Beginning **July 1, 2026**, Texas House Bill 2844 replaced every city and county food truck permit with a single statewide **Mobile Food Vendor (MFV) license** issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). If you operate a food truck, trailer, or pushcart anywhere in Texas, this applies to you. Here's what changed, what it costs, and how to get licensed without weeks of regulation-reading. ## What HB 2844 Actually Changed Before July 1, 2026, a taco truck working Austin, Round Rock, and San Marcos needed **three separate local health department permits**. Now, one DSHS license covers the entire state. Along with the new license came new terminology: your truck is now a **Food Vending Vehicle (FVV)**, and you are a **Mobile Food Vendor (MFV)** — the old "mobile food unit (MFU)" label is retired. ## The Three License Types (and What They Cost) DSHS assigns your license type based on your food preparation activities: | Type | Who it covers | Application Fee | Pre-Licensing Inspection | |------|---------------|-----------------|--------------------------| | **Type I** | No TCS (time/temperature controlled) foods — prepackaged ice cream, sealed snacks | $309 | Not required | | **Type II** | Limited prep — coffee trucks, snow cone stands, hot dog carts, prepackaged TCS items | $618 | $400 | | **Type III** | Full cooking on the vehicle — taco, BBQ, burger trucks | $876 | $500 | Both the application fee and the pre-licensing inspection fee are due **at the time of application**. Routine inspections after licensing run $400 (Type II) and $500 (Type III). **Getting your type wrong is the most expensive mistake.** Apply as Type II when you actually cook on the truck and you'll face delays, reclassification, and the fee difference. ## Can You Keep Operating During the Transition? It depends on which category you fall into: **Category One — you held a Texas local health department license.** You can keep operating if you: 1. Apply through DSHS Online Licensing Services with proof of your local license 2. Pay all fees at submission 3. **Print the application summary and keep it on your vehicle at all times** **Category Two — you have no current Texas license.** You cannot operate until you pass the pre-licensing inspection. The upside: DSHS prioritizes these applications. ## The Detail Everyone Misses: Your Expiration Date Your new license expires **one year from the date of your successful pre-licensing inspection** — not December 31, not your application date. Put it on your calendar the day you pass, because operating on an expired license means you're grounded. ## What Inspectors Will Check The pre-licensing inspection covers the same fundamentals as local inspections did, but with state consistency: - Documents: food manager certification, food handler cards, commissary agreement - Temperature control: cold holding at or below 41°F, hot holding at or above 135°F, calibrated probe thermometer on board - Water systems: potable fresh water, wastewater tank capacity, working handwash station with warm water - Food protection: approved sources, proper storage order, no bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat food - Fire safety: extinguisher in date, propane documentation ## Get the Complete Transition Kit We compiled the entire process into a single, printable **[Texas Food Truck License Transition Kit](/tools/tx-food-truck-kit/)** — an 11-page PDF with: - The full licensing guide with a 2-minute type self-classification test - Required documents checklist - Daily temperature and cleaning/sanitation logs - A 48-hour inspection prep checklist - Commissary visit log, renewal tracker, and employee illness log It's $49 — less than one-sixth of a single compliance inspection fee. [Get the kit here](/tools/tx-food-truck-kit/). *This article summarizes published Texas DSHS guidance and 25 TAC Chapter 226. It is not legal advice — verify current requirements at dshs.texas.gov.*