Permits
Coffee and cart permits in Kentucky
To sell coffee in Kentucky, you work with your county health department for food and mobile vending permits, then add a business license and state tax registration. Pick your county below for the department that handles your area and the steps to open.
120 counties in Kentucky. 7 have a detailed permit page below. For any other county, check your ZIP and we will point you to the right health department.
Statewide rules in Kentucky
In Kentucky, food establishment permits for cafes, food trucks, and temporary events are issued by local county health departments; the Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) Food Safety Branch sets the statewide food code.
- Food & vending permits
- CHFS Food Safety Branch, retail food program (permits issued by county health departments)
- Sales tax permit
- Sales and use tax registration, KY Dept. of Revenue
- Sales tax rate
- 6% statewide sales tax rateThis is a single statewide rate with no county or city sales tax added on top.Kentucky DOR sales and use tax
- Food safety cards
- A certified food protection manager per establishment under the Kentucky Food Code (902 KAR 45:005).
Official links, last verified July 14, 2026. Requirements vary by city and change over time.
Confirm the current steps and fees before you apply.