Texas City, TX Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (2026)

Section 90.007 is the sidewalk rule that governs a vendor setting up in the public walkway. It is unlawful to obstruct or occupy any street or sidewalk with a bootblack stand, booth, display case or other frame structure for the purpose of displaying merchandise or carrying on any business or occupation, and unlawful to allow boxes or merchandise to remain on a sidewalk so as to obstruct free passage. A separate permission step sits in § 90.008: no one can place materials, boxes or other objects in or upon any street, alley or sidewalk without first obtaining the written permission of the Building Official, and once permission is granted, removing the material also requires the Building Official's written permission.

Section 90.006 adds that no person can stop or stand so as to obstruct the use of sidewalks, streets or other public places by loafing, lounging or standing. Food vendors who keep moving fall under Chapter 115 instead. A PEDDLER goes from place to place selling goods including food items, needs a city permit ($25 for three consecutive days or $500 for a calendar year), and cannot operate on multi-lane roadways, defined as streets with three or more lanes (§ 115.016). Standing in a roadway or median to solicit business from vehicle occupants is prohibited (§ 115.076).

On the Texas City Dike, peddling is allowed only in posted vending areas under a special Dike permit, with one vendor per designated location on a daily first come basis, and food and food products are among the allowed items (§ 115.016). Mobile food units must also be permitted by the Galveston County Health District (§ 115.085).