First you must have access to a location that is zoned for that activity. Complete the City Certificate of Occupancy requirements at the Development and Business Services Center at 1901 S. Alamo. Clerks are available to assist you. Finally, purchase a Food Establishment License at the same location. If you need more information, download the “Small Business Resource Guide” from the City's Economic Development Department or contact Hugo Villarreal, Small Business Liaison at 210.207.3903 for assistance.

Expenditures vary considerably. You have to consider rent, utilities, labor, equipment, supplies, maintenance, and City Food Establishment License [fees]. If you need more specific assistance, call Hugo Villarreal, Small Business Liaison at 207-3903 to meet with a business counselor.

Call 311 (210.207.6000).

Yes, but to do so you must operate on commercial property.

Go to Development Services Center, 1901 S. Alamo, to purchase a temporary food establishment license at least three (3) days prior to the event. You do not need additional permission to operate a temporary event from nearby restaurants, grocery stores, or other food establishments to have a temporary food event license. However, for mobile vendors, see [question 6].

You are required to obtain a Mobile Vending License for the vehicle. To obtain one, first read the City Ordinance [requirements.]

Call 210.207.0135 to make an appointment for an inspection. To sell at a fixed location, it must be a commercial property, with a notarized letter of permission from the property owner that also grants access to restrooms on the property.

Texas Department of State Health Services.

City Ordinance requires all events where food is sold or given away to have a license from Metro Health. See Chapter 13, Food and Food Handlers, Article VIII Food Service Establishments, Sec. 13-213 Sanitation Requirements of temporary food service establishments.

A temporary food establishment shall comply with the requirements of these rules except as otherwise provided in this section. The regulatory authority may impose additional requirements to protect against health hazards related to the conduct of the temporary food establishment, may prohibit the sale of some or all potentially hazardous foods, and when no health hazard will result, may waive or modify requirements of these rules.”

If you’re not sure whether your special event is exempt from licensing, contact Metro Health at 3-1-1 and ask about temporary food event licensing rules, or visit the Health desk at 1901 S. Alamo.

• $77.25 annual
• Come to 1901 S. Alamo
• Bring all pertinent information with you:
• Market name and location along with days the market will operate
• State Manufacturing License, if applicable
• Valid Identification

• All prepackaged items (potentially hazardous and non-potentially hazardous)
• Eggs
• Labeled with farmers/producers name and address and as “ungraded”
• Must have label: SAFE HANDLING INSTRUCTIONS: To prevent illness from bacteria, keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks area firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly
• Kept at 45°F or less

• Overhead protection
• Bite sized portions only
• Potentially hazardous items must be maintained at safe food temperatures (above 135°F for hot foods and below 41°F for cold foods)
• Dispensed in a manner that will protect foods from contamination.
• Samples must be thrown away after 4 hours.
• Gravity fed hand washing station (water, soap and paper towels)
• No bare hand contact (utensils or gloves).
• 3 pans to wash, rinse and sanitize all utensils. Pans must be large enough to submerge all utensils.
• Garbage container with tight fitting lid

• $145 Annual On-site Preparation fee
• Valid at farmers market only
• Come to 1901 S. Alamo
• Bring all pertinent information with you:
  • Market name and location along with days the market will operate
  • Food source information, if applicable
  • Valid Identification

All foods and or beverages prepared on-site at the market.

• At least one person in booth must have a Food Manager/Food Handler Certification
• Overhead protection
• Floors, graded to drain, concrete, rolled asphalt, plywood or mats removable platforms, duckboards or other suitable material approved by the regulatory authority
• Potentially hazardous items must be maintained at safe food temperatures (above 135°F for hot foods and below 41°F for cold foods)
• Dispensed in a manner that will protect foods from contamination.
• Water from an approved source
• Gravity fed hand washing station (water, soap and paper towels)
• No bare hand contact (utensils or gloves).
• 3 pans to wash, rinse and sanitize all utensils. Pans must be large enough to submerge all utensils.
• Garbage container with tight fitting lid.

Immunization repositories are confidential, computerized systems that contain vaccination histories within a geographic area. They help ensure that children receive the recommended vaccinations at the recommended ages. People often will move from doctor to doctor throughout their lifetime and the paper trail may become disjointed and incomplete. Electronic repositories can help doctors check a patient's immunization history through a centralized database, without relying on the patient for a paper record. Every state has at least one regional or

• It’s a lifespan repository: patients records are updated throughout their lifetime; consolidates vaccination records from multiple providers.
• It’s a local repository: the quality of the data in the repository is closely monitored by the SAIRS Team.
• It’s easily accessible online: you can access your patient’s immunization record from any internet connection.
• It allows you to enter your own patient’s vaccine data (direct entry) into SAIRS: which equals up-to-date records, quality control and less paper!
• It is capable of electronic data exchange (HL7): your certified electronic health record (EHR) system sends your patients’ immunization data directly to SAIRS. The SAIRS Team will work directly with your EHR vendor to set up the connection and attest your facility for Meaningful Use. For more information on HL7 and Meaningful Use, visit HealthIT.gov .
• It has a Mentor Program for easy transitioning: the SAIRS Provider Relations Team will work directly with you and your staff.
• It has more up-to-date records: the more providers that transition to direct entry or HL7 reporting equals more up-to-date records in SAIRS and results in less wasted resources and less over-immunizing.

• All SAIRS users must sign a User Security and Confidentiality Agreement and comply with the SAIRS Security and Confidentiality Policy.
• All SAIRS users must use assigned login ID and personal password to gain repository access.
• SAIRS information can be restricted based on the user.
• Only organizations with a legitimate purpose for reviewing or updating immunization records enroll into SAIRS.
• All facilities enrolled in SAIRS must renew their information (including active users) at least once a year.

Enrollment is easy, fast, and FREE!

• Step 1: Complete SAIRS Facility Enrollment Form for each clinic location. Ensure that Section 5 is signed by the person responsible for that facility’s SAIRS usage. Questions on how to fill out this form? Read the SAIRS Enrollment Instructions.
• Step 2: Complete one SAIRS Security and Confidentiality Agreement (page 2 only) for each staff member who accesses SAIRS. NOTE: All SAIRS Users must provide an active email address to receive login information and SAIRS announcements. After submitting the form, if you did not receive a SAIRS email, check your spam folder. If the email is still not there, call the help desk at 210.207.5071.

If your EMR system is down temporarily, you can use the SAMHD consent form and

• Submit by mail, OR
• Use for data entry once system recovers.

Please be sure to notify the SAIRS Team. If the system is down for an extended period of time, you can be quickly trained for direct entry reporting.

• SAIRS HL7 Specifications for version 2.5.1.

Please refer to the CDC’s Implementation Guides for all HL7 tables.

Please direct all questions to:

SAIRS Team or 210.207.5071 and you will be transferred to the appropriate SAIRS Team Member.

Meaningful use is using certified electronic health record (EHR) technology to:

• Improve quality, safety, efficiency, and reduce health disparities
• Engage patients and family
• Improve care coordination, and population and public health
• Maintain privacy and security of patient health information

Reporting immunization information to an immunization registry is one of the two meaningful use public health objectives. (HealthIT.gov)

More information on the CMS EHR Incentive Program.

More information on how SAIRS handles Meaningful Use.

The first criterion is that you must administer vaccines to your patients, even if it is only the flu shot.

The next criterion is that you must capture in your EHR vaccine information, such as vaccine type (must be mapped to the standard CVX or CPT codes).

Depending on your EHR vendor, you may have to have a certain version or even purchase additional EHR options. The safest bet is to contact your EHR vendor and ask if your system is eligible.

Please direct all HL7-related questions to 210.207.5071 and you will be transferred to the appropriate SAIRS Team Member.

Metro Health’s lab conducts testing on water samples for a fee. The cost is $25 for a bacterial test. You can call 210.207.8887 and have a kit mailed to your residence. Bring the sample to the lab at 2303 SE Military Dr., Bldg 533, San Antonio, TX  78223, and be prepared to pay for the test(s) at that time.

Pools are located in Chapter 15, Article VIII of the City Code. Per City Code, a public pool is defined as: Public swimming pool is any swimming pool, spa or sauna which is open to the general public.

A semi-public swimming pool is: (1) Any privately owned swimming pool or spa which is open to the general public for a fee; or (2) Any swimming or wading pool, spa or sauna, serving a private club, motel, hotel, apartment building, school, child care facility, recreational or physical fitness facility, institution, home owner's association, or other similar activity or structure, the use of which is limited to members, residents, students, or clients and their guests.

If you have a complaint about a public or semi-public swimming pool or spa, call 311 or email us.

The City does not treat private property for mosquitoes. It is possible that they are originating from your property. Make sure you do not have standing water on the ground or containers that are holding water. These are common breeding places for mosquitoes. Questions? Call Vector Control at 3-1-1.