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Cameron County

Cameron County Public Health, Environmental Health Program

In short

Cameron County Public Health, Environmental Health Program issues 3 permits we publish for Cameron County, last verified 2026-10-19. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Annual Food Service Permit (food service establishments and retail food stores)Cameron County Public Health, Environmental Health Program$150 per permit, per type of operation, per year; non-refundable; as stated in item 13 of the county's Establishment Applicationannual; an annual inspection and a six-month inspection are required to renew before the expiration date on the permit2026-10-19
Temporary Food Establishment Permitonly if it applies to youCameron County Public Health, Environmental Health Program$25.00 for one day; $50.00 for 2 to 14 days. Non-refundable, payable to the Cameron County Imprest Fund, as stated in item 10 of the county's Temporary Food Establishment Permit requirements (Revised 06/26/2023).one day, or 2 to 14 days per event; the permit cannot exceed 14 days2026-10-19
On-Site Sewage Facility (Septic) Permitonly if it applies to youCameron County Public Health, Environmental Health Program$120 OSSF permit application fee, non-refundable, as stated in the county's Conventional System Instructions 06.21.2022; the TCEQ fee in the county OSSF order is stated separatelyone year; the Conventional System Instructions state that the permit is non-transferable and valid only one year2026-10-19

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Annual Food Service Permit (food service establishments and retail food stores)

Cameron County Public Health's Environmental Health Program, 1390 W. Expressway 83, San Benito, (956) 247-3599, permits food service establishments and retail food stores; its Establishment Application names restaurants, cafeterias, hamburger and taco stands, day care centers and retail food stores. Item 13 of that application, linked from the county's current Eating & Drinking page, states: "The annual health permit fee for each type of operation is $150.00", non-refundable, with an annual and a six-month inspection required to renew. The order adopting the fee is not posted on the county website, so the figure is given as the county form states it. Health and Safety Code section 437.003 lets a commissioners court require this permit in unincorporated areas, including a city's extraterritorial jurisdiction. The application asks a business located within a municipality to obtain a signed letter from the city allowing it to operate and to submit it with the application. It also requires plans approved by the county, a certificate of occupancy, a fire inspection, a water and sewer letter or septic probe letter, and certified food manager and food handler certificates.

Temporary Food Establishment Permit

A business selling food at a temporary event applies to Cameron County Public Health's Environmental Health Program in San Benito, (956) 247-3599. The county's Temporary Food Establishment Permit requirements sheet, Revised 06/26/2023 and linked from the current Eating & Drinking page, states: "The Temporary health permit fee for one day is $25.00 or $50.00 for 2-14 days (permit cannot exceed 14 days)." The fees are non-refundable, and the sheet states that all applications must be submitted 72 hours before the event. The applicant submits a menu, food receipts from approved sources (food prepared in a private home is not allowed) and lists of the people cooking, serving and collecting money. A booth within a municipality needs a signed letter from the city allowing it to operate. Health and Safety Code section 437.007 states: "A county or public health district may not require a nonprofit organization to obtain a permit."

On-Site Sewage Facility (Septic) Permit

A business site served by a septic system needs an on-site sewage facility permit from Cameron County Public Health's Environmental Health Program, (956) 247-3599. The county's OSSF order, Order No. 2013010027, passed on October 10, 2013 and approved by the TCEQ Executive Director on November 18, 2013, applies to areas in the county other than those regulated under an existing order, ordinance or resolution; under section 10 a permit is required regardless of acreage, and no utility connection is authorized without OSSF construction authorization. The Conventional System Instructions 06.21.2022, linked from the current OSSF page, list "OSSF Permit Application Fee $120.00 Non-Refundable" and add "FEES SUBJECT TO CHANGE". Separately, the order states: "A fee of $10 will also be collected for each on-site sewage facility permit to be paid to the credit of the TCEQ Water Resources Management Account as required by the THSC, Chapter 367." A food establishment on septic also needs the department's probe letter.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Cameron County
Phone
(956) 247-3599

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. Conventional System Instructions 06.21.2022Cameron County Public Health, Environmental Health Program · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  2. Eating & Drinking (Food Service)Cameron County Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  3. Establishment Application (documents required to process the establishment application)Cameron County Public Health, Environmental Health Program · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  4. On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF)Cameron County Public Health · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  5. Order Adopting Rules of Cameron County, Texas for On-Site Sewage Facilities (Order No. 2013010027; approved by the TCEQ Executive Director November 18, 2013)Cameron County Commissioners Court · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  6. Temporary Food Establishment Permit application requirements (Revised 06/26/2023)Cameron County Public Health, Environmental Health Program · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-19
  7. Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 437, Regulation of Food Service Establishments, Retail Food Stores, Mobile Food Units, and Roadside Food VendorsTexas Legislature · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-28

Other offices serving Cameron County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

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