San Antonio is the clearest big Texas city on this: Metro Health says a fire inspection "is required yearly for the DSHS mobile vending license" if your unit has a propane tank, a generator, or a gas/charcoal/wood grill. SAFD's own rule: the Fire Mobile Vending Permit is required when "cooking and/or heating are conducted in the unit" or "a generator is used in association with the unit."
The fee is $300.00 plus a 3% surcharge. Inspections run Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8–11 a.m., at the Claude Black Community Center (2805 E. Commerce); you apply through the BuildSA portal. Below: the checklist SAFD publishes, the sequencing with DSHS, and the numbers to call.
- 🔥 Required if you cook, heat, or run a generator — SAFD Fire Mobile Vending Permit. Metro Health: required yearly for the DSHS license if you have propane, a generator, or a gas/charcoal/wood grill.
- 💵 $300.00 + 3% surcharge. (SAFD Mobile Food Vending page)
- 📅 Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8–11 a.m., Claude Black Community Center, 2805 E. Commerce, 78202.
- 💻 Apply on BuildSA — register an account first.
- 📋 Checklist: automatic extinguishing system over all cooking equipment, 2A10BC extinguisher minimum, LP-gas ≤ 200 lb aggregate, tanks ≥ 5 ft from the primary exit, generator refueling ≥ 20 ft from the unit.
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. San Antonio food truck permit — everything else (DSHS + local).
Who needs it — and who doesn't
- REQUIRED: Any food vending vehicle where "cooking and/or heating are conducted in the unit" or "a generator is used in association with the unit" (SAFD). Metro Health ties it to the DSHS license: yearly if you have a propane tank, generator, or gas/charcoal/wood grill.
- NOT REQUIRED / CONFIRM: A unit with no cooking, no heating, and no generator is outside SAFD's stated trigger. If that is you, confirm with the Fire Marshal (210-207-8410) before you skip it — and keep the answer in writing.
What it costs
| Fee | Amount | As published |
|---|---|---|
| SAFD Fire Mobile Vending Permit | $300.00 + 3% surcharge | "A permit fee of $300.00 (plus a 3% surcharge)" applies to all mobile food vending units. |
Fee source: SAFD — Mobile Food Vending permits · September 30, 2026
How to get it, step by step
Process source: SAFD — Mobile Food Vending permits
Timing and validity
- Yearly — Metro Health: "a fire inspection is required yearly for the DSHS mobile vending license." SAFD's page does not state a permit duration; treat it as annual.
- Inspection days are fixed (Tue/Thu mornings). Build the wait into your opening plan.
What the inspector checks
- Automatic fire extinguishing system over all cooking equipment
- 2A10BC fire extinguisher minimum, tagged
- LP-gas not exceeding 200 lb aggregate on the unit
- LP-gas tanks at least 5 ft from the primary exit
- Generator refueling at least 20 ft from the unit
- Unit running on its own systems for the inspection — cooking, heating, and generator all in the condition they operate in
Checklist source: SAFD — Mobile Food Inspection Checklist (linked from the SAFD Mobile Food Vending page)
Who to contact
What we could not verify
Common questions
How much is the San Antonio food truck fire permit?
SAFD's Mobile Food Vending page states "a permit fee of $300.00 (plus a 3% surcharge)" applies to all mobile food vending units.
When and where are SAFD food truck inspections?
Tuesdays and Thursdays of each week, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the Claude Black Community Center, 2805 East Commerce, San Antonio, TX 78202. You apply first through the BuildSA portal.
Do I need the SAFD permit every year?
Yes. San Antonio Metro Health states that "a fire inspection is required yearly for the DSHS mobile vending license" if your unit has a propane tank, generator, or gas/charcoal/wood burning grill.
Does my DSHS license replace the San Antonio fire inspection?
No. The DSHS license replaced Metro Health's city health permit (inspections ended June 30, 2026). The SAFD fire permit is a separate, still-local requirement.
Sources
- SAFD — Mobile Food Vending permits (fee, schedule, BuildSA)
- Metro Health — Mobile Food Vending (yearly fire inspection for the DSHS license)
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