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10 permits · verified 2026-10-26

What permits do you need to open a restaurant in Mclennan County?

In short

A restaurant in Mclennan County, TX has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 8 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. 7 of the 10 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-26 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a restaurant in Mclennan County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
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 $685one year; renewal required annually (Order section 3)2026-10-26
Food Permit Reinspection, Late Payment, Reinstatement and Review Chargesonly if it applies to youWaco-McLennan County Public Health District — Environmental Health DivisionPer 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 event2026-10-26
Temporary Food Permitonly if it applies to youWaco-McLennan County Public Health District — Environmental Health DivisionPer 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 permit2026-10-26
TABC License: County Clerk Wet-Area Certificationonly if it applies to youMcLennan County Clerk — ProbateNo county charge is stated in the County Clerk's FAQ for the certification; the FAQ directs applicants to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for the license itself.per TABC application2026-10-26
Mixed Beverage Permit (MB)only if it applies to youTexas Alcoholic Beverage Commission$2,650–$5,300 per two-year period; $5,300 original, $2,650 renewalevery 2 years2026-08-21

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 Mclennan County

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
On-Site Sewage Facility (Septic) Permit — Commercial/Non-Single-Familyonly if it applies to youWaco-McLennan County Public Health District — On-Site Sewage Facilities ProgramVaries — formula on the Mclennan County pageone-time, per system installed or repaired2026-10-26
Floodplain Development Permit (Unincorporated McLennan County)only if it applies to youMcLennan County Engineer's OfficeVaries — formula on the Mclennan County pageper project2026-10-26

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

TX registrations that apply to every type of business

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Certificate of Formationonly if it applies to youTexas Secretary of State$300 one-time filingno expiry2026-08-20
Assumed Name Certificate (DBA)only if it applies to youTexas Secretary of State$25 one-time filingup to ten years, renewable2026-08-21
Texas Sales and Use Tax PermitTexas Comptroller of Public AccountsNo fee — there is no fee for this permitno expiry while actively engaged in business2026-08-21

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 Mclennan County?

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 Mclennan County, TX, 2 apply to every business of this type and 8 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 2 that always apply, 1 carry a flat fee, coming to $0.00. That is a floor, not a total. 7 of the 10 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 0 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:

Food Establishment Permit (Unincorporated McLennan County): $258–$685 per establishment per year, by risk category: Low $258, Medium $475, High $685

Food Permit Reinspection, Late Payment, Reinstatement and Review Charges: 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.

Temporary Food Permit: 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.

TABC License: County Clerk Wet-Area Certification: No county charge is stated in the County Clerk's FAQ for the certification; the FAQ directs applicants to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for the license itself.

Mixed Beverage Permit (MB): $2,650–$5,300 per two-year period; $5,300 original, $2,650 renewal

The other 2 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Mclennan County permits page and the TX state page.

Which offices issue these permits in Mclennan County?

Permits for a restaurant in Mclennan County, TX come from 7 separate offices: Waco-McLennan County Public Health District — Environmental Health Division, Waco-McLennan County Public Health District — On-Site Sewage Facilities Program, McLennan County Engineer's Office, McLennan County Clerk — Probate, 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.

What does a restaurant need in Mclennan County that other businesses do not?

1 of the 5 permits particular to a restaurant here applies to no other business type we cover in Mclennan County: Mixed Beverage Permit (MB).

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.

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 Mclennan County

  • 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). Also required for coffee shops, retail stores and childcare centres; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • Temporary Food Permit — 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. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • TABC License: County Clerk Wet-Area Certification — McLennan County Clerk — Probate, No county charge is stated in the County Clerk's FAQ for the certification; the FAQ directs applicants to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission for the license itself., per TABC application. Also required for retail stores; what it involves is set out on the retail stores page.

The other 2 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Mclennan County, TX; what each one involves is set out on the Mclennan County 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 Mclennan County?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 3 of these permits. A restaurant also needs TABC License: County Clerk Wet-Area Certification and Mixed Beverage Permit (MB). A coffee shop needs nothing here that a restaurant does not.

Permits particular to each business type in Mclennan County, TX, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops3320
Retail stores3320
Childcare centres4232
Food trucks2141
Auto repair shops0050
Contractors and trades2052
Fitness studios2052
Salons and barbers1051
Veterinary clinics1051

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 coffee shops page and retail stores page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Mclennan County permits page and the TX state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. 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
  2. Food Establishments — Overview & Fees, effective 1 September 2025Waco-McLennan County Public Health District · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-24
  3. 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
  4. 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.