Food Truck permits and licenses in Texas

The statewide credentials every food truck needs to operate in Texas, plus city-specific guides for the cities we cover.

State-level filing feesRoughly $380 in state fees for a sole proprietor running a prepackaged (Type I) truck, rising to about $1,900 for an LLC running a full-service Type III truck, which pays the $876 license plus a $500 pre-licensing inspection. Local health permits no longer add a separate cost since the statewide DSHS license replaced them on July 1, 2026.

This page covers only the Texas statewide credentials for food trucks. Federal credentials that apply nationwide are on the Food Trucks overview, and each city layers its own permits on top.

Federal requirementsFood Trucks nationwide

The credentials below are the Texas-wide requirements that apply to every food truck in the state. Each city and county layers its own permits, fees, and inspections on top. To see the requirements for a specific city, choose it from the Texas cities list below.

Texas credential overview

Credential	Level	Fee	Renewal
Texas LLC Certificate of Formation	State	$300 one-time, with an optional $25 fee for expedited processing	One-time to form. The entity then files an annual franchise tax report (see below).
Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)	State	$25 to file Form 503 with the Secretary of State, plus a county clerk fee that varies by county (commonly about $15 to $25). Check with your county clerk for the exact amount.	Valid up to 10 years, then renewable for further periods
Texas Sales and Use Tax Permit	State	$0 (free)	No expiration as long as you keep making taxable sales. The Comptroller may close the account if the business stops operating.
Texas Franchise Tax Annual Report	State	$0 to register, and a new truck generally owes no tax because its revenue falls under the no-tax-due threshold ($2,650,000 for the 2026 report year). You must still file the annual report. Late filing carries a $50 penalty.	Annual, due May 15
Texas Food Handler Card	State	About $7 to $15 per employee, paid to the training provider	Every 2 years (the employee retakes the course)
Texas Certified Food Manager (CFM)	State	About $30 to $90 for the exam alone, or roughly $85 to $175 for a training course plus exam. Providers set their own prices; DSHS charges nothing directly.	Every 5 years (retake and pass an approved exam)
Texas Mobile Food Vendor License (DSHS statewide)	State	$309 per year for Type I (prepackaged food only), $618 for Type II (limited prep such as hot dogs or coffee), or $876 for Type III (full cooking, the tier most trucks fall in), per vehicle. Type II and Type III also pay a one-time pre-licensing inspection fee of $400 or $500.	Annual. The license runs one year from the date of the passed pre-licensing inspection.
Central Preparation Facility (Commissary)	Operational	No separate state fee, but you must contract with or own a licensed facility. Commissary rental commonly runs about $250 to $600 per month. Check with local commissaries for current rates.	Ongoing. Keep the facility's most recent inspection report in the truck.
Operating Location Notification	Operational	$0	Ongoing, before each operating shift or event

Texas cities

City and county rules stack on top of the statewide credentials.

Austin, TXTravis County

Each food truck credential in Texas, explained

Grouped by the level of government that issues it, broadest first. Every food truck in Texas needs these regardless of city.

State level

7 credentials

Texas LLC Certificate of Formation

You form a Texas LLC by filing Form 205 with the Secretary of State and paying $300. This is optional if you operate as a sole proprietor, but most operators form an entity for liability protection. If the truck runs under a name other than the exact entity name, you also file an Assumed Name Certificate.

Issued by: Texas Secretary of State
Fee: $300 one-time, with an optional $25 fee for expedited processing
Renewal: One-time to form. The entity then files an annual franchise tax report (see below).
Processing: About 3 to 5 business days online through SOSDirect, or next business day with the expedited fee

Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)

Required if you do business under any name other than your legal name or your exact registered entity name. An LLC or corporation files in two places: the Secretary of State and the county clerk where it operates. A sole proprietor files only with the county clerk.

Issued by: Texas Secretary of State (Form 503) and your county clerk; sole proprietors file with the county clerk only
Fee: $25 to file Form 503 with the Secretary of State, plus a county clerk fee that varies by county (commonly about $15 to $25). Check with your county clerk for the exact amount.
Renewal: Valid up to 10 years, then renewable for further periods
Processing: About 1 to 3 business days for the state filing; county clerk timing varies

Texas Sales and Use Tax Permit

You must hold this permit before your first sale. Prepared and ready-to-eat food sold from a truck is taxable in Texas. The state rate is 6.25 percent, and local jurisdictions can add up to 2 percent for a combined maximum of 8.25 percent. You file returns even in periods with no sales.

Issued by: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Fee: $0 (free)
Renewal: No expiration as long as you keep making taxable sales. The Comptroller may close the account if the business stops operating.
Processing: A few days online, or about 2 to 4 weeks if you file the paper application

Texas Franchise Tax Annual Report

Every Texas LLC or corporation is subject to the franchise tax. Below the no-tax-due threshold you owe nothing, but you must still file a Public Information Report each year listing your officers and managers. Skipping it can cost you the right to do business in Texas and lead to administrative dissolution. Sole proprietors are not subject to the franchise tax.

Issued by: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Fee: $0 to register, and a new truck generally owes no tax because its revenue falls under the no-tax-due threshold ($2,650,000 for the 2026 report year). You must still file the annual report. Late filing carries a $50 penalty.
Renewal: Annual, due May 15
Processing: Immediate when you file online through WebFile

Texas Food Handler Card

Every food employee must complete an accredited food handler course. State guidance ranges from 30 to 60 days after hire, so treat 30 days as the safe deadline. Cards from accredited providers are recognized statewide. A certified food manager does not need a separate food handler card.

Issued by: DSHS-accredited or ANAB-accredited training providers (the provider issues the card, not DSHS directly)
Fee: About $7 to $15 per employee, paid to the training provider
Renewal: Every 2 years (the employee retakes the course)
Processing: Same day. Most online courses take under two hours and the card downloads on passing.

Texas Certified Food Manager (CFM)

At least one employee with supervisory authority over food preparation must be a certified food manager who has passed an approved exam. This applies to trucks that handle open, unpackaged time and temperature controlled foods, which is most full-service trucks. Certificates from ANSI-CFP providers carry national reciprocity.

Issued by: DSHS-approved or ANSI-CFP accredited exam providers (ServSafe, StateFoodSafety, Learn2Serve, and others)
Fee: About $30 to $90 for the exam alone, or roughly $85 to $175 for a training course plus exam. Providers set their own prices; DSHS charges nothing directly.
Renewal: Every 5 years (retake and pass an approved exam)
Processing: Often same day for online exams, with the certificate issued on passing

Texas Mobile Food Vendor License (DSHS statewide)

Under House Bill 2844 (effective July 1, 2026), every mobile food vendor in Texas holds one statewide DSHS license that authorizes operation in any city or county. It replaces the old patchwork of local health permits. DSHS sorts trucks into three risk tiers by how much food prep they do. A truck with a valid prior local permit may keep operating while it awaits inspection; a brand-new truck cannot operate until it passes the pre-licensing inspection. Local zoning, fire, and time-and-place rules still apply.

Issued by: Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Retail Food Safety Operations Branch
Fee: $309 per year for Type I (prepackaged food only), $618 for Type II (limited prep such as hot dogs or coffee), or $876 for Type III (full cooking, the tier most trucks fall in), per vehicle. Type II and Type III also pay a one-time pre-licensing inspection fee of $400 or $500.
Renewal: Annual. The license runs one year from the date of the passed pre-licensing inspection.
Processing: Plan on several weeks for DSHS to process the application and schedule the pre-licensing inspection. Expect longer waits through late 2026 as operators statewide transition to the new system.

Operational level

2 credentials

Central Preparation Facility (Commissary)

A mobile food vendor must operate from a licensed central preparation facility for fresh water, wastewater disposal, food storage, and equipment cleaning, unless the truck qualifies for an exemption. To skip the commissary, you must prove to DSHS that the truck is fully self-contained, and the burden of proof is on you. A full-service cooking truck rarely qualifies. A private residence cannot serve as the facility.

Issued by: DSHS, enforced through Mobile Food Vendor licensing and inspection
Fee: No separate state fee, but you must contract with or own a licensed facility. Commissary rental commonly runs about $250 to $600 per month. Check with local commissaries for current rates.
Renewal: Ongoing. Keep the facility's most recent inspection report in the truck.
Processing: Not applicable; this is an ongoing requirement

Operating Location Notification

A new duty under the 2026 statewide rules. You must make your planned operating locations known, through social media, your own website, or direct notice to DSHS, so the state can run random routine inspections. There was no equivalent under the old local-permit system.

Issued by: Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS)
Fee: $0
Renewal: Ongoing, before each operating shift or event
Processing: Not applicable; this is an ongoing posting duty

See how other food trucks in Texas are managing every permit, license, and renewal in one place with CredentiAlert.

Texas-specific things to watch for

1Texas overhauled food truck permitting on July 1, 2026. Under House Bill 2844, local health departments no longer issue mobile food permits, so older guides telling you to get a permit from Austin Public Health or a county health department are out of date. Every truck now carries one DSHS statewide Mobile Food Vendor License instead.

2The commissary requirement did not go away. The default rule still requires operating from a licensed central preparation facility for water, waste, storage, and cleaning. You only skip it if you can prove to DSHS the truck is fully self-contained, and a full-service cooking truck rarely qualifies. You cannot use your home.

3Being under the franchise tax threshold does not mean you can skip filing. A new truck owes no franchise tax below the no-tax-due threshold ($2,650,000 for the 2026 report year), but you must still file a Public Information Report every year by May 15. Miss it and the state can revoke your right to do business.

4The DBA filing is two stops for an LLC or corporation. You file an Assumed Name Certificate with both the Secretary of State ($25) and the county clerk where you operate. A sole proprietor files only with the county clerk. Many operators file in just one place and end up out of compliance.

5The food handler card and the manager certificate are separate, and you need both. One certified food manager per truck does not cover the rest of the crew. Every other food employee still needs their own food handler card, renewed every two years.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a food truck permit in Texas?

The statewide DSHS Mobile Food Vendor License costs $309 a year for Type I (prepackaged only), $618 for Type II (limited prep), or $876 for Type III (full cooking), per vehicle. Type II and Type III add a one-time pre-licensing inspection fee of $400 or $500, so a typical full-service Type III truck starts at about $1,376 for the state license. Local health departments no longer charge their own mobile food permit. Separate costs include LLC formation ($300), a free sales tax permit, manager certification (about $85 to $175), and food handler cards (about $7 to $15 each).

Do you need a license to sell food from a truck in Texas?

Yes. You need a DSHS Mobile Food Vendor License and a free Texas Sales and Use Tax Permit from the Comptroller. If you operate as an LLC or corporation, register it with the Secretary of State. Every food employee needs a food handler card within 30 days of hire, and at least one person on a truck handling open foods must be a certified food manager.

Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Texas?

In most cases, yes. State rules require operating from a licensed central preparation facility where the truck loads water, dumps waste, stores food, and cleans equipment. You can skip it only if you document to DSHS that the truck is fully self-contained, which full-service cooking trucks rarely manage. You cannot use a private residence.

Can one permit cover the whole state of Texas?

Yes, as of July 1, 2026. Under House Bill 2844, the DSHS Mobile Food Vendor License lets you operate in any Texas city or county, and local health departments can no longer require a separate mobile food permit. You still have to follow each city's zoning, fire, and time-and-place rules for where and when you can park.

You just read through every credential your food truck needs in Texas.

Each one has a different renewal date, a different fee, and a different agency. CredentiAlert tracks all of them and reminds you before any of them lapse, so you can spend your time running your business, not managing a renewal calendar.

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Official sources

Last verified 2026-06-15. Requirements change. Always confirm with the issuing department before applying.