San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (SAMHD), Food & Environmental Health Services (inside San Antonio city limits); Bexar County Environmental Services (unincorporated Bexar County) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Bexar County food-facility health permits run about $175–$1,204 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $250. Confirm the exact amount with San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (SAMHD), Food & Environmental Health Services (inside San Antonio city limits); Bexar County Environmental Services (unincorporated Bexar County) before you budget.
Confirm the authority for your exact address. Some cities run their own health division, and building, planning, fire, sewer/grease and business-license approvals are separate even when San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (SAMHD), Food & Environmental Health Services (inside San Antonio city limits); Bexar County Environmental Services (unincorporated Bexar County) issues the health permit.
Cities with their own health department: San Antonio. Food businesses inside these cities apply to the city health department (with its own fees and rules), not Bexar County. Confirm which authority covers your exact address.
About 4,119 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 2,087,679. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Last verified: 2026-08-17 — we re-confirmed the serving authority, its contact, and that the fees below match the current published schedule. Fee schedules may carry an earlier effective date (shown per fee); local ordinances & amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date? Report an update →
Restaurant / food-facility permit
Food Establishment License (SAMHD, tiered by employee count) / Food Service Establishment permit (Bexar County)
SAMHD (city):
Tier 1A ~$252
11-25 employees $711
26-50 employees $966
50+ employees $1,204. Bexar County (unincorporated): 1-3 employees $175
4-6 employees $225
7+ employees $300
Two authorities: restaurants inside San Antonio permit through SAMHD (fee scales with employee count/size); restaurants in unincorporated Bexar County permit through Bexar County Environmental Services; SAMHD full tier table not fully enumerated on the fetched page; figures shown are confirmed points from the fee schedule
Plan review — required
Bexar County:
$250 per review
SAMHD: plan review is part of the application process
San Antonio Metro Health scores food establishments 0–100 under Texas TFER; inspection reports posted online.
Inspection scores & grading
Grading system: letter grade A (90-100) / B (80-89) / C (<=79), 0-100 scale. San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (Metro Health) inspects the City of San Antonio and, by interlocal agreement, Bexar County; score placards optional to display.
Mobile Food Unit permit - Texas DSHS statewide license (HB 2844)
DSHS:
Type I $309
Type II $618 (+$400 pre-licensing inspection)
Type III $876 (+$500 pre-licensing inspection)
CONFIRMED 2026-08-10: Effective July 1, 2026, mobile food units are permitted via a single statewide Texas DSHS Mobile Food Vendor license (HB 2844), replacing the former SAMHD Mobile Food Establishment permit and the Bexar County Mobile Food Unit permit; DSHS fees: Type I $309; Type II $618 (+$400 pre-licensing inspection); Type III $876 (+$500 pre-licensing inspection); San Antonio still requires a SAFD fire permit for gas units and a written approved-commissary agreement; zoning stays local
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Bexar County’s permit cost compares
At about $175/year, Bexar County’s restaurant health permit is below the Texas median ($258) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 67% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 14th-lowest of 247 Texas counties by permit cost.
Comparison uses the lowest published annual restaurant-permit figure in each county; confirm your exact tier with the department.
Local food-service market
About 4,119 food & drinking establishments serve ~2,087,679 residents in Bexar County — one per ~507 residents, denser than the Texas average (one per ~566).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$175 annual health permit + $250 plan review.
Plus building, fire, and business-license fees that vary locally — use the cost calculators and the checklist below to budget the full stack.
The full approval stack
A code-compliant kitchen in Bexar County needs more than the health permit — these approvals are handled by separate offices. Confirm current requirements with each.
Covered under the unified Food Establishment (FE) permit; fee based on gross annual food sales (no separate caterer fee)
Market / retail food store
$310 / $618 / $928 by gross annual food sales
Also covered under the unified FE permit
Schools - for-profit contractor
$240
Annual permit for school food operated by a for-profit contractor
Schools - ISD & non-profit contractor
$240
Fee for 2 inspections per school year
Equipment your Bexar County plan review will check
Health-department plan review looks for specific, code-compliant fixtures. Compare spec-filtered options, then confirm counts and sizes with your local requirements. See the full list in what equipment a commercial kitchen requires.
SAMHD (city): Tier 1A ~$252; 11-25 employees $711; 26-50 employees $966; 50+ employees $1,204. Bexar County (unincorporated): 1-3 employees $175; 4-6 employees $225; 7+ employees $300 These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Bexar County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Bexar County: $250 per review; SAMHD: plan review is part of the application process
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Bexar County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. CONFIRMED 2026-08-10: Effective July 1, 2026, mobile food units are permitted via a single statewide Texas DSHS Mobile Food Vendor license (HB 2844), replacing the former SAMHD Mobile Food Establishment permit and the Bexar County Mobile Food Unit permit; DSHS fees: Type I $309; Type II $618 (+$400 pre-licensing inspection); Type III $876 (+$500 pre-licensing inspection); San Antonio still requires a SAFD fire permit for gas units and a written approved-commissary agreement; zoning stays local
Who issues food permits in Bexar County?
Food permits here are issued by San Antonio Metropolitan Health District (SAMHD), Food & Environmental Health Services (inside San Antonio city limits); Bexar County Environmental Services (unincorporated Bexar County). See the department site for current details.
Are city building and fire approvals separate?
Yes — building, plumbing, mechanical and fire approvals are always separate from the health permit and are often handled by different offices.
Published by Resultex Media Group LLC · Independent & vendor-neutral · Educational only, not legal or engineering advice · Last verified September 2026