Brewery Permits in Texas: Every License You Need

The East Austin brewery that almost lost its TABC license over a self-distribution mistake

A brewer I know in East Austin spent eighteen months getting his 15-barrel production brewery off the ground. He had his federal TTB Brewer's Notice, his TABC Brewer's License (BW), his Texas Comptroller sales tax and mixed beverage gross receipts accounts, his City of Austin Certificate of Occupancy, his Travis County health permit for the small kitchen in the taproom, and his Austin Fire Department Operational Permit for CO2 storage. Six months in, he started self-distributing kegs to four bars on East Sixth — driving them himself in his pickup, invoicing the bars directly, collecting cash on delivery. Texas allows a brewer holding a BW license to self-distribute up to 40,000 barrels annually under Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code §62.122, but the self-distribution privilege requires a separate filing with TABC, a delivery vehicle permit, and most importantly, the brewer cannot collect cash on delivery from a retailer — Texas tied-house and credit law (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Chapter 102) requires invoicing on terms not exceeding 30 days, with payment made by check or electronic transfer to a documented business account. He got hit with a TABC compliance audit triggered by a competing distributor's complaint. The penalty proposal: $25,000 fine, 30-day license suspension, and a probationary period on the BW license. He settled for $8,000 and a written warning, but the brewery lost two of its four self-distribution accounts during the suspension and never got them back.

Texas brewery law looks simpler than California's on paper but has more landmines per square foot of taproom. The state runs a strict three-tier system administered by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), with self-distribution privileges that come with paperwork most new brewers do not realize exists. Add the federal TTB Brewer's Notice, two separate Texas Comptroller tax accounts, city zoning that varies dramatically between Austin, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Fort Worth, county health permits if the taproom serves food, TCEQ wastewater rules for any brewery discharging to a municipal sewer, and Texas Department of Insurance workers' comp filings, and a Texas brewery typically deals with 5 to 8 separate agencies in the first year. This is the full breakdown.

Every permit a Texas brewery needs

Permit/License	Issuing Agency	Cost	Renewal
Federal Brewer's Notice (Form TTB F 5130.10)	U.S. Treasury — Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB)	Free	Permanent (amendments required for material changes)
TABC Brewer's License (BW) or Brewpub License (BP)	Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission	$2,500 (BW) or $1,500 (BP) for two-year term + $700 conduct surety bond	Two-year term
TABC Self-Distribution Permit (if self-distributing)	Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission	$300 (two-year)	Two-year term, tied to BW
Texas Sales and Use Tax Permit	Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts	Free	Permanent (monthly/quarterly filings)
Texas Mixed Beverage Gross Receipts Tax Account (if taproom)	Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts	Free	Permanent (monthly filings)
Texas Beer Tax Account	Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts	Free	Permanent (monthly excise filings)
City Certificate of Occupancy	City Building Department (Austin DSD, Houston DPW, Dallas DSD, San Antonio DSD, Fort Worth DSD)	$500-$5,000+	One-time per buildout
City zoning approval / Conditional Use Permit	City Planning Department	$500-$8,000	One-time (runs with the land)
County Health Permit (if serving food in taproom)	County Health Department (Travis County, Harris County PHES, Dallas County HHS, Bexar County, Tarrant County)	$258-$1,200	Annual
TCEQ industrial wastewater authorization (or city industrial pretreatment permit)	Texas Commission on Environmental Quality / municipal POTW	$0-$3,500	Every 1-5 years
Fire Department Operational Permit (CO2 storage, hazmat)	City Fire Marshal	$100-$600	Annual
Federal EIN	IRS	Free	Permanent
Texas Secretary of State entity registration	Texas Secretary of State	$300 (LLC) / $750 (corp)	Annual franchise tax filing with Comptroller
Texas Workforce Commission unemployment tax	Texas Workforce Commission	Free registration	Quarterly filings (Form C-3)
Workers' compensation insurance (optional in Texas, but required by most landlords/distributors)	Private carrier or Texas Mutual	Premium varies	Annual
TABC Caterer's Permit (CB) (optional, off-site events)	Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission	$500 (two-year)	Two-year term

Texas is the second-largest brewery market in the country by volume — over 400 active TABC-licensed breweries and brewpubs as of late 2025, concentrated in Austin, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Fort Worth. The state's three-tier system, codified in the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code, treats brewers, wholesalers, and retailers as legally separate parties with strict rules on how they can interact. Compared to California, Texas has lower direct permit fees but more enforcement triggers built into routine business operations — the self-distribution rules in particular catch many new brewers off guard.

1. Federal TTB Brewer's Notice — the federal foundation

Before TABC will issue a Texas Brewer's License, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau must approve a federal Brewer's Notice. File via TTB's Permits Online portal at ttbonline.gov using Form TTB F 5130.10 (Brewer's Notice) and, if needed, Form TTB F 5130.22 (Brewer's Bond). Small brewers under 2 million barrels with under $50,000 in expected annual federal excise tax are exempt from the bond requirement under the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act.

The Brewer's Notice application requires:

Texas business entity formation documents (most Texas breweries are LLCs registered with the Texas Secretary of State)
EIN from the IRS (free, instant at irs.gov)
Statement of Investment — every dollar of startup capital, itemized by source. The TTB runs background checks on all owners with 10% or greater equity
Plant diagram showing every tank, fermenter, brewhouse, packaging line, taproom, and the bonded vs unbonded portions of the premises
Process flow narrative — how raw materials move through the brewery and where federal excise tax attaches
Lease agreement or proof of property ownership — the TTB will not issue a Brewer's Notice without legal control of the premises
Personnel disclosures including FBI fingerprint cards (TTB Form 5630.5d) and Personnel Questionnaire (Form 5000.9) for every officer and 10%+ owner

The Brewer's Notice itself is free. Processing time runs 3 to 6 months for a typical Texas small brewery — slightly faster on average than California because Texas plant configurations are usually simpler and TTB workload from Texas filers is lower than from California or the Pacific Northwest. Start the federal application before you sign a lease if you can, but most Texas brewers file with a signed lease in hand because TTB will not approve a Notice without proof of premises control.

Once issued, the Brewer's Notice is permanent. Material changes (new tanks, new owner, new entity, new premises layout) require Amendments filed before the change takes effect. Operating outside the scope of an approved Notice is a federal violation under 27 CFR Part 25 carrying civil penalties and potential revocation.

2. TABC Brewer's License (BW) or Brewpub License (BP)

Texas regulates brewery operations through the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission under the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code. Two license types apply to most new Texas breweries:

Brewer's License (BW). The standard manufacturer license for a production brewery. Allows brewing of malt beverages with alcohol content above 0.5% ABV, on-premises sales for consumption in the taproom up to 5,000 barrels per year, off-premises sales (cans, bottles, growlers, kegs) directly to consumers up to 5,000 barrels per year, and sales to licensed wholesalers. A BW with under 225,000 barrels of total annual production may also self-distribute up to 40,000 barrels per year directly to retailers under Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code §62.122 (subject to a separate self-distribution filing — see Section 3 below).
Brewpub License (BP). For brewpubs — establishments where beer is brewed on premises and served alongside food. BP holders may produce up to 12,500 barrels per year per location, sell beer for on-premises and off-premises consumption, and self-distribute up to 1,000 barrels per year. BP licenses cannot stack with a BW at the same premises; you choose one structure or the other.

The BW application requires:

Approved (or pending) federal Brewer's Notice — TABC will accept a BW application with a pending TTB Notice but will not issue the BW until the federal Notice is issued
Texas Secretary of State entity registration in good standing
Premises diagram matching the TTB plant diagram
Lease or property ownership documentation
Personnel paperwork for every officer, director, and 5% or greater owner — Texas requires more disclosure than the federal level (5% threshold vs federal 10%)
$700 conduct surety bond from a TABC-approved surety
Local government certification (Form L-CERT) signed by the city secretary or county clerk confirming the premises is in a "wet" area for brewer's manufacturing and not in a prohibited zone
30-day "sign on premises" public notice — TABC requires a sign posted on the premises listing the applicant, license type, and TABC contact information for protests, plus a 30-day published notice in a local newspaper of general circulation

BW fees as of 2026:

Original two-year fee: $2,500
Renewal two-year fee: $2,500
Conduct surety bond: $700 (continuous, written by approved sureties)
Late renewal penalty: 25% of the license fee for renewals received after the expiration date, plus possible suspension

BP fees are lower at $1,500 for the initial two-year term, with proportional renewal. Processing time for a BW or BP averages 45 to 90 days from the date a complete application is filed and the 30-day public notice expires without protest. Protested applications run 4 to 12 months. Texas BW and BP licenses run on a two-year cycle from issuance — TABC sends renewal notices roughly 90 days before expiration. Operating with a lapsed BW is a Class A misdemeanor under Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code §61.71 carrying up to a $4,000 fine and a year in jail. Our Texas liquor license timeline guide walks through the TABC process step by step. For Texas TABC fees specifically, see Texas liquor license cost and how to get a Texas liquor license.

3. TABC Self-Distribution Permit and the credit-law trap

This is the rule that bit the East Austin brewer in the opening of this article. Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code §62.122 grants BW license holders producing under 225,000 barrels per year the right to self-distribute up to 40,000 barrels annually directly to retail accounts (bars, restaurants, package stores). The self-distribution privilege is significant — Texas was one of the last states to grant brewers any self-distribution rights, after a 2013 legislative reform — and it is structured with several traps for new brewers.

To self-distribute, the BW holder must:

File a separate Self-Distribution permit application with TABC ($300 for the two-year term, tied to the BW)
Register every delivery vehicle with TABC and post a vehicle decal
Maintain delivery records (date, account, products, quantities, invoiced price) for every delivery for at least 4 years
Comply with Texas tied-house rules (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code Chapter 102) — no gifts, no equipment loans, no exclusive arrangements, no slotting fees, no payment for shelf space, no signage subsidies, no sponsorship of retail-only events that benefit a single retailer
Comply with Texas credit law (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Code §102.32 and TABC rule §45.116) — sales to retailers must be on cash or short-term invoiced terms, and the brewer cannot extend credit beyond 30 days. Cash on delivery from a retailer is a violation. Invoicing must be done in writing, payment must be by check or electronic transfer to a documented business account, and any retailer 60 days delinquent must be placed on the TABC Credit Law List (delinquent retailer list) and refused further deliveries until the debt clears.

The credit law catches new brewers who think "the bar paid me cash, what's the problem." The problem is that cash-on-delivery from retailers triggers all kinds of TABC inferences — unrecorded sales, tax avoidance, inducement, undocumented credit. The TABC has audited and fined Texas brewers thousands of dollars over self-distribution credit law violations. If you intend to self-distribute, set up a written invoice system, a documented payment terms agreement with every retailer, and a 30-day accounts-receivable cutoff before you take the first delivery to a bar.

4. Texas Comptroller — Sales Tax, Mixed Beverage, and Beer Tax accounts

The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts administers three separate tax registrations every Texas production brewery typically holds. Register all three at comptroller.texas.gov. Registration is free.

Texas Sales and Use Tax Permit. Required for any business making retail sales of tangible personal property in Texas. Beer sold by the can/bottle/growler/keg for off-premises consumption is taxable at the state 6.25% rate plus local rates that vary by city — Austin is 8.25% (state + city + transit), Houston is 8.25%, Dallas is 8.25%, San Antonio is 8.25%, Fort Worth is 8.25%. Texas caps total local sales tax at 2%, so most cities run at the maximum 8.25% combined rate. The Sales Tax Permit number is your 11-digit Comptroller account; filings are due monthly, quarterly, or annually depending on volume.

Texas Mixed Beverage Gross Receipts Tax Account. Required if your taproom sells beer for on-premises consumption (i.e., the customer drinks it on site). Texas charges a 6.7% Mixed Beverage Gross Receipts Tax on the brewery's gross receipts from on-premises sales, paid by the brewery, and a 8.25% Mixed Beverage Sales Tax charged to the customer. The tax structure is unusual — Texas is the only state with this split mixed-beverage scheme — and the Comptroller audits brewery taprooms regularly because the on-premises/off-premises split affects the rate. Filing is monthly via Form 67-100. Late filings carry a 5% to 10% penalty plus interest.

Texas Beer Tax Account. Texas imposes a state beer excise tax of $0.20 per gallon (about $6.20 per barrel), administered by the Comptroller separately from the federal TTB excise tax and reported on Form 69-100 (Texas Distributor's, Wholesaler's, and Brewer's Monthly Beer Tax Report). Filing is monthly, due by the 15th of the month following production. Reduced federal excise rates under the Craft Beverage Modernization Act ($3.50/bbl on the first 60,000 bbl for small brewers) do not reduce the Texas state excise rate.

The Comptroller catch most new Texas brewers do not see coming: sales tax permits, mixed beverage accounts, and beer tax accounts are linked to the same business but reported separately, and closing one does not close the others. If you ever sell or close the brewery, file Form AP-114 (Notice of Closeout) for each account separately. Many former Texas brewers still have an active Beer Tax account showing up on Comptroller delinquency reports years after closure because they only closed the sales tax registration.

5. City zoning and Certificate of Occupancy

Texas cities treat breweries as either "manufacturing" or "industrial" land uses, sometimes with a separate retail-component review for the taproom. Whether you can get a brewery approved on a given parcel depends on the city's zoning code and overlay districts.

Austin. Austin's Land Development Code allows breweries in CS (Commercial Services), W/LO (Warehouse/Limited Office), IP (Industrial Park), MF (Mixed Use), and certain Vertical Mixed Use overlays. Taprooms over 5,000 square feet of public area or with live music may require a Conditional Use Permit through the Austin Planning Commission. Austin's Development Services Department (DSD) issues Building Permits and the Certificate of Occupancy. Plan on $4,000 to $15,000 in city fees for a typical Austin brewery buildout, plus 4 to 8 months of permit processing.
Houston. Houston is famously zoning-free at the city level — the only U.S. major city without traditional zoning. That means most parcels can host a brewery as long as deed restrictions, plat restrictions, and Houston's land use ordinances allow. Houston's Department of Public Works issues Building Permits and the Certificate of Occupancy. The Houston catch is deed restrictions: many Houston commercial properties have private deed restrictions that bar manufacturing or alcohol uses regardless of city law. Run a title search for restrictive covenants before signing a lease.
Dallas. Dallas's zoning code permits breweries in IM (Industrial Manufacturing), IR (Industrial Research), CS (Commercial Service), and certain Mixed Use districts. Specific Use Permits (SUP) are required in some commercial districts. Dallas Development Services issues Building Permits and the Certificate of Occupancy. Dallas brewery permitting averages $3,000 to $10,000 in city fees and 4 to 7 months of processing.
San Antonio. San Antonio permits breweries in industrial (I-1, I-2) and certain commercial (C-3) districts under the city's Unified Development Code. San Antonio Development Services issues the Certificate of Occupancy. San Antonio's permit process is somewhat faster than Austin or Dallas — 3 to 5 months average — and city fees run $2,500 to $8,000 for a typical buildout.
Fort Worth. Fort Worth's zoning ordinance permits breweries in Industrial (I) and certain Commercial (E, F) districts. Fort Worth Development Services issues the Certificate of Occupancy. Plan on $2,500 to $7,000 in city fees and 3 to 6 months of processing.

The most common Texas zoning mistake — same as California — is signing a lease before confirming the parcel is zoned for a brewery and (in Houston) free of restrictive deed covenants. Run the zoning analysis with the city Planning Department before you sign anything. For more on Certificates of Occupancy, see our Certificate of Occupancy guide and complete CO walkthrough.

6. County health permit (if you serve food)

If your taproom serves food — even pre-packaged snacks, food trucks parked outside that you advertise as your food, or a kitchen serving sandwiches and pizza — you need a health permit from the county health department where the brewery is located. Texas's Retail Food Establishment regulations are codified at Texas Administrative Code Title 25, Chapter 228, and administered by counties (or by the Texas Department of State Health Services in counties without a local health department).

Health permit fees by major county:

Travis County (Austin): Austin Public Health issues retail food establishment permits. Fees run $258 to $850 depending on facility size and risk classification. Travis County uses a numerical inspection score posted publicly at austintexas.gov/department/food-permits
Harris County (Houston): Harris County Public Health, Environmental Public Health Division. Fees $300 to $1,200 depending on facility category. Harris County publishes inspection scores at publichealth.harriscountytx.gov
Dallas County: Dallas County Health and Human Services. Fees $260 to $1,000 depending on category. Dallas inspection results posted at dallascounty.org/departments/dchhs
Bexar County (San Antonio): San Antonio Metropolitan Health District. Fees $325 to $900. Inspection scores at sanantonio.gov/health
Tarrant County (Fort Worth): Tarrant County Public Health. Fees $300 to $850

Pure beer-only taprooms with no food service generally do not need a county health permit, but Travis County (Austin) takes the position that any taproom advertising or arranging food on a regular schedule (even by referencing a regular food truck partner) is a "food facility" subject to permitting. When in doubt, call the county directly. For more on county health inspections, see our health department inspection guide and food handler permit guide.

7. TCEQ wastewater rules and city industrial pretreatment

Brewery wastewater is high in BOD (biological oxygen demand), high in TSS (total suspended solids), and low in pH due to spent grain rinse, yeast, hop matter, and CIP chemistry. Texas regulates brewery discharges under the federal Clean Water Act (40 CFR Part 403) and the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) administered by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). For breweries discharging to a municipal sewer (the typical case), the city's industrial pretreatment program applies; for breweries with on-site discharge to surface water (rare), a TPDES permit from TCEQ is required.

The major Texas brewery cities and their wastewater authorities:

Austin. Austin Water — Industrial Waste Control Program. Industrial Waste Discharge Authorization required for any brewery exceeding domestic-strength wastewater thresholds (most production breweries do). Fees $500 to $3,500 annually, plus self-monitoring and quarterly reports.
Houston. Houston Water — Industrial Pretreatment Program. Most Houston breweries fall under a Significant Industrial User (SIU) classification and need a written pretreatment permit. Pretreatment may be required (pH neutralization, flow equalization, screening) depending on volume.
Dallas. Dallas Water Utilities — Industrial Pretreatment Program. Industrial wastewater permit required for breweries discharging more than 25,000 gallons per day or above pollutant thresholds.
San Antonio. San Antonio Water System (SAWS) — Industrial Pretreatment Program. SAWS has a published Brewery Wastewater Discharge Guideline; permits required and pretreatment may be needed for larger breweries.
Fort Worth. Fort Worth Water — Industrial Pretreatment. Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit required for breweries above thresholds.

Pretreatment requirements often include flow equalization tanks, pH neutralization (usually CO2 injection or a dosing pump), screening for spent grain and trub, and in some cases biological pretreatment. Capital costs for adequate pretreatment range from $15,000 (small brewpub with simple pH neutralization) to $200,000+ (production breweries with full pretreatment trains). The wastewater permit can take 6 to 12 weeks to issue once engineered drawings and equipment specs are submitted.

8. Fire Department Operational Permit

Texas fire codes are adopted at the city level (most major Texas cities use a modified version of the International Fire Code, IFC). Breweries trigger several Operational Permits through the local Fire Marshal:

Compressed gas (CO2) storage. Above the threshold quantities in IFC §105.6.4, a CO2 Operational Permit is required. Most production breweries cross the threshold; small brewpubs with a single 750-lb CO2 tank may not.
High-piled combustible storage. Stacking pallets of empty cans, malt sacks, or finished kegs above 12 feet triggers a high-piled storage permit and possibly upgraded sprinklers under IFC Chapter 32.
Place of Assembly. If your taproom occupancy load exceeds 49 people, a Place of Assembly permit is required and posted occupancy must be visible.
Hot work. Welding or cutting during construction triggers a Hot Work Permit — usually issued day-of by the contractor.

Fire Operational Permits run $100 to $600 annually depending on city and permit type. Austin Fire Department, Houston Fire Department, Dallas Fire-Rescue, San Antonio Fire Department, and Fort Worth Fire Department all issue these permits and inspect annually. The Place of Assembly permit catches most new brewers during the buildout — taproom occupancy is calculated from assembly area square footage divided by 15 (standing) or 7 (concentrated assembly), and small spaces fill the threshold quickly.

9. Workers' compensation, Texas Workforce Commission, and insurance

Texas is the only U.S. state that does not require employers to carry workers' compensation insurance — Texas Labor Code §406.002 makes it elective. However, employers that opt out (called "non-subscribers") lose key common-law defenses in employee injury lawsuits and can be sued in district court for negligence with no cap on damages. Almost every Texas brewery carries workers' comp anyway, either through Texas Mutual Insurance (the state-sponsored carrier) or a private commercial carrier. Premiums for the standard brewery class code (NCCI 2121 — Brewery) run roughly 3% to 6% of payroll in Texas, plus 0.4% to 0.8% for the taproom server class code.

Register with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) for state unemployment insurance (UI). TWC registration is free, done at twc.texas.gov, required within 10 days of paying the first $1,500 of wages in a calendar quarter. Quarterly filings on Form C-3 (Employer's Quarterly Report) are due by the end of the month after each quarter.

Commercial general liability with $1 million/$2 million per occurrence/aggregate is the practical minimum for a Texas brewery. Liquor liability is a separate endorsement, typically $1 million per occurrence, and is required by most landlords and every distributor agreement. Combined CGL + liquor liability + property + workers' comp + commercial auto for a small Texas brewery typically runs $6,000 to $20,000 per year — somewhat lower than California due to lower workers' comp class rates.

10. Austin, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Fort Worth — the city-by-city breakdown

Austin

Austin is the largest Texas brewery cluster by count, concentrated in East Austin (Springdale, MLK, Govalle), South Austin (St. Elmo, South Lamar), and the Domain area in North Austin. Austin requires:

City of Austin Business Tax Certificate (no separate annual business license — Austin uses sales tax registration as the operational threshold)
Land Use determination through Austin DSD (Conditional Use Permit if applicable)
Building Permits and Certificate of Occupancy through Austin DSD
Austin Water Industrial Waste Discharge Authorization
Austin Fire Department Operational Permits (CO2, place of assembly)
Austin Public Health permit if serving food

Austin's specific catch is the Mixed Use overlay districts — many East Austin parcels look perfect on a real estate listing but sit inside Vertical Mixed Use 2 (VMU2) overlays that limit alcohol manufacturing, or inside Neighborhood Conservation Combining Districts that bar industrial uses. Run the zoning verification with Austin DSD before signing. Total Austin city fees for a typical small brewery run $8,000 to $18,000.

Houston

Houston is the second-largest Texas brewery cluster, concentrated in the East End, the Heights, Garden Oaks/Oak Forest, EaDo, and Spring Branch. Houston requires:

City of Houston Occupancy Tax registration (Houston has no city business license; sales tax and TABC act as the operational gates)
Houston Public Works Building Permit and Certificate of Occupancy
Houston Water Industrial Pretreatment Program permit
Houston Fire Department Operational Permits
Harris County Public Health food permit if serving food

Houston's specific catch is deed restrictions, as noted above. The other Houston quirk is floodplain compliance — large portions of inner-loop Houston are in 100-year or 500-year floodplain, and breweries must meet elevation, flood-vent, or wet-floodproofing requirements that can add $20,000 to $100,000 to a buildout. Run a flood map check before signing.

Dallas

Dallas's brewery scene is concentrated in Deep Ellum, the Design District, Cedars, and Trinity Groves. Dallas requires:

City of Dallas business registration (no separate annual business license; sales tax is the operational gate)
Dallas Development Services Building Permit and Certificate of Occupancy (and Specific Use Permit if zoning requires)
Dallas Water Utilities Industrial Pretreatment permit
Dallas Fire-Rescue Operational Permits
Dallas County HHS food permit if serving food

Dallas's specific catch is the Specific Use Permit (SUP) process — required for breweries in some commercial districts and involving a public hearing before the City Plan Commission and approval by City Council. SUP processing averages 4 to 8 months, longer than the building permit process itself. Confirm SUP requirements before you commit to a buildout schedule.

San Antonio

San Antonio's brewery scene is smaller than Austin or Houston but growing fast, with clusters along North St. Mary's, in Southtown, on the East Side, and in Stone Oak. San Antonio requires:

City of San Antonio business registration
San Antonio Development Services Building Permit and Certificate of Occupancy
SAWS Industrial Pretreatment permit
San Antonio Fire Department Operational Permits
San Antonio Metropolitan Health District food permit if serving food

San Antonio's permit process moves faster than Austin or Dallas — total permitting typically takes 3 to 5 months from application to Certificate of Occupancy for a small brewery. City fees run $2,500 to $8,000.

Fort Worth

Fort Worth's brewery cluster runs through the Near Southside, Magnolia Avenue, and the Stockyards/North Fort Worth corridor. Fort Worth requires:

City of Fort Worth business registration
Fort Worth Development Services Building Permit and Certificate of Occupancy
Fort Worth Water Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit
Fort Worth Fire Department Operational Permits
Tarrant County Public Health food permit if serving food

Fort Worth's permitting is among the most predictable in Texas — most small brewery buildouts take 3 to 6 months, with city fees in the $2,500 to $7,000 range.

What this looks like in practice — total Texas brewery startup permit fees

Federal Brewer's Notice (TTB): Free
TABC Brewer's License (BW), two-year term: $2,500
TABC Conduct Surety Bond: $700 (continuous)
TABC Self-Distribution Permit (if used): $300 (two-year)
Texas Comptroller registrations (Sales Tax, Mixed Beverage, Beer Tax): Free
City business registration / occupancy: $0-$300
Zoning approval / Conditional Use Permit (if required): $500-$8,000 one-time
Building Permits and Certificate of Occupancy: $2,500-$15,000 one-time
Industrial Wastewater Permit + pretreatment design/install: $15,000-$200,000+ one-time
County Health Permit (if serving food): $258-$1,200 first year
Fire Department Operational Permits: $200-$1,200 first year
Texas Secretary of State LLC: $300 one-time + Texas Franchise Tax (depends on margin)
Workers' comp premium (if subscribing): $2,500-$12,000 first year (scales with payroll)
Commercial general liability + liquor liability + property: $4,000-$12,000 first year
Commercial auto (if delivery vehicles for self-distribution): $1,500-$5,000 first year
Federal EIN: Free

Total first-year permits, fees, and insurance for a Texas small brewery: roughly $30,000 to $260,000+, before equipment, lease, buildout, payroll, or inventory. The wide range reflects the spread between a small brewpub in Fort Worth or San Antonio (low end) and a 25,000+ sq ft production brewery with full pretreatment in Houston or Austin (high end). Texas brewery startup costs run roughly 25% to 35% lower than California for an equivalent footprint, almost entirely due to lower wastewater pretreatment and lower planning/CUP fees. For Texas-specific business license costs, see our Texas business license guide.

Renewal dates you need to track

Texas brewery permits run on different cycles, and TABC's two-year renewal cycle is unusual — most state alcohol regulators run annual cycles. The mismatch between TABC's two-year BW cycle, the Comptroller's monthly tax filings, and the city's annual Operational Permits is exactly the kind of complexity that causes Texas brewers to miss deadlines:

Federal TTB Brewer's Notice: Permanent, but Form 5130.9 Brewer's Report of Operations due monthly. Federal excise tax (Form 5000.24) due semi-monthly. Amendments required for any material change.
TABC Brewer's License (BW): Two-year term from issuance. Renewal notices arrive 90 days before expiration. Renew at least 30 days before expiration to avoid the 25% late penalty.
TABC Self-Distribution Permit: Two-year term tied to the BW. Renewed alongside the BW.
TABC Conduct Surety Bond: Continuous (no renewal date), but the surety bills annually for the premium. Lapsed surety triggers TABC suspension.
Texas Comptroller Sales Tax, Mixed Beverage, and Beer Tax: Permanent registrations. Sales tax filings monthly (most breweries) or quarterly. Mixed Beverage Gross Receipts Tax (Form 67-100) due monthly by the 20th. Beer Tax (Form 69-100) due monthly by the 15th.
Texas Franchise Tax: Annual, due May 15 each year (Form 05-158 No Tax Due Report or 05-158 Long Form, depending on revenue).
Texas Workforce Commission (Form C-3): Quarterly, due by the end of the month after each quarter.
Local government Form L-CERT renewal: Some Texas counties require updated wet-area certification when the BW renews; check with TABC before each renewal cycle.
City Certificate of Occupancy: One-time per buildout (no annual renewal in Texas cities).
Industrial Wastewater Permit: 1 to 5 years depending on city. Self-monitoring reports (typically quarterly) and annual flow declarations required throughout the permit term.
County Health Permit: Annual, by issuance anniversary or by county fiscal year.
Fire Department Operational Permits: Annual, typically on city fiscal year (October 1 in Houston, by issuance anniversary in Austin and Dallas).
Workers' comp policy: Annual, by policy effective date.
Commercial insurance policies (CGL, liquor liability, property, auto): Annual, often staggered across multiple carriers.

The TABC sends BW renewal notices 90 days before expiration to the address on the license. If you have moved or changed contact info, update the address with TABC immediately or the notice can miss you and the BW can lapse silently. Operating with a lapsed BW — even by a single day — is grounds for immediate enforcement and can complicate the federal TTB record. Set calendar reminders 120, 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before every two-year renewal date. For Texas business license renewals more broadly, see how to renew your business license and business license renewal fees by state.

Check your full Texas brewery permit list

Use the free permit checker to see every permit your Texas brewery needs. Pick your city, select brewery as the business type, and get the full list with fees, deadlines, and links to TTB, TABC, the Texas Comptroller, your city Planning and Building departments, your local POTW, your county health department, and the Texas Workforce Commission.

Already operating? Our brewery permits overview covers the basics across all states, and our California brewery permits guide covers the West Coast equivalent. The Texas restaurant side is covered in Texas restaurant permits, the Texas food truck side in Texas food truck permits, and the broader Texas alcohol licensing in how long a Texas liquor license takes, Texas liquor license cost, and how to get a Texas liquor license. The federal TTB Brewer's Notice that runs 3 to 6 months, the TABC BW that runs 45 to 90 days plus the 30-day public notice, the city zoning and Certificate of Occupancy that runs 3 to 8 months, and the city industrial wastewater permit that runs 6 to 12 weeks all need to start at roughly the same time if you want to open within nine months of signing your lease. The single most expensive Texas brewery mistake is not understanding the self-distribution credit-law trap — extending unwritten cash terms to retail accounts, missing the 30-day invoice limit, and getting flagged by a competing distributor's complaint. The PermitDue dashboard puts every Texas brewery deadline in one place with reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days so the BW two-year renewal, the monthly TTB Brewer's Report of Operations, the semi-monthly federal excise return, the monthly Comptroller Mixed Beverage and Beer Tax filings, and the quarterly TWC unemployment filings never quietly slip past.