Saudi Arabia Introduces New Rules for Food Trucks and Mobile Carts

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

The Saudi Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing, Majed Al-Hogail, has officially approved new rules for operating food trucks and mobile vending carts in the Kingdom.

As part of the changes, food trucks will now need to install security cameras inside, and all operations must stop by midnight unless they have a special 24-hour permit. Owners are being given 180 days to make the necessary adjustments.

To ensure public safety and smooth traffic flow, mobile vendors will no longer be allowed to operate near traffic lights, busy intersections, road entry and exit points, police or ambulance stations, Civil Defense areas, or parking spaces for people with disabilities. They also can’t park near environmentally hazardous areas like garbage dumps, sewage sites, or gas stations, nor can they operate in residential neighborhoods or block emergency exits.

Other key rules include:

No smoking, loudspeakers, or external mobile speakers inside or around the carts.

All cooking must happen inside the cart—cooking outside is not allowed.

If charcoal or firewood is used, a separate cart must be used for that.

Selling any type of tobacco is completely banned.

All vendors must also follow the Saudi Food and Drug Authority's regulations and install cameras as per the Kingdom’s security surveillance laws. Each person is allowed to hold only one license for a food truck or mobile cart, valid anywhere in Saudi Arabia.

These new regulations were made available for public feedback between May 13 and 28 through the “Istithlaa” platform before final approval.

Officials say the new rules aim to make the sector safer and more organized, helping protect public health while encouraging investment and making the process easier for aspiring business owners. It’s also expected to raise food safety standards and clearly define where these businesses can operate.

Finally, getting or renewing a license will follow a specific set of steps under the Municipal Licensing Procedures System. If the business needs it, approval from the General Traffic Department and other relevant authorities will also be required.