Bexar County, TX Business License Guide: San Antonio and County Rules

First, check whether your address is in a city or unincorporated county area

Do this before asking, “Do I need a Bexar County business license?” The legal jurisdiction follows the property, not the city name printed in the mailing address.

A Bexar County address may be:

• inside the City of San Antonio;
• inside another incorporated municipality such as Alamo Heights, Balcones Heights, Castle Hills, Converse, Helotes, Leon Valley, Live Oak, Selma, Shavano Park, Universal City, Windcrest, or another city or town; or
• in unincorporated Bexar County.

Bexar County’s own business guidance sends businesses inside San Antonio to City Development Services, businesses in unincorporated areas to Bexar County Public Works, and businesses inside surrounding municipalities to those city offices. That is why the address check comes before the permit checklist.

What Bexar County, TX may handle

Bexar County offices handle different functions, many of them mainly in unincorporated territory.

Bexar County assumed business names / DBAs

The Bexar County Clerk assumed-name office handles county filings for businesses that belong in the county system. A DBA is only a name filing. It does not approve the location, zoning, food activity, signs, fire safety, alcohol sales, taxes, or professional work.

Bexar County Public Works permits

The Bexar County Public Works permits page covers building-permit coordination, floodplain, right-of-way, stormwater, septic information, and online permitting. These checks matter especially outside municipal limits or when county roads, drainage, floodplain, or development rules are involved.

Bexar County Fire Marshal and Certificate of Occupancy

For covered commercial, public, and larger multifamily work outside municipal limits, the Bexar County Fire Marshal can require plan review, inspections, fire-code compliance, and final occupancy approval. Start with Public Works permit verification, then use the Bexar County Fire Marshal permits and applications page for current application instructions; confirm the posted fee schedule before paying.

Fixed food businesses and temporary food events

For fixed food establishments in unincorporated Bexar County, the county publishes a Food Service Establishment Health Inspections program that also covers temporary-event permits.

Mobile food is different now. The county page still shows older mobile-vending language, but since July 1, 2026, qualifying mobile food vendors use the statewide DSHS health-license route. Check DSHS before following legacy local mobile-food health-license instructions.

Alcohol has a county layer too

Alcohol businesses should not stop after TABC. The Bexar County Beer, Wine & Liquor Permits page explains the county layer handled through the Tax Assessor-Collector. Inside a municipality, local alcohol steps may also apply.

What cities or towns may handle

If the address is inside San Antonio or another incorporated municipality, that city may control the most important local opening steps. A county DBA or Texas tax permit does not replace municipal land-use and operating approvals.

City of San Antonio

San Antonio does not use one simple license for every kind of business. The city’s Development Services guidance says the license or permit depends on the specific business type. Start with the Small Business Permitting Guide and the Permits & Licensing page.

For a commercial location, check these questions before signing a lease or starting work:

• Does the zoning allow the planned use?
• Does the tenant space already have the right Certificate of Occupancy?
• Will construction, remodeling, a change of use, trade work, signs, or fire systems require permits?
• Does the activity need a health, fire, peddler, alarm, alcohol, short-term rental, or other specific approval?

San Antonio says a Certificate of Occupancy is required for businesses using commercial buildings or tenant spaces, and each tenant space must match the approved use. A change from one business use to another can trigger a new CO and inspections. Many Development Services actions run through BuildSA.

Fee note: San Antonio Development Services says its FY 2027 fees increased effective October 1, 2026. Fire Prevention fees also increased 15% on that date. If the project has a fee, use the current city schedule rather than a saved screenshot or an older article.

Other Bexar County cities and towns

Bexar County’s Start A Business page links to many municipal permit offices. If your address is in another incorporated city, use that city’s current planning, permitting, fire, health, finance, and licensing pages. Do not apply San Antonio rules countywide.

State-level registrations to check

Texas filings are separate from local approval of the business address. A state entity filing does not make a location legal, and a city or county permit does not replace a state tax or professional license.

DBA, assumed name, and trade name layer

Texas usually uses the term assumed name. People also say DBA or trade name. The correct filing office depends on the legal structure.

When the Bexar County Clerk is involved

The Texas Secretary of State explains that a sole proprietor using an assumed name generally files with the county clerk in the county where a business premise is maintained. General partnerships and other non-filing entities can also have county assumed-name duties. In Bexar County, use the County Clerk’s official DBA page for the current certificate and filing steps.

When the Texas Secretary of State is involved

Corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, professional associations, LLPs, and foreign filing entities that use an assumed name file with the Texas Secretary of State. Since a 2019 law change, those filing entities are not also required to file the assumed name certificate with the county clerk simply because they use the assumed name.

Use the current Texas SOS name-filing guidance, Form 503 instructions, and SOSPortal filing path.

Zoning, home business, building, fire, health, and industry permits

The document you need may be a permit, certificate, inspection, registration, tax account, or professional license rather than a general “business license.”

Zoning and land use

Inside San Antonio, use the city’s maps and zoning resources before committing money. Inside another municipality, use that city’s zoning office. In unincorporated Bexar County, most land outside municipal limits and outside San Antonio Military Protection Areas is not assigned municipal-style zoning, but county development rules can still apply.

Certificate of Occupancy, building, signs, and fire

San Antonio’s Certificate of Occupancy page explains when a new or updated CO and inspections are needed. For unincorporated commercial projects, use Bexar County Public Works and Fire Marshal. Do not rely on what a prior tenant was allowed to do.

Home-based businesses: a major state-law protection

Texas Local Government Code Section 229.902 limits what municipalities can require from a qualifying no-impact home-based business. A municipality may not prohibit such a business or require a license, permit, or other approval merely to operate it. Qualification depends on factors including occupancy, street visibility, traffic, parking, and noise.

The protection does not erase fire/building, health, traffic, waste, pollution, or noise rules within the statute’s limits. HOA/deed restrictions, short-term-rental rules, and separate laws for regulated activities can also still matter. In unincorporated Bexar County, municipal home-occupation rules do not automatically apply.

Food businesses and mobile food vendors

Fixed food businesses follow the health authority for their location. San Antonio uses Metro Health food establishment licensing; unincorporated Bexar County has its own fixed-establishment and temporary-event process.

Food trucks, trailers, and qualifying pushcarts now use the Texas DSHS mobile food vendor page for the statewide health license. San Antonio’s local mobile-health inspections ended June 30, 2026, but city fire and location rules can still apply. Temporary booths use a separate event path.

Peddlers, vending, short-term rentals, contractors, and alcohol

San Antonio Finance lists activity-specific requirements such as the Peddler’s/Canvasser’s License and amusement and coin-operated machine decals; these are not general licenses for all businesses. San Antonio short-term rentals use a separate STR permit path. Contractors performing work in the city should check Development Services contractor registration and licensing. Alcohol sellers start with TABC and should also check Bexar County and the municipality.