Texas HB 2844 and the statewide DSHS license
HB 2844 moved the health permit for many mobile food vendors to Texas DSHS. Fire, zoning, propane, commissary rules, and temporary events stayed with the city that hosts you.
Texas HB 2844 (89th Legislature) created a statewide mobile food vendor path through DSHS, with a transition date of July 1, 2026. Confirm the current application steps on the DSHS mobile food vendor hub (last_verified: 2026-10-02). DSHS announced statewide application acceptance in DSHS news (2026-10-02). Read the enrolled bill text on Texas Capitol — HB 2844 (2026-10-02).
What did not move to Austin (the capital)
A DSHS mobile food vendor license is not permission to ignore local fire, zoning, or event rules. DSHS published a flyer for local health departments explaining what stays local — including fire and zoning — and that operators should keep a printed copy of a pending application on the vehicle when DSHS directs you to: MFV / LHD flyer (PDF) (2026-10-02). Houston Fire Marshal LP-gas, Austin temporary food events, and Dallas vendor rules are still separate tracks.
Questions operators still search after July 1
- “I have the state license — why did the fire marshal still stop me?” Fire suppression tags and propane approvals are local. Start with your host city’s fire page, not the DSHS permit number alone.
- “What do I carry while the DSHS application is pending?” Use the LHD flyer and the current DSHS hub — do not rely on a screenshot from a group chat.
- “The festival is in twelve days — whose clock matters?” The host city’s temporary-event lead time wins. See festival / event packet for the Austin pattern.
- “Is Houston’s city health permit actually gone?” Confirm the current sentence on Houston — health and fire did not merge under HB 2844.
Texas corridor pages
DSHS MFV layer · Commissary / CPF · Austin · Houston · DFW · All Texas pages
StallReady tracks both layers — statewide health and local fire, events, and commissary — so you can see the missing list on your truck before the curb. Start free · Open demo. Pricing on this deploy: Free · Pro $29/mo · Solo $49/mo · Fleet $99 · Ops+MCP $149.
Not legal advice. Not a permit. Confirm with the issuing agency. MCP prepares packets and does not file.