Grayson County Health Department, Environmental Health Division (county-administered under the Texas Food Establishment Rules) · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Grayson County food-facility health permits run about $30–$300 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $200. Confirm the exact amount with Grayson County Health Department, Environmental Health Division (county-administered under the Texas Food Establishment Rules) 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 Grayson County Health Department, Environmental Health Division (county-administered under the Texas Food Establishment Rules) issues the health permit.
About 230 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 146,907. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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
Retail Food Establishment Permit (annual)
$300 for establishments with 6 or more total employees
$200 for 0-5 total employees (or mobile)
$150 day care (13+ children)
no fee for IRS-verified 501(c)(3) exempt facilities
A $50 late fee applies to delinquent applications
$30 returned-check fee
Fee tiers are by total employee count, not gross sales
Effective September 1, 2025 Grayson County adopted new food establishment permit and fee changes (per SB 1008); the county's fee schedule is filed with the Texas DSHS Local Ordinance Registry; The employee-count tiers above are from the Grayson County Retail Food Establishment Permit Application; contact Environmental Health at (903) 465-2878 / (903) 813-4200 to confirm current post-9/1/2025 amounts
Plan review — required
Grayson County does not publish a separate plan-review dollar fee for fixed establishments
for mobile units a $200 initial (pre-opening) inspection fee applies
Texas (TFER) demerit-based inspection: score = 100 minus demerits, fail above 30 demerits; administered by the local/DSHS health authority, reports public.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Unit Permit (annual)
$250 annual fee plus a $200 initial (pre-opening) inspection fee for a new mobile unit (2025 mobile food unit application, rev
08/2025)
IMPORTANT: under Texas HB 2844, beginning July 1, 2026 all mobile food units must be permitted directly by the Texas DSHS statewide Mobile Food Vendor License; local city/county mobile permits will no longer be valid and none are grandfathered (DSHS registration opened June 4, 2026); Grayson County directs mobile vendors to TX DSHS
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Grayson County’s permit cost compares
At about $30/year, Grayson County’s restaurant health permit is below the Texas median ($258) and below the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 4% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 2nd-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 230 food & drinking establishments serve ~146,907 residents in Grayson County — one per ~639 residents, sparser than the Texas average (one per ~566).
U.S. Census 2023 population; County Business Patterns 2022 (NAICS 722).
Budget the permit stack
Start with ~$30 annual health permit + $200 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.
Watch out for
County-administered under the Texas Food Establishment Rules (TFER); fees set by employee count, not gross sales
New fee schedule effective September 1, 2025 (SB 1008 alignment); filed with the DSHS Local Ordinance Registry
Mobile food unit permitting moves to statewide TX DSHS licensing on July 1, 2026 (HB 2844)
Office: 205 N Houston Ave., Denison, TX 75021; Environmental Health (903) 465-2878
Certified Food Manager required on duty; food handlers must hold food-handler certificates
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Grocery / market with deli
permitted as a Retail Food Establishment; fee is by total employee count ($200 for 0-5 employees, $300 for 6+), not a distinct grocery fee
Grocery/convenience store is a listed operation type on the county retail food permit application
Temporary / seasonal event
Grayson County issues Temporary Establishment, Farmers Market, and Trade Days permits but does not publish the dollar fees online
Applications available via the Grayson County Environmental Health resources page
Pushcart / mobile vending
$250 annual Mobile Food Unit permit plus a $200 initial (pre-opening) inspection fee
Under Texas HB 2844, mobile units must move to the statewide TX DSHS Mobile Food Vendor License beginning July 1, 2026
Equipment your Grayson 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.
$300 for establishments with 6 or more total employees; $200 for 0-5 total employees (or mobile); $150 day care (13+ children); no fee for IRS-verified 501(c)(3) exempt facilities; A $50 late fee applies to delinquent applications; $30 returned-check fee; Fee tiers are by total employee count, not gross sales These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Grayson County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Grayson County does not publish a separate plan-review dollar fee for fixed establishments; for mobile units a $200 initial (pre-opening) inspection fee applies
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Grayson County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. IMPORTANT: under Texas HB 2844, beginning July 1, 2026 all mobile food units must be permitted directly by the Texas DSHS statewide Mobile Food Vendor License; local city/county mobile permits will no longer be valid and none are grandfathered (DSHS registration opened June 4, 2026); Grayson County directs mobile vendors to TX DSHS
Who issues food permits in Grayson County?
Food permits here are issued by Grayson County Health Department, Environmental Health Division (county-administered under the Texas Food Establishment Rules). 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