Caterer permits in Austin, Texas

A catering kitchen sited outside Austin city limits in unincorporated Travis County uses the same agency and applications but a different fee column, since Austin Public Health serves as the county health authority. The figures differ enough from the city schedule that it is worth confirming which jurisdiction your kitchen address falls in before you budget.

Issued by

Austin Public Health EHSD, acting as Travis County's health authority

Fee

For a kitchen outside Austin city limits in unincorporated Travis County, the operating permit runs about $250 to $300 a year on a risk and employee-count matrix rather than the city's sales tiers, the plan review is a flat $10, and there is no pre-opening inspection fee. A temporary food event permit is $52 per booth.

Renewal

Annual operating permit; temporary permits per event

Processing

Same application process as the Austin permits

The local instance of the state retail food establishment permit, issued on the caterer's own commercial kitchen address. Any caterer cooking from its own kitchen, rather than only renting time in someone else's permitted facility, needs it. The fee tier follows gross food sales, and the permit issues after the plan review and pre-opening inspection clear.

Issued by

Austin Public Health, Environmental Health Services Division

Fee

In Austin and its inter-local cities (Bee Cave, Lakeway, Manor, Pflugerville, Rollingwood, Sunset Valley, Volente, West Lake Hills): $309 a year for gross food sales under $50,000, $618 from $50,000 to $149,999, and $927 at $150,000 or more. A one-time pre-opening inspection is $178. Austin paused collection of renewal fees on October 1, 2025 while Council weighs a permanent change, though expiration dates have not moved, so confirm the current renewal cost with EHSD before you budget.

Renewal

Annual, on the permit's anniversary. APH mails a notice 45 days out, but renewing is your responsibility either way.

Processing

Submit the complete application and fee about a month before you plan to open

Required before any new construction or substantial remodel of a catering kitchen. Austin Public Health checks the kitchen layout, equipment, plumbing, and ventilation against state and local health code. For a kitchen inside Austin city limits the review routes through Development Services; in the inter-local cities and the unincorporated county it goes through Austin Public Health directly.

Issued by

Austin Development Services (inside Austin) or Austin Public Health EHSD (inter-local cities and unincorporated county)

Fee

In Austin and its inter-local cities: $312 for new construction, $221 for a remodel under 2,500 square feet, $266 for 2,500 to 10,000 square feet, and $312 above that, with a $265 option for an event health and safety review. Unincorporated Travis County charges a flat $10.

Renewal

One-time per build or remodel

Processing

Submit two sets of scaled plans plus a proposed menu after zoning approval; allow staff review before the pre-opening inspection

A new build-out or substantial remodel of a catering kitchen needs Development Services plan review and inspection, separate from the health review. The resulting certificate of occupancy is what Austin Public Health checks before issuing the pre-opening inspection and operating permit, so the building track and the health track have to finish together.

Issued by

Austin Development Services Department

Fee

Valuation-based, with no flat figure. Building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing trade permits scale with the construction value and scope, so confirm a project estimate with Commercial Plan Review at 512-974-2949. The certificate of occupancy itself adds no separate fee.

Renewal

One-time per occupancy or use change

Processing

Varies by complexity; plans must clear before Austin Public Health can schedule the pre-opening inspection

Austin's local fire code (City Code 25-12-173) requires an annual operational permit for fixed fire protection systems, naming commercial kitchen hood suppression specifically, in any building with commercial cooking equipment. A catering kitchen with fryers, ranges, or grease-producing ovens needs a Type I hood and suppression system. Kitchens over 5,000 square feet also need sprinklers, and a space with an occupant load over 50 needs fire alarms.

Issued by

Austin Fire Department, Fire Marshal's Office

Fee

Set by local fire code; the current FY 2025-26 amount is not published in an accessible schedule, and the most recent figure found ($20 per system a year) dates to 2017, so confirm with the Fire Marshal at 512-974-0160. After opening, a commercial hood suppression system is inspected by a licensed contractor and tracked through The Compliance Engine.

Renewal

Annual; one permit covers all fixed fire protection systems in the building

Processing

Coordinated with the building permit; not separately published

Under Austin City Code sections 15-10-23 and 15-10-52, almost every commercial food prep operation that cooks, including a caterer's own kitchen, must install an Austin Water-approved grease interceptor before opening. Wait for the approval letter that specifies the size before you purchase anything. A narrow variance exists for an operation serving only prepackaged food, drinks, or cut fruit with no cooking, which rarely fits a caterer.

Issued by

Austin Water, Industrial Waste and Pretreatment Program

Fee

No flat permitting fee; the real cost is the interceptor itself, typically a 500-gallon-plus device for a kitchen with a dishwasher, plus installation. Confirm any review fees with Industrial Waste at 512-972-1060.

Renewal

Ongoing; the interceptor must be serviced by a city-permitted hauler at least every 90 days

Processing

The approval letter setting the required size is issued during building plan review, before you buy the device

A standalone catering kitchen with no public dining area can fall under the "Food Preparation" use, which in Austin is a conditional use, not by-right, in General Commercial Services (GR) zoning and needs Zoning and Platting Commission approval. A kitchen tied to a Restaurant use is permitted by right in districts such as LR, GR, CBD, DMU, CS-1, CH, LI, and MI. Confirm which use category and district apply to an address before signing a lease, because the conditional-use path adds real time.

Issued by

Austin Development Services Department, Zoning Review

Fee

No flat fee for a zoning check. A conditional use permit requires a site plan application fee and a Zoning and Platting Commission hearing; confirm the amount with Development Services Zoning Review.

Renewal

Tied to the site plan, not renewed annually

Processing

A by-right use clears quickly; a conditional use site plan and commission hearing add weeks to months

A caterer needs this only to serve the general public at an Austin fair or festival, as opposed to a private contracted event, which rides the kitchen permit. Often the event organizer, not the individual booth, pulls the booth permit for the whole event, so confirm coverage with the organizer rather than assume you must file. Watch the 6-permit annual cap if you work many public events.

Issued by

Austin Public Health, Environmental Health Services Division

Fee

$62 per booth for 1 to 14 days in Austin and its inter-local cities, or $52 per booth in unincorporated Travis County. Filing less than 10 days out adds a $120 late fee in the Austin jurisdiction.

Renewal

Per event. One person or organization is capped at 6 permits or 84 event days a year.

Processing

Apply at least 10 calendar days before the event; permits are picked up in person and are non-transferable

Only if the caterer pours alcohol itself. Before TABC issues an alcohol permit for an Austin address, the City Clerk must sign the application, which happens only after Development Services confirms by zoning review that alcohol sales are allowed there, and the Travis County Clerk separately certifies the wet or dry status. For a caterer this attaches to whatever address is on its TABC paperwork, usually its licensed kitchen, and runs alongside the statewide Mixed Beverage and Caterer's permits.

Issued by

City of Austin Office of the City Clerk (with Development Services zoning review) and the Travis County Clerk

Fee

No fee is published for the Austin City Clerk certification. A Travis County Clerk certification fee was not confirmed from an official source; some Texas counties charge a small per-certification fee, so confirm with the Travis County Clerk.

Renewal

Tied to each new TABC application or location change

Processing

State law gives the city and county clerks up to 30 days each to certify, though Austin is generally faster

A caterer renting time in a shared or commissary kitchen has to sort out permitting before signing a lease. Austin Public Health's Central Preparation Facility framework is written around food trucks, not caterers, with no dedicated shared-kitchen-for-caterers page. The rented kitchen must hold a valid operating permit, and you confirm with EHSD at 512-978-0300 whether you are added as an authorized operator under that permit or need your own permit referencing the commissary address, backed by a written kitchen-use agreement. Do not assume; ask first.

Issued by

Austin Public Health, Environmental Health Services Division

Fee

Not separately published, and it depends on how EHSD structures the arrangement. Registering a host facility as a Central Preparation Facility is $150 including the inspection, but that is the host kitchen's registration, not the caterer's.

Renewal

Confirm with EHSD once the arrangement is set

Processing

Not published