The Core Challenge: Which County's Rules Apply?
When a brick-and-mortar restaurant operates in one location, the answer is simple: follow the rules of the county where the restaurant is located. Food trucks complicate this because they move. A truck licensed in Boone County (where no individual worker card is required) that regularly parks for lunch service in Fayette County (where cards are required) raises a real regulatory question.
The general answer from Kentucky health departments: food safety requirements apply at the location where food is being served. If your truck is parked and actively serving food in Fayette County, Fayette County's food safety rules — including the food handler card requirement — apply at that moment.
Food Truck Requirements at the State Level
Regardless of which county you operate in, every Kentucky food truck (classified as a mobile food unit) must:
- Hold a current food service permit from the health department of the county where the truck is based or licensed
- Have at least one Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) associated with the operation — this is Kentucky state law and applies to all food establishments including mobile units
- Comply with mobile food unit construction and equipment standards under Kentucky food code regulations
- Obtain a temporary event food permit when operating at fairs, festivals, or temporary events in counties other than the home county
Food Handler Cards for Food Truck Workers
If your food truck regularly operates in counties that require individual worker food handler cards — such as Fayette County (Lexington) — your food-handling staff should hold valid cards from those counties. Inspectors at events and at fixed service locations can and do check certifications.
The most practical approach for food trucks that operate across multiple required-card counties: have all food-handling staff obtain cards from the most restrictive county in your regular rotation. Since Fayette County only accepts its own in-person card, a Fayette County card is the most useful starting point if Lexington is part of your route. However, Fayette County's card may not satisfy Madison County's or Jefferson County's requirement — verify with each county.
Temporary Event Permits vs. Regular Operation
Operating at a one-time festival in a county where you're not regularly based typically requires a temporary food event permit from that county's health department. Temporary event permit rules may differ from regular food service establishment rules — some counties have more lenient certification requirements for temporary events. Contact the host county's health department well before the event to confirm what's required for your specific situation.
Practical Recommendation for NKY/Cincinnati Food Trucks
For food trucks operating in the Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati metro area, the NKY Health Department (covering Boone, Campbell, Kenton, and Grant counties in Kentucky) and Hamilton County Public Health (Ohio) currently do not require individual worker cards. If your truck stays in these jurisdictions, the CFPM requirement is your primary food safety certification obligation. If you expand into Lexington events or Louisville markets, plan for your staff to obtain the applicable cards before operating there.