Fees; transfer of medallion.
Houston Code of Ordinances § 20-38
in effectSec. 20-38. - Fees; transfer of medallion.
(a) At the time of issuance of an original food dealer's permit and each renewal thereof, the person requesting the permit shall pay to the health officer a permit fee for one complete year from the date of issuance. Except as otherwise provided, permit fees shall be determined by the defined risk level presented by the food establishment.
(b) Fee amounts shall be determined according to the city fee schedule, as follows:
(1) Permit fees. The nonrefundable annual fee for a food dealer's permit shall be based on the defined risk level presented by the establishment to be licensed.
(1a) Temporary food establishments, as defined, shall be charged a non-refundable base fee for up to 14 consecutive days in conjunction with a single event. The temporary food service permit fee shall be paid at the time the application is submitted.
(2) Mobile food unit medallion—Fee; transferability. At the time of issuance of an original medallion to operate a mobile food unit and each renewal thereof, the person requesting the medallion shall pay to the health officer a fee for one complete year from the date of issuance. Medallions are not transferable from one person to another nor from one mobile food unit to another mobile food unit.
(3) Mobile food unit medallion—Replacement fee. An individual who has lost a valid, current food dealer's permit or mobile food unit medallion may obtain a replacement from the health officer upon payment of the replacement fee.
(4) Special investigative fee. In addition to the permit fee as specified in item (1) above, there is hereby assessed the special investigative fee stated in the city fee schedule, which shall be payable for any renewal of a food dealer's permit if the renewal application is not received in the offices of the department in completed form and accompanied by the permit fee therefor on or before the business day after the date of expiration of the permit to be renewed. For purposes of this fee, any new permit issued to the same person(s) for a food establishment at the same location shall be deemed to be a renewal, unless the person(s) demonstrate to the health officer, by clear and convincing evidence, that the food establishment has not been operated since the prior permit expired. This investigative fee shall also be applicable in the event that the complete application including payment for a temporary food service establishment permit is not received at the department at least seven days prior to beginning of temporary food service operations as specified in section 20-36(b) of this Code.
This special investigative fee is imposed to partially defray the additional inspection and administrative costs related to late renewals and applications. It shall not be considered to be a civil or criminal penalty, nor shall its imposition bar or constitute a defense to any prosecution for operation of a food establishment without a food dealer's permit.
(c) The fees otherwise required by this section shall not be imposed by the health officer for the issuance of a food dealer's permit to operate a temporary food service establishment within a city park if each of the following criteria is met:
(1) The temporary food service establishment is being operated by a community-based organization as part of a public gathering for which a permit has been issued under article III of chapter 32 of this Code, and the director of parks and recreation has waived user fees for the gathering pursuant to section 32-69(f) of this Code;
(2) All persons responsible for organizing and working in the temporary food service establishment are unpaid volunteers; and
(3) All proceeds from the operation of the temporary food service establishment are retained to be used for the benefit of the community-based organization or are donated to the city.
The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to excuse the community-based organization from obtaining a temporary food dealer's permit or from complying with any other applicable provision of this article.
(d) All food service establishments, except mobile food units and temporary food establishments, shall pay the nonrefundable annual fee stated for this provision in the city fee schedule for each interceptor to obtain a registration certificate, as provided in section 47-423 of this Code.
(e) All fees collected pursuant to this section are not refundable.
(Ord. No. 99-1346, § 1, 12-15-99; Ord. No. 02-528, § 13b., 6-19-02; Ord. No. 04-91, § 2, 2-4-04; Ord. No. 07-544, § 41, 5-9-07; Ord. No. 07-1051, § 2(Exh. A), 9-12-07; Ord. No. 2010-1016, § 2, 12-15-2010; Ord. No. 2011-1168, § 13, 12-14-2011; Ord. No. 2013-617, § 15, 6-19-2013; Ord. No. 2015-820, § 34, 8-26-2015; Ord. No. 2015-1202, §§ 67—69, 12-2-2015; Ord. No. 2025-743, § 11, 8-27-2025)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH20FODR_ARTIIFOESGE_DIV2PEMEET_S20-38FETRMEFetched: 10/26/2026