Permits

Journal

News, field notes, and practical guidance for Texas food vendors.

June 4, 2026

Texas Mobile Food Vendor Applications Are Now Open: What Vendors Need to Know Before July 1

Texas mobile food vendors have a new permit path to pay attention to. As of today, June 4, 2026, the Texas Department of State Health Services has made the Mobile Food Vendor application available through DSHS Online Licensing Services. The statewide licensing change takes effect July 1, 2026, and vendors should not wait until the […]

May 21, 2026

Permits, City by City: A Texas Vendor’s Field Guide

Austin, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Fort Worth — five cities, five very different rulebooks. Here’s what you need before you fire up the grill. Texas has no statewide mobile-food-vendor permit. Every city — and most counties — write their own rules, fees, and inspection schedules. The result is a patchwork that punishes vendors who assume […]