Vehicles-for-Hire & Transport · 5 min read · Last updated
Every food truck and ice cream truck in Toronto runs on two layers of licensing: the vehicle's own licence, and a Refreshment Vehicle Driver licence for any person who drives it. This is the driver's half of the stack — who needs it, what to gather and how to apply so the truck is never grounded by its roster.
The City of Toronto lists this under its “Vehicle” category: “Any driver of a food or ice cream truck.”
Who needs this licence?
The category is exactly as wide as it sounds: any driver of a food or ice cream truck needs this licence. It pairs with the vehicle licences — food truck, ice cream truck and the wider refreshment vehicle family — and it applies to owners who drive, employees who drive, and the seasonal hire who only covers the weekend shift.
The licence covers the person, so it moves with the driver rather than the truck: one licensed driver can drive different refreshment vehicles, and one truck with three rotating drivers needs three licensed people. Owners hiring for the season should build licensing time into every offer they make.
What documents do you need?
- Government-issued identification (two pieces, at least one with a photo)
- A provincial driver's licence valid for the vehicle you will drive
- Any screening checks the City requests for the category
- Items from the City's supporting-documents checklist
It is a compact file by Toronto licensing standards — which is exactly why it is so often left to the last minute, and why trucks end up parked in July waiting on a driver's paperwork.
Zoning and premises requirements
There is no premises to zone, and even the question of where the truck may vend belongs to the vehicle's licence and its vending permissions, not to the driver's. What the driver owns is compliance behind the wheel: operating only where the vehicle's permissions allow, respecting the location rules for mobile vending, and keeping the licence paperwork with the truck where enforcement actually happens.
Inspections and approvals
Food safety on the truck is inspected under the vehicle's operation — Toronto Public Health's DineSafe program covers the kitchen on wheels. The driver licence is about the person: screening at application where the City requests it, and licence checks in the field by Municipal Licensing & Standards. Two files, one truck — keep both clean.
How much does it cost?
The driver licence has an application fee and an annual renewal fee, set in the City's licensing fee schedule, confirmed during the application and paid to the City directly. Owners and drivers should agree early on who carries the cost for hired drivers.
How to apply
Apply to Municipal Licensing & Standards — through the City's online Business Licence & Permit portal, live since January 2026, or in person — and coordinate with the vehicle's licensing so truck and drivers are ready together.
Permits2Go's workspace already prepares food truck and ice cream truck vehicle licences; it tracks each driver's application alongside them, which is how the whole operation goes legal on the same day.
Renewals and staying compliant
Renew annually and ahead of the vending season, because a lapsed driver licence grounds the truck as surely as a lapsed vehicle licence. When the roster changes, get new hires licensed before their first shift and keep the City's records matched to who actually drives.
Quick quiz: test what you learned
Three questions, all answered in this guide. Click an answer to check it.
1. Who needs a Refreshment Vehicle Driver licence in Toronto?
The category is any driver of a food or ice cream truck — ownership and kitchen duties make no difference to the requirement.
2. A food truck has three rotating drivers. How many driver licences does the operation need?
The licence follows the person, not the vehicle, so each rotating driver holds their own.
3. Which licences does the Refreshment Vehicle Driver licence pair with?
It is the human half of the refreshment vehicle stack — the trucks carry their own vehicle licences, and their drivers carry this one.
Skip the paperwork
Tell Permits2Go about your business and it assembles the licence application for you — document checklists, e-signatures and a guided workspace for Toronto, with more cities on the way.
This guide is general information, not legal or professional advice. Licensing requirements, by-laws and fees change and vary by municipality — always confirm the current rules with the City before you apply.