Bakersfield Food Truck License Requirements (2026)

What a food truck business needs in Bakersfield, CA, in plain English · Last checked October 24, 2026

📋 Your checklist

State

We found no California state trade license for this work; see the items to verify below. You still need the local license below.
Secretary of State and Franchise Tax Board filings
LLCs and corporations file a Statement of Information ($20 or $25) and most businesses pay at least $800 a year in Franchise Tax. A business name other than your own is filed with your county.
⏰ Statement of Information: frequency depends on entity type (verify). Franchise tax: yearly
Source: California Secretary of State: Business entities FAQs

Local (Bakersfield / Kern County)

City of Bakersfield Business Tax Certificate
Unlawful to do business in the city without one (municipal code §5.02.060).
⏰ Expires June 30 after issue; renew each year
Source: Bakersfield Municipal Code §5.02.060

Still to verify for your business

🔎 verify: County environmental health permit for the truck (county health department)
🔎 verify: Fire inspection for cooking equipment
🔎 verify: Where you may park and sell
🔎 verify: your exact local business-tax amount (it depends on your category, size and staff)

Never miss a renewal

Get a reminder before each deadline on this page, and a note if an official rule we track changes. Free during the pilot; reminders will later be $4.99/month and we will ask before charging you anything.

Information only, not legal advice. Rules can change; check the linked official source before acting. How we verify. Other trades in Bakersfield.