Food Vendor / Hawker Permit Fees & Charges

A Food Vendor or Hawker Permit authorises individuals to sell food or goods from mobile carts, market stalls, roadsides, or other non-fixed locations within a county. It is one of the most commonly sought permits in urban Kenya, particularly in Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu, given the large number of informal traders operating in these cities. Issuing Authority: County Government Revenue and Trade Department

Vendor Type	Annual Permit Fee (KES)
Fruit and vegetable hawker	1,000 – 3,000
Cooked food street vendor	2,000 – 5,000
Mobile milk / dairy vendor	2,000 – 4,000
Market stall holder (food)	3,000 – 8,000
Market stall holder (non-food)	2,000 – 6,000
Mobile goods hawker (non-food)	1,500 – 4,000
Daily / temporary vendor permit	100 – 500 per day

Hawkers operating without a valid permit are subject to confiscation of goods and fines ranging from KES 2,000 to KES 10,000. Many counties have designated hawking zones; trading outside these zones may attract additional penalties even with a valid permit.

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