Forms and Publications - Retail Food Establishments

Permit applications may be used for initial licensure, renewal, or change of ownership (including legal entity).

If you would like to apply for a variance, please submit all documentation to our Compliance Department.

Food & Drug Program Update
EFFECTIVE 11/19/2021

Please send all applications with fees to:

Department of State Health Services
Cash Receipts Branch – MC 2003
PO Box 149347
Austin, TX 78714-9347

Retail Food Operation or Food Store

Retail Food Establishment or Food Store Permit Application
Food Establishment Inspection Application
Minor Amendment Change (Name, Address) for Retail Food Operation, Food Establishment, Food Store
Retail Food Establishment 47 Item Inspection Report

Mobile or Roadside Food Establishments

Guidelines on Mobile Food Units- How to Mobilize Your Food OperationUpdated 04/15/2019!
Mobile Food Unit Permit Application
Roadside Food Vendor Checklist
Roadside Food Vendor Permit Application
Guidance Document for Pushcarts
Minor Amendment Change (Name, Address) for Mobile / Roadside Food Vendor

Temporary Retail Food Establishments

Temporary Retail Food Establishment, Multiple Events
Temporary Retail Food Establishment, Single Event
Temporary Retail Food Establishment, Fact Sheet
Temporary Retail Food Establishment Checklist

School Food Operations

School Food Operation Permit Application
School Food Establishment Inspection Application
Minor Amendment Change (Name, Address) for School Establishments

Regulatory Clarifications

These regulatory clarifications are the latest guidance and remain in effect until replaced in writing by the Public Sanitation and Retail Food Safety Unit.

This information is approved for attributed use or reproduction:

No. 1: Hot Water at Vegetable Prep Sinks - 23-13187
No. 2: Mobile Shrimp Vendors - E23-13188
No. 3: Sprouting Seeds - E23-13189
No. 4: Storage of Sanitizing Solution Buckets - E23-13190
No. 5: Food Employee Infected with Hepatitis C Virus - E23-13191
No. 6: Retail Requirements for Individual Quick Frozen (IQF) Oysters - E23-13192
No. 7: Wooden Skewers as Single-Service Articles - E23-13193
No. 8: Restriction of a Food Employee with Lesions - E23-13194
No. 9: Selling Yard Eggs at a Farmers Market - E23-13195
No. 10: Demonstration of Knowledge - E23-13196
No. 11: Competency of Inspectors - E23-13197
No. 12: Bare Hand Contact with Ready-to-Eat Foods - E23-13198
No. 14: Service Animals in a Retail Food Establishment - E23-13251
No. 15: Requirements for Service (Mop) Sinks
No. 16: HIV and Food Employees
No. 17: Children's Beverage Stands (Updated 09/19/2019)
No. 18: Certified Food Manager Requirements for Farmer's Markets
No. 19: Hair Restraints - E23-14843
No. 20: Selling Non-Chicken Eggs to a Retail Food Establishment

Presentation

Check back for uploads of future presentations.

Guidance Publications

Retail Food Sampling Collection Guidance (2023)
228 Texas Food Establishment Rules (2021)
Summary of Changes TFER 2021 (2021)
DSHS Retail Food Establishment Inspection Report (2021)
DSHS Marking Instructions Guide (2021)
DSHS Quick Code Reference 56 Items (2021)
228 TFER Quick Code Reference 47 Items (2021) (Excel)
FDA Food Code 2017
228 Texas Food Establishment Rules (2015)
228 Texas Food Establishment Rules Regulatory Code Quick Reference (2015)
228 Texas Food Establishment Rules Field Inspection Manual (2015)
BBQ Pit Requirements - DSHS SOP
Clean vs. Sanitized
Clean up of Bodily Fluids
Cooling of Cooked Potentially Hazardous Foods - F23-13356
Cooling Methods Fact Sheet
Corrective Action Plan How-To
Cross Contamination Shelves
Custom Processing
Double Handwash Poster - English
Emerging and Infectious Disease Guidelines 2016 - (Pages 390-395 refer to Texas Food Establishment Rules on Employee Health Policy)
FDA-Employee Health and Personal Hygiene Handbook
FDA Food Code
FDA_AFDO Guide for Developing a HACCP Plan
First Aid Kits
Food Employee Reporting Agreement Form - English
Food Employee Reporting Sign - English
Food Product Date Codes
Food Temperature Log - F23-13334
Guidelines for Mobile Food Units - How To Mobilize Your Food Operation
HACCP Plan Review Checklist
Handwash Poster - English
How to Determine if Foods Require Time and Temperature Control
Marking Instructions for 2015 Texas Food Establishment Rules
Model Form 1-A - Conditional Employee and Food Employee Interview - E23-13281
Norovirus (from Disinfect-for-health.org)
Preventing Contamination from Hands - 23-12906
Proper Thawing
Pushcarts
Retail Food Establishment Inspection Report
Refrigerated Foods under Reduced Oxygen Packaging
Safe Food Temperatures Poster - English
Safe Food Temperatures Poster - English/Spanish
Service Sinks
Starting a New Retail Food Establishment
Three-Compartment Sink Poster - English
Time as a Public Health Control Guidelines 23-14948
Time As a Public Health Control Log- F23-13363
Variance Request Procedures - E23-13280
Variance Request Procedures for Mobile Food Units
What Does the Date on a Product Really Mean?
Wild Mushroom Program

Emergency Guidance Documents

Reopening After a Fire (NEW 02/2024)
Emergency Shelter Sanitation Guidelines
Emergency Shelter Recommendations
Guidance for Retail Food Establishments Under a Boil Order (Revised 02/2021)
Reopening a Retail Food Establishment After an Emergency

Spanish Documents

BBQ Pit Requirements
Clean Up of Bodily Fluids
Custom Processing
Clean vs Sanitized
Cooling Method Fact Sheet
Cross Contamination Shelving Sign
Double Handwash Poster
Food Employee Reporting Sign
Food Employee Reporting Agreement Form
Food Product Date Codes
Guidance Document for Pushcarts
Guidance for First Aid Kit Supplies
Guidance for ROP
Guidelines for Mobile Food Units - How To Mobilize Your Food Operation
HACCP Checklist
Handwash Poster
How to Create a Corrective Action Plan
Mobile Food Establishment Pre-Licensing Checklist
Model Form 1-A - Conditional Employee and Food Employee Interview
Preventing Contamination From Hands
Proper Thawing Technique
Roadside Vendor Checklist
Safe Food Temperatures Poster - English/Spanish
Safe Food Temperatures Poster
Starting a New Retail Food Establishment
Temporary Food Establishment Fact Sheet
Temporary Food Establishment Checklist
Three-Compartment Sink Poster
Time as a Public Health Control Log
Time as a Public Health Control Sign
Variance Request
Variance Request Procedures for Mobile Food Units
What does the Date Really Mean?
Wild Mushroom Program

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Map and directions to the Central Campus

Forms and Publications - Retail Food Establishments