10 permits · verified 2026-09-29
What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Hidalgo County Tx?
In short
A restaurant in Hidalgo County Tx, TX has 3 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 7 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Texas Secretary of State charges $300 one-time filing for the certificate of formation. 4 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-09-29 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a restaurant in Hidalgo County Tx
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Establishment Permit | Hidalgo County Health & Human Services Department, Environmental Health Division | $200–$250 a year, county fee only, by employee count: $200 for 1-10 employees, $225 for 11-20, $250 for '20+' (labels as posted); schedule effective 2026-02-09 | annual; the June 2026 Rules provide that permits expire annually unless the Commissioners Court establishes otherwise | 2026-09-29 |
| Food Establishment Inspection, Late, Amendment, Replacement and School Feesonly if it applies to you | Hidalgo County Health & Human Services Department, Environmental Health Division | Inspection $100; re-inspection $100; late fee $50; permit amendment $100; replacement of permit $25; educational institution/school inspections $200 a year including two inspections. County fees, schedule effective 2026-02-09. | per occurrence; school inspections annual | 2026-09-29 |
| County Clerk Wet/Dry Certification for TABC Applicantsonly if it applies to you | Hidalgo County Clerk | No fee | certification issued on request as part of a TABC application | 2026-09-29 |
| Mixed Beverage Permit (MB)only if it applies to you | Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission | $2,650–$5,300 per two-year period; $5,300 original, $2,650 renewal | every 2 years | 2026-08-21 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Hidalgo County Tx
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-Site Sewage Facility (Septic) Authorizationonly if it applies to you | Hidalgo County Health & Human Services Department, Environmental Health Division | No fee | one-time per installation | 2026-09-29 |
| County Development Permit, Commercial and Industrial (Unincorporated Areas) | Hidalgo County Planning Department, Permitting Division | Varies — formula on the Hidalgo County Tx page | one-time per project | 2026-09-29 |
| Fire Marshal Plan Review and Inspection (Unincorporated Areas)only if it applies to you | Hidalgo County Fire Marshal | No fee | per project; fire inspection renewals by appointment | 2026-09-29 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
TX registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Formationonly if it applies to you | Texas Secretary of State | $300 one-time filing | no expiry | 2026-08-20 |
| Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)only if it applies to you | Texas Secretary of State | $25 one-time filing | up to ten years, renewable | 2026-08-21 |
| Texas Sales and Use Tax Permit | Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts | No fee — there is no fee for this permit | no expiry while actively engaged in business | 2026-08-21 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
How much does it actually cost to permit a restaurant in Hidalgo County Tx?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 10 records listed for a restaurant in Hidalgo County Tx, TX, 3 apply to every business of this type and 7 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
Of the 3 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $0.00. That is a floor, not a total. 4 of the 10 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 3 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Food Establishment Permit: $200–$250 a year, county fee only, by employee count: $200 for 1-10 employees, $225 for 11-20, $250 for '20+' (labels as posted); schedule effective 2026-02-09
Food Establishment Inspection, Late, Amendment, Replacement and School Fees: Inspection $100; re-inspection $100; late fee $50; permit amendment $100; replacement of permit $25; educational institution/school inspections $200 a year including two inspections. County fees, schedule effective 2026-02-09.
Mixed Beverage Permit (MB): $2,650–$5,300 per two-year period; $5,300 original, $2,650 renewal
The other 1 variable fee belongs to permits that apply to every type of business here; its formula is set out on the Hidalgo County Tx permits page and the TX state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Hidalgo County Tx?
Permits for a restaurant in Hidalgo County Tx, TX come from 7 separate offices: Hidalgo County Health & Human Services Department, Environmental Health Division, Hidalgo County Planning Department, Permitting Division, Hidalgo County Fire Marshal, Hidalgo County Clerk, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Texas Secretary of State, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- Hidalgo County Health & Human Services Department, Environmental Health DivisionIssues 3 permits on this page: On-Site Sewage Facility (Septic) Authorization, Food Establishment Permit, Food Establishment Inspection, Late, Amendment, Replacement and School Fees1304 S. 25th Ave, Edinburg, TX · 956-383-0111www.hchd.org/156/Food-Regulation
- Hidalgo County Planning Department, Permitting DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: County Development Permit, Commercial and Industrial (Unincorporated Areas)2818 S. Business Hwy 281, Edinburg, TX · 956-318-2840www.hidalgocounty.us/261/Planning
- Hidalgo County Fire MarshalIssues 1 permit on this page: Fire Marshal Plan Review and Inspection (Unincorporated Areas)2814 S. Business Hwy 281, Edinburg, TX · 956-318-2656www.hidalgocounty.us/92/Fire-Marshal
- Hidalgo County ClerkIssues 1 permit on this page: County Clerk Wet/Dry Certification for TABC Applicants100 N. Closner, Edinburg, TXwww.hidalgocounty.us
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage CommissionIssues 1 permit on this page: Mixed Beverage Permit (MB)www.tabc.texas.gov
- Texas Secretary of StateIssues 2 permits on this page: Certificate of Formation, Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)www.sos.state.tx.us
- Texas Comptroller of Public AccountsIssues 1 permit on this page: Texas Sales and Use Tax Permitcomptroller.texas.gov/taxes/permit
What does a restaurant need in Hidalgo County Tx that other businesses do not?
1 of the 4 permits particular to a restaurant here applies to no other business type we cover in Hidalgo County Tx: Mixed Beverage Permit (MB).
Mixed Beverage Permit (MB)
Read directly from the TABC two-year licensing fee schedule: Mixed Beverage Permit (MB) $5,300 original, $2,650 renewal, charged on a two-year cycle. A Wine and Malt Beverage Retailer's Permit (BG) is $1,900 if you do not need spirits. Note a widely-cited competitor lists $6,006 for this permit, which does not appear in the TABC schedule.
Shared with other businesses in Hidalgo County Tx
- Food Establishment Permit — Hidalgo County Health & Human Services Department, Environmental Health Division, $200–$250 a year, county fee only, by employee count: $200 for 1-10 employees, $225 for 11-20, $250 for '20+' (labels as posted); schedule effective 2026-02-09, annual; the June 2026 Rules provide that permits expire annually unless the Commissioners Court establishes otherwise. Also required for coffee shops, retail stores and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.
- Food Establishment Inspection, Late, Amendment, Replacement and School Fees — Hidalgo County Health & Human Services Department, Environmental Health Division, Inspection $100; re-inspection $100; late fee $50; permit amendment $100; replacement of permit $25; educational institution/school inspections $200 a year including two inspections. County fees, schedule effective 2026-02-09., per occurrence; school inspections annual. Also required for coffee shops, retail stores and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the childcare centres page.
- County Clerk Wet/Dry Certification for TABC Applicants — Hidalgo County Clerk, No fee, certification issued on request as part of a TABC application. Also required for coffee shops, retail stores and fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios page.
The other 3 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Hidalgo County Tx, TX; what each one involves is set out on the Hidalgo County Tx permits page. The 3 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across TX and are covered on the TX state page.
How does a restaurant compare with other businesses in Hidalgo County Tx?
The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 3 of these permits. A restaurant also needs Mixed Beverage Permit (MB). A coffee shop needs nothing here that a restaurant does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a restaurant | Only a restaurant needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee shops | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Retail stores | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Childcare centres | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Fitness studios | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Auto repair shops | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Contractors and trades | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Food trucks | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
Sources
Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the retail stores page, childcare centres page and fitness studios page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Hidalgo County Tx permits page and the TX state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- Two-Year Licensing Fees — TABCTexas Alcoholic Beverage Commission · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-22
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.