Dallas County details mobile food permitting, inspections and complaint process for Garland-area vendors

Annalisa Griffith, interim assistant director for Environmental Health at Dallas County, outlined the county’s mobile food unit permitting process at the Garland meeting, saying the county’s packet and web portal cover “application, appointment, location, processing, inspection, and permits and payments.”

Griffith told the group the county asks vendors to complete an online application and bring a commissary agreement, food-service permit for the commissary site, a food manager certification and evidence of sales-tax registration to their inspection appointment. “We always want them to call our office first to schedule it,” Griffith said, and listed the department phone number as 214-819-2115.

The county explained the inspection checks specific temperatures and equipment. Griffith said inspectors check that the hand-sink water reaches about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the three-compartment sink registers about 110 degrees, and refrigeration is 41 degrees or below. She said inspections typically take 30 minutes to an hour because inspectors verify refrigeration and hot-water systems. “A lot of times people don't bring gas and they run out of gas, or they don't have enough water in their mobile unit, so they don't have enough water for us to test the hot water,” she said.

Griffith and staff described the commissary requirement as a central control point for food prep, wastewater disposal and storage. They said a commissary must be a permitted commercial kitchen or other permitted facility; county staff review commissary permits when vendors list an address in their packet. Griffith said the county asks vendors to list all locations they will operate at and to return to their commissary daily where required by the county rules.

Enforcement roles and how to file complaints

County staff said Dallas County now handles mobile-unit permitting after interlocal agreements changed and some cities opted out of permitting. County staff told the group that cities retain enforcement tools: the county issues or pulls permits, but city governments can issue citations for operating without a permit or for zoning violations. As Griffith put it, “We cite them. We give them a citation,” when city enforcement applies; she also told the group the county will notify cities after each complaint inspection.

For vendors that appear to be operating like a permanent restaurant — i.e., staying in one place rather than visiting a commissary — Griffith said cities can pursue zoning or restaurant-permit reviews and issue citations. County staff asked Garland-area participants to forward complaints with vendor names and precise locations so inspectors can follow up, and said they will perform after-dark inspections when complaints indicate vendors operate in the evening.

Fees, paperwork and common inspection failures

On fees and paperwork, Griffith presented a printed fee schedule and said the first-year permit fee appears on the packet as “12.78” (as read aloud during the meeting). Later in the discussion staff described the first-year permit cost as roughly $1,200 and said the renewal fee is half the first-year price; meeting remarks left a discrepancy between the two representations. Griffith said the county accepts cash, card and money orders and will mail or email certificates and stickers to permitted operators.

County staff described common inspection failures: vendors not bringing required documents (sales-tax permit, commissary agreement, commissary’s food permit), nonworking generators or refrigeration, insufficient hot water, and pest evidence. They said mobile carts that sell only prepackaged frozen items (for example prepackaged ice cream) generally do not require a county permit, but carts selling prepared hot food do.

Legal and regulatory references

County presenters said the permitting system implements Texas food-establishment rules (referred to in the meeting as Texas food establishment rules). Griffith also mentioned recent state legislation that changed how units are regulated; staff referenced a House bill by number during the discussion and said lawmakers have sought clarifying language since the law took effect in September 2023.

Why this matters

Garland-area residents and elected members raised particular concern about food trucks parked long-term at gas stations and other private lots that inspectors say do not appear to return to a commissary daily and that sometimes lack permanent potable-water or restroom hookups. County staff said they will investigate complaints and recommended city zoning follow-up for vendors that behave like brick-and-mortar restaurants.

What participants were asked to do

County staff asked Garland participants to send specific complaint details — vendor name, unit color, precise address and typical hours — so inspectors can locate and, if necessary, re-inspect units. Griffith said the county’s mobile unit inspection location and processing center is listed in the packet and that operators are required to bring documents and equipment to prove refrigeration, hot water and potable-water plumbing work during on-site checks.

Speakers quoted in this article are present in the meeting record and attributed from the transcript.