Temporary Food Permit Ordinance Definitions

A "TEMPORARY FOOD PERMIT” means a temporary document issued by the regulatory authority that authorizes a person to operate a food establishment. This document be can be reapplied for after a stipulated time frame unless otherwise stated. Ordinance 71106 (revised effective May 24, 2021, by Ordinance 71324) for the City of St. Louis established the following types of temporary food permits:

• “Traditional Temporary Food Permit” means a temporary permit that is obtained if the applicant does not qualify for one of the other temporary food permits set forth below. The applicant is limited to operating a temporary food establishment for no more than fourteen (14) days in any calendar year.
• “Specialty Food Temporary Permit” means a temporary permit that is obtained if the applicant sells or distributes what are deemed to be lower risk foods such as popcorn, lemonade, or shaved ice/snow cones. The permit is renewable annually. Specialty Food Temporary Permit holders are also required to participate in a “Temporary Food Safety Training Program.” A person trained in the Temporary Food Safety Training Program shall be present on site during the entire period that food is sold.
• “LILA Community Temporary Food Permit” means a temporary food permit that is obtained if the applicant lives in a Low Income, Low Access (LILA) census tract, as defined in the current LILA census tract map obtainable from the Department of Health and set forth, and is selling or providing only nutritious food, in a Low Income, Low Access (LILA) census tract. The permit is renewable each event day. LILA Community Temporary Food Permit applicants are encouraged to sell locally sourced nutritious food that is raised within 50 miles of the LILA census tract location where it is being sold. LILA Community Temporary Food Permit holders are also required to participate in a Temporary Food Safety Training Program. A person trained in the Temporary Food Safety Training Program shall be present on site during the entire period that food is sold.
• “Farmers Market Temporary Food Permit” means a temporary food permit that is obtained if the applicant is selling POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS FOODS with two or more farm vendors directly to customers at a common, recurrent physical location any time, when the applicant is not eligible for a LILA Community Temporary Food Permit. The permit is renewable annually each season. Farmers Market Temporary Food Permit holders are also required to participate in a Temporary Food Safety Training Program. A person trained in the Temporary Food Safety Training Program shall be present on site during the entire period that food is distributed.
• “Sponsored Temporary Food Permit” means a temporary food permit that is obtained if the applicant is a sponsor of an event where there are at least five (5) vendors; all vendors must have a current permanent food establishment annually renewable permit (in the City of St. Louis or another local jurisdiction in the State of Missouri and within 50 miles of the City of St. Louis) or a Traditional Temporary Food Permit. The Sponsored Temporary Food Permit is required whether there are free samples or sale of food.
• “Charitable Feeding Temporary Food Permit” means a temporary food permit that is obtained if the applicant is giving away all food without any charge. The permit is renewable for each event day. Charitable Feeding Temporary Food Permit holders are also required to participate in a Temporary Food Safety Training Program. A person trained in the Temporary Food Safety Training Program shall be present on site during the entire period that food is distributed.
• “Cottage Food Production Operation Temporary Food Permit Waiver” means a temporary food permit waiver that is obtained if the applicant is engaged in a cottage food production operation. The permit waiver is renewable annually. Cottage Food Production Operation Temporary Food Permit Waiver holders are also eligible to participate in a Temporary Food Safety Training Program.
• “Low Income, Low Access (LILA)” means a census tract in which there is officially identified both low access for the resident population to grocery stores as well as low income, based on the USDA Food Access Research Atlas. "Low-access" means the population in that census tract lives more than ½ mile from a grocery store. "Low-income" means 50% or more of the population are at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The LILA census tracts are set forth both in words and pictorially on a map, containing neighborhood and ward designations, available from the Department of Health.
• “Nutritious Food” means unadulterated food such as whole fruits and vegetables and unshelled nuts; poultry or meat, processed at a facility inspected by the Missouri Meat and Poultry Inspection Program (MMPIP) or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), unless exempt by law, and then the seller must be registered with the State of Missouri as exempt; eggs permitted for sale with a Missouri egg license; milk, cheese, and other dairy products approved by the Missouri State Milk Board; fish, oysters, clams, mussels, and other molluscan shellfish; products from any tree, vine, or plant and other flowers; or any of the products listed here that have been processed by a vendor that has a permanent food establishment annually renewable permit (in the City of St. Louis or another local jurisdiction in the State of Missouri and within 50 miles of the City of St. Louis), including, but not limited to, baked goods made with farm products.
• “Cottage Food Production Operation” means an operation out of a person’s residential home, using a kitchen and appliances designed for common residential usage, that produces a baked good, canned jam or jelly, or a dried herb or herb mix for sale at the individual’s home, selling only directly to consumers. Cottage Food Production Operations need to obtain a “Cottage Food Production Operation Temporary Food Permit Waiver”. Cottage Food Production Operation Temporary Food Permit Waiver holders are also eligible to participate in a Temporary Food Safety Training Program.

Permit Applications

To apply for one of the above permits, please visit the Temporary Food Permits application page.