San Diego City Council Votes 8-1 to Continue $38 Sidewalk Vending Fee

The San Diego City Council Tuesday reapproved a $38 sidewalk vending fee, continuing a program aimed at regulating street-side sales of food and retail items.

The council voted 8-1 to re-approve the fee, with Vivian Moreno voting no.

On May 17, 2022, the council approved the sidewalk vending ordinance, with initial enforcement restricted only to outreach and education. In February 2023, San Diego law enforcement personnel began enforcing the city’s ordinance in beach areas, following a similar enforcement step-up in the Gaslamp Quarter in December. The permit fee of $38 was approved in May 2023.

Enforcement began in earnest citywide in March 2024.

The ordinance requires any person participating in sidewalk vending to possess a city issued permit and photo identification as well as the business tax and other local and state issued permits and certificates, as required by law. The permit is valid for one year from the date of issuance and must be renewed annually.

According to city records, as of March 31, 2024, around 800 vendors total have been issued a permit, while 415 remained active. Since the program began, the city has collected $46,406 from sidewalk vendors.

In 2023 alone, the city spent $1.8 million enforcing the ordinance. Through Fiscal Year 2024, the city spent $2.1 million on enforcement, city records show.

City staff initially recommended the new permit fee be as high as $230 per business, but negotiations with council members brought that number down to the same as a business tax certificate in the city. Los Angeles maintains a street vendor fee of $291, while local vendors can pay as high as $340 in El Cajon and as low as $30 in National City.

Food vendors are also required to obtain a San Diego County Health Permit and Food Handler Card.

Councilwoman Jennifer Campbell said the amendments to the ordinance will “protect permitted vendors who comply with all city requirements and help eliminate unlawful vending activities.”

Campbell represents many of the city’s beach communities in District 2 and pushed the law forward.

Since the ordinance was written, vending permits have been issued to local vendors selling jewelry, clothing, apparel, artisan products, home decor, candles, fine art collectibles, novelty items, food products and other items.

The ordinance also sets up parameters for where vendors can operate — for example, 15 feet from another vendor, 50 feet from a major transit stop and 100 feet from any sidewalk or street closure.

More information can be found at sandiego.gov/sidewalk-vending.

City News Service contributed to this article.