City Commissary rules · Tennessee
Nashville (Davidson County) commissary requirements for food trucks and carts
The short answer from Metro Public Health Department: Yes. "All mobile food units (truck, trailer, or pushcart) must operate from an approved commissary or servicing area."
- Commissary needed?
- Yes. "All mobile food units (truck, trailer, or pushcart) must operate from an approved commissary or servicing area."
- How often
- Begin and end each sale day at the commissary, servicing the unit there at the start and end of the day.
- Paperwork
- A notarized Mobile Food Unit Agreement Form for Commissary / Servicing Area, signed by the unit owner and the commissary operator.
- Storage
- Food, containers and equipment can't be stored, cooked or prepared at a home.
Confirm with Metro Public Health Department. This page summarises the official documents listed under Sources. Official page
Other things to know
- A commissary is a licensed kitchen in a restaurant or a market with a deli, with a 3-compartment sink with grease trap, handwash sink, mop sink and approved wastewater disposal.
Questions people ask
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Nashville (Davidson County)?
Yes. "All mobile food units (truck, trailer, or pushcart) must operate from an approved commissary or servicing area."
How often do I have to go to the commissary?
Begin and end each sale day at the commissary, servicing the unit there at the start and end of the day.
What paperwork does Nashville (Davidson County) want?
A notarized Mobile Food Unit Agreement Form for Commissary / Servicing Area, signed by the unit owner and the commissary operator.
Where do I find a commissary in Nashville (Davidson County)?
Metro Public Health Department doesn't publish a list. Restaurants, markets and shared kitchens with a valid food permit often act as commissaries; ask them, then have your inspector approve the pairing.
Sources
Last checked September 29, 2026.