Food trailers for sale in North Carolina
We deliver kitchen and coffee trailers from Houston to Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro and the rest of North Carolina. Here is how North Carolina permits, titles and taxes a food trailer.
Health permit: county health department
Mobile food units need a permit under G.S. 130A-248, issued for the state by the county health department where your commissary is located. County guidance allows a unit to work in other counties on that one permit if you give the issuing county a list of all counties and locations, and give each other county its own location list; some counties also ask for their own registration.
- Commissary: the unit operates from a permitted restaurant or commissary as its base. Wake County, for example, requires a daily commissary visit and an approved commissary before it issues a permit.
- Plans first: Wake County says to submit plans and receive approval before building or buying, then a construction evaluation before the permit is issued.
- Fees: $120 per permit under state law, and counties may charge up to $250 for plan review.
Send us your county's plan review packet with your quote request. We fill in the equipment, sinks, tanks and layout for it.
Fire and propane
We found no statewide fire marshal permit for mobile food units in North Carolina; fire inspections are local. Our cooking trailers have a hood and a fire suppression system tagged in Houston.
Title and registration
NCDMV says a trailer is titled and registered in a similar manner as a car, and for a new trailer the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin is the official transfer document. Apply at an NCDMV license plate agency or by mail.
- Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin assigned to you
- Title application (Form MVR-1)
- North Carolina driver license or ID
- Payment of the highway use tax
Highway use tax
North Carolina treats trailers as motor vehicles: they are exempt from sales tax and pay a 3% highway use tax on the retail value instead, when you apply for the title. North Carolina gives a credit for sales tax paid to another state within 90 days. When we ship the trailer to you by carrier, no Texas sales tax is charged; see nationwide delivery.
Rules and fees change and some cities and counties add their own. Confirm current requirements with the agency before you buy or apply.
Delivery to North Carolina
Pick up in Houston at no charge, or we book a licensed carrier to your address. Transport is quoted in writing before you sign.
| Charlotte | About 1,037 miles |
|---|---|
| Greensboro | About 1,125 miles |
| Raleigh | About 1,198 miles |
| Wilmington | About 1,203 miles |
Driving distance from Houston.
Documents with your trailer
- Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin assigned to you
- Bill of sale from FASTX LLC
- 17-digit VIN and federal (FMVSS) safety label
- Written build sheet with every piece of equipment
- Fire suppression inspection tag for cooking trailers
Trailers that fit
Each model page lists exactly what is included.
TX-16 Kitchen
Stainless kitchen trailer with a ready-to-cook line
TX-16 Grill
Full grill line: charbroiler, griddle and fryer
TX-12 Coffee
Compact stainless coffee and drinks trailer with three refrigeration units
TX-12 Slush & Snow Cone
Frozen-drink trailer with slush and snow cone machines
Questions
Can I use one North Carolina permit in several counties?
County guidance allows it if you give the issuing county a list of all your counties and locations and give each other county its location list. Some counties add their own registration.
Do I need a commissary in North Carolina?
Yes. The unit operates from a permitted restaurant or commissary as its base, and counties such as Wake require a daily visit.
What tax do I pay on a food trailer in North Carolina?
A 3% highway use tax on the retail value, paid to NCDMV when you title it, instead of sales tax.
Sources
- N.C. Gen. Stat. 130A-248 (food establishment permits)
- Wake County: Food trucks and hot dog carts
- Caldwell County: Requirements for mobile food units
- NCDMV: Vehicle types
- NCDMV: Title and registration
- N.C. Gen. Stat. Chapter 105, Article 5A (highway use tax)
- NCDOR: Boats and related items (trailers and highway use tax)
Get a quote with delivery
Tell us your city in North Carolina. We reply within one business day with the price and a transport quote.