What is the Texas Food Establishment Rules (TFER) sanitation standard?

TFER (25 TAC §228) establishes the absolute state sanitation standards for storage temperatures, commercial kitchen hygiene, pest management, and cross-contact prevention across all commercial food facilities in Texas.

Does Texas require a Certified Food Manager (CFM)?

Yes, under Texas law (TX HSC §437), at least one employee per commercial food establishment must hold an accredited Certified Food Manager (CFM) certification to maintain legal operation.

US States: Texas

Texas State Food Regulations

Q: What is the Texas Cottage Food Law?

The Texas Cottage Food Law (TX HSC §437.0196) allows culinary entrepreneurs to package and sell low-risk baked goods, canned jams, pickles, and dry mixes prepared inside domestic residential kitchens directly to consumers without a health permit.

Your single portal for state-level compliance directories in Texas. Check legislative mandates, identify key operational exposures, and connect with health, training, and sanitation guidelines.

View Active Laws Find out what laws apply to my food business

Lone Star Regulatory Base

Texas enforces strict guidelines under the Texas Food Establishment Rules (TFER) to maintain statewide food safety. Use this directory to align your team with official Department of State Health Services (DSHS) metrics.

Active TFER Framework

HSC §437 Primary Legal Code

Active Directories

Active Texas Statutes

Sanitation Code

Texas Food Establishment Rules (TFER)

25 TAC §228

Enforces absolute standards for storage temperatures, professional kitchen sanitation, hygiene, pest management, and cross-contact prevention across all commercial food facilities in Texas.

See Official TFER Legislation

Home Operations

Texas Cottage Food Law

TX HSC §437.0196

Allows culinary entrepreneurs to safely package and sell low-risk baked goods, canned jams, pickles, and dry mixes prepared inside domestic residential kitchens directly to end-consumers without a health permit.

View Cottage Food Rules

Workforce Mandate

Texas Food Handler Certification

TX HSC §438.043

Mandates that all commercial food handlers obtain an accredited safety and hygiene certification within 30 days of hiring. Establishments must retain these records for local health inspections.

Official DSHS Safety Site

Find out which regulations apply to you

Toggle your business parameters below to identify exactly which Texas state food regulations apply to your current operations.

Your Business Blueprint

Location Scale

Operations Structure

We prepare and package grab-and-go foods on-site We cook foods on-site by roasting, baking, frying, or other heat processes We prepare made-to-order meals for customers in a sit-down dining setting We process raw gulf shellfish or high-risk game meats

Live Assessment Result

Texas Compliance Dashboard

Name

First Last

Name of Business

Number of Sites

Phone (Optional)

CAPTCHA

Support Hub

Help with Texas Compliance

Do you need assistance auditing your commercial recipes, configuring certified food manager compliance schedules, or navigating local city health inspections?

Reach out at hello@food-regulations.org

Food Regulations

© 2026 Food-Regulations.org. All rights reserved. Original content, analysis and guidance are the intellectual property of Food-Regulations.org and may not be reproduced or republished without permission or appropriate attribution. This website is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. While we aim to keep information accurate and up to date, Food-Regulations.org and Nutritics accept no liability for any reliance placed on its content.