fee, requires one certified food protection manager per mobile unit, and expects the unit to be able to move within 30 minutes. A truck licensed in another Montana county does not need to relicense in Missoula County; out of state trucks need a temporary food permit.

A bathroom also has to be available to food service employees. Missoula Public Health accepts either a bathroom on board the truck or, if you plan to operate at a fixed location, a written agreement with a nearby business that lets your crew use theirs. An onboard bathroom is the simpler option for trucks that work remote sites, where there may be no business nearby to sign an agreement.

The Missoula city permit

Missoula’s itinerant vendor license fee schedule, effective 1 October 2026, is $53 per full time employee with a $210 minimum and a $4,463 maximum for a new license, or $28 per employee with a $113 minimum to renew, plus a 5 percent technology fee. Itinerant licenses expire on 31 May every year. For a fixed location, check the zoning with the planning desk.

Street and sidewalk vending is allowed only in the downtown business district, and the truck has to be off the street by 9pm. Elsewhere, trucks trade on private commercial or industrial lots with the owner’s permission. Metered spaces are for setup only, trucks must stay 15 feet from hydrants and keep 6 feet of sidewalk clear, and city parks need a parks concession permit with liability insurance.

Fire inspection

The Missoula Fire Marshal may require an inspection as part of the itinerant license, and hoods must be inspected by the fire marshal or a third party. The city’s itinerant vendor guide requires Fire Department approval for propane, at least 10 feet of clearance from buildings and a 5 pound ABC extinguisher. Beyond that, build to what fire inspectors look for everywhere: a Type I hood with a UL 300 suppression system serviced every six months, Class K and ABC extinguishers, propane secured outside the cab with leak tested lines, and a propane alarm.

Sales tax

Montana has no general sales tax, and Missoula has no resort tax.

Where trucks sell in Missoula

Out to Lunch in Caras Park on summer Wednesdays, run by the Downtown Missoula Partnership with about 15 food vendors a week, University of Montana events, breweries, the river and private catering.

In order

Submit plans to Missoula Public Health with your certified manager and your bathroom arrangement. Pay the state license. Get the itinerant vendor license and any fire inspection.

Common Reasons Food Trucks Fail Missoula Inspections

Based on Missoula Public Health and Fire Marshal inspection data, these are the most common failure reasons:

  • Propane shutoff signage missing or inadequate: Must be clearly visible with contrasting colors and 2-inch lettering. This is a common fire inspection issue
  • Fire suppression system not certified before plan review: System must have third-party inspection tag and documentation before submitting to Missoula Public Health
  • Missing dedicated handwashing sink: Must be separate and independent from food prep and dishwashing
  • Commissary or servicing base not documented: If your truck relies on a commissary or servicing base, Missoula Public Health checks that it is licensed and approved, so bring the agreement to plan review
  • Hood not properly sealed or installed: Hood must be sealed at all joints, properly sloped toward grease trap, and installed per manufacturer specifications
  • Inadequate cold storage or temperature control: Refrigeration must reliably maintain 41 degrees F. Thermometers must show actual temperatures during inspection
  • No Certified Food Protection Manager on staff: You must have proof of current CFPM certification before health inspection
  • Greywater system inadequate: Tank must be at least 15% larger than fresh water tank. Dumping on ground is an automatic failure

Most failures are preventable through careful planning and using a manufacturer who understands Missoula Public Health’s expectations. The two biggest issues are fire suppression system certification and commissary kitchen documentation.

On video: the truck we built for Missoula

Walkthrough of the 16ft fried chicken truck, Missoula.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a certified food manager in Missoula?

Yes, one certified food protection manager per mobile unit under Missoula Public Health’s rules.

How much is the Missoula itinerant vendor license?

$53 per full time employee, with a $210 minimum for a new license, plus a 5 percent technology fee. It expires on 31 May every year.

Can a truck licensed in Bozeman sell in Missoula?

Yes. Missoula Public Health says a truck licensed in another Montana county does not need to relicense.

Does a food truck need a bathroom in Missoula?

A bathroom must be available to food service employees. Missoula Public Health accepts a bathroom on board the truck or, for a fixed location, a written agreement with a nearby business.

Related guides

Montana food truck permits · Bozeman · Billings · Great Falls

Building a truck for Missoula

We build every truck to pass the plan review, the health inspection and the fire inspection on the first visit: a Type I hood with suppression installed by a licensed company, a three compartment sink and a hand sink with hot water, tanks sized for a full day, and propane in secured cylinders with a leak detector. Montana winters are hard on trucks, so we heat and insulate water lines and tanks on every Montana build. We built a fried chicken truck for Missoula and an 18ft coffee and breakfast truck with a restroom on board for Mugshots Coffee in Missoula. Custom food trucks start at $55,000 and trailers at $40,000. Call or text 719-722-2537 with your menu.

Jacob Varghese
Zion Foodtrucks
719-722-2537

Written & reviewed by the Zion Foodtrucks build team

Zion Foodtrucks builds custom food trucks, trailers, and concession trailers from our shop in Woodland Park, Colorado and delivers them ready to pass inspection across the Mountain West. Owner Jacob Varghese and our team work with first-time owners every day, sourcing the vehicle and handling the full build so you do not have to. Questions about permits or your build? Call or text Jacob at 719-722-2537 or see our custom build services.

Free Food Truck Permit & Inspection Checklist

We put together a printable checklist covering every permit and inspection a mobile food business typically needs. Tell us where to send it and it is yours.

Next steps: free build & cost calculator · 2026 food truck cost guide · food truck financing

Already Have a Truck? We Do the Compliance Work Too

Passing an inspection is one thing, staying current is another. We handle the recurring items out of our Colorado shop:

Booked together they are one visit and one day off the road instead of three. Call or text 719-722-2537.

Related from Zion Foodtrucks

More Montana Food Truck Regulation Guides

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We design and build custom food trucks and trailers compliant with the regulations on this page. From a single phone call to keys-in-hand in 6 to 8 weeks for most builds.

Built in Woodland Park, Colorado. Delivered to operators in CO, AZ, NE, MT, WY, and NV.

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