Montgomery County, TX Food Facility Permits & Fees
Restaurants and food trucks.
Montgomery County Environmental Health Services (Consumer Health & Food) - Conroe/The Woodlands area · department site →
Fees change often — always confirm the current amount with the department before you budget.
Montgomery County food-facility health permits run about $250–$500 annually, depending on size or sales volume. Plan review runs about $150. Confirm the exact amount with Montgomery County Environmental Health Services (Consumer Health & Food) - Conroe/The Woodlands area 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 Montgomery County Environmental Health Services (Consumer Health & Food) - Conroe/The Woodlands area issues the health permit.
About 1,113 food & drinking establishments operate here, serving a population of about 711,354. (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amendments aren’t individually reviewed, so confirm current rules with the authority having jurisdiction.See something out of date?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 →
High $500 (DSHS-aligned tiers adopted Sept 1, 2025 under SB 1008)
Located at 501 N; Thompson, Suite 101, Conroe, TX 77301. Fee tiers were converted from prior structure to DSHS low/mid/high classification; amounts sit below DSHS SB 1008 caps ($258/$515/$773)
Plan review — required
Initial inspection fee $150 assessed at time of application
requested inspection $150
re-inspection (to correct a violation posing direct/significant public-health risk) $150
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 (county-permitted through June 30, 2026; DSHS from July 1, 2026)
county mobile-vendor fee not cleanly published
as of July 1, 2026 Montgomery County no longer permits mobile food vendors (moved to Texas DSHS under HB 2844)
DSHS: Type I $309
Type II $618 + $400 inspection
Type III $876 + $500 inspection
County confirms it will no longer permit mobile food vendors as of July 1, 2026; the task belongs to DSHS; County also runs a separate Food Truck Park permit for the site
Fees/payment and forms are on the department site; application steps vary by concept — see the checklist below.
How Montgomery County’s permit cost compares
At about $250/year, Montgomery County’s restaurant health permit is below the Texas median ($258) and above the U.S. median ($125) — higher than about 82% of U.S. counties.
Ranked 16th-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 1,113 food & drinking establishments serve ~711,354 residents in Montgomery 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 ~$250 annual health permit + $150 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
Adjusted its fee schedule effective Sept 1, 2025 to align with DSHS classifications in compliance with SB 1008
County site (mctx.org) blocks automated fetch; fees confirmed via county press coverage of the SB 1008 fee adjustment
Other food-service permits in this jurisdiction
Category
Annual fee
Notes
temporary/special-event - single event
$52
Temporary Permit, single event up to 14 days; Fee schedule effective Sept 1, 2025 (SB 1008 alignment to DSHS)
temporary/special-event - multiple event (annual)
$200
New annual multiple-event temporary permit for recurring temporary vendors
amend existing permit
$125
Amending an existing permit
Equipment your Montgomery 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.
Low gross annual volume $250; Mid $375; High $500 (DSHS-aligned tiers adopted Sept 1, 2025 under SB 1008) These are annual health-permit fees, usually tiered by seating or size; confirm your exact category with the department.
Is plan review required in Montgomery County?
Yes — plan review is required before you build or remodel a food facility. Typical fees: Initial inspection fee $150 assessed at time of application; requested inspection $150; re-inspection (to correct a violation posing direct/significant public-health risk) $150
Do I need a commissary for a food truck in Montgomery County?
In most cases, yes — most mobile units must operate from an approved commissary; confirm exemptions with the department. County confirms it will no longer permit mobile food vendors as of July 1, 2026; the task belongs to DSHS; County also runs a separate Food Truck Park permit for the site
Who issues food permits in Montgomery County?
Food permits here are issued by Montgomery County Environmental Health Services (Consumer Health & Food) - Conroe/The Woodlands area. 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