Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors in Houston, TX (2026)
3 verified food trucks & mobile vendors rules for Houston, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Food Truck Permits
Houston requires every mobile food unit to carry an individual medallion from the Health Department, issued only after a compliance inspection and renewed annually; operating without one is illegal citywide.
Houston Mobile Food Unit Medallion Permit
Significant RestrictionsHouston Code of Ordinances § 20-37(a)-(b)
Any person desiring to operate one or more mobile food units in the city other than restricted operations mobile food units shall obtain an individual medallion for each operating mobile food unit from the health officer. Each medallion will be issued unit-by-unit only after an inspection reveals satisfactory compliance with the provisions of section 20-22 of this Code... No person shall operat...
Vending Zones
Houston requires street vendors to hold a location-specific permit valid only on non-residential property, limiting sales to 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. and barring vending from any public sidewalk, street, or right-of-way.
Houston Street Vendor Permits: Location, Hours
Significant RestrictionsHouston Code of Ordinances § 22-18
(a)The director shall issue to any street vendor a permit authorizing the street vendor to sell, exhibit for sale, offer for sale or exhibit for the purpose of taking orders for the sale thereof, goods or merchandise in the city after such street vendor has fully complied with all provisions of this article and paid the prescribed fee.(b)Any permit issued hereunder shall be issued to a specific...
Sidewalk & Mobile Vending
Houston requires street vendors selling goods from trucks, carts, or temporary sites on non-residential property to obtain a city permit, post a $10,000 bond, and limit sales to 8 a.m.-8 p.m., with permits capped at 7 consecutive days.
Houston Street Vendor Permit Required
Significant RestrictionsHouston Code of Ordinances §§ 22-14, 22-18(b), 22-19
It shall be unlawful for any street vendor to sell...any goods or merchandise in the city without first obtaining a permit so to do in accordance with this article. ... Any permit issued hereunder shall be issued to a specific person for a specific location and shall limit the hours of operation from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. ... in no event shall the permit continue in effect for more than 7 c...
Looking for Harris County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Houston city rules.
Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors in Harris County →