How to Apply to be a Licensed Cart Vendor at the Santa Monica Pier

Thank you for your interest in the Licensed Cart Vending Program at the Santa Monica Pier!  While sidewalk vending is prohibited on the Pier, the City does offer a limited number of spaces for participants in the Licensed Pier Vending Cart Program. Each participant must enter into a licensing agreement with the City, maintain business licenses, commercial liability, workers compensation insurance, and, if vending food, health department permits. Licensed cart operators are responsible for providing their own carts that are compliant with the City’s aesthetics, size and safety requirements.

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Online

Please follow these steps to apply for the Licensed Vending Cart Program on the Santa Monica Pier.

Sign up to receive email notifications of a vacancy.
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To be notified of future pier vacancies and requests for proposals, please visit the email notification page. When there is an upcoming vacancy, the City will post a notice on the Pier's website and email to notify prospective vendors of the opportunity and invite vendors to submit a proposal to the City.
Submitting a Proposal
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The City will provide instructions on how to submit a proposal and the deadline date through ProcureNow, the City's online vendor procurement portal. Leasing on the Pier is subject to a competitive public process and all proposals will be evaluated based on a set of criteria including applicability and quality of the perspective vendor's relevant experience, and uniqueness and compatibility of the proposed product with the Santa Monica Pier.
Apply for your Business License.
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If selected, apply for a City of Santa Monica Business License and applicable local regulatory permits. Call (310) 458-8745 for an application, or apply online.
Apply for a Food Service Permit
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If selected and you plan to operate a food or beverage cart, you will need to obtain a food service permit from the Los Angeles County Department of Health.

Contact Us:

(310) 458-8216
pier.management@santamonica.gov

FAQ

Where is vending on the Santa Monica Pier permitted?

Vendors are prohibited from vending on the Pier or within 100 feet of the Pier, including the stairs, ramps, elevators, and plaza. This prohibition on vending, however, does not apply to (1) a vendor operating under a licensing agreement, such as through the Pier Vending Cart Program described below; (2) an approved participant in a community event authorized by the City; (3) vending of newspapers, leaflets, pamphlets, bumper stickers or buttons; and (4) vending the following items, which are inherently communicative, have nominal utility apart from their communication, and have been created, written, or composed by the vendor: books, recorded music, poetry, prose, sculptures, paintings, prints, or photographs. Vendors who are vending newspapers, leaflets, pamphlets, bumper stickers, buttons, or the inherently communicative items described above must comply with the requirements set forth in Santa Municipal Code Chapter 6.116 on vending such items on the Pier.

Are there any vacancies in Licensed Pier Vending Cart Program today?

At this time there are no vacancies in the Pier Vending Cart program. The limited number of carts available under the Pier’s vending program is due to the space limitations and safety regulations on the Pier. When there is a vacancy, the City manages selection through an open and competitive Request for Proposal process. Sign up on the notification page using the steps above to be notified when a vacancy on the Pier opens up.

How many licensed vending carts are allowed to operate on the Santa Monica Pier?

The vending cart program on the Santa Monica Pier consists of approximately 13 vendors with individual license agreements directly with the City.

How are the approved licensed cart locations on the Pier determined?

Specific cart locations were established by the Fire Department to ensure carts would not impede with access or egress from the Pier or block fire hydrants, standpipes, and firefighting equipment in the event of an emergency. Locations were also designated as to not conflict with other functions and activities, such as street performers who are similarly required to operate from designated locations pursuant to Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapter 6.112.

What guidelines exist for the Licensed Pier Vending Cart Program?

The existing guidelines for this program includes requirements to maintain business licenses, commercial liability, workers compensation insurance, and health department permits, if vending food. Licensed cart operators on the Pier are responsible for providing their own carts that are compliant with the City’s aesthetics, size and safety requirements.

Can I vend on the Santa Monica Beach?

Vending on the beach is restricted. For more information on sidewalk vending, please visit How to Become a Licensed Sidewalk Vendor in Santa Monica.

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Sign up to receive email notifications of a vacancy.

Submitting a Proposal

Apply for your Business License.

Apply for a Food Service Permit

Contact Us: