The food trailer inspection checklist we run before every delivery

Last verified: 2026-08-19

Water and waste

1. Wastewater tank is at least 15% larger than the potable tank.
2. Both tanks are permanently installed, not strapped or removable.
3. Both tanks slope to drain.
4. Potable tank labelled 'Potable Water'; waste tank labelled 'Wastewater'.
5. Water inlet is ¾ inch inner diameter or less, with a connection that can't be used for anything else.
6. Waste connection is a different size and type to the potable connection.
7. Tank vents terminate downward and are screened or filtered.
8. Inspection port has a flanged, gasketed, overlapping, secured cover.
9. Water hose is durable, corrosion-resistant, non-absorbent, smooth-bore and identified as to use.
10. Inlet is protected from road dust, oil, grease and waste discharge.

Sinks

11. Three-compartment warewashing sink present.
12. Compartments large enough to completely submerge your largest pot, pan or utensil — test it with the actual item, because the inspector will.
13. Separate handwashing sink present.
14. Handwash sink is accessible during service — not blocked by equipment or storage.
15. Soap and a drying device at the handwash sink.
16. Hot and cold water under pressure at every sink.
17. Handwash sink reaches at least 100°F (Food Code 5-202.12).
18. The wash compartment of the three-compartment sink reaches at least 110°F (Food Code 4-501.19). Rinse and sanitise compartments have their own requirements — chemical sanitising has a different temperature range — so don't assume all three run at 110°F.
19. Water heater holds temperature through a rush, not just for one hand-wash.
20. Drainboards or equivalent space for air-drying.

Surfaces

20. Floors, walls and ceilings smooth, non-absorbent, light-coloured and easily cleanable.
21. Floor-to-wall junctions coved and sealed.
22. No exposed or unsealed wood, no residential drywall, no carpet, no porous grout.
23. Counters and food-contact surfaces durable, corrosion-resistant and non-absorbent.
24. All seams sealed — silicone where a welded or coved detail is required is a common write-up.
25. Equipment installed so you can actually clean around and under it.

Ventilation and fire suppression

26. Type I hood over all equipment producing grease-laden vapour.
27. Grease filters present with no gaps in coverage; grease rail drains to a pan.
28. Hood lighting is vapour-proof.
29. Suppression system covers every appliance surface — including anything added after the original build.
30. Suppression tag is current, from a firm licensed by the Texas State Fire Marshal's Office (part of the Texas Department of Insurance). Semiannual maintenance is the NFPA 17A standard, adopted in Texas through 28 TAC Chapter 34. Some jurisdictions also require the tag not to expire within a set window of the inspection — Houston is one.
31. Extinguishers to the required rating, currently tagged; Class K present where there's a fryer.

Propane

32. Cylinders not on the roof, not ahead of the front axle, not below the frame, not beyond the rear bumper, not near the vehicle exhaust, and not protruding past the sides or top of the body (NFPA 58 mounting rules).
33. Compartment vented top and bottom.
34. Relief valve vent at least three feet horizontally from any door, window, vent or exhaust (NFPA 58).
35. Rigid piping wherever lines penetrate walls, floors or ceilings.
36. Flexible connectors kept to the shortest practical length and within whatever limit your local fire code sets — this varies by jurisdiction, so ask yours rather than assuming a number.
37. Manual shutoff valves at both the appliance and the supply, visible and accessible.
38. No uncapped or unused gas lines.
39. A listed LP-gas alarm fitted, installed per the manufacturer's instructions. A carbon monoxide alarm or a smoke detector is explicitly not a substitute — Houston's inspection sheet says so in capitals. Some jurisdictions specify UL 2075 by name; the model fire code does not, so check yours.
40. Cylinders upright, secured, protected from rear-end collision, with a current hydrostatic test date.
41. Appliance connectors meet ANSI Z21.69 / CSA 6.16.

Electrical

43. All wiring in conduit; no extension cords used as permanent wiring.
44. GFCI protection on all outlets.
45. Breaker and junction box covers in place.
46. Proper weather-rated shore-power inlet — no double-male 'suicide cord'.
47. No socket or extension cord overloading; cables protected from damage and not run through openings.
48. Generator, if used, positioned and fuelled per the fire code; no refuelling during cooking.

Openings, pests and lighting

49. 16-mesh screening at every vent and opening.
50. Doors solid, self-closing and tight-fitting.
51. Unit fully enclosed and sealed against rodents and insects.
52. Lighting at Food Code levels (6-303.11): at least 10 fc in walk-ins, dry storage and during cleaning; at least 20 fc at handwashing, warewashing, toilet rooms and food self-service; at least 50 fc where anyone works with food, or with utensils and equipment such as knives, slicers and grinders where employee safety is a factor.
53. Bulbs over exposed food shielded, coated or shatter-resistant.

Equipment

54. All equipment commercial-grade — residential appliances are an automatic fail in most jurisdictions.
55. NSF or equivalent listing where required.
56. Hot and cold holding equipment adequate in number and capacity, including safe overnight storage if you're claiming the commissary exemption.
57. Thermometers present and working in all cold holding.
58. Covered, cleanable solid waste storage.
59. Single-service articles stored to prevent contamination.
60. Unit is readily moveable — no permanent utility connections, wheels on, no fixing skirting.

Paperwork

61. DSHS Mobile Food Vendor licence application submitted, fees paid.
62. Certified Food Manager certificate where TCS foods are handled.
63. Food handler cards for staff.
64. Sales tax permit.
65. Trailer title and registration.
66. Insurance certificates.
67. TxDOT loaded-weight record if you're claiming the commissary exemption.
68. Commissary agreement and the most recent CPF inspection report on the unit, if you're not.
69. Servicing log of water fills and waste dumps with dates and times.
70. Fire inspection certificate — keep it in the trailer; it blocks a second inspection elsewhere for 12 months.
71. Itinerary posted seven days in advance.
72. Menu.

The twelve things that actually fail trailers

If you only check twelve things, check these. They're the recurring failure modes across the published checklists and what we see in trailers people bring us to fix:

1. Waste tank not 15% larger than fresh, or not permanently installed.
2. Not enough hot water, or hot water not under pressure at every sink.
3. Three-compartment sink too small to submerge the largest pan.
4. Handwash sink blocked, inaccessible, or missing soap and towels.
5. Porous or unsealed surfaces; missing coving at the floor-wall junction.
6. Propane cylinders mounted somewhere the fire code doesn't allow.
7. Missing or expired suppression and hood service tags — or a system that no longer covers an appliance added after the build.
8. No GFCI, wiring not in conduit, missing box covers, extension cords as permanent wiring.
9. Inadequate screening; doors not self-closing.
10. Lighting below 50 fc at work surfaces, or unshielded bulbs over exposed food.
11. Paperwork — no CFM certificate, no servicing log, no CPF report, no loaded-weight record.
12. Unit not 'readily moveable' — permanently connected utilities or fixed skirting.