- Home occupation permit required:
- Varies
- Details:
- Cameron County has unincorporated areas and incorporated cities (Brownsville, Harlingen, McAllen area). Each municipality has its own home occupation rules. Texas Statute §559.955 requires cottage food operations to comply with local home-based business rules. Operators should verify with Cameron County and local city whether home occupation permit required. Brownsville: contact City of Brownsville Planning for home occupation requirements.
- Home kitchen:
- Texas cottage food law (Tex. Health & Safety §437.001 et seq.) requires no license, permit, or registration. No state inspection. Annual gross sales cap $150,000 (raised by SB 541, 2025). Allowed: almost all non-TCS foods including baked goods, candy, jams, jellies, pickles, dried herbs, roasted coffee, granola, vinegar, acidified foods, fermented vegetable products, dried meats. Prohibited: meat products, poultry, seafood, ice/ice cream/frozen custard/popsicles, low-acid canned goods, CBD/THC products, raw milk. Health departments cannot inspect cottage food operations.
Last verified 2026-05-05. Not legal advice.
