Does Florida have one statewide fire checklist for food trucks?

We did not find a final state rule. A State Fire Marshal rulemaking workshop on mobile food dispensing vehicle fire safety standards was noticed in 2025, and we could not confirm the outcome. Ask your local fire department which standards it applies.

Do I need a Class K extinguisher?

On the Pompano Beach checklist, yes if you cook in oil, in addition to a 3A:40BC extinguisher. Other departments may differ, so ask yours.

Who tests my propane system?

On the same checklist, a licensed LPG contractor does the leak test when you have a dry gauge. With a liquid-filled gauge and the right records, the owner or a trained person can show the test.

Do inspectors check my generator?

On this checklist, yes: the distance from openings, buildings and other cooking vehicles, the fuel tank, how you refuel and whether the public is kept away from it.

Florida Food Truck Fire Inspection: What to Expect

What Florida fire inspectors check on a food truck: extinguishers, hood system, propane, generators and logs. A Broward example checklist and who to call.

Passing the state license inspection is not the end of the checks. In Florida, your local fire department often inspects your truck too, and each county or city can use its own checklist. This guide uses one real checklist, from the City of Pompano Beach in Broward County, to show what inspectors look for. Your department may ask for different things, so treat it as a preview and call them for yours.

What we found in November 2026: we did not find a final Florida State Fire Marshal rule for food trucks. A rule chapter was in a public workshop in 2025, and we could not confirm whether it was adopted. Check the State Fire Marshal's site for the current status.

Rules change; confirm with your local office.

Why this matters

Food trucks cook with open flame, hot oil, propane and generators in a small space. Fire departments check that the fire protection equipment works and that gas and power are set up safely. The state's licensing inspection is about sanitation and safety of the food operation. Fire safety is a separate review.

Florida law says a city or county cannot require a separate food truck license, registration or permit, or charge a fee beyond the state license. It does not stop them from regulating in other ways, and fire inspection is one of them. For the licensing steps, see our guide to opening a food truck in Florida.

What a Broward-area fire inspector checks

The City of Pompano Beach Fire Rescue Bureau of Fire Prevention publishes a food truck inspection checklist (the file we read is labeled 2-26). It cites the Broward County amendment to the fire code (labeled BCA F-122) and national standards NFPA 96, NFPA 17A and NFPA 1. The checklist asks you to meet every item before you schedule. Here is what it covers.

Paperwork you keep on the truck

A documentation binder.
The fire suppression system's semiannual report.
The hood cleaning report.
A gas leak detection log, including gas drop tests.
A log showing the LPG detection device and the carbon monoxide detector were tested monthly.

Cooking equipment and fire protection

A UL 300 fire suppression system where cooking produces grease-laden vapors.
A hood extinguishing system that is tagged and in date, with a manual pull station that is accessible and clearly marked.
Nozzles with proper coverage and height, the cylinder gauge at the proper level, and the trigger pin in the set position.
Separation between cooking oils and open flames: 8 inches, or baffles.
A cleaned exhaust system, appliances, floor and wall behind the appliances, with cleaning done by a trained, qualified person.
A current, tagged 3A:40BC fire extinguisher on every truck, plus a Class K extinguisher if you cook in oil.
A placard next to the Class K extinguisher saying the fire extinguishing system must be activated before you use the extinguisher.

Propane

Cylinders mounted at least 5 feet from ignition sources such as a generator, and secured upright.
No cylinders with excessive denting, bulging, gouging or corrosion.
Cylinders retested on schedule. The checklist explains the date stamp: no letter after the requalification date means retest within 12 years, an "S" means 7 years and an "E" means 5 years.
A quarter-turn emergency shutoff valve on the outside of the vehicle, easy to reach.
A regulator with a durable cover and its relief vent pointing down.
A propane emergency shutoff sign and a "No Smoking" sign near the cylinder, with 2-inch lettering, weatherproof and permanent.

Leak testing and carbon monoxide

A test gauge at or before the regulator. You watch the pressure for at least 3 minutes with no drop, and you keep that record in the binder.
With a dry gauge, a licensed LPG contractor does the leak test. With a liquid-filled gauge and the right records, the owner can show the test to the inspector.
A propane detection device and a carbon monoxide detector in every vehicle with a gas supply to a generator or cooking appliances, tested every month.

Generators

Portable generators 12 feet from openings, air intakes, exits, buildings and other cooking vehicles, in any direction.
A fuel tank big enough for normal operating hours.
Refueling only when the generator is off and the engine surface is below the fuel's auto-ignition temperature.
Power sources kept away from the public with a barrier, guard, fence or enclosure.

To schedule, the checklist says to call the Pompano Beach Fire Prevention office at (954) 786-4695.

Rules vary by county

The distances and paperwork above come from one Broward-area checklist. Other counties and cities may differ on distances, paperwork and fees. Do not assume these numbers apply elsewhere. Call the fire prevention office for each place you plan to park, and ask for their food truck checklist.

A simple prep plan

Ask the fire department for its checklist before you build or buy.
Keep every report and log in a binder on the truck.
Test your detectors monthly and write it down.
Schedule only when every item is ready.

Get found after you pass

Once the truck is ready, tell customers where you will be. Create a free page with your menu, photos and stops. Create my free page. See where owners sell in Florida.

Sources

City of Pompano Beach Fire Rescue, Bureau of Fire Prevention: Food Truck Inspection Check List. Read November 9, 2026. A local example, not a statewide rule.
Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of State Fire Marshal: Notice of rule workshop, Chapter 69A-75, mobile food dispensing vehicles (2025). Found in search results, not opened line by line; status of the rule unconfirmed.
Florida Legislature: Section 509.102, Florida Statutes. Read November 9, 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Does Florida have one statewide fire checklist for food trucks?: We did not find a final state rule. A State Fire Marshal rulemaking workshop on mobile food dispensing vehicle fire safety standards was noticed in 2025, and we could not confirm the outcome. Ask your local fire department which standards it applies.
Do I need a Class K extinguisher?: On the Pompano Beach checklist, yes if you cook in oil, in addition to a 3A:40BC extinguisher. Other departments may differ, so ask yours.
Who tests my propane system?: On the same checklist, a licensed LPG contractor does the leak test when you have a dry gauge. With a liquid-filled gauge and the right records, the owner or a trained person can show the test.
Do inspectors check my generator?: On this checklist, yes: the distance from openings, buildings and other cooking vehicles, the fuel tank, how you refuel and whether the public is kept away from it.