Information on acquiring a permit to serve food to the public at GOGA.

image of food trucks gathering at Fort Mason Center — View of the Fort Mason Center's temporary food event "Off The Grid" looking north towards Sausalito. "Off The Grid" is a weekly food event open to the public.
photo courtesy of Fort Mason Center

Hundreds of special events that involve serving food to the public occur on Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) property each year. The Temporary Food Event Permit program was designed and implemented in 2011 to protect and promote the health and safety of event attendees by requiring food safety training and inspection of food vendors. The FDA Food Code mandates that regular food safety inspections occur for public food service on federal land.

Who Needs A Temporary Food Event Permit (TFE)?
Any person (or organization) intending to sell, give away, or sample food to the public from a fixed or temporary location for a period of less than 14 consecutive days in conjunction with a community event on GGNRA property requires a TFE. Examples include street fairs and festivals, musical and artistic presentations, holiday and ethnic celebrations, trade shows, mobile food trucks, mobile food tents and product introductions at which food is sold, sampled, or given away to the public. For more details, please read Frequently Asked Questions.

Which Vendors Do Not Need A Temporary Food Event Permit?
Private functions such as weddings, club membership events, or similar functions not open to the public do not require a TFE permit. These types of events may need a different type of permit. For more information about what permits are needed at the park visit the Special Park Uses Permits page.

What Is The Temporary Food Event Permit Process?
In order to obtain a TFE Permit at GGNRA, the person or organization coordinating an event must first get a Special Use Permit from GGNRA's Office of Special Park Uses (OSPU) or sign a contract with Fort Mason Center (FMC).

After acquiring an OSPU or FMC permit, the event organizer shall submit all complete TFE applications to their GGNRA contact including all organizer and vendor information, event site map, complete vendor list, and appropriate fees at least 14 calendar days prior to the event. Information must be submitted at least 30 days prior if there are more than 20 vendors at the TFE.