Every business that prepares, serves or sells food that has to be kept hot or cold needs a permit from the health authority for its address before it opens. In the Houston area that can be one of three agencies, each with its own process, fee schedule and inspection cycle, and picking the wrong one is the first way openings get delayed. Calibre Licensing Services identifies the right authority for your address, prepares the plan review package, lines up the certified food manager, schedules the pre-opening inspection and gets the permit in hand before your grand opening.
Who needs a food permit, and who does not
The state rule is simple: a retail food establishment permit is required unless the business offers only prepackaged foods that are not potentially hazardous. A store that sells sealed chips, candy, canned drinks and bottled water is exempt. A store that adds a roller grill, a coffee station, a fountain machine, fresh-made sandwiches, a deli case or packaged milk is a food establishment and needs the permit. Restaurants, bakeries, bars that serve food, grocery stores with a deli or produce cutting, ice cream shops and ghost kitchens all need it. The permit sits on top of the sales tax permit and the certificate of occupancy; both are usually required documents in the health application.
Which health authority covers your address
| Location | Authority | Permit |
|---|---|---|
| Inside Houston city limits | Houston Health Department, Consumer Health Services | Food dealer's permit, renewed annually |
| Unincorporated Harris County | Harris County Public Health, Environmental Public Health | HCPH food establishment permit, risk-based inspection cycle |
| Sugar Land, Stafford, Missouri City, Katy, Pearland and other cities | The city's or county's own health department where one exists | Local food establishment permit |
| Anywhere with no local health program | Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) | Retail food establishment permit, fee by annual food sales |
The authority is set by the address, not the mailing city. Harris County publishes a regulatory map for exactly this reason, and its plan review fee is non-refundable, so we confirm jurisdiction before anything is paid.
How the Houston food dealer's permit works
- Plan review. Required for new construction, for a space that was not previously a food establishment, and for changes to walls, floor-mounted equipment or the scope of the operation. Two sets of scaled plans with a floor plan, equipment specifications, fixture elevations and a room-finish schedule go to the Houston Permitting Center's Commercial Plan Review section at 1002 Washington Avenue. Taking over an existing permitted restaurant without changes usually skips this step, but the inspector makes the final call.
- Build to the approved plans. Any deviation needs approval on modified plans before work continues. This is also when the certificate of occupancy and the building permits run through the Permitting Center.
- Certified food manager. A certified food manager must be on site for the pre-opening inspection, and the Health Department asks for that person's name, phone and email when the inspection is booked.
- Pre-opening inspection. Scheduled through the Consumer Health Services permit office at least 14 business days in advance. The inspector checks the build-out against the stamped plans and charges a fee per pre-opening inspection; a failed inspection means a re-inspection and another fee.
- Pay the invoice and collect the permit. After a pass, the Health Department issues an invoice for the required permits, paid at the environmental permit office at 8000 North Stadium Drive. The permit is posted where the public can see it, is non-transferable between people or addresses, and renews every year. If a renewal invoice does not arrive, the permit holder is still responsible for renewing on time.
Harris County Public Health, outside the city limits
Harris County runs the whole process online. The application, menu, floor plan, equipment plan and the owner's ID are uploaded to the county's food safety portal with the plan review fee, and a virtual plan review conference follows within about five business days. Before the pre-opening inspection the county asks for a water approval (a customer service inspection certificate and water district letter, or well and septic approval), a Fire Marshal Certificate of Compliance or local certificate of occupancy, the certified food manager's certificate, and the Texas sales tax permit. Inspections are scheduled within ten business days, two if expedited for a fee, and the store may open only after the inspection passes and the permit is purchased. After opening, the county sets each establishment's inspection frequency by risk, from once a year to twelve times a year.
DSHS permits and state fees
Where no city or county program exists, the Texas Department of State Health Services issues the permit through its online licensing system. DSHS fees are set by gross annual food sales and apply to initial applications, renewals and changes of ownership:
| Gross annual food sales | DSHS permit fee |
|---|---|
| $0 to $49,999.99 | $258 |
| $50,000 to $149,999.99 | $515 |
| $150,000 or more | $773 |
The City of Houston has announced that it is aligning its own food permit fees with this DSHS schedule under Senate Bill 1008; the city's current amounts are in its published fee schedule, linked below. Harris County publishes a separate annual food fee schedule.
Food manager and food handler certificates
Under the Texas Food Establishment Rules, every food establishment that prepares or handles exposed food requiring temperature control must employ at least one certified food protection manager, and every other food employee must complete an accredited food handler course within 60 days of hire. Some cities shorten that window to 30 or even 15 days. Both courses are available online in a few hours, and we tell every client to have the manager certificate in hand before the inspection is booked, because without it the inspection cannot proceed.
Buying an existing restaurant or store
Health permits do not transfer. The buyer applies in the new entity's name and goes through a pre-opening inspection, usually without plan review if the layout and menu stay the same. The same is true of every other permit at the location; our guide to buying a store in Texas covers the full order of filings.
What we do
- Confirm the health authority for your address and the fee schedule that applies.
- Assemble the plan review package or confirm in writing that plan review is not required.
- Prepare the application with the sales tax permit, certificate of occupancy or Certificate of Compliance, water approval and food manager certificate attached.
- Schedule the pre-opening inspection and walk through the common failure points beforehand.
- Track the renewal date alongside your other permits so the annual invoice never slips.
Serving Houston and all of Texas
We are based in Stafford and file food permits with the Houston Health Department, Harris County Public Health, Fort Bend County, Brazoria County, the City of Sugar Land and DSHS. Health permit checklists are built per location after a short consultation, because the required documents differ by authority.
Official sources
We link to the agencies directly so you can verify every requirement and fee.
- Houston Health Department: Opening a food establishment
- Houston Health Department: Food permit FAQ
- City of Houston: Fee schedule
- Harris County Public Health: Food permits
- Texas DSHS: Retail food establishment permits and fees
- Texas DSHS: Starting a new retail food establishment
- Texas Food Establishment Rules (25 TAC Chapter 228): food manager and food handler requirements
Frequently asked questions
Does a convenience store need a health permit in Houston?
If the store only sells sealed, shelf-stable packaged food it is generally exempt. The moment it adds a roller grill, a coffee station, a fountain drink machine, fresh sandwiches, or any food that must be kept hot or cold, it is a food establishment and needs a food dealer's permit from the Houston Health Department inside the city, or from the county or state health authority outside it.
How long does a Houston food dealer's permit take?
For a new build-out, plan review comes first and takes the longest. Once construction matches the approved plans, the pre-opening inspection must be scheduled at least 14 business days ahead with the Houston Health Department, and the permit is issued after the inspection passes and the invoice is paid. Taking over an existing permitted location with no changes is faster because plan review is usually not required.
What does a food permit cost in Texas?
It depends on who issues it. The state (DSHS) charges by gross annual food sales: $258 under $50,000, $515 from $50,000 to $149,999, and $773 at $150,000 or more. The City of Houston publishes its own fee schedule and has said it is aligning its food fees with the DSHS schedule. Harris County Public Health publishes an annual food fee schedule plus a non-refundable plan review fee. We quote the agency fee for your exact location before filing.
Does the health permit transfer when I buy a restaurant or store?
No. Food permits are issued to a specific operator at a specific address and are not transferable. A buyer applies for a new permit in the new entity's name, which usually means a pre-opening inspection, though plan review is normally skipped if the layout and menu do not change.
What is a certified food manager and do I need one?
Texas requires at least one certified food protection manager for each food establishment that prepares or handles exposed food that needs temperature control. Houston requires that manager to be present at the pre-opening inspection, and Harris County requires the certificate as a pre-opening document. Every other food employee must complete an accredited food handler course within 60 days of hire under state rules, sooner in some cities.
Last reviewed October 2026. Fees and rules change; we verify each one against the agency at the time of filing.