First, What Is an MFU Permit?

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A Mobile Food Unit (MFU) permit is the "official permission" given by a city or "jurisdiction" that allows your food truck to legally operate within their boundaries. It is issued after your unit passes an inspection that ensures compliance with local health, safety, and operational standards—like handwashing stations, refrigeration, and hot-holding equipment.

While some permits last a full year, others are event-based and only valid for a limited number of days.

👉 https://www.houstonconsumer.org/services/permits/food-permits/temporary-food-permits​​​

 

💡 Pro Tip: A "Mobile Food Unit" is the technical term used in Texas to denote anything on wheels that serves food, whether it be a food truck, a food trailer, a food cart, and other mobile kitchen.

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What Is a Jurisdiction—And Why Does It Matter?​​​

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The Greater Houston metro area includes more than just the City of Houston. It consists of dozens of independent health jurisdictions, each with its own rules, enforcement policies, and application process for MFU permits.

A jurisdiction is simply the area that a city or health department governs. And depending on which one you're in, your food truck may either be fully welcomed—or entirely banned from operating outside of festivals or special events.

For example:

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📍City of Houston – Offers year-round and temporary permits. Active enforcement.

📍Katy – Does not allow food trucks to operate freely. Only permitted during special events.

📍The Woodlands – Typically bans general food truck operations unless pre-approved for an event.

📍Harris County (unincorporated areas) – Issues separate MFU permits and requires a central prep facility.

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⚠️ Beware: In Texas there is no universal operate-anywhere MFU permit—regardless of what you may have heard. Every location where you plan to activate must be permitted by that specific jurisdiction. We've seen well-intentioned marketing teams run into last-minute issues after assuming that a Harris County permit allowed them to operate anywhere—only to find out that the City of Houston (which sits entirely within Harris County) has a completely separate permitting process.

 

A Must-See Map for Planning Food Truck Brand Activations in Greater Houston​

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Fortunately, Harris County Public Health has published an incredibly helpful map that outlines the many overlapping permit jurisdictions in the Houston metro area. It includes:

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📍City of Houston

📍Harris County (unincorporated areas)

📍Pasadena

📍Baytown

📍La Porte

📍Katy

📍Pearland

📍Missouri City

📍Sugar Land

📍Tomball

📍The Woodlands

📍And more...

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You can view the map here:

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🔗 View the Greater Houston Jurisdiction Map (PDF)

 

This map will help you determine:

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✅What entity issues permits in your event location

✅Whether your MFU will be allowed to operate

✅Who to contact to get started with a permit application

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If you’re scouting locations for a commercial shoot or planning a multi-day activation, we strongly recommend you consult this map before locking anything in.​

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Takeaways for Creative Agencies

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✅Always confirm the jurisdiction of your event site before booking a truck or scheduling your campaign.

✅There is no blanket permit for Houston—every city or region issues its own.

✅Some areas restrict food trucks entirely outside of official events.

✅Use the Harris County jurisdiction map to plan smarter and avoid compliance issues.

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Need a Partner on the Ground?

We’ve helped dozens of agencies navigate Houston’s unique permitting landscape and execute clean, compliant brand activations with mobile food trucks. Whether you need a permit secured, a turnkey vehicle, or just local know-how—we’ve got you covered.​