The North Carolina "Rules Governing the Sanitation Food Service Establishments" require food service operators at festivals, public exhibitions and special events to obtain a permit, from the local health department, to prepare and sell food to the public.  These food or drink establishments, considered Temporary Food Establishments (TFE's), may operate for a period of 15 days or less.  No food preparation or sale of prepared food is permitted until a permit is issued by the health department. 

A TFE food vendor must submit a Food Vendor Application along with an Event Organizer Application to the Mecklenburg County Health Department.

A fee of $75.00 per permit must be paid with each Food Vendor Application. Payment(s), along with the application(s), may be mailed or delivered to the Mecklenburg County Health Department at 700 N. Tryon St., Ste. 208, Charlotte, NC 28202.  Credit card payments may be made by calling (704) 336-5100.

Due to the high volume of scheduled events, submit all applications and fees at least 2 weeks prior to the event to allow for a complete review of the event applications.

Other Resources:

• TFE Requirements
• TFE Quick Reference Checklist
• Food Vendor Application
• Event Organizer Application
• NEW! Presentation: TFEs: Serving Food Safely Under Challenging Conditions
• Exemptions and Exceptions
• Information on Recycling

Questions?  Call (704) 336-5100