You will need a food hygiene permit in the following situations:  

• If you are selling, or giving away food to the public (Cottage Food items are exempt, see pg…)
• If you are storing more than 200 cubic square feet of pre-packaged, non-TCS (Time/Temperature Control for Safety) food

Cottage food items are the ONLY legal food items that can be sold out of a residence.

◾ Click here for Cottage Food information and guidelines.

An imminent health hazard is defined as “a significant threat or danger to health that is considered to exist where there is evidence sufficient to show that a product, practice, circumstance, or event creates a situation that requires immediate correction or cessation of operation to prevent injury based on: 

(1) The number of potential injuries, and 
(2) The nature, severity, and duration of the anticipated injury” (FDA Food Code, 2022). 

Imminent health hazards include- “fire, flood, extended interruption of electrical or water service, sewage backup, misuse of poisonous or toxic materials, onset of apparent foodborne illness outbreak, gross insanitary occurrence or condition, or other circumstance that may endanger public health” (FDA Food Code, 2022). The permit holder shall obtain approval from the regulatory authority and pay a re-inspection fee before resuming operations. When one of these events occurs, the owner/operator must self-close and notify the regulatory authority.

Grease traps need to be cleaned every 3 months.

Grease traps are required to be located underground, outside of the building.

Yes, a water test is needed prior to opening the water kiosk, and then once every 90 days after. Water test records must be maintained for 2 years.

Contact the City of Amarillo Fire Marshal office for fire safety information.

• Email: firemarshalreview@amarillo.gov
• Fire Marshal Office Phone: 806-378-4238

• Food establishment employees to set up and serve at public or private events
• Mobile food units and brick and mortar establishments to attend temporary events and avoid temporary permit fees.

Fees vary for permits.

◾ Click here for the Environmental Health fee schedule.

Inspection frequency is based on risk categories 1-4. Frequency is as follows:

Risk 1 — Inspections are conducted once a year

Risk 2 — Inspections are conducted twice a year (every 6 months)

Risk 3 — Inspections are conducted three times a year (every 4 months)

Risk 4 — Inspections are conducted four times a year (every 3 months)

Firms that manufacture food for sale to the public in the following manner are required to have a Food Manufacturer license with the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). This includes any firm that engages in the following activities:

• Processing and/or packaging any food product, including dietary supplements, ice, and water, for wholesale distribution or for sale via retail customer self-service.
• Selling vended or bottled water or bagging ice.
• Repackaging food products (eg. repacking candy into smaller or larger packages), for wholesale distribution or for sale via retail customer self-service.
• Any Texas firm that places their name and address on a product label, even though another firm (co-packer) actually produces the product. This is called "private labeling." A private labeler is required to obtain a Food Manufacturer license.
• Packaging food and displaying the packaged food for customer self-service. This includes all retail food service operations that package and display food in this manner.

No, only service dogs that are restrained by their owner are allowed inside.

NO OTHER ANIMALS ARE ALLOWED INSIDE OF A FOOD ESTABLISHMENT.

All food establishments need one certified food manager on site at all times (usually the manager of the establishment or person in charge).

All employees that contact food must have a food handler certification (employees that already hold a food manager certification do not need a food handler certificate).

A request to modify or waiver a requirement in the FDA Food Code, TFER, or Amarillo Municipal Code. The health officer shall determine the approval of the variance.

A Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan is a written procedure describing how a specialized food process is conducted. The following are examples of specialized food processes:

• Sushi rice
• Dehydrating meats (jerky) (shelf-stable)
• Cook/chill, sous vide
• Reduced oxygen packaging

Yes. If you are buying locally grown produce to sell in your restaurant, full invoices that include the name and contact information of the seller is required.

Yes, proper hair restraints are required for all staff. Approved hair restraints include:

• Hats
• Hair nets
• Hair pulled back in a tight bun or braid

Yes, workers with facial hair must wear a beard guard.

There are 3 approved chemicals used for food contact surfaces-chlorine (bleach), quaternary ammonium, and iodine. If a chemical sanitizer other than these 3 chemicals is used, it shall be applied in accordance with the EPA label instructions & employees shall demonstrate to the health officer that the solution achieves proper sanitation.

Only a certified pesticide applicator is allowed to treat for pests inside of a food establishment. The use of household pesticides (e.g. Raid) or chemical tracking powder is strictly prohibited.

TCS stands for Time/Temperature Control for Safety. These are foods that are not shelf stable and must remain under temperature control at all times, unless prior approval is given to the establishment to use proper time as a control procedures. Examples of TCS foods include:

• Bean sprouts
• Milk
• Raw meats
• Chopped tomatoes
• Eggs