Restaurants, commercial kitchens, and food trucks.
Fort Bend County food-facility health permits run about $100–$550 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $150–$550. Confirm the exact amount with Fort Bend County Health & Human Services - Environmental Health Division 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 Fort Bend County Health & Human Services - Environmental Health Division issues the health permit.
About 1,411 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 916,778. (U.S. Census 2023 estimate; County Business Patterns 2022, NAICS 722)
Late fee $75; Replacement permit $50. Temporary Food: Single Event $75, Multiple Event $150
Turnaround: no turnaround published; a plan-review application is valid one year from submittal (covers application, Authorization to Construct, completion, and permitting)
Texas (TFER) demerit-based inspection: score = 100 minus demerits, fail above 30 demerits; administered by the local health authority, reports public.
Effective July 1, 2026 Texas moved mobile-food permitting to state DSHS under HB 2844; the county's $258 mobile line is explicitly marked 'Until July 1, 2026.'
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
Comparison uses the lowest published annual restaurant-permit figure in each county; confirm your exact tier with the department.
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Plus building, fire, and business-license fees that vary locally — use the cost calculators and the checklist below to budget the full stack.
| Category | Annual fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| commissary / central kitchen (Category A) | $400 | Food Establishment Category A: any place where unpackaged TCS or non-TCS food is processed/prepared, OR a commercial kitchen provided for use by multiple food establishments (i.e., commissary/shared kitchen); Full-service restaurants also fall in Category A; From Exhibit A of the May 23, 2023 Order Setting Fees; a Sept 23, 2025 order may update amounts |
| market/grocery - prepackaged/limited (Category B) | $200 | Category B: any place where only prepackaged TCS foods are sold and/or limited non-TCS foods (e.g., citrus garnishes, crushed-ice syrup drinks) are served/sold; convenience/grocery limited retail |
| farmers' market vendor (Category C) | $100 | Category C: a farmer or food producer operating at a Department-approved farmers' market (market must be 51%+ farmers/producers) |
| food sample / cottage food (Category D) | $200 | Category D (Food Sample Permit): annual permit for a state-licensed food manufacturer or cottage food operation providing samples or selling prepackaged TCS foods at an approved Fort Bend temporary event |
| roadside food vendor | $200 | Exhibit A fee |
| educational institutions / schools | $250 | Exhibit A fee |
| mobile unit park | $300 | Permit for a park/lot hosting mobile food units |
| commissary servicing area | $300 | Servicing area supporting mobile food units |
| temporary/special-event food establishment | $75 (timely application) / $150 (untimely or on-site issuance) | Temporary Food Establishment permit |
| conditional 30-day permit | $240 | Optional permit issued to a business during a change of ownership |
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.
Permit costs and rules change at the county line — compare Fort Bend County with its neighbors.
This is a typical sequence — confirm the exact sequence with your authority having jurisdiction.
Official plan-check requirements: plan-check guide →