Before you pay a deposit, give the builder your menu and the Texas DSHS requirements in writing, and get every item on the spec sheet: a three-compartment sink big enough to submerge your largest utensil, a separate handwash sink, hot water, a wastewater tank at least 15% larger than the potable tank, 16-mesh screening on every vent and opening window, tight-fitting doors and windows with no gaps, and non-absorbent food-contact surfaces.
Then put the requirements in the contract and walk the finished unit with a checklist before the final payment.
- 🍔 Menu first. Your menu decides your MFV type, and your type decides the build.
- 📄 Requirements in the contract. "Built to code" is not a spec.
- 🕳️ No gaps. Every opening sealed or screened at 16 mesh.
- 💧 Water math. Wastewater tank at least 15% bigger than fresh water.
- ✅ Walk it before you pay the balance. Fixes are cheapest while it's still at the shop.
Start With Your Menu, Not the Floor Plan
DSHS licenses your unit by what you serve, and the type you fall into decides how much equipment you need:
- Type I: prepackaged food only, no open food prep.
- Type II: limited preparation, like coffee, snow cones, hot dog carts and deli trailers.
- Type III: full food preparation, like taco trucks, burger rigs and BBQ trailers.
Send the builder your actual menu. A coffee trailer and a BBQ rig need very different water, power, and ventilation. Ask: "Based on this menu, what type will this unit be, and how is the build sized for it?"
The Questions to Ask, by System
Water and sinks
- Is the three-compartment sink large enough to fully submerge my largest utensil (my biggest pan or hotel pan)?
- Is there a separate handwash sink, with room for soap and paper towels?
- How big is the water heater, and does it supply hot water to every sink?
- Is the wastewater tank at least 15% larger than the potable water tank?
- If I'm hooking up a coffee machine, espresso machine, or other beverage equipment, does the water line have backflow protection? Our clients have been flagged for this at inspection.
Sealing, screening, and doors
- Does every ventilation opening (exhaust fans, vents, and windows that open) have screening of at least 16 mesh to the inch?
- Are the doors and windows tight-fitting, with proper seals and no light showing around the frame?
- Are there any gaps where walls, floors, wiring, plumbing, or equipment meet? Inspectors are treating open gaps as a fail. See gaps, seals and screens.
Surfaces and interior
- Are food-contact surfaces durable, corrosion-resistant, and non-absorbent?
- Are walls, floors, and ceilings smooth and easy to clean?
Power and setup
- Can every piece of equipment run and hold temperature at the inspection, with nothing permanently connected to utilities?
- Is there enough refrigeration and hot-holding capacity for my menu volume?
Commissary or self-contained?
- If I want to qualify for the CPF exemption, is the unit self-contained enough: cooling, heating, storage, warewashing that submerges the largest utensil, and an approved water source?
Fire
- Will this build pass the local fire inspection where I'll operate? Fire rules stayed local after July 1, so propane and cooking units still face city fire marshals (Austin, San Antonio, Houston and others).
How to Avoid the Back-and-Forth
- Put the Texas requirements in the contract, item by item. "Built to code" means different things in different states.
- Ask for the equipment list with model numbers before the build starts, so you can check sink and tank sizes yourself.
- Get photos or video at milestones: framing, plumbing, and walls before they're closed up. Gaps are easy to fix before the panels go on.
- Agree in writing who pays if the unit fails inspection on something the contract specified.
- Walk the finished unit with a checklist before the final payment. Once the balance is paid and the truck leaves the shop, every fix is on your time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I ask a food truck builder in Texas?
Give the builder your menu and ask whether the build meets Texas DSHS requirements item by item: a three-compartment sink that submerges your largest utensil, a separate handwash sink, hot water, a wastewater tank at least 15% larger than the potable tank, 16-mesh screening on every ventilation opening, tight-fitting doors and windows with no gaps, and non-absorbent food-contact surfaces.
Does the food truck builder get my DSHS license?
No. The license is issued to the operator for each vehicle. The builder builds the unit; you apply, pass the pre-licensing inspection, and hold the license.
What screening does a Texas food truck need?
Every ventilation opening, including exhaust fans, vents, and windows that open, needs screening of at least 16 mesh to the inch.
How big does the wastewater tank need to be?
At least 15% larger than the potable (fresh) water tank. An undersized wastewater tank is one of the most common inspection failures.
When should I inspect the truck from my builder?
Get photos at milestones during the build, and walk the finished unit with a checklist before you pay the final balance, while fixes are still the builder's job.
Related Reports
- Before You Buy a Food Truck or Trailer
- Self-Built Trailers: What Gets Rejected
- Gaps, Seals and Screens: Why Inspections Fail
- Equipment Requirements Under HB 2844
- Haven't Bought Yet? Check the Truck First
Published: October 22, 2026. Last verified: October 22, 2026. Requirements are drawn from the DSHS Mobile Food Vendor Guide, 25 TAC Chapter 226, and the Texas Food Establishment Rules as summarized in our verified reports. Field reports describe what inspectors told our clients and are labeled as such; they are not published DSHS policy. This is general compliance information, not legal advice.
Reported by: Texas Food Truck Permits Editorial Team