Notice: New Fees and Permitting Changes 

Permit Fee Changes

Notification of upcoming changes to food permit fees with Austin Public Health (APH), Environmental Health Services (EHS). On August 14, 2025, Austin City Council approved new fees for mobile vending, temporary food permits, *retail food permits, and mobile fire fees. All other fees will remain the same and can be found here.

Please review the updated list of fees below. All new fees will take effect on October 1, 2025.

Please note the following:

  • The current (FY25) fee schedule will remain in effect for all permits processed or postmarked through September 30, 2025, independent of permit expiration date.
  • Beginning October 1, 2025, the new fees will apply to all permits including those postmarked on or after October 1, 2025.

*Also note: We are temporarily suspending the collection of renewal fees for all fixed food establishments pending current council activities and intent to amend them. For this reason, no fees will be assessed for renewal retail food permits from Wednesday, October 1st, 2025, until further notice.

During this deferment:

  • Expiration dates will remain in effect and not be updated.
  • No retail permit renewal or retail permit late fee penalties will be assessed for City of Austin or municipal interlocal agreement permits between October 1, 2025, and December 29, 2025.
    • A two-week grace period for submitting payments will extend through January 16, 2026.
  • No compliance visits related to this deferment will be initiated until January 15, 2026.
  • New permits for operating a fixed food establishment will be expected to pay the current fee, with an option to request a refund at a later date, if a lower fee is approved in the coming months.
  • Customers who request to renew immediately without postponing the process will be expected to pay the current gross annual sales-based fee, with an option to request a refund at a later date, if a lower fee is approved in the coming months.

 

Retail Food Permits  

Category (based on Gross Annual Volume of Food Sales)
Fee 
$0-49,999 $309
$50,000 - $149,999 $618
$150,000 + $927

(Fees above are pending amendment)

Category                                                                                       
 Fee  
Permit Late Fee                                                                                              $120
Food Establishment Re-Inspections $134

 

Temporary (Special Event) Food Permits 

Category
Fee
1-14 days per booth (single event) $62
Temporary Event Late Permit Application Fee Per Booth                          $120 

 

Mobile Vending Units 

Category
Fee
Mobile Food Vendor Restricted/Unrestricted Permit                                  $309 
Mobile Food Vendor On-site Inspection Fee                       $740
Mobile Food Establishment Re-Inspections $134
Mobile Food Vendor On-site Re-inspections $230
Fire Fees
 Fee
Mobile Food Vendor AFD Fire Inspection
*Failed inspections will require another inspection fee                             		 $222
Mobile Food Vendor AFD Fire On-site Inspection Fee $592
Mobile Food Vendor AFD Fire On-site Subsequent Inspection Fee
*Assessed at a minimum of two hours ($148 per hour)		 $296

 

**Travis County will adopt revised fees this fall.

 

Mobile Vending Authority -- Permit Changes

House Bill 2844, signed into law on June 20, 2025, transfers regulation and permitting of mobile vending units from local health departments to the State of Texas.

Austin Public Health will continue issuing permits until June 30, 2026. Starting July 1, 2026, all mobile vending permits will be handled by the state.

The Texas Department of State Health Services is currently developing rules for this transition. We will share updates on this webpage as they become available.