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.
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.
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.
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