What permits do you need to open a food truck in Bexar County?

Temporary Food Event Permit

A restaurant, coffee-shop, or food-truck operator running a temporary food stand at an event in unincorporated Bexar County pays $45.00 per stand for the event's 14-day window, separate from and cheaper than the annual Food Service Establishment Permit. This permit is issued by the same Bexar County Environmental Services program under the same state and county food-safety authority as the standing FSE permit. Inside San Antonio or another incorporated city, the applicable city health department issues the temporary-event permit instead. Contact Environmental Services at 210-335-3045 to apply.

Mobile Food Unit (MFU) Health Permit (transferred to the State of Texas)

No fee applies at county level: according to the Texas DSHS overview of HB 2844, local licensing authority is preempted from July 1, 2026, so Bexar County Environmental Services no longer issues a Mobile Food Unit health permit for unincorporated-area food trucks. Texas House Bill 2844 transferred mobile food unit food-safety licensing statewide to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) under new Health and Safety Code Chapter 437B, and DSHS now issues a single statewide Mobile Food Vendor (MFV) license in place of every local county or city health permit. A food-truck operator applies to Texas DSHS for that state license rather than to the county. This transfer covers food-safety licensing only: the Bexar County Fire Marshal's separate Mobile Food Vendor fire-safety operational permit, listed as a separate Bexar County requirement, is unaffected and still applies to food trucks operating in unincorporated Bexar County.

Mobile Food Vendor (MFV) Fire Marshal Operational Permit

Any mobile food unit operating in unincorporated Bexar County needs this fire-safety registration from the Fire Marshal's Office, independent of the food-safety license the operator carries: $200.00 for the annual Mobile Vendor Inspection & Registration and $300.00 for a Mobile Food Inspection performed in the field. This permit covers fire-safety items such as propane and LPG equipment aboard the unit, and it is unaffected by Texas HB 2844's July 1, 2026 transfer of mobile food unit food-safety licensing to Texas DSHS: the state's own rule framework preserves non-conflicting local fire-code permitting even as it took over food-safety licensing, so this Fire Marshal permit continues to apply from Bexar County directly.

Mobile Food Vendor Permit (State)

Since 1 July 2026 one DSHS permit covers every Texas jurisdiction, replacing separate permits from each local health department. Three tiers by food handling: Type I (no time/temperature controlled foods) $309 with no pre-licensing inspection fee; Type II (limited TCS handling) $618 plus a $400 pre-licensing inspection; Type III (full preparation) $876 plus a $500 pre-licensing inspection. The license expires one year from the successfully completed pre-licensing inspection, not from the application date. Temporary food dealer permits could not be issued to mobile vendors in Texas after 30 June 2026.

Shared with other businesses in Bexar County

• Flammable/Combustible Liquid & Fuel System Operational Permits — Bexar County Fire Marshal's Office, Underground or aboveground storage tank (UST/AST) installation or removal: $400.00 each. Underground fuel line or dispensing system installation: $250.00. AST annual renewal: $150.00. Fuel-dispensing facility annual inspection/registration: $150.00., per installation/removal event; AST registration/inspection renews annually. Also required for auto repair shops, restaurants and coffee shops; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
• Mass Gathering Permit — Office of the Bexar County Judge, $500 flat, non-refundable, per event, per event; the complete application packet is required at least 45 days before the event. Also required for restaurants, retail stores and fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.