Food Truck Fire Requirements

Due to the mobility of food truck vendors throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area, the Heart of America (HOA) Metro Fire Chiefs Council - Fire Prevention Section has established a general requirements inspection checklist for use by its members. This checklist has been established to help create consistency amongst the authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ)s and the requirements for mobile food vendors to operate.

As a mobile food preparation vehicle vendor, you are required to follow all other requirements by jurisdictions/cities in which you provide food services. This could include operational permits and/or business licenses from each jurisdiction. Please consult with each city/jurisdiction that you wish to provide food services in for any additional requirements.

What mobile food preparation vehicles require an inspection?

Trucks, vans or trailers containing any equipment that produces smoke or cooking equipment that produces grease-laden vapors being used for the purpose of preparing and serving food to the public. Vehicles intended for private recreation shall not be considered mobile food preparation vehicles.

General mobile food vendor guidance

  • The Lenexa Fire Department will require all mobile food vendors who operate within a vehicle or trailer to be inspected for life safety and fire code compliance.
  • A mobile food vendor should be inspected by the AHJ in the city the vehicle is licensed in.
  • The Lenexa Fire Department will accept a life safety and fire code compliance inspection from another Heart of America Fire Chiefs Association member with proper documentation or a visible mobile food inspection sticker.
  • The Lenexa Fire Department or any AHJ has the right to be more restrictive than the general requirements of the inspection checklist and has the right to inspect any mobile food vendor.

General safety requirements

  • Maintain 10 feet between each mobile food vendor and/or structure.
  • Ensure that placement of the vendor vehicle does not interfere with fire lanes, fire breaks, fire hydrants, egress or exit access of any proximate structure.
  • All employees must know the location of fire extinguishers and how to properly operate them during an emergency.
  • All employees must know the location of and how to shut off power and/or gas in case of an emergency.

Inspection process

  • To schedule a mobile food vendor inspection with the Lenexa Fire Department call 913.477.7990.
  • An inspection will be scheduled at 12350 W. 87th St. Pkwy. and will last approximately 30 minutes.
  • Once the inspection is completed and passed, an HOA mobile food vendor inspection sticker will be placed on your vehicle or trailer and is approved to operate in Lenexa for the calendar year listed on the sticker.

Mobile food truck inspection checklist(PDF, 235KB)

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