Public Health Rules in Austin, TX (2026)
4 verified public health rules for Austin, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Restaurant Grade Cards
Austin Public Health inspects food establishments under City Code Chapter 10-3 and assigns a numerical score on a 100-point scale. Austin does not require posted letter grades at the entrance, but reports are public on the Austin/Travis County dashboard.
Austin Public Health Restaurant Inspections: Numerical Score
Some RestrictionsRodent Control
Austin City Code Chapter 10-2 and Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 343 require property owners to control rats, mice, and other vermin. The Austin Code Department investigates complaints, issues abatement notices, and may perform city-led abatement charged as a property lien.
Rodent and Vector Control Duties on Property Owners
Some RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 343.011(c)(3)-(5)
Sec. 343.011. PUBLIC NUISANCE. ... (c) A public nuisance is: ... (3) maintaining premises in a manner that creates an unsanitary condition likely to attract or harbor mosquitoes, rodents, vermin, or other disease-carrying pests; (4) allowing weeds to grow on premises in a neighborhood if the weeds are located within 300 feet of another residence or commercial establishment; (5) maintaining a bu...
Syringe Disposal
Texas Health & Safety Code Chapter 728 governs disposal of used needles and sharps. Austin Resource Recovery and Austin Public Health direct residents to rigid containers and authorized drop-off points; loose syringes in trash or recycling are prohibited and create worker-injury liability.
Sharps and Used Syringe Disposal in Austin
Some RestrictionsFood Handler Certification
The Texas Food Handler Education Act requires food employees to complete a state-approved food handler course within sixty days of hire. Austin City Code Chapter 10-3 requires every food establishment to employ at least one Certified Food Manager with credential posted on premises.
Texas Food Handler Education Act and Austin Manager Rule
Some RestrictionsTex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 438.046
Sec. 438.046. LIST OF ACCREDITED PROGRAMS. (a) The department shall maintain a registry of course programs accredited under this subchapter. (b) A food service worker trained in a course for the employees of a single entity is considered to have met a local health jurisdiction's training, testing, and permitting requirements only as to food service performed for that entity. (b-1) A food servic...
Looking for Travis County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Austin city rules.
Public Health Rules in Travis County →