McAllen's food truck requirements are blunt: "Fire Inspection (Without Fire inspection we will not move forward with application)." The Fire Marshal's Office is at the Development Center, 311 N. 15th St., (956) 681-2551, and the city also requires a planning inspection. No separate published fire-permit fee was found.
One wrinkle: as of September 30, 2026 the City of McAllen website still shows its old local food permit with no HB 2844 notice. The health license is DSHS now, statewide. The fire and planning inspections, the location ordinance, and the food handler/manager permits are the parts that are clearly still McAllen's — and this page is about the fire piece.
- 🔥 Mandatory: "Without Fire inspection we will not move forward with application." (City of McAllen Food Truck & Mobile Truck Requirements)
- 📍 Fire Marshal's Office — Development Center, 311 N. 15th St., McAllen · (956) 681-2551.
- 💵 Fee not published for the fire inspection itself. We do not guess — ask when you schedule.
- 📸 Bring photos: the city wants color pictures of interior and exterior including kitchen equipment, hood system, sink, and water tanks.
- ⚠️ City site not updated for HB 2844 — the health license is DSHS; if the city asks for its old food permit, ask them to put it in writing.
Your DSHS Mobile Food Vendor License is the health license and it is statewide. Fire is still local. Two agencies, two fees, two inspections — budget both and do them in the order below. McAllen food truck permit — everything else (DSHS + local).
Who needs it — and who doesn't
- REQUIRED: Every food truck or mobile truck going through the City of McAllen's application — the city requirements make the fire inspection a precondition, and a planning inspection is also required.
- NOT REQUIRED / CONFIRM: None published. The requirements document does not carve out no-cook units.
What it costs
| Fee | Amount | As published |
|---|---|---|
| Fire inspection | Not published | No separate fire-permit fee appears in the city's Food Truck & Mobile Truck Requirements or on the pages we could read. Ask the Fire Marshal's Office. |
| Food handler permit (city ordinance) | Set in ordinance | Valid three years; the food manager permit for a mobile food unit is valid five years from course completion. Amounts are set in the ordinance — confirm with the city. |
Fee source: City of McAllen — Food Truck & Mobile Truck Requirements (PDF) · September 30, 2026
How to get it, step by step
Process source: City of McAllen — Food Truck & Mobile Truck Requirements (PDF)
Timing and validity
- "Application Processing can take up to one week." (city requirements)
- The city's old mobile vending permit called for 6-month vehicle inspections — whether the fire inspection repeats on that cycle is not stated. Ask.
What the inspector checks
- Fire inspection scheduled and passed with the Fire Marshal's Office
- Planning inspection completed
- Color photos of interior and exterior: kitchen equipment, hood system, sink, water tanks
- Site plan with truck dimensions and setback measurements; aerial screenshot of every location
- Letter from the property owner authorizing restroom use and parking; 50% tenant letter if in a commercial plaza
- Grease trap letter (where water and grease are disposed) and commissary letter (not residential)
- Copy of ID, sales tax certificate, menu with hours of operation; notarized affidavit page
Checklist source: City of McAllen — Food Truck & Mobile Truck Requirements (PDF)
Who to contact
What we could not verify
Common questions
Does McAllen require a fire inspection for food trucks?
Yes. The City of McAllen's Food Truck & Mobile Truck Requirements state "Fire Inspection (Without Fire inspection we will not move forward with application)," alongside a planning inspection. The Fire Marshal's Office is at the Development Center, 311 N. 15th St., (956) 681-2551.
How much is the McAllen food truck fire inspection?
No separate fire-inspection fee is published in the city's requirements or on the pages we could read. Ask the Fire Marshal's Office when you schedule — we do not publish amounts we cannot source.
What does McAllen want to see for the fire inspection?
The city asks for color photos of the interior and exterior including kitchen equipment, hood system, sink, and water tanks, and it inspects the unit. Bring the hood suppression and extinguishers serviced and tagged and the propane system secured.
Do I still need McAllen's food permit if I have the DSHS license?
State law made DSHS the mobile food vendor health licensing authority statewide on July 1, 2026, and DSHS's guide says Chapter 437B preempts local regulation of mobile food vendors. McAllen's website has not been updated. If the city asks for its old health permit, ask them to cite the authority in writing — and get your DSHS license regardless. The fire and planning inspections are a different matter and still local.
Sources
- City of McAllen — Food Truck & Mobile Truck Requirements (fire inspection, photos, letters)
- McAllen Code of Ordinances — Mobile Food Vendors (location rules)
- DSHS — Mobile Food Vendor Guide (preemption language)
Published: September 30, 2026. Official pages read: September 30, 2026. Every fee and rule on this page is quoted from the official source named next to it. Local rules change without notice — if the city tells you something different, call us and we will check it against the source and log the correction, dated, on our updates page. Texas Food Truck Permits is an independent compliance service, not affiliated with any fire marshal's office, DSHS, or any government agency.
Reported by: Texas Food Truck Permits · Rolando Garza, licensed Texas food truck operator