Cottage food laws in Bexar County, TX
Bexar County, Texas — zoning, permits, health department links, and free PDF reports for home bakers (2026).
Bexar County is a top-50 county by population in Texas (pop. 2,014,059). Under Texas's Great-tier cottage food law (sales cap: 150000), home bakers must still clear local zoning and health rules in this county. Registration path: No. Start with Texas Department of State Health Services (state cottage food page linked below), then confirm Bexar County health and planning requirements. Local notes for Bexar County: home kitchen allowed; inspection not required; home occupation permit not required. Bexar County follows state baseline with no county-specific cottage food rules found. San Antonio (major city in county) has Metro Health which administers food establishment permits for restaurants and commercial kitchens, but cottage food operations are explicitly exempt from this jurisdiction under state law. Texas SB 541 (2025) expanded the program significantly. Download the free PDF reports below for a portable summary, and always re-check official sources before you sell.
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Bexar County cottage food reports
Zoning, permits, health department rules, and local sources for Bexar County.
County PDFTier: Great
Texas's cottage food law is permissive (Great tier) — high or no sales cap, broad product list, and multiple sales channels allowed. The state baseline is workable for full-time operations; the county still controls zoning and inspection.
View state law →Health department
Many states delegate cottage food registration and inspection to the county health department. Contact theirs for the local process.
Home occupation rules
The county or city zoning code governs whether you can run a home-based food business — customer visits, signage, employees, floor area.
Home kitchen, inspection, and zoning rules for Bexar County
State baseline: Tex. Health & Safety §437.001 et seq.
- Home kitchen allowed
- Yes
- Restrictions
- Bexar County follows state cottage food law. No county-level health inspection authority for cottage food operations. The City of San Antonio and other incorporated cities within Bexar County may have their own home occupation permit requirements. State law preempts municipal zoning from prohibiting CFPOs.
- Separate dedicated kitchen
- No
- Pet restrictions
- State baseline applies
- Water supply
- State baseline applies
- Handwashing
- State baseline applies
- Food storage
- State baseline applies
- Inspection required
- No
- Inspection trigger
- Health departments may act only to prevent an immediate and serious threat to human life or health. No routine or complaint-driven county inspection authority.
- Home occupation permit
- Varies by city
- Permit details
- No Bexar County-level home occupation permit requirement found for cottage food in unincorporated areas. The City of San Antonio has its own Development Services Department for home occupation permits. Metropolitan Health District (Metro Health) in San Antonio does not regulate cottage food under state preemption.
- Local business license
- Varies by city
- On-site customer pickup
- Yes
- On-site signage
- Yes
- Delivery / pickup
- State law allows direct and indirect sales, online sales with in-person/household delivery. Annual gross income cap $150,000 (SB 541, 2025). Starting Sept 2025, TCS food sellers must register with DSHS.
- Max employees in home
- state baseline applies
- Relevant code section
- none — state preemption applies; Tex. Health & Safety §437.001 et seq.
Bexar County follows state baseline with no county-specific cottage food rules found. San Antonio (major city in county) has Metro Health which administers food establishment permits for restaurants and commercial kitchens, but cottage food operations are explicitly exempt from this jurisdiction under state law. Texas SB 541 (2025) expanded the program significantly.
Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 437 – Regulation of Certain Foods, Subchapter A – Cottage Food Production Operations
Full Texas state report (with PDF download) →Verbatim excerpt(2-b) "Cottage food production operation" means an individual, operating out of the individual's home, or a nonprofit organization that: (A) produces at the individual's home or the home of an individual who is a director or officer of the nonprofit organization, as applicable, any food other than: (i) meat, meat products, poultry, or poultry products; (ii) seafood, including seafood products, fish, fish products, shellfish, and shellfish products; (iii) ice or ice products, including shaved ice, ice cream, frozen custard, popsicles, and gelato; (iv) low-acid canned goods; (v) products containing cannabidiol or tetrahydrocannabinol; or (vi) raw milk and raw milk products; (B) has an annual gross income of $150,000 or less from the sale of food described by Paragraph (A), as the department annually adjusts for inflation using the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U); (C) sells the foods produced under Paragraph (A) directly to consumers or to a cottage food vendor; and (D) delivers products to the consumer or cottage food vendor at the point of sale or another location designated by the consumer or cottage food vendor.
Source: capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/SB00541F.htm →
Bexar County cottage food — FAQ
Is a home kitchen allowed for cottage food in Bexar County, Texas?
According to our research: home kitchen is allowed. Restrictions: Bexar County follows state cottage food law. No county-level health inspection authority for cottage food operations. The City of San Antonio and other incorporated cities within Bexar County may have their own home occupation permit requirements. State law preempts municipal zoning from prohibiting CFPOs.
Is a health inspection required for home bakers in Bexar County?
Inspection: No. Trigger: Health departments may act only to prevent an immediate and serious threat to human life or health. No routine or complaint-driven county inspection authority..
Do I need a home occupation permit in Bexar County?
Home occupation permit: Varies by city. No Bexar County-level home occupation permit requirement found for cottage food in unincorporated areas. The City of San Antonio has its own Development Services Department for home occupation permits. Metropolitan Health District (Metro Health) in San Antonio does not regulate cottage food under state preemption.
What is the Texas cottage food sales cap?
Texas state law caps cottage food sales at 150000. County rules may add permits or zoning limits on top.
Where to verify Bexar County rules
Bexar County vs. bordering counties
| Regulation | Bexar County This county | Guadalupe County | Comal County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home kitchen allowed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Separate dedicated kitchen | No | No | No |
| Pets allowed | State baseline applies | No explicit state restriction; good manufacturing practices apply. | No explicit state restriction; good manufacturing practices apply. |
| Inspection required | No | No | No |
| On-site customer pickup | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-site signage | Yes | Conditional | Conditional |
| Delivery / pickup | State law allows direct and indirect sales, online sales with in-person/household delivery. Annual gross income cap $150,000 (SB 541, 2025)… | Online sales, in-state delivery, and direct sales from home, farmers markets allowed. No interstate sales. | Online, in-state delivery, and direct sales from home and farmers markets permitted. No interstate sales. |
| Home occupation permit | Varies by city | Conditional | Conditional |
| Local business license | Varies by city | Varies | Varies |
| Restrictions | Bexar County follows state cottage food law. No county-level health inspection authority for cottage food operations. The City of San Anton… | Non-TCS foods only. Annual sales cap $150,000 (SB 541, 2025). No registration or inspection required. Health departments may not regulate c… | Non-TCS foods only. Annual sales cap $150,000 (SB 541, 2025). No registration or inspection required. Health departments prohibited from re… |
| Food storage | State baseline applies | Shelf-stable storage for permitted non-TCS foods. | Shelf-stable storage for non-TCS foods. |
| Population | 2,014,059 | 173,828 | 165,201 |
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