CAMPAÑA
Guide to food permits for special events
CAMPAÑA
Guide to food permits for special events
Plan ahead
A Temporary Food Facility (TFF) permit is required for any community event that sells or gives away food or drink to the public. Vendors can't operate for longer than 25 days within a 90-day period.What to do
Senior health inspectors
Kyle Chan
415-252-3837
Aron Wong
415-252-3913
As an event organizer
Give yourself plenty of time to coordinate the event.
You'll be:
- planning and mapping your site
- organizing your food vendors
- collecting applications and fees
- overseeing food safety measures
To get started, go to organize food vendors for a special community event.
As a vendor
You’ll submit your application to the event organizer at least 2 weeks before the event.
For food or beverage booths:
Fill out the temporary food facility concessionaire application.
For mobile food facilities:
Fill out the mobile food facility concessionaire application.
If you do not already have a mobile food facility permit in San Francisco, you will be charged an extra fee.
To apply for an annual permit for temporary food facility booth, contact ehtempevents@sfdph.org for more information.
Follow food safety
Know the rules you need to follow, whether you're an organizer or a vendor.
Construction rules
Structural rules for temporary food booths
Handwashing station setup for temporary food booths
Operational rules for food trucks and other mobile food facilities
Handling food safely
Get an exemption
There are some cases where your permit might be free or you don't need one.
Get other permits as needed
You may need permits or approval from other agencies for the following cases:
Cooking, open flame, generator use
SF Fire Department
415-558-3303
Sidewalk use
SF Department of Public Works
415-554-5810
Alcohol sales
State ABC
415-356-6500
Public property use
SF Police Department
415-553-1115
Park property use
SF Recreation and Parks
415-831-5500
Body modification (body art) permits
SF Public Health
415-252-3971
Recycling, composting, trash
Recology
415-554-3434
Related resources
View the state laws we follow for food safety in San Francisco.
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We inspect and permit temporary food facilities in San Francisco, to help make sure food for the public is kept safe.