Opening a Restaurant or Food Truck in Cameron County Means a Health Review

Opening a food business in Cameron County is more than getting a sales-tax number. The county's Public Health Environmental Health program walks restaurants and mobile food units through the establishment process, and a permit and inspection are part of getting your doors open.

The county provides an establishment application packet that lays out the steps — registering the business name, the inspection your kitchen or trailer needs to pass, and the other sign-offs that depend on whether you're inside city limits or out in the county. It's the kind of thing worth reading before you sign a lease or buy equipment, because a layout that won't pass inspection is expensive to fix later.

Start with the Cameron County Public Health food-service page and its application packet. Mobile units and brick-and-mortar restaurants follow slightly different paths, so confirm which rules apply to your setup.