Los Angeles city street vendor permit fees to be drastically reduced

In a move to support street vendors, the Los Angeles City Council voted Friday to drastically reduce annual street vending permit prices.

The new ordinance lowers the annual street vendor permit from $541 to $27.51. Councilmembers agreed that the new fee system will be more realistic and affordable.

This comes after elected officials continue to further support vendors, and most recently rescinded so-called "no street vending zones" in February.

The city decriminalized sidewalk vending in 2017 and began establishing a permitting system. The permit cost had previously been set at $291 between 2019-2022, and it remained unchanged due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the 2022-23 fiscal year, staff proposed the fee to increase to $541, which elected officials held off on imposing on street vendors.

"The city estimated that there were 50,000 vendors in the city and anticipated issuing 16,000 permits annually," LA City Councilwoman Nithya Raman said. "But the reality on the ground was very different."

Only 900 permits were being issued annually, and many street vendors chose to operate without permits.

On Feb. 6, the City Council amended the city's street vending laws and eliminated seven zones where street vendors were prohibited from operating: the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Hollywood Bowl, Dodger Stadium, LA Live/Crypto.com Arena, Universal Studios/City Walk, El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument and Exposition Park.

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors made similar moves and gave final approval to a pair of ordinances regulating sidewalk food vendors, and also adopted a subsidy program to offset some costs related to its permitting process.

In 2022, Gov. Gavin Newsom passed SB 972, which allows street vending across California.