Food vendors and temporary food permits

Any vendor preparing or serving food to the public at an event generally needs a Temporary Food Establishment (TFE) permit from the LOCAL health department — the district that covers your event's city or county. In Virginia these are issued through the Virginia Department of Health's local environmental-health offices.

What they typically want:
• Your menu and food sources.
• A handwashing and hot/cold holding plan.
• A certified food protection manager on site.

These often have a shorter lead time (around 10 days), but don't leave it to the last minute. Toggle "Serving food" on the Permits page to surface this, see the health-department site, and draft the intro email.

Each food vendor usually needs their own permit — share this with your vendors early. General guidance, not legal advice.