Everything vendors usually ask us: licenses, cottage food, fire safety, weather, refunds and event day. If your question isn't here, just email us. We're happy to help before you book.
If you cook, prepare or serve food at the market, from a tent or a truck, you need to be licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Division of Hotels and Restaurants. It usually looks like one of these:
Please bring your license (or a copy) every time. Food vendors need to arrive by 1:00 PM so there's time for the DBPR inspection before we open.
Have these ready before the inspector walks up:
DBPR has a printable checklist that's worth a look the night before: Temporary Event Checklist (PDF) ↗
Not for a food service booth. DBPR doesn't allow food made in a private home (including under the Cottage Food Law) to be served at a temporary food booth. Food has to be prepared on site or in a licensed kitchen, like a commissary.
The one exception is cottage food: shelf-stable goods that are fully packaged and labeled at home and sold as-is. See the cottage food section below.
It depends on what you're pouring. Sealed, ready-to-sell drinks like canned sodas and bottled water don't need a temporary event license. Anything you mix, pour, brew or blend at your booth (lemonade, coffee, boba, smoothies) does, and you'll follow the same DBPR rules as food tents.
Alcohol needs separate state licensing and our approval ahead of time, so please talk to us before you apply.
Yes, and we love having you! Florida's Cottage Food Law (Florida Statutes s. 500.80) lets you sell certain homemade foods without a state food permit, as long as you follow all of its rules:
When you apply, let us know you're a cottage food vendor so we can plan for you.
Every package needs:
Unlabeled cottage food can't be sold at the market, so double check your packaging before event day.
Usually allowed: breads, cookies, cakes, pastries, candies, fudge, jams and jellies, honey, dried fruit, dry herbs and seasonings, granola, nuts, popcorn, dry pasta and vinegar.
Not allowed: anything that needs to stay refrigerated or hot to be safe. That includes cheesecake, cream or custard pies, cream-filled pastries, meat (including jerky), dairy products, canned or pickled vegetables, salsas and sauces, and fresh juices. Those need a licensed kitchen and a DBPR or FDACS permit.
Not sure where your product lands? FDACS has the full list, or email us and we'll help you figure it out.
Every food vendor needs a Class K fire extinguisher on site the whole time. Class K is the type made for grease and cooking oil fires. It has to be:
We also recommend a standard ABC extinguisher, which many fire inspectors look for alongside the Class K. Food trucks also need their hood suppression system serviced and tagged.
If you don't have a proper extinguisher, the fire inspector or our team may not let you operate, and that isn't refundable.
You'll need to meet the fire code where the market is held, and the fire inspector has the final say on event day. In Jacksonville and Jacksonville Beach, that's the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD), which has covered Jacksonville Beach since 2019. The City of Jacksonville requires food trucks to pass a Jacksonville Fire Prevention Office inspection.
Food trucks and trailers should bring proof of a current fire inspection. If you're a tent vendor cooking with propane or open flame, reach out to JFRD Fire Prevention ahead of time if you're unsure what they'll want to see.
Most retail vendors need two things:
If you offer a service that needs a professional license in Florida (like some beauty services), bring that too.
It isn't required, but we strongly recommend it. You operate at your own risk, and Jax Night Market isn't responsible for loss, damage, theft or injury. Single-event vendor insurance can start around $50, and we're happy to point you to a few providers.
We may ask before the event, and state or city inspectors can ask on event day. Keep copies with you. Vendors operating without the licenses they need will be asked to leave without a refund.
Yes! We're open rain or shine, and we expect vendors to set up and sell in light rain or cloudy weather. Come ready with tent weights (40 to 80 lbs per leg), sidewalls, and waterproof covers for your products.
If it's truly unsafe (a hurricane, severe thunderstorm warnings, or local authorities tell us to shut down), we may cancel, postpone or shorten the event. When that happens we may offer credit toward a future market. Refunds aren't guaranteed and are up to the event coordinator. We'll always reach out to you directly.
Vendor fees are non-refundable once your application is approved and your card is charged. That includes no-shows, arriving late, canceling, and changing your mind.
For true emergencies (a documented medical emergency or a death in the family, for example), email info@jaxnightmarket.com as soon as you know. We may offer a refund or credit, but it isn't guaranteed. Requests after the event has happened usually can't be granted.
Please don't. Vendors stay open and set up until the official end time unless our team says it's okay. Packing up early is hard on your neighbors and on guests still shopping, and it can keep you from being invited back.
There are no refunds, full or partial, for leaving early, whether it's because of slow sales, selling out, or weather that isn't an official shutdown.
When you apply, we place a hold on your card. You're not charged yet. We review every application, usually within a few days. If you're approved, we charge your card and email your official confirmation. If not, the hold is released and you pay nothing.
Check your spam or promotions folder first. If it's not there, or you think you typed your email wrong, email info@jaxnightmarket.com with your name and the market date. We can fix your email and send it again.
Spots are assigned on event day. Our team will show you where to set up when you arrive.
Move your vehicle right after you unload, and please don't drive on grass or pavers. We'll send any market-specific details closer to the date.
Always bring your own power source, like a quiet generator or a portable power station, every single market. Jax Night Market doesn't provide power to vendors and isn't responsible for any power at the venue, even if you see an outlet nearby.
The same goes for water. Bring whatever you'll need for the night, including handwashing water if you're a food vendor.
Please don't use the guest trash cans. Use the vendor dumpster (we'll point it out on event day), and take any cooking oil and grease with you.
Rules and fees can change, so always check the official sites above for the latest. This page is a friendly guide, not legal advice. Our full vendor terms and SOP still apply.