You've created your Online Licensing account. Now comes the actual application — and it asks for more than most operators expect. Here's every section, screen by screen, so nothing catches you off guard mid-form.
This is Part 2 of our DSHS licensing series. If you haven't created your Online Licensing account yet, start with Part 1: How to Create Your DSHS Online Licensing Account →. This guide picks up once you're logged in and ready to start the actual Mobile Food Vendor Initial Application.
The application's own introduction screen tells you upfront what you'll need: your taxpayer number, a list of the owner's previous residence and business addresses for the past year, your full menu and itinerary with locations and planned dates of operation, and — for motorized vehicles — your VIN, license plate number and registration, insurance information, GVWR, and the driver's license number for whoever drives the vehicle. Gathering all of this before you sit down saves you from stopping mid-application to go find a document.
Once you're logged into your account, you'll land on a Quick Start Menu. If you don't currently hold any DSHS or HHSC license, you'll be asked a few onboarding questions and can move straight to the menu. If you do hold an existing license — for an individual or a business — there's a separate linking step that may ask for identifying information like your SSN and date of birth, specifically to connect your new application to records the state already has on file.
From the Quick Start Menu, under "Start a New Application or Take An Exam," you'll choose a board from the dropdown — select Retail Food Program — then choose your application type from the second dropdown — select Mobile Food Vendor Initial Application. Click Select to begin.
Once you start, you'll see a sidebar with every section of the application listed as a tab. Sections with an information icon next to them haven't been completed yet — that's how you can tell at a glance what's left to finish. Here's what each one actually asks for.
An overview screen confirming this is the right application type — for mobile vehicles like trucks, vans, trailers, push carts, and roadside vendors, not for fixed food establishments. It also previews everything you'll need across the rest of the application.
A short set of yes/no questions to confirm you've picked the correct transaction — whether you're renewing an existing license, applying for a minor amendment, applying because of an inspection or violation notice, or whether you already hold a current Mobile Food Unit Permit from DSHS.
Confirms your vehicle type (van/truck/trailer/roadside vs. pushcart), asks about any previous local permits for this specific vehicle, any prior license denials or suspensions in another jurisdiction, whether you hold other DSHS licenses, and — important — whether you're a sole proprietor planning to use your Social Security Number as your Federal Taxpayer Number.
Your business's legal name goes in the Organization Name field. Your DBA (Doing Business As) name — usually what's painted on the truck — goes in a separate field. You'll enter your Tax Number here, and select an Entity Type from a long list: Sole Owner/Proprietorship, LLC, Corporation, Partnership, and many others.
Standard contact details for the application.
Operation-specific selections tied to your MFV classification.
The name, address, email, and phone of whoever is completing the application. If that person isn't part of the company obtaining the license, there's a checkbox to flag that — and you'll need to attach separate documentation proving the relationship. This section also asks for the 11-digit Texas taxpayer number for the owner of the company being licensed.
Your CPF (commissary) details, or your exemption documentation if your operation qualifies as fully self-contained.
A simple field for your operating hours, formatted as HH:MM AM/PM–HH:MM AM/PM.
Two fields: what food you serve, and your full itinerary — the name/location of the vehicle and your operational plan, including the specific locations, dates, and times you intend to operate. You're also welcome to upload this as an attachment instead of typing it directly.
Detailed vehicle information: VIN, unit/truck number, license plate number and state, vehicle make, year, size, and color, Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (and Tow Vehicle GVWR if applicable), registration expiration date, driver's name and license number with expiration, and your insurance policy information.
This is where you upload supporting documents. See the full list below — each file must be under 5MB with a filename under 30 characters, and the total of all files can't exceed 30MB.
A full review of everything you've entered before you submit, organized by section with an Edit button next to each one. Review carefully here — the application explicitly warns that missing required information can delay your license.
The Attachments section lists exactly what's required:
Each individual file must be under 5MB and have a filename under 30 characters including spaces. The combined total of every file you attach can't exceed 30MB. Naming your files clearly and keeping them under that character limit before you start uploading saves you from re-naming things mid-application.
Our Full-Service Permit Filing means we gather every document, fill out every tab, and submit your complete application for you — start to issued license. You operate your truck. We handle the form.
SEE ALL SERVICE TIERS →You'll see tax ID fields appear in more than one place in this application — once tied to your business's organizational details, and again as an 11-digit Texas taxpayer number for the company owner under Applicant Information. These aren't necessarily the same number depending on your business structure, so read each field's label carefully rather than assuming they're duplicates of each other.
Once your application is submitted, the next milestone is your pre-licensing inspection. Read The Inspection Details That Close Texas Food Trucks → to know what DSHS checks before they show up.
This guide documents the DSHS Mobile Food Vendor Initial Application as observed during our own walkthrough of the system. Screens, fields, and requirements can change without notice. We are an independent compliance preparation service and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) or any government agency. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice. Always verify current application requirements directly at dshs.texas.gov.