McLennan County
Waco-McLennan County Public Health District — Environmental Health Division
In short
Waco-McLennan County Public Health District — Environmental Health Division issues 5 permits we publish for McLennan County, last verified 2026-10-26. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Establishment Permit (Unincorporated McLennan County) | Waco-McLennan County Public Health District — Environmental Health Division | $258–$685 per establishment per year, by risk category: Low $258, Medium $475, High $685 | one year; renewal required annually (Order section 3) | 2026-10-26 |
| Food Permit Reinspection, Late Payment, Reinstatement and Review Chargesonly if it applies to you | Waco-McLennan County Public Health District — Environmental Health Division | Per the Environmental Health Fee Schedule, effective September 1, 2025, and the District's Food Establishments page: reinspection (food, pool/spa) $200; late payment $100; additional pre-opening or consultation visit $150 (one free per establishment); reinstatement of a suspended permit $350, separate from the reinspection fee; variance/HACCP evaluation $150. | per event | 2026-10-26 |
| Temporary Food Permitonly if it applies to you | Waco-McLennan County Public Health District — Environmental Health Division | Per the Environmental Health Fee Schedule, effective September 1, 2025, and the District's Food Establishments page: single event of 1-14 days $52; single event, late submittal (less than 3 business days before the event) $104; multi-event annual permit $200. | single event of 1-14 days, or one year for the multi-event annual permit | 2026-10-26 |
| Public and Semi-Public Pool and Spa Permitonly if it applies to you | Waco-McLennan County Public Health District — Environmental Health Division | $250 per separate circulation system, per year | one year ("valid for one year unless revoked or suspended") | 2026-10-26 |
| Childcare and Adult Care Sanitation Inspection | Waco-McLennan County Public Health District — Environmental Health Division | $175–$250 per General Sanitization Inspection: Level 1 $250, Level 2 $175 | annual inspection | 2026-10-26 |
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
Food Establishment Permit (Unincorporated McLennan County)
The McLennan County Commissioners Court's Amended Order Regarding the Regulation of Food Establishments, passed June 2, 2026 by a 4-0 vote, "applies to the unincorporated areas of McLennan County" and appoints the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District as the regulatory authority. Section 2 states that "A person may not operate a food establishment in the unincorporated areas of McLennan County, Texas, without a permit issued by the regulatory authority", requires the permit to be conspicuously posted, and exempts an establishment operated solely by a nonprofit organization. Section 3 requires annual renewal (temporary permits excepted) and an inspection before an initial or renewal permit is approved. Per the District's Environmental Health Fee Schedule, effective September 1, 2025, as filed in the Texas DSHS registry and shown on the District's Food Establishments page, the permit is $258 for Low Risk, $475 for Medium Risk and $685 for High Risk. The District's application asks for checks payable to "City of Waco" and states "Permits and fees are non-transferable and non refundable". Operating without the permit is a Class C misdemeanor under Health and Safety Code section 437.016, each day a separate offense (Order section 5). Mobile food vendors are licensed by Texas DSHS from July 1, 2026, per the District's Mobile Food Vendors page.
Food Permit Reinspection, Late Payment, Reinstatement and Review Charges
These charges sit on top of the annual food establishment permit. Per the District's Environmental Health Fee Schedule, effective September 1, 2025, and its Food Establishments page, a reinspection is $200, a late payment $100, an additional pre-opening or consultation visit $150 (one is free per establishment), reinstatement of a suspended permit $350 and a variance/HACCP evaluation $150. The schedule states that the reinstatement charge is separate from the reinspection fee, and section 5 of the county's amended food order says a suspended permit may be reinstated upon application, correction of all violations, payment of the reinspection fee and verification by reinspection. Section 6 of the order says a reinspection fee is charged when an establishment fails to correct inspection items or imminent health hazards, fails to correct violations from a previous routine inspection, or scores more than 30 demerits.
Temporary Food Permit
A food booth at a fair, festival or other special event in the District's area needs a temporary food permit from the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District. Per the District's Environmental Health Fee Schedule, effective September 1, 2025, and its Food Establishments page, a single event of 1 to 14 days is $52, the same permit submitted less than 3 business days before the event is $104, and a multi-event annual permit is $200. The county's amended food order of June 2, 2026 excepts temporary permits from its annual renewal rule. The District's Food Establishments page lists temporary food booths at special events among the places its Environmental Health Division inspects.
Public and Semi-Public Pool and Spa Permit
The District's Pool-Spa page states that "Public pools and spas throughout McLennan County are permitted and inspected each year", naming fitness clubs among the typical locations. Its fee section, effective September 1, 2025, lists Public/Semi-public at $250.00, a fee "for each separate circulation system", and the District's Pool/Spa Permit Application says "The annual permit fee is $250.00 per separate circulation system" and that the permit "shall be valid for one year unless revoked or suspended". The application refers to compliance with "local city ordinances or County order" and asks for checks payable to "City of Waco". A fitness studio without a pool or spa has no pool permit; one with a pool and a separate spa pays for each circulation system.
Childcare and Adult Care Sanitation Inspection
The District's Childcare, Adoptive & Foster Care Inspections page states that its Environmental Health Division "conducts annual sanitation inspections of licensed childcare facilities", following the guidelines of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission's Child Care Regulatory Services Division. The page's fee schedule, effective September 1, 2025, and the District's Environmental Health Fee Schedule list the Childcare/Adult Care General Sanitization Inspection at Level 1 $250.00 and Level 2 $175.00. The facility applies on the District's Child Care - Adult Care - Foster Inspection Application; contact the Environmental Health Division at (254) 750-5464 to confirm which level applies. The childcare license itself is a separate state requirement.
Contact
- Jurisdiction
- McLennan County
- Phone
- (254) 750-5464
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.
- AMENDED ORDER REGARDING THE REGULATION OF FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS INCLUDING FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS AND RETAIL FOOD STORES (McLennan County Commissioners Court, June 2, 2026)McLennan County Commissioners Court (posted by the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Child Care - Adult Care -Foster Inspection ApplicationWaco-McLennan County Public Health District · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Childcare, Adoptive & Foster Care InspectionsWaco-McLennan County Public Health District · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Environmental Health Fee Schedule, Effective September 1, 2025Waco-McLennan County Public Health District (via Texas DSHS Local Ordinance and Fee Schedule Registry) · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Food Establishment Permit ApplicationWaco-McLennan County Public Health District · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Food Establishments — Overview & Fees, effective 1 September 2025Waco-McLennan County Public Health District · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-24
- Pool/Spa Permit ApplicationWaco-McLennan County Public Health District · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
- Pools & SpasWaco-McLennan County Public Health District · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-26
Other offices serving McLennan County
The full permit list for this jurisdiction
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