Permits for a Food Truck or Concession Stand in Harrison County

Whether you're firing up a food truck, running a barbecue stand at a church fundraiser, or opening a restaurant in Marshall, the county's Consumer Health office wants eyes on the food first. There are three lanes: an annual food permit for a standing operation, a 14-day temporary permit for short-run events, and a concession-stand permit charged per vendor. As a rough guide, annual permits have run in the $250 to $300 range depending on how many employees you have, temporary permits around $75, and concession stands about $50 a vendor. Confirm the current figure with the county, since the fee table gets updated.

The inspector's reach is wide: restaurants and food trucks, but also school cafeterias, hospital and nursing-home kitchens, day cares, hotels, convenience stores, and grocery delis. If food crosses a counter to the public, it's on the list.

The health inspector works out of 2005 Warren Drive in Marshall (the same Environmental Health building), and a phone call before your event beats scrambling for a permit the week of. A failed re-inspection carries its own fee, so it's cheaper to ask up front than to fix it after.