City of Cottage Grove, Minnesota
mobile food vendors \u2014 permit requirements
City of Cottage Grove, Minnesota — located in Washington County. Mobile food unit operators need a city permit.
Minnesota mobile food vendors need a state food license from MDH (or your delegated local health authority) and a local business permit from City of Cottage Grove. The state license covers food safety and is valid statewide. The local permit covers business registration, zoning, parking, fire, and other local rules.
Pre-fill ready on BiteBase
Downloadable PDF applicationVerified May 2026
- Sign in to BiteBase to pre-fill your application
- Confirm health permit status with Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment
- Your state food license from MDH covers all of Minnesota
Documents on file:
Permit requirements
Local business permitRequired — apply before operating
CountyWashington County
Sales tax8.375% combined
Application methodDownloadable PDF form
Who Regulates
Health
Washington County Department of Public Health and Environment (Local Health Department)
State licenseMinnesota Dept. of Health (MDH) — statewide food license
Cottage Grove Permit Rules & Requirements
Permit fees: $75 – $100(3 fee tiers)
Permit fees3 rules ▾
- Solicitor license fee: $75
- Peddler/Transient Merchant license fee: $100
- Registration fee required for solicitor/peddler/transient merchant application
Workers' compensation6 rules ▾
- Must provide workers compensation policy information or written exemption explanation
- May be exempt if only have employees not required to be covered by workers' comp law
- Workers' comp not required if not using independent contractors and have no employees
- Workers' comp not required if only using independent contractors with no employees
- Valid workers' compensation policy must be kept in effect by employers per statutory requirements
- May be exempt if employees not required to be covered by workers' comp law
Documents to submit11 rules ▾
- Must provide color copy of current driver's license or government-issued ID
- Must submit Public Safety General Release of Private Data Form
- Transient Merchants must provide proof of County licensing
- Each partner with more than 5% interest must complete a General Authorization and Release of Private Data Form
- Transient Merchants must provide approval from business they will be operating from
- Must submit certificate of workers' compensation insurance if applicable
- Must provide Minnesota Tax ID Number
- Must provide Federal Tax ID Number
- Application data is not legally required but license cannot be granted without it
- Must provide photo identification (driver's license or passport)
- Must provide picture ID for each owner
Renewal & expiration1 rule ▾
- Background check authorization valid for one year
Background check5 rules ▾
- Public Safety background checks take 4-6 weeks, do not start business until license received
- Applicants must disclose felony, gross misdemeanor, misdemeanor, or local ordinance violations (except non-alcohol traffic offenses)
- Authorization for criminal history background check
- Authorization for driver's license records check for all states
- Authorization for warrant information check from local, statewide and national sources
Penalties3 rules ▾
- License may be denied, not renewed, or transferred if applicant owes delinquent taxes to Minnesota Department of Revenue
- Failure to supply tax information may jeopardize or delay license processing
- Misstatements or omissions may result in disqualification or denial of license
Other rules6 rules ▾
- Completed application packet and fees must be returned to City Clerk in person
- Tax information may be shared with Internal Revenue Service under Federal Exchange Agreement
- Licensing authority must provide tax information to Minnesota Department of Revenue per tax clearance statute
- Must read, understand, and agree to abide by City ordinance regulations and applicable state laws
- City may share private data with licensing employees, approval authorities, insurance providers, law enforcement and others as required by court order
- Data submitted by applicants becomes private until license approval when it becomes public
Rules extracted from Cottage Grove's permit application. Verify with the city before applying — rules may have changed since extraction.
Official Resources
Additional Notes
Annual license: $250. Single occasion: $50/day. Apply online via eGov portal (eplcss.cottagegrovemn.gov). Allow 2 weeks for review. Must upload MN DOH/DOA license, Washington County license, and insurance (city as certificate holder). Hours: 7 AM - 11 PM. Commercial/industrial zones with property owner consent.
BiteBase provides this information for convenience only. Requirements may change. Always verify current rules directly with the city before operating.
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