Mardi Gras Vendor Information

Mardi Gras is an annual celebration that begins before "Fat Tuesday" and ends Shrove Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The dates for Mardi Gras 2025 are February 14, 2025, through March 4, 2025. Click here to view the Mardi Gras Brochure 2025.

Credit Card Payment will be the only method of payment on the parade route. If you need to pay cash, please visit the Revenue Department Business Center at: 

Mobile Government Plaza
205 Government Street, 2nd Floor South Tower
Mobile, Alabama 36644
Hours: Monday-Friday 8 am - 4:30 pm
Phone number: 251-208-7462

There are two classifications of Mardi Gras vendor fees collected by the Revenue Department. They are:

(A) INDIVIDUAL MARDI GRAS PEDDLER
STAND OR STATIONARY VEHICLE (EACH)

Amount $1,000.00

Issue Fee $14.00

_________________

Total $1,014.00

(B) INDIVIDUAL MARDI GRAS PEDDLER
ON FOOT - CART OR BASKET (EACH)

Amount $500.00

Issue Fee $14.00

_________________

Total $514.00

Prior to the issuance of the Mardi Gras Peddlers license, all food vendors or food trucks are required to be inspected and certified by the Fire Inspector located at 2851 Old Shell Road and inspected by the Mobile County Health Department. This is required annually for Mardi Gras. 

Mardi Gras Peddler badges are issued only during Mardi Gras and are only good for the duration of Mardi Gras. Vendor fees are due and payable before conducting business.

There are two (2) ways to buy Mardi Gras badges.

Revenue Department Business Center, see address above or

On the parade route by our License Investigators, credit card payment only. Due to a lack of time to verify checks, they are not accepted as payment for vendor fees on the parade route.

The Tax and License Investigators are on the street at all times during Mardi Gras. They are on hand to identify violators, collect any vendor fees not collected, answer questions, and assist vendors with any problems the vendors have during the three-week Mardi Gras period. If the license is not purchased, the business will be shut down and merchandise confiscated.

Vendors, whether a stationary vehicle or on foot with carts or baskets, must have their badge prominently displayed at all times.

One of the questions that is asked most frequently about Mardi Gras vendor fees is how many? If a vendor has a stand and four push carts working the streets, they need five (5) badges; one for the stand and one for each of the four push carts.

The city is not responsible in the event of lost or stolen Mardi Gras badges. If this should occur, a new Mardi Gras badge must be purchased.

Badges are changed each year and designed so they cannot be copied or duplicated for multiple cart vending.

There is no planning organization which allocates spaces or designates booths. The individual vendor must secure space from the property owner. No booths, concession trailers, stands, etc. can be set up on City of Mobile rights-of-way.

Food vendors must secure clearance from the Mobile County Board of Health (call 251-690-8116) for any sales of food items to the general public. Vendors are required to contact the Board of Health directly to make sure they comply with current restrictions and ordinances.

Vendors are required to contact the State of Alabama Department of Revenue to make sure to comply with current revenue laws. Please contact the Department of Revenue at (251) 344-4737, Ext #5566.

There are certain items which are not allowed to be for sale during Mardi Gras. Some of these items are fire caps, fireworks, silly string, confetti, and any types of firearms or illegal items. As well as any items in pressurized containers.

Additional Police Department Restrictions

The following items ARE NOT allowed to be for sale during Mardi Gras: (1) Plastic or rubber dolls or animals having explicit sexual organs; (2) Plastic or rubber reproductions of female or male sexual organs or private parts. [Public Lewdness Section 13A-12-130, State Code].

If a vendor has a question, they should call the City of Mobile Police Department at (251) 208-1715.

To receive information about vendor fees for the 2025 Mardi Gras season, please contact the City of Mobile Revenue Department.