Starting my own Catering Company?

First and foremost, contact your local Health Department for your county to understand what sort of requirements they have for your commissary and/or onsite preparation. Next, your local city for business licenses, and then the State for sales and tax issues. Then insurance for vehicles and general liability.

There are at least a hundred other things to know in order to be safe, legal, and in business. Take your time - Research, plan, and do things right the first time an you'll stand a good chance of getting off the ground.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51391

Good reading on Getting Started

hey tmkshew im with ya as well
so far, i have contacted the hd 2 times
talked to them and they sent me in the right direction
however, what i have discovered is, you really need to talk to the main inspector. in my area, there is a guy who has been the main inspector for 20 years or so, but he is going to another department and a new inspector is doing stuff now. he hasnt ever done a mobile food vendor before so we will be "learning together'. great.

another thing i learned was, dont count on anyone else besides the inspector to know anything. the people who take your application for whatever permit dont seem to know anything really. they'll tell you you need this and that and you dont.
the biz side of stuff sucks. i think that i am gonna hire a lawyer to do everything for me. it may cost a little but it will save alot of headaches.

where i am at is this: i bought a diamond plate fat 50 and a stumps stretch. i also have a 12x6 enclosed trailer that i am working on converting to a kitchen. my dad works for a company who builds modular food service restaurants. they will be doing the actual building of the trailer.

ill post more later, i have company and i'm too distracted to think clearly right now.
greg