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8 permits · verified 2026-08-25

What permits do you need to open a restaurant in South Plains?

In short

A restaurant in South Plains, TX has 2 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 6 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. 5 of the 8 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-08-25 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.

Permits particular to a restaurant in South Plains

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Temporary Event Permitonly if it applies to youSouth Plains Public Health District, Environmental Health Services$50 for each of the first two days, then $25 for each additional dayper event2026-08-25
Food Service Establishment PermitSouth Plains Public Health District, Environmental Health Services$300–$500 per year, by risk band1 year2026-08-25
On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF) Inspectiononly if it applies to youSouth Plains Public Health District, Environmental Health Services$200–$400 by inspection typenot stated in the published schedule2026-08-25
Food Establishment Re-inspection Feeonly if it applies to youSouth Plains Public Health District, Environmental Health Services$125–$145 escalating by attemptper inspection2026-08-25
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.

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 South Plains?

There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 8 records listed for a restaurant in South Plains, TX, 2 apply to every business of this type and 6 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. 5 of the 8 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:

Temporary Event Permit: $50 for each of the first two days, then $25 for each additional day

Food Service Establishment Permit: $300–$500 per year, by risk band

On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF) Inspection: $200–$400 by inspection type

Food Establishment Re-inspection Fee: $125–$145 escalating by attempt

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

Which offices issue these permits in South Plains?

Permits for a restaurant in South Plains, TX come from 4 separate offices: South Plains Public Health District, Environmental Health Services, 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 South Plains that other businesses do not?

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

Food Service Establishment Permit

Three risk bands, and the district defines each one by what it buys rather than by an abstract category: Risk 1 is $300 for one inspection a year, Risk 2 is $400 for two, Risk 3 is $500 for three. Follow-up inspections carry no fee at all, which is unusual and worth knowing — most jurisdictions here charge $75 to $200 a visit. Schools pay nothing, a non-profit nursing home pays nothing and a for-profit one pays $250. If your premises is inside the Lubbock city limits this is the wrong regulator: the city runs its own schedule from $100.

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 South Plains

  • Temporary Event Permit — South Plains Public Health District, Environmental Health Services, $50 for each of the first two days, then $25 for each additional day, per event. Also required for coffee shops and food trucks; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
  • On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF) Inspection — South Plains Public Health District, Environmental Health Services, $200–$400 by inspection type, not stated in the published schedule. Also required for contractors and trades and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the contractors and trades page.
  • Food Establishment Re-inspection Fee — South Plains Public Health District, Environmental Health Services, $125–$145 escalating by attempt, per inspection. Also required for coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops 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 South Plains?

The closest match is a coffee shop, which shares 3 of these permits. A restaurant also needs On-Site Sewage Facility (OSSF) Inspection and Mixed Beverage Permit (MB). A coffee shop needs nothing here that a restaurant does not.

Permits particular to each business type in South Plains, TX, compared with a restaurant
BusinessIts own permitsShared with a restaurantOnly a restaurant needsOnly it needs
Coffee shops3320
Retail stores3320
Contractors and trades2141
Food trucks2141
Childcare centres2052

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 contractors and trades page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the South Plains permits page and the TX state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.

  1. South Plains Public Health District Fee Schedule for Environmental Health Services, 2025 (filed with Texas DSHS 15 October 2025)South Plains Public Health District, filed with Texas Department of State Health Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-25
  2. Texas DSHS Local Ordinance and Fee Schedule RegistryTexas Department of State Health Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-08-24
  3. 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.