Food Service

Dallas Restaurant Compliance Guide: Health, Safety, and Licensing Requirements

2026-01-295 min read

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Dallas restaurants must navigate health permits, food safety regulations, alcohol licensing, and operational compliance. This guide covers all requirements with practical implementation strategies.

Health Department Requirements

Food Establishment Permit

Dallas County Health Department:

Initial permit: $200-$400 (based on risk level)
Annual renewal: $200-$400
Inspection: 2-3 times per year
Timeline: 2-4 weeks

Risk categories:

High risk (full menu): $400/year
Medium risk (limited menu): $300/year
Low risk (prepackaged only): $200/year

Food Handler Certifications

Texas requirements:

All food handlers: Certified within 60 days
Food manager: Certified before opening
Renewal: Every 2 years

Costs:

Food handler course: $15/person
Food manager certification: $150-$200
Total for 10-person staff: $350-$400

Kitchen Inspections

Inspection checklist:

[ ] Food storage temperatures
[ ] Cross-contamination prevention
[ ] Hand washing stations
[ ] Equipment sanitation
[ ] Pest control
[ ] Employee hygiene

Common violations:

Improper food temperatures (most common)
Inadequate hand washing
Cross-contamination
Missing certifications

Alcohol Licensing (TABC)

License Types

Beer and wine:

Wine and Beer Retailer Permit: $1,000/year
Application fee: $100
Timeline: 45-60 days

Full liquor:

Mixed Beverage Permit: $6,000/year
Application fee: $1,000
Timeline: 60-90 days

Additional permits:

Food and Beverage Certificate: $1,000/year (if under 50% food sales)
Late hours permit: $1,000/year (after midnight)

TABC Compliance

Requirements:

[ ] TABC seller training (all servers)
[ ] Age verification procedures
[ ] Responsible service policies
[ ] Incident documentation
[ ] Regular compliance audits

Training costs:

TABC certification: $10-$15/person
Renewal: Every 2 years
Total for 15 servers: $150-$225

City of Dallas Requirements

Business Licenses

Certificate of Occupancy:

Cost: $200-$800 (based on square footage)
Renewal: Annual
Inspection: Fire marshal, health, building

Sign permits:

Permanent sign: $100-$300
Temporary banner: $50
Menu board: $75

Fire Safety

Requirements:

[ ] Fire suppression system (kitchen)
[ ] Fire extinguishers (properly placed)
[ ] Emergency exits (clearly marked)
[ ] Occupancy limits (posted)
[ ] Annual fire inspection

Costs:

Fire suppression system: $3,000-$10,000
Annual inspection: $200-$400
Maintenance: $500-$1,000/year

Operational Compliance

Employment

Labor requirements:

[ ] I-9 verification (all employees)
[ ] W-4 forms
[ ] Tip reporting procedures
[ ] Overtime compliance
[ ] Break requirements

Payroll setup:

Gusto: $40/month + $6/person
ADP: $100-$200/month
Square Payroll: $35/month + $5/person

Insurance

Required coverage:

General liability: $1,000-$3,000/year
Workers' compensation: $2,000-$8,000/year
Liquor liability: $1,500-$5,000/year
Property insurance: $1,000-$3,000/year

Total: $5,500-$19,000/year

Food Safety Compliance

Temperature Control

Critical temperatures:

Cold storage: ≤41°F
Hot holding: ≥135°F
Cooking temps: Varies by food
Cooling: 135°F to 70°F in 2 hours, then to 41°F in 4 hours

Monitoring:

Temperature logs (3x daily minimum)
Calibrated thermometers
Written procedures
Staff training

Allergen Management

Texas requirements:

Menu allergen disclosure
Staff allergen training
Cross-contamination prevention
Emergency procedures

Common allergens:

Milk, eggs, fish, shellfish
Tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soy

First-Year Costs

Startup compliance:

Health permits: $400
TABC license: $7,000 (if full liquor)
Business licenses: $1,000
Fire safety: $5,000
Insurance: $10,000
Training: $1,000
Total: $24,400

Annual ongoing:

Permits and licenses: $8,000
Insurance: $10,000
Training renewals: $500
Inspections: $600
Total: $19,100/year

Common Violations and Penalties

Health Code Violations

Critical violations:

Improper food temps: $500-$2,000
No food handler certs: $500-$1,000
Pest infestation: $1,000-$5,000
Repeat violations: Closure

TABC Violations

Common issues:

Serving minors: $1,000-$5,000 + license suspension
Over-serving: $500-$2,000
No seller training: $500-$1,000
Late hours violation: $1,000-$3,000

Implementation Timeline

Pre-Opening (3-4 months)

Month 1:

[ ] Apply for health permit
[ ] Apply for TABC license
[ ] Obtain business license
[ ] Purchase insurance

Month 2:

[ ] Install fire suppression
[ ] Schedule inspections
[ ] Complete staff training
[ ] Set up payroll

Month 3:

[ ] Final health inspection
[ ] Fire marshal approval
[ ] TABC final approval
[ ] Certificate of occupancy

Month 4:

[ ] Soft opening
[ ] Final compliance check
[ ] Grand opening

Ongoing Maintenance

Daily:

Temperature logs
Cleaning checklists
Shift reports

Weekly:

Inventory checks
Equipment maintenance
Staff meetings

Monthly:

Review compliance
Update training
Audit procedures

Annually:

Renew all permits
Update insurance
Comprehensive audit

Best Practices

1. Digital Compliance Management

Tools:

FoodDocs: $99/month (HACCP, temp logs)
SafetyChain: $199/month (comprehensive)
HAIEC Restaurant Compliance: $149/month

Benefits:

Automated reminders
Digital logs
Inspection readiness
Reduced violations

2. Staff Training Program

Components:

Initial orientation (8 hours)
Food safety (4 hours)
TABC certification (2 hours)
Allergen training (1 hour)
Ongoing refreshers (quarterly)

3. Inspection Preparation

Always ready:

Clean and organized
Logs up to date
Staff certified
Equipment maintained
Procedures documented

Conclusion

Dallas restaurant compliance requires careful attention to health permits, TABC licensing, fire safety, and operational requirements. Budget $24,000 for startup and $19,000 annually for ongoing compliance.

Key requirements:

Health permit: $400/year
TABC license: $1,000-$7,000/year
Insurance: $10,000/year
Training: $500-$1,000/year

Ready to open compliant? Get restaurant checklist →

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