Street Vendor's License - New York City

[NakaNaka]

I'm wondering how much it costs to get a street vendor's license for New York City and how you go about getting one. I'm not thinking of starting up a full fledged business of anything, but selling water could be very profitable for a little summer job and was just curious about looking into it.

I checked Google. Couldn't find it.

Thanks
-Phil

 

[BigJ]

Its called a General Vendor License. You will not get one for some time, because the waitlist for non-veterans is closed for awhile.

Here's a link for more info:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dca/html/094.html

EDIT: Also, I'd assume you are not allowed to use the cases of water and soda that could be purchased for minimal amounts in Walmart, K-Mart, etc. I know it is against the law in NY State for restaurants and eateries to use these. So you will not be making as much profit as you think.

 

[yobarman]

OPen a high class lemonade stand!

 

[episodic]

Originally posted by: BigJ
Its called a General Vendor License. You will not get one for some time, because the waitlist for non-veterans is closed for awhile.

Here's a link for more info:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dca/html/094.html

EDIT: Also, I'd assume you are not allowed to use the cases of water and soda that could be purchased for minimal amounts in Walmart, K-Mart, etc. I know it is against the law in NY State for restaurants and eateries to use these. So you will not be making as much profit as you think.

I'm just curious why the heck you can't sell what you want to? I mean if you can buy a case of water for 4$ and sell if for 15$ - why not? Edit: I'm not for New York - just a curious onlooker.

 

[alent1234]

people do this illegaly in the summertime on brighton beach. they buy water, ice cream and whatever and sell it for a nice tax free profit

reason you can't do it on the streets because you want to is first the store owners complain that you can undercut them. second it's a quality of life issue. NYC has over 10 million people during the daytime on weekdays. if there were vendors everywhere with people looking and stopping at every single one then it would crowd the streets worse than they are now.

 

[SchrodingersDog]

hotdogs, gold Jerry

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: BigJ
Its called a General Vendor License. You will not get one for some time, because the waitlist for non-veterans is closed for awhile.

Here's a link for more info:
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dca/html/094.html

EDIT: Also, I'd assume you are not allowed to use the cases of water and soda that could be purchased for minimal amounts in Walmart, K-Mart, etc. I know it is against the law in NY State for restaurants and eateries to use these. So you will not be making as much profit as you think.

What he said.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: episodic

Originally posted by: BigJ
EDIT: Also, I'd assume you are not allowed to use the cases of water and soda that could be purchased for minimal amounts in Walmart, K-Mart, etc. I know it is against the law in NY State for restaurants and eateries to use these. So you will not be making as much profit as you think.

I'm just curious why the heck you can't sell what you want to? I mean if you can buy a case of water for 4$ and sell if for 15$ - why not? Edit: I'm not for New York - just a curious onlooker.

I'm wondering as well. If they're not labeled for resale I could understand, but the label on a bottle of water you buy in a case at Target is the same as the label on a bottle you'd buy at a convenience store.

Besides that, water is ridiculously cheap from a beverage distributor, so I'm not sure why he says that the profit will not be much.

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: episodic

Originally posted by: BigJ
EDIT: Also, I'd assume you are not allowed to use the cases of water and soda that could be purchased for minimal amounts in Walmart, K-Mart, etc. I know it is against the law in NY State for restaurants and eateries to use these. So you will not be making as much profit as you think.

I'm just curious why the heck you can't sell what you want to? I mean if you can buy a case of water for 4$ and sell if for 15$ - why not? Edit: I'm not for New York - just a curious onlooker.

I'm wondering as well. If they're not labeled for resale I could understand, but the label on a bottle of water you buy in a case at Target is the same as the label on a bottle you'd buy at a convenience store.

Besides that, water is ridiculously cheap from a beverage distributor, so I'm not sure why he says that the profit will not be much.

I was suprised when my boss told me about this also. I really do not have a clue why, but my boss told me he could be fined on the off chance NYS found out about it. The issue arose when my boss told me how much he was paying for 2Ls of soda, and I suggested he buy them from our local food stores which is much cheaper.

I don't know the case about convenience stores, which is why I said eateries and restaurants. I also did not say the profit will not be that much, but that it would not be as much as if say you were getting 12packs of soda for $2 on special from Walmart or whatever. Oddly enough, the beverage distributors in my home town are more expensive than when Walmart or your food stores run these sales. Heck, he may even be exempt from what I'm saying because he is a general vendor. But it is something that he must look into.

If I'm wrong, someone please correct me. I am only going on the experiences I've had at two individual pizzerias and restaurants, where I trust the owners would know these laws.

 

[thomsbrain]

with the water, i don't think it's a mater of "profit" but of SALES TAX.