(Washington, DC) On January 16, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs will give District entrepreneurs the opportunity to apply for new vending licenses for the first time since 1998. The Department of Transportation (DDOT) is also announcing the first available locations for new vending sites. View a map of the first 21 site locations* and a map of site locations to be included in later phases*.

Under the District's new vending program, individuals must have both a valid vending license and a valid space permit to vend in the District of Columbia.

The new, interagency-coordinated vending program includes the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Health, the Office of Tax and Revenue and the Metropolitan Police Department.

As the second phase of the new vending project begins, DDOT and DCRA have identified the first of many new vending locations. DCRA will begin issuing licenses on January 16.

But there's no need to rush to DCRA on January 16.

People who are interested in vending at the new sites can apply between January 16 and March 5. Everyone who applies for one of these new vending locations will be entered into a lottery which will be held on March 7. This is a fair way to make sure that each person has the same odds of getting his or her desired location.