EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — A new statewide licensing system for Texas food trucks took effect Wednesday, shifting health licensing and enforcement responsibilities from local governments to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
House Bill 2844, passed during the 2025 Texas legislative session, replaces the local health permits many mobile food vendors previously obtained from cities or counties with a single statewide license.
Chris Van Deusen, spokesperson for DSHS, said the biggest change for food truck owners is where they apply for a license.
“The really big change is where to make that application and who is doing the licensing,” Van Deusen said. “Rather than dealing with the City of El Paso or a county wherever you are in Texas, that license will be done by us here at the state health department.”
The statewide program applies to a variety of mobile food vendors, including food trucks, trailers, and certain food carts.
According to DSHS, many local jurisdictions will continue performing inspections under contract with the state, meaning vendors may still see local inspectors during the inspection process.
However, enforcement authority now rests with DSHS.
Anthony Morales, the City of El Paso’s Sanitary Services Manager, said the transition does not remove the city entirely from the process.
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“We don’t anticipate any loss of revenue. We entered into a cooperative agreement with the state, so we’ll be able to conduct inspections at their request,” Morales said.
Morales added that food truck owners must still comply with local fire and zoning ordinances, even though the state now oversees food truck licensing and enforcement.
For food truck owners who already have a valid local permit, DSHS says there is a transition period.
Vendors who submit a complete state application and pay the required fees may continue operating while waiting for their initial state inspection.
Van Deusen said DSHS is working to make the transition as smooth as possible and encourages owners to apply through the agency’s website.
“The requirements are generally going to be the same,” Van Deusen said. “There shouldn’t be too much of a difference for the vendors. Hopefully, we’re trying to make that transition as smooth as possible.”
Food truck owners can apply for a statewide license through the Texas Department of State Health Services’ mobile food vendor licensing webpage.
DSHS says more than 3,000 applications have already been submitted and expects that number to continue growing as vendors transition to the new statewide system.
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