New to markets?
Start selling at LA markets
Food, clothing, crafts, art or anything else: here's exactly what you need, in order, with links to get it done.
What will you sell?
Your steps: food truck or cart
Join free to track your progress1Register your businessA business license or tax registration from your city.
- Most cities want a business license or business tax registration. In the City of LA it's the Business Tax Registration Certificate (BTRC).
- It's based on where your business is located (often your home), not where the market is. Some cities also ask event sellers to register.
- Selling under a name that isn't your own? File a DBA ("Doing Business As" / fictitious business name) with the county.
- Not sure what applies? The CalGold finder lists permits by city and business type.
Needed if you do business inside the City of LA. Other cities have their own business license. Check the city where you're based.
City of Los Angeles VisitCalGold permit finder OfficialOfficial California tool that lists the permits your business needs, by city and business type.
2Get a seller's permit (free)Lets you collect sales tax. Almost every market asks for it.
- Apply online with the CDTFA. It's free and often issued the same day.
- Only doing a few events? Ask about a temporary seller's permit.
- You'll report and pay the sales tax you collect, usually quarterly or yearly. Keep a simple record of sales per market.
- With a seller's permit you can give suppliers a resale certificate and buy stock you'll resell without paying sales tax on it.
CDTFA Seller's Permit OfficialCalifornia seller's permit so you can collect and pay sales tax. Apply online.
CDTFA: resale certificates OfficialWith a seller's permit you can buy stock to resell (clothing, supplies for products) without paying sales tax up front, using a resale certificate.
3Food safety trainingA food handler card for everyone who handles food.
- California requires a Food Handler Card for food workers: a short online course and test (usually under $20).
- Many health departments also want one person with a Food Protection Manager certification (a longer course and proctored exam).
Accredited online courses for the California Food Handler Card and the Food Protection Manager certification.
Online Visit4Get a commissaryWhere your truck or cart preps, cleans and parks overnight.
- Food trucks and carts must operate from an approved commissary: a permitted base for prep, fresh water, waste water, grease and overnight parking.
- The health department will ask for a signed commissary agreement with your permit application.
5Get your mobile food permitPlan check, inspection, then a yearly permit.
- Trucks and carts go through a plan check (the health department reviews your vehicle's layout and equipment) and an inspection before getting a Mobile Food Facility permit.
- Buying a used truck? Check it can pass plan check before you buy.
- Keep the permit, commissary agreement and inspection report in the truck: inspectors ask for them.
LA County Environmental Health OfficialHealth permits for most of LA County: temporary food facility (TFF) permits for events, mobile food facility (truck/cart) permits, and cottage food registration.
LA County (most cities) VisitCity of Pasadena Public Health OfficialPasadena runs its own health department. Use this instead of LA County for events inside Pasadena.
Pasadena VisitCity of Long Beach Health OfficialLong Beach runs its own health department. Use this instead of LA County for events inside Long Beach.
Long Beach Visit6Fire safetyCanopy, extinguisher, and fire inspection if you cook.
- Many events require a flame-retardant canopy with a California State Fire Marshal (CSFM) label, plus weights on every leg (often 25–40 lb each).
- Cooking with propane or open flame usually means a fire extinguisher (often a K-class for grease) and sometimes a fire department inspection. Food trucks with cooking equipment often need a fire inspection too.
California State Fire Marshal OfficialMany events require a flame-retardant canopy with a State Fire Marshal (CSFM) label. Food booths with cooking may also need a fire inspection.
California Visit7Insure your truckGeneral liability plus commercial auto.
- Trucks need commercial auto insurance on top of general liability. Personal car insurance won't cover a business vehicle.
- Markets will still want a certificate naming them as additional insured.
General liability insurance made for food vendors. Buy per event or yearly and get the certificate (COI) markets ask for.
Online Visit8Take cardsMost customers pay by card or phone.
- Get a card reader that works offline (market Wi-Fi is often bad). Readers cost around $50–$60, and card fees are usually around 2.6–3% per sale.
- Bring a cash float too: about $100 in small bills and coins.
- Put a QR code or sign with your Instagram at the booth so buyers can find you again.
Your market-day packing list
- 10×10 canopy (flame-retardant, CSFM label) and weights for every leg
- Folding table(s) and a tablecloth that reaches the ground
- A sign with your name, big enough to read from 20 feet
- Price tags or a menu board: people walk past booths without prices
- Card reader (charged!), phone battery pack, and a cash float
- Printed permits and insurance certificate (inspectors and organizers ask)
- Bags, napkins or packaging; trash bags; hand sanitizer
- Chair, water, sunscreen; lights and extension cord for night markets
- Clips, zip ties, tape and a small toolkit
Pricing & money basics
- Work out your cost per item (ingredients or materials, packaging, card fees) and price at least 2–3× that.
- Break-even check: booth fee ÷ profit per item = how many you must sell just to cover the booth. If that number looks scary, pick a cheaper market first.
- Round prices ($5, $10, $25) to make paying fast, and consider bundles (3 for $20).
- Set aside the sales tax you collect. It isn't your money.
- Track sales per market so you know which ones are worth going back to.
Picking your first markets
- Read vendor reviews on Stallpass: foot traffic, organization and "how sales went" tell you more than the market's own ads.
- Start with smaller, cheaper markets to test your setup and prices before paying for big events.
- Match the crowd: families and morning shoppers vs. night-market crowds vs. tourists.
- Visit as a shopper first if you can: how busy is it, what sells, who's nearby?
- Apply early: popular markets fill up weeks ahead, and many don't allow two vendors selling the same thing.
Common questions
Do I need all of this before my first market?
Most markets ask for a seller's permit, insurance and (for food) a health permit before you can set up. The business license and training are usually required too. Get them in the order above; many take only days.
How much does it cost to get started?
It varies a lot. Non-food sellers can often start for a few hundred dollars (insurance, canopy, weights, card reader). Food adds kitchen rental, health permits and equipment. The shared kitchens and insurance listed here show typical prices.
What's a certificate of insurance (COI)?
A one-page document from your insurer proving you're covered. Markets usually want their name on it as "additional insured". Upload it to Documents so it's ready for every application.
Can I sell at markets in other cities?
Yes. Your seller's permit covers all of California. Health permits depend on the city or county where the event is, and some cities have their own business rules. Check each market's requirements on Stallpass before applying.
Ready?
Join free: keep your permits in one place, get reminders before they expire, and apply to markets in a couple of taps.
Join freeGeneral information for the LA area, not legal advice. Rules differ by city and change, so confirm with the agency before you apply. Stallpass doesn't endorse listed businesses; partners are labeled.