Galveston County
Galveston County Health District, Environmental Health Services
In short
Galveston County Health District, Environmental Health Services issues 7 permits we publish for Galveston County, last verified 2026-08-25. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.
What this agency issues
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Food Establishment Permit | Galveston County Health District, Environmental Health Services | $258–$773 per year, by gross annual food sales | 1 year | 2026-08-25 |
| Septic Subdivision and Groundwater Reviewonly if it applies to you | Galveston County Health District, Environmental Health Services | $20–$150 per lot or per review | per review | 2026-08-25 |
| Farmer and Producer Farmers Market Food Permitonly if it applies to you | Galveston County Health District, Environmental Health Services | $100 per year | 1 year | 2026-08-25 |
| Food Service Establishment Plan Review | Galveston County Health District, Environmental Health Services | $250 per review | per review | 2026-08-25 |
| Temporary Food Permitonly if it applies to you | Galveston County Health District, Environmental Health Services | $52–$200 single or multiple events | 14 consecutive days per event; the multiple-event permit runs 1 year | 2026-08-25 |
| Commercial On-Site Sewage Facility Permitonly if it applies to you | Galveston County Health District, Environmental Health Services | $510 per permit | per permit | 2026-08-25 |
| Food Establishment Reinspectiononly if it applies to you | Galveston County Health District, Environmental Health Services | $100 per reinspection | per inspection | 2026-08-25 |
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
Retail Food Establishment Permit
Three bands on gross annual volume of food sales: $258 up to $49,999.99, $515 from $50,000 to $149,999.99 and $773 at $150,000 or more. The district states the reason beside each line — Senate Bill 1008 limits an annual local permit fee to no more than DSHS would charge for a similar permit on a biennial basis. That is worth knowing generally, not just here: if a Texas jurisdiction quotes you more than $773 a year for a straightforward retail food permit, the statute is a fair thing to ask about.
Septic Subdivision and Groundwater Review
$20 per lot or tract for a subdivision of five or fewer, and $100 plus $5 a lot for six or more. A groundwater review — the charge to establish whether groundwater is present, which the schedule ties specifically to the Bolivar and Galveston area — is $100, and a variance request $150. On a low-lying coastal site the groundwater review is the step that decides what kind of system is possible, so it belongs early in a feasibility study rather than late in a permit application.
Farmer and Producer Farmers Market Food Permit
$100 a year and — this is the part worth knowing — the permit is valid at ALL farmers markets in Galveston County, not at one. A producer trading at three markets holds one permit. The $100 is not the county's choice either: Senate Bill 932 added section 437.0065 to the Health and Safety Code capping what a jurisdiction may charge a farmer or producer selling at a farmers market, and the county charges the cap. A group day home inspection, which the schedule offers as a service it is not required to provide, is $75.
Food Service Establishment Plan Review
$250 to review proposed plans and conduct the construction inspection. The district is explicit that Chapter 437 is what allows a health district to charge for reviewing planning materials, and that this is an administrative fee to cover that cost — a useful distinction, because it is not part of the permit and is not refunded if the project does not proceed.
Temporary Food Permit
$52 for a single event, defined as no more than 14 consecutive days in conjunction with one celebration. $200 buys a multiple-event permit valid for one individual booth or unit across as many events as you like for a year, provided no single event exceeds 14 consecutive days. Both are capped by SB 1008. Note the wording of the multiple permit — it attaches to one booth or unit, not to the business, so a two-stall operation needs two.
Commercial On-Site Sewage Facility Permit
$510, which the schedule says includes the $10 state septic charge — so the county keeps $500. A residential system is $310 on the same basis. Reinspection after a failed construction inspection is $250, and the schedule explains the arithmetic: it is half the original permit fee. A one-off $125 maintenance agreement fee applies to an aerobic system. This is the permit that governs whether premises outside a sewer district can open, and on Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula that is a large share of the county.
Food Establishment Reinspection
$100 per reinspection, approved by the Board of Health. The late fee beside it escalates in one step rather than monthly: $50 if the permit is not paid by the due date, and $100 if it is still unpaid thirty days after. Diarise the renewal — the jump doubles the penalty on day thirty-one.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- Galveston County
- Phone
- Not verified — use the website
- Website
- www.gchd.org/
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.
- Galveston County Health District Environmental Health Services Fees, effective 1 October 2025 (filed with Texas DSHS 3 November 2025)Galveston County Health District, filed with Texas Department of State Health Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-25
- Galveston County Health District food establishment orderGalveston County Health District, filed with Texas Department of State Health Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-25
The full permit list for this jurisdiction
Industry permit lists that include this agency
- Restaurants in Galveston County
- Coffee shops in Galveston County
- Retail stores in Galveston County
- Food trucks in Galveston County
- Fitness studios in Galveston County
- Childcare centres in Galveston County
- Contractors and trades in Galveston County
- Auto repair shops in Galveston County
- Veterinary clinics in Galveston County
Texas jurisdictions
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.