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Food Truck Permits in Montana: Complete 2026 Guide

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Montana is a cheap state to license a food truck and a seasonal one to run it: summer tourism, fairs, rodeos and breweries carry the year, and winter is for catering and the ski towns. This guide was rewritten in October 2026 from the statute and county health departments; an earlier version said Montana had no statewide framework and that licenses had to be redone in each county, which is not how it works.

The 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 Department of Public Health and Human Services issues retail food licenses, and a license is not valid until the county health officer validates it. Fees are set in MCA 50-50-205, amended in 2025: a small mobile unit, with two or fewer employees at peak, is $150 a year, and a large mobile unit, with three or more, is $225, with a $25 late fee. Fees go by employee count, not by menu risk. Licenses expire on 31 December under MCA 50-50-207. Counties may not add their own inspection fees unless a violation is still uncorrected after two inspections.

Building a food truck for Montana? See what a fully-equipped, inspection-ready truck actually costs with our free build & cost calculator.

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Plan review

Plan review fees are set locally. RiverStone Health in Billings charges $250 for a small mobile and $350 for a large one, and Missoula charges $285. The plan review includes your servicing area agreement.

Working across counties

Montana has no reciprocity statute, but the license is a state license, and in practice it travels. Missoula Public Health says a truck licensed in another Montana county does not need to relicense to vend in Missoula County, while Cascade County asks trucks from other counties to contact it before operating. Out of state trucks need a temporary food permit.

Servicing area and the truck

A servicing area, a licensed fixed facility, is required unless the unit is self sufficient, and the agreement is part of plan review under the state’s mobile guidance. Missoula asks for a restroom plan, and Billings requires a restroom agreement for trucks parked more than 72 hours. Missoula cites the 2013 FDA Food Code as the adopted edition. For Montana winters we insulate and heat water lines and tanks on every build.

Managers and food handlers

We could not confirm a statewide certified manager requirement, and there is no statewide food handler card. Missoula requires one certified food protection manager per mobile unit under its local rule, so check with your county.

City licenses and fire

The state leaves fire to local rules. Bozeman charges $250 a year for a citywide mobile vending license and $250 for the downtown endorsement, and requires the Gallatin County health license, liability insurance, generator noise specifications and an annual Bozeman Fire inspection. Missoula requires an itinerant vendor license and may require a fire marshal inspection. Billings requires a city business license. Great Falls requires an annual fire inspection and charges for park vending by the day or the year. Our city guides cover Bozeman, Billings, Missoula and Great Falls.

Taxes

Montana has no general sales tax, which keeps pricing simple. Resort communities levy a resort tax on prepared food: Whitefish 3 percent, and Big Sky and West Yellowstone 4 percent. The accommodations tax applies to lodging, not food.

Business setup

A Montana LLC is $35 to file. The Secretary of State waived the annual report fee for on time filers, 1 January to 15 April, in 2026 and 2027. Workers’ compensation is required from the first employee, through a private carrier, Montana State Fund or self insurance.

In order

Line up a servicing area. Submit plans to your county, pass the inspection and get the state license validated. Get the city license and fire inspection where you will sell. Call ahead to other counties, and get a temporary permit if you come from out of state.

Common Reasons Food Trucks Fail Montana Inspections

Based on inspection data from Montana’s largest food truck markets, here are the issues that most frequently cause operators to fail their first inspection:

  • Inadequate hood and suppression system: Missing inspection tags, nozzles not pointing at heat sources, system not covering all cooking equipment, or no third-party inspection certificate before plan review
  • Missing or undersized handwashing station: Must be separate and dedicated; a shared sink fails inspection
  • Commissary agreement missing or outdated: Must be signed, dated, and from an approved facility. Your health department will verify the commissary is actually licensed
  • Inadequate hot/cold holding equipment: Your refrigeration must reliably maintain 41 degrees F or below; your hot holding must reach 135 degrees F within the truck
  • Propane shutoff signage missing or non-compliant: Must be 2-inch red letters on white background, visible and accessible
  • Greywater disposal system inadequate: Tank too small (must be 15% larger than fresh water), improperly mounted, or dumping on ground
  • No Certified Food Protection Manager on staff: Your health department will ask for proof during inspection
  • Food storage issues: Raw proteins stored above ready-to-eat, food on floor instead of on racks, or temperatures not holding

Many operators try to cut corners on commissary costs or hood suppression systems to save money upfront. This consistently leads to inspection failures and costly delays. Plan to spend what’s needed on equipment and commissary access during your first year. It’s the foundation your business is built on.

On video: trucks we built for Montana

Walkthrough of the 16ft fried chicken truck, Missoula.
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.
Walkthrough of the 16ft burger truck, Bozeman.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a food truck license in Montana?

Under MCA 50-50-205, a small mobile unit with two or fewer employees at peak is $150 a year and a large one with three or more is $225, with a $25 late fee. Licenses expire on 31 December. Plan review is set locally, for example $250 or $350 in Billings and $285 in Missoula.

Is a Montana food truck license valid in every county?

In practice yes. The state issues the license and the county validates it. Missoula County says a truck licensed in another Montana county does not need to relicense to vend there; Cascade County asks trucks to contact it before operating. Out of state trucks need a temporary permit.

Can a Montana county charge its own inspection fees?

Not routinely. The statute bars counties from adding inspection fees unless a violation is still uncorrected after two inspections.

Does Montana require a certified food manager?

Not statewide that we could confirm. Missoula requires one certified manager per mobile unit under its local rule.

What does Bozeman charge for a food truck?

$250 a year for the citywide mobile vending license and another $250 for the downtown endorsement, plus a Gallatin County health license, insurance and an annual Bozeman Fire inspection.

Does Montana have sales tax on food truck sales?

No general sales tax. Resort communities levy their own resort tax, such as Whitefish at 3 percent and Big Sky and West Yellowstone at 4 percent.

Related guides

Bozeman · Billings · Missoula · Great Falls · Wyoming food truck permits · Idaho food truck permits

Building a truck for Montana

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 detector. Recent Montana deliveries include a fried chicken truck in Missoula and a burger truck in Bozeman. Custom food trucks start at $55,000 and trailers at $40,000. Call or text 719-722-2537 with your menu and where you plan to sell.

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 Monument, 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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