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Last updated: 3/28/24

Food Truck Lottery

Learn about the annual lottery and site selection process.

Page Sections

Our annual live lottery took place March 28, 2024 at 4 p.m.

Have questions? Contact:

Small Business Development
weldon.bodrick@boston.gov
617-635-3534

Site lotteries

How the lottery system works

We award all public sites through a lottery system. There is an annual lottery before each vending season. Lottery sites are kept throughout the year, unless they are dropped. New vendors can submit an application on a rolling basis to join our program. They’ll be awarded sites based on what is available.

This year’s annual lottery deadlines WERE:

Lottery type	Application deadlines	Lottery dates
Annual lottery (conducted via Zoom)	March 26, 2024	March 28, 2024

In order to secure a site location, be sure to have all of the required documents to vend in the City of Boston:

Health Permit
Fire Permit
Hawker and Peddler
Business Certificate
Certificate of Liability Insurance
Business Plan
Commissary Letter

We award all public sites through a lottery system. There is an annual lottery before each vending season.

Lottery sites are kept throughout the year, unless they are dropped.

New vendors can submit an application on a rolling basis to join our program. They'll be awarded sites based on availability.

Site Rules

Please adhere to all site rules and regulations set forth by the City of Boston. Not adhering to these rules may result in removal from the lottery program.

ABSENCES

You are expected to vend at your lottery site for every shift. If you have an emergency, you must notify:

the Mobile Enterprises Manager that you will not be vending that day (weldon.bodrick@boston.gov or 617-635-3534), and
your customers via social media. Posts on Instagram, X (Twitter), and/or Facebook must tag @bostonoeoi.

Businesses that miss more than three shifts in one year are subject to removal from the location. They may also be suspended from future public site lottery opportunities.

Tows

If you arrive at your lottery site and notice that a car is parked, please immediately call the Boston Police Department (617-343-4911). When you call:

tell them them it’s not an emergency
provide them the license plate number of the vehicle, and
finally inform Mobile Enterprise Manager of this occurrence.

Vending without a permit

Vending without an Annual Food Truck Permit is prohibited by the City of Boston for all mobile businesses. If you are observed vending without proper documents:

you will be immediately subject to removal
you will be ineligible to participate in future City of Boston food truck programs, and
you may be fined by the Boston Police Department or another City of Boston authority.

Adding and dropping shifts

HOW THE DROP SYSTEM WORKS

Food trucks have an opportunity to drop sites without a penalty. This must happen within the deadlines set forth by the City of Boston. We make the dropped sites available for new participants to use throughout the year:

You must submit the drop form by the drop deadline for each quarter. After you drop your site, we make the site available for other food trucks.
You have two weeks from the permit issue date to pick up your site permit at Public Works. You can also coordinate a pickup with the Mobile Enterprise Manager.

Have questions? Contact:

Small Business Development
weldon.bodrick@boston.gov
617-635-3534

Provide Your Feedback

Food Truck Lottery

Site lotteries

Available Sites

Site Rules

Adding and dropping shifts