● New law — in effect since July 1
Texas changed the rules. Which license do you actually need?
Every food truck, trailer and pushcart in Texas now needs a state DSHS license. It runs $309 — or $1,376. It depends on what you do on board, and the state does not spell it out.
Three questions, about 30 seconds. Free, and we don't want your application.
Question 1 of 3
What do you work out of?
This decides whether the new license even applies to you. Most people get this wrong.
Question 2 of 3
Do you cook or prepare food to order on board?
Grilling, frying, chopping, cooking from raw — anything you make fresh for the customer.
Question 3 of 3
Do you handle or hold the food at all?
Reheating, keeping it hot or cold, thawing, shaving ice — or selling anything vacuum-sealed.
One more — and this one is worth $709
Does anything you sell have to be kept hot or cold to stay safe?
The state calls this a "TCS" food — time and temperature control for safety.
Your DSHS license
—
Can you still work this weekend?
This is the one that catches people out, and it's the difference between vending on Saturday and getting sent home. A valid city permit on its own is now worthless — Dallas County says local permits are "not expected to be grandfathered." What matters is which group you're in:
You already hold a Texas city or county mobile food license — you can keep working while DSHS processes you, but only if you do all three: apply through DSHS, pay the fees, and print the application summary and payment receipt and keep them on the vehicle at all times.
You don't hold a current license anywhere in Texas — you cannot operate until your pre-licensing inspection is done and passed. DSHS says it will prioritize these.
You now have to publish where you'll be
Almost nobody is talking about this one, and it has teeth. Texas now requires you to make your planned locations available at least 7 days before the first date on the list. If you can't be found where you said you'd be, DSHS says your license may be subject to suspension or revocation.
The good news: the state expressly lets you satisfy this on your own website or social media. You don't have to file anything with DSHS if you publish it yourself.
Texas Health & Safety Code §437B.154 and 25 TAC §226.8(d). The DSHS database itinerary filing under §437B.060(b) is voluntary — publishing it yourself is not.
The whole fee schedule
The application fee and the pre-licensing inspection are due when you apply. The pre-licensing inspection is a one-time charge — you don't pay it again at renewal.
| Type | Application | Pre-license inspection | Due at application | Routine inspection | Year one, all in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type I | $309 | — | $309 | — | $309 |
| Type II | $618 | $400 | $1,018 | $400 | $1,418 |
| Type III | $876 | $500 | $1,376 | $500 | $1,876 |
Sources: DSHS Mobile Food Vendor Guide (PDF, May 2026) and 25 TAC §226.4(e). The rule sets $300/$600/$850; DSHS adds a Texas.gov fee, which is why you pay $309/$618/$876.
Two things that will cost you money if nobody tells you:
The fees are per vehicle, not per business. Two trailers means two licenses and two full fee stacks.
Changing your type later costs half an application fee — roughly $150, $300 or $425. Which is precisely why it's worth getting the answer right the first time, and why we won't guess for you on the contested case below.
If DSHS doesn't inspect you, you can get that money back
Type II and Type III pre-pay for the year's routine inspections. Almost nobody knows this: Health & Safety Code §437B.155 says that on your request, the department "shall reimburse" you for each inspection you paid for that was not conducted — within 30 days. If they don't show up, ask for it back.
What your city can still make you do
The new state license replaces your local health permit. It does not make you exempt from your city. §437B.101 says you still comply with "all fire codes, location restrictions, and zoning codes" — so fire inspections, zoning, parking and grease disposal all stay local. Austin still wants a certified food manager and a restroom facility agreement.
And here's the twist people miss: your local health department may still be the one inspecting you — now as a contractor for DSHS.
Working festivals only? You still need it.
Vendors keep asking whether a temporary event permit is enough instead. DSHS was asked this repeatedly while writing the rules and said no — twice. If your setup is a food vending vehicle, you need the state license even if you only ever work fairs and festivals.
We're building the thing nobody has
Not another event list — you can already find events. The hard question is which ones are worth working. What the booth actually cost. How many other trucks they let in. Whether the organizer paid up. What people really made.
That only lives in the heads of the vendors who worked it, and it disappears down the feed every week. We're putting it somewhere it stays. Want in early?
No spam, and we will never sell your details to an organizer. Ever.