Vending Steps to Licensing is the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) outline of the steps to obtain a Class A, B or C Vending Business License in the District of Columbia. It is one of the resources behind a DC business license for street vendors, and it lists what to register, inspect and attach before you submit the license application. On this page you can fill out the document online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF. The original is published by DLCP at dlcp.dc.gov.
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What is Vending Steps to Licensing – Washington, DC?
Vending Steps to Licensing is a DLCP guide that lays out, class by class, the sequence of registrations, inspections and documents needed to obtain a Vending Business License in the District of Columbia, ending with the submission of the Vending Business License Application.
The guide covers three license classes:
- Class A Vending Business License: Food Vendor, with eight steps that include a health certificate from DC Health, a propane permit if applicable, and a joint inspection of the mobile unit.
- Class B Vending Business License: Merchandise Vendor, with five steps that include an inspection and measurement of the vending unit by DLCP.
- Class C Vending Business License: Public Market Manager, with four steps built around authorization for the market location, plus a note on staffing the market.
It is an outline, not the license application itself. Each class ends with the instruction to submit a Vending Business License Application with the listed attachments, after which a licensing specialist reviews it and follows up with payment instructions. DLCP recommends reading its Vending Handbook, available on the DLCP website, for design standards and operating rules. Questions go to the Vending Team at [email protected].
Who needs to file Vending Steps to Licensing – Washington, DC?
Anyone who wants a Vending Business License in the District of Columbia uses the outline for the class that matches the business.
- Class A, Food Vendor: vendors selling food from a mobile unit. The steps include a Mobile Food Vending Application with DC Health and an inspection of the mobile unit.
- Class B, Merchandise Vendor: vendors selling merchandise from a mobile unit.
- Class C, Public Market Manager: people who will manage a public market, on public space or on private property.
Sole proprietors with no trade name do not need a corporate registration. All other applicants register their business and trade name with the Corporations Division. The owner and all employees of Class A and Class B businesses supply a government-issued ID, a passport-sized photo and a Police Criminal History Report. For Class C, the ID and photo are required for the manager and all employees, and the guide lists no police report.
The guide does not say who may complete the application on someone's behalf.
When to file Vending Steps to Licensing – Washington, DC
The guide has no deadline of its own: you work through its steps before you submit the Vending Business License Application, and the application is the last step in every class. Two time limits apply to attachments. The Certificate of Clean Hands must be dated within 30 days of submission of your license application, and so must each Police Criminal History Report required for Class A and Class B. Plan the order accordingly: request those two items shortly before you apply, and finish the inspection and, for Class A, the DC Health inspection report first. Once DLCP receives your application, a licensing specialist reviews it and follows up with payment instructions. The guide gives no processing time.
Documents you need
- Corporate Registration and Trade Name Registration from the Corporations Division, if applicable; not required for a sole proprietor with no trade name. Listed for Classes A, B and C.
- Notice of Business Tax Registration (form FR-500, Office of Tax & Revenue) and a Certificate of Clean Hands dated within 30 days of submission. Listed for Classes A, B and C.
- Certified Food Protection Manager Identification Card. Listed for Class A only.
- DC Health Inspection Report. Listed for Class A only.
- Propane Permit from Fire & EMS, if applicable. Listed for Class A.
- Government-issued ID for the owner and all employees (Classes A and B), or for the manager and all employees (Class C).
- Passport-sized photo for the ID badge of the owner and all employees (Classes A and B), or of the manager and all employees (Class C).
- Police Criminal History Report for the District of Columbia and your state of residence, if other than DC, for the owner and all employees, dated within 30 days. Classes A and B.
- Public Space Permit from DDOT or Temporary Certificate of Occupancy from the DOB Permit Center, depending on the market location. Class C; a space agreement/permit is needed at a DPR or DCPS location.
How to fill out Vending Steps to Licensing – Washington, DC
Choose your license class
Pick the outline that fits: Class A Vending Business License (Food Vendor), Class B (Merchandise Vendor) or Class C (Public Market Manager). Read the Vending Handbook on the DLCP website first.
Complete corporate registration
Register your business and trade name with the Corporations Division. If you apply as a sole proprietor with no trade name, skip this step.
Register for tax and Clean Hands
Register with the Office of Tax & Revenue by completing form FR-500, then request a Certificate of Clean Hands. It must be dated within 30 days of your license application.
Get the health certificate (Class A)
Submit a Mobile Food Vending Application with DC Health. Send questions to [email protected].
Apply for a propane permit (Class A)
If applicable, apply for a Propane Operation Permit with Fire & EMS.
Schedule your unit inspection (A and B)
Email [email protected] to request an inspection of your mobile unit; Class A applicants attach the DC Health Vending Letter. Bring a government-issued ID and vehicle registration.
Obtain the health inspection report (Class A)
Follow up with DC Health at [email protected] to receive your Health Inspection Report.
Get police criminal history reports (A and B)
Obtain a report for the District of Columbia, and for your state of residence if other than DC, for the owner and all employees, dated within 30 days.
Secure the market location (Class C)
Apply for a DDOT Public Space Permit if the market is on public space, a space agreement/permit if at a DPR or DCPS location, or a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy from the DOB Permit Center if on private property.
Gather ID and photos
Collect a government-issued ID and a passport-sized photo for the ID badge of the owner (or manager for Class C) and all employees.
Submit the license application
Submit the Vending Business License Application with the attachments listed for your class. A licensing specialist then reviews it and follows up with payment instructions.
Review and download the PDF
Check that you have marked every step you completed for your class, then download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and keep it with your application documents.
How to submit Vending Steps to Licensing – Washington, DC
The guide names email for inspection requests and says the Vending Business License Application is submitted with attachments; it prints no separate mailing address or portal for that application.
- Inspection request (Class A and B): email [email protected] to request an inspection of your mobile unit. Class A applicants attach the Vending Letter received from DC Health. Bring a valid government-issued ID and the vehicle registration to the inspection.
- Questions: the Vending Team at [email protected]; DC Health matters at [email protected]. DLCP is at 1100 4th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024, 202.671.4500, dlcp.dc.gov.
- Payment: after your application is received, a licensing specialist follows up with payment instructions. A fee is implied by that follow-up, but the guide does not state an amount; ask DLCP.
FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the DLCP channels above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Submitting a Certificate of Clean Hands dated more than 30 days before the license application.
- Submitting Police Criminal History Reports older than 30 days, or only for the owner when the guide requires them for the owner and all employees (Classes A and B).
- Leaving out the state-of-residence police report when the owner or an employee lives outside DC.
- Requesting a Class A inspection without attaching the Vending Letter received from DC Health to the email to [email protected].
- Arriving at the inspection without a valid government-issued ID and the vehicle registration.
- Applying for a Class A license without the DC Health Inspection Report, the Certified Food Protection Manager Identification Card or, if applicable, the Propane Permit.
- Filing a corporate registration as a sole proprietor with no trade name; the guide says it is not required in that case.
- Applying as a Class C Public Market Manager without a Public Space Permit, a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy or, at a DPR or DCPS location, a space agreement/permit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Vending Steps to Licensing document?
It is a DLCP outline of the steps to obtain a Class A, B or C Vending Business License in the District of Columbia. It lists the registrations, inspections and attachments for each class, ending with the Vending Business License Application.
Which DC vending license class do I need?
Class A is for food vendors, Class B for merchandise vendors and Class C for public market managers. Each class has its own list of steps and attachments in the guide.
Do I need a corporate registration for a DC vending license?
Yes, unless you are a sole proprietor with no trade name. Otherwise you register your business and trade name with the Corporations Division before applying, for every license class.
How recent must the Clean Hands certificate and police report be?
Both must be dated within 30 days of submission of your license application. The Police Criminal History Report covers the District of Columbia and your state of residence if other than DC, for the owner and all employees (Classes A and B).
How do I schedule the vending unit inspection?
Email [email protected] to request an inspection of your mobile unit. Class A applicants attach the Vending Letter from DC Health. Bring a valid government-issued ID and the vehicle registration; DLCP will measure the unit.
What happens after I submit the vending license application?
A licensing specialist reviews your application and follows up with payment instructions. The guide does not give an amount or a processing time, so ask the Vending Team at [email protected] or call 202.671.4500.
Can I fill out Vending Steps to Licensing online on FillingPDF?
Yes. You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF is an independent service and does not submit anything to DLCP or issue a license; you follow the DLCP steps yourself.
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