June and July 2026 are key dates
Houston says city MFU permits and medallions will no longer be valid after June 2026 and operators must use DSHS beginning July 1, 2026.
Houston food truck quick answer
Houston TX food truck business requirements
Houston food truck operators have one of the more detailed paperwork stacks, and the DSHS transition makes the language even more important.
Last reviewed May 2026. This guide is informational and is not legal advice.
Quick answer
What to know first
Houston food truck business requirements can include the current Houston Mobile Food Unit permit or medallion transition, DSHS mobile food permit after July 1, 2026, annual fire inspection, Central Preparation Facility records, restroom facility letter, property permission, vehicle insurance, menu disclosure, location list, and SOP documents.
Houston Health Department Mobile Food UnitsChecklist
Permits and documents to check
Use this as a starting point, then confirm the exact requirement with the state, county, city, event, or property owner.
1
Houston Mobile Food Unit permit or medallion transition items before the 2026 cutoff
2
DSHS mobile food permit and receipt path after July 1, 2026
3
Houston annual or temporary fire inspection
4
Central Preparation Facility records
5
Restroom letter and property letter
6
Vehicle insurance, menu disclosure, location list, and SOP documents
7
Texas sales tax and local event or site approvals
Why this gets missed
The short answer usually hides a permit stack
Houston can still inspect
Houston says the city will continue inspections under state authority after the DSHS application and receipt path.
Document packets matter
Houston lists supporting documents beyond a single permit number. That is exactly the kind of stack PermitWatchdog is built to track.
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Turn the answer into a tracked dashboard
PermitWatchdog matches the business type and location to a permit checklist, stores the official agency links, tracks renewal dates, and keeps documents ready for inspections.
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