To buy a coffee truck in São Paulo, prioritize a compliant, profitable unit over cosmetics: verify legal status, engineering, utilities, and permits before price. Pick a chassis common in SP (Sprinter, Iveco Daily, Kia Bongo) with payload that safely carries a 2‑group espresso machine (3–4 kW), water, and batteries; demand the CSV (Certificado de Segurança Veicular) from an Inmetro-accredited inspection and Detran registration reflecting the food-truck modification. Budget R$120–300 mil for a ready unit. Legally structure as MEI or Simples, choose the mobile food CNAE, obtain Prefeitura licensing, Vigilância Sanitária sanitary approval, and AVCB; if operating on public streets, apply for the TPU (Termo de Permissão de Uso) under São Paulo’s food-truck rules. Fiscalize sales via SEFAZ‑SP with CF‑e‑SAT/NFC‑e, install a SAT device, and take PIX/NFC payments. Technical must-haves: potable tank 150–250 L with filtration, separate greywater, stainless surfaces, floor drain, LPG in vented external locker, Class K and ABC extinguishers, 220 V shore inlet, and a 5–7 kVA inverter generator or lithium battery/inverter sized for peak loads. Due diligence: run espresso under load from battery/generator, check CRLV/RENAVAM for liens, inspect welds, wiring, gas lines, and builder warranty, and secure private locations or TPU points before closing, then launch confidently.
