Fort Worth, TX Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit
- Food Establishment permit required
- Commissary
- Central Preparation Facility mandatory, TCS foods
- Servicing
- Report to facility once daily
- Max penalty
- Fine up to $2,000 per day
- Enforcing agency
- Environmental Services Department
Summary
Fort Worth requires every mobile food unit to hold a valid Food Establishment permit from the Environmental Services Department and to operate from an approved Central Preparation Facility, reporting there at least once a day to clean and service the unit.
Sec. 16-111(a): No Person shall operate a Food Establishment without a current, valid Food Establishment permit issued by the Department. Sec. 16-131(c)(1): All Mobile Food Units (except catering units) and Pushcarts handling TCS Foods shall operate from a Central Preparation Facility or other fixed Food service establishments that are regularly inspected by a Regulatory Health Agency. All Mobile Food Units handling TCS Food shall report at least once a day to their Central Preparation Facility to clean and service the mobile unit.
Full Breakdown
City Code Section 16-111(a) bars anyone from operating a food establishment, including a mobile food unit, without a current, valid Food Establishment permit issued by the Environmental Services Department. Under Section 16-131(c), every mobile food unit and pushcart handling TCS (time/temperature control for safety) foods must operate from a Central Preparation Facility that a regulatory health agency regularly inspects, and must report there at least once a day to clean and service the unit. Snow cone trailers, corn roasters, pre-packaged ice cream units, and caterers with their own facility are exempt. The permit sticker must be displayed on the upper left rear of the vehicle.
Violations & Fines
Operating a mobile food unit without a permit or an approved Central Preparation Facility is a misdemeanor under Section 16-153, punishable by a fine up to $2,000; each day a violation continues is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a commissary for a Fort Worth food truck?
Who issues Fort Worth food truck permits?
Are any mobile units exempt from the commissary rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fort Worth
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Sidewalk & Mobile Vending in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Tarrant County handle sidewalk & mobile vending.