Split authority. Inside the City of Longview: City of Longview Environmental Health Division. Elsewhere in Gregg County (Kilgore, White Oak, Gladewater, Clarksville City, unincorporated areas): Texas Dept. of State Health Services (DSHS), Retail Food Establishments program. Gregg County has no county-run food-permit program. · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Gregg County food-facility health permits run about $125–$773 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Confirm the exact amount with Split authority. Inside the City of Longview: City of Longview Environmental Health Division. Elsewhere in Gregg County (Kilgore, White Oak, Gladewater, Clarksville City, unincorporated areas): Texas Dept. of State Health Services (DSHS), Retail Food Establishments program. Gregg County has no county-run food-permit program. 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 Split authority. Inside the City of Longview: City of Longview Environmental Health Division. Elsewhere in Gregg County (Kilgore, White Oak, Gladewater, Clarksville City, unincorporated areas): Texas Dept. of State Health Services (DSHS), Retail Food Establishments program. Gregg County has no county-run food-permit program. issues the health permit.
About 319 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 126,243. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 (DSHS state jurisdiction) / City of Longview Food Establishment Permit
Amendment fees $125 / $250 / $375. City of Longview: null
Longview Environmental Health does not publish its food-establishment permit fee schedule online (contact 903-237-1285)
DSHS fee is uniform statewide for establishments under state jurisdiction; Longview runs its own inspection program inside city limits with an unpublished local fee schedule; permit application forms are posted but no dollar amounts
Plan review — required
DSHS reviews construction/remodel plans as part of the new-establishment permitting process and does not publish a separate stand-alone plan-review fee
Longview requires local plan review with no published fee
Texas (TFER) demerit-based inspection: score = 100 minus demerits, fail above 30 demerits; administered by the local health authority, reports public.
Food truck / mobile permit
Mobile Food Vendor (MFV) License - DSHS statewide (effective July 1, 2026)
Type I $309 (no pre-licensing inspection)
Type II $618 + $400 pre-licensing inspection
Type III $876 + $500 pre-licensing inspection
Routine inspection: Type II $400, Type III $500. Complaint/compliance inspection: Type I $300, Type II $400, Type III $500
As of July 1, 2026 all Texas mobile food units are licensed by DSHS under the new statewide MFV system (HB 2844); the City of Longview no longer issues food-service permits for mobile units but still requires an annual local fire inspection and zoning compliance (fee not published); Prior DSHS mobile permit was $258/unit
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Gregg County’s permit cost compares
At about $125/year, Gregg County’s restaurant health permit is below the Texas median ($258) and about the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 57% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 10th-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 319 food & drinking establishments serve ~126,243 residents in Gregg County — one per ~396 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 ~$125 annual health permit.
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
Two administering authorities depending on location within Gregg County (City of Longview vs; Texas DSHS)
Texas DSHS food-establishment fees are set by gross annual food sales volume, not seating or square footage
Statewide mobile food vendor licensing moved to DSHS on July 1, 2026, replacing city/county mobile permits
Longview posts application PDFs (food establishment, temporary event, mobile food unit, commissary) but no fee schedule
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
Temporary / seasonal event
Single-event permit $52 (one booth, one event, max 14 consecutive days); Multiple-event permit $200 (one booth, multiple events over 2 years)
DSHS state schedule; applications must arrive at least 30 days before the event; Inside Longview, temporary-event permits are handled by the city (fee not published)
Pushcart / mobile vending
MFV Type I $309; Type II $618 + $400 pre-licensing inspection; Type III $876 + $500 pre-licensing inspection
New statewide DSHS Mobile Food Vendor licensing effective July 1, 2026 (HB 2844); pushcarts fall in Type I/II depending on food handling; Longview still requires a local annual fire inspection (fee not published)
Equipment your Gregg 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.
DSHS (most of the county): tiered by gross annual food sales; $258 ($0-$49,999.99), $515 ($50,000-$149,999.99), $773 ($150,000+); Amendment fees $125 / $250 / $375. City of Longview: null; Longview Environmental Health does not publish its food-establishment permit fee schedule online (contact 903-237-1285) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Gregg County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: DSHS reviews construction/remodel plans as part of the new-establishment permitting process and does not publish a separate stand-alone plan-review fee; Longview requires local plan review with no published fee
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Gregg County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. As of July 1, 2026 all Texas mobile food units are licensed by DSHS under the new statewide MFV system (HB 2844); the City of Longview no longer issues food-service permits for mobile units but still requires an annual local fire inspection and zoning compliance (fee not published); Prior DSHS mobile permit was $258/unit
Who issues food permits in Gregg County?
Food permits here are issued by Split authority. Inside the City of Longview: City of Longview Environmental Health Division. Elsewhere in Gregg County (Kilgore, White Oak, Gladewater, Clarksville City, unincorporated areas): Texas Dept. of State Health Services (DSHS), Retail Food Establishments program. Gregg County has no county-run food-permit program.. 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