Dallas, TX Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Food Truck Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Dallas Mobile
- Dallas Mobile Food Establishment permit: $380 (Class A) – $675 (Class C)
- Apply 7901
- Apply: 7901 Goforth Road, Dallas
- Permit Required
- Dallas-permitted commissary letter required
- Statutory Authority
- 100 ft buffer from restaurant entrances (City Code §17-7)
- Property Owner
- Property-owner written consent for private lots
- Certifications
- Texas Food Manager certification required
Summary
Dallas requires a Mobile Food Establishment permit from Dallas Code Compliance Consumer Health ($380–$675 annually). Per Dallas City Code §17-7, trucks must operate from a Dallas-permitted commissary, may not vend within 100 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant entrance, and need property-owner consent for any private-lot location. A Texas Food Manager certificate is mandatory.
Sec. 437.003. COUNTY AUTHORITY TO REQUIRE PERMIT. Subject to Section 437.0045, to enforce state law and rules adopted under state law, the commissioners court of a county by order may require food service establishments, retail food stores, mobile food units, and roadside food vendors in unincorporated areas of the county, including areas in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of a municipality, to obtain a permit from the county. Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.Amended by: Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 48 (S.B. 1008), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2025.
Sec. 437.004. PUBLIC HEALTH DISTRICT AUTHORITY TO REQUIRE PERMIT. (a) Subject to Section 437.0045, a public hea
Full Breakdown
Dallas Code Compliance Services Consumer Health Division regulates food trucks under Dallas City Code Chapter 17, Article II. Annual permit fees are tiered: Class A (prepackaged) ~$380, Class B (limited prep) ~$520, Class C (full prep) ~$675. Each Mobile Food Establishment must operate from a Dallas-permitted commissary or commissary that has been verified by Dallas Consumer Health, with a current commissary agreement letter on file. The truck must pass a plan review and on-site inspection at 7901 Goforth Road before the permit is issued. Dallas City Code §17-7.4 prohibits operation within 100 feet of the entrance to any brick-and-mortar food establishment while that establishment is open, and requires written owner consent for any private property location. Vending on city right-of-way requires a separate Special Events / Sidewalk Vendor permit. Vendors must designate a Certified Food Manager and hold a Texas Sales Tax Permit.
Violations & Fines
Operating an unpermitted Mobile Food Establishment in Dallas is a Class C misdemeanor with fines up to $2,000 per day under Texas Health & Safety Code §437.025. Violating the 100-ft buffer or operating without written property-owner consent carries city citations starting at $250. Use of an unapproved commissary results in permit suspension and potential food impoundment.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dallas
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Food Truck Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle food truck permits.