There are regulations to follow before you can sell vegetables.
Being your own boss is the dream of many. Becoming a vegetable peddler selling from your own bus can be the realization of this dream--but it requires more than loading up a few baskets of tomatoes and hitting the road. All states and municipalities require licensing and have regulations that must be followed.
Instructions
1. Find your target area for sales. You will need to find areas where street vending is allowed. Places without other vegetable stands would be particularly desirable.
2. Secure a supplier for your vegetables. If you are not a farmer supplying your own produce, contact growers and commit to a plan to purchase produce or accept consignments for sale.
3. Obtain and register your bus. The bus will need to be properly registered and plated. Check with your local motor vehicle officials for any special registrations needed for vehicles used for commercial purposes.
4. Acquire a commercial driver's license. A special license is required by all states to drive buses and other large commercial vehicles. The cost varies from state to state.
5. File for sales tax and tax permits with your state revenue agency. This will give you a tax identification number needed to file your taxes at the end of the quarter.
6. Apply for a general business license at the city or county clerk's office. All states require a general business license for all vendors. If you plan to sell vegetables in more than one state, you will need to apply for a license in each of your intended states.
7. Contact your local Department of Health for information on food-related licenses or permits. A short educational course may be required. Check the laws in all targeted areas for specific food peddling requirements. Certain municipalities require food inspections for vendors.
8. Apply for a peddler or vendor's license from the city or county government. This is separate from your general business license. Check the local laws carefully in all the areas where you wish to vend. Some municipalities require a different license for people selling food. A traveling vendor's license may be required in some areas.
9. Set-up a method of accounting. Earnings must be recorded and reported to the IRS as earnings.
10. Price and display your vegetables in your bus for sale. Display choices should be stable so as to not fall over when the bus is in motion.
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