Slight differences in street vendor laws from city to city can make a big difference, a vendor says

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Street vendors in the Las Vegas Valley could potentially be impacted by small changes in an upcoming new set of regulations for street vendors.

Two months after street vendor regulations went into effect in unincorporated Clark County, nearby cities are preparing to approve their own regulations, with minor changes that could significantly impact vendors, according to local reports.

Only a handful of permits have been issued since Clark County commissioners approved the initial rules in mid-April, including one for Paletas Y Aguas, a popular father-and-son business in the Southern Highlands.

They operate on private property and pay rent to the owner, which allows them to legally sell in accordance with applicable regulations. Alan Carrera and his father, Jose Manuel Carrera, are enjoying the success of the first two weeks while also thinking about expansion.

“We have several of these carts and I really want to put them in different cities,” Jose said, referring to the cart behind him selling iced and iced fruit drinks.

“We’re still trying to do things the right way, so we’ll get those permits,” Alan said.

These business licenses will come from nearby jurisdictions that have not yet approved their own rules, as required by Nevada lawmakers when passing Senate Bill 92, also known as the Street Vendors Act, in 2023.

The upcoming ordinances in these cities are expected to mirror the Clark County framework, but with minor differences. For example, regulations regarding working hours and insurance requirements may vary from city to city. For example, Henderson is considering requiring vendors to change locations every thirty minutes unless they have special permits or private contracts.

Jose noted that he would not sell in Henderson if he could not work under a private contract and would instead be forced to abide by the 30-minute relocation rule.

“These carts are really heavy. 900 pounds, maybe a thousand. The cart and generator cannot be pushed. A generator is needed to power the equipment,” Jose said. “It seems like the city just wants to put an end to it. Do not do this. We’ll give you permission to do this,’ but at the same time, 30 minutes is just not fair.

Other legal providers also agree and believe that without uniform rules, legal operations can become cumbersome.

Any inconsistencies will add to the “confusion” that is already underway, said Tony Ramirez, government affairs manager at Make the Road Nevada.

“Why participate in a system that doesn’t allow them to earn a living?” Ramirez said. “There should be hundreds (of legal street vendors) when in fact there are only a few. If this doesn’t set off alarm bells about revisiting the regulation, I don’t think anything else will.”

Council members from neighboring cities are preparing to vote on their ordinances – Las Vegas on Aug. 21, North Las Vegas on July 17 and Henderson potentially as early as Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Stay tuned for updates as Southern Nevada cities finalize street vendor regulations.