Texas contractor license lookup: TDLR and plumbing
Texas has no general contractor license. Learn which trades TDLR and the plumbing board license, where to search, and what to ask a subcontractor.
Texas does not have a statewide general contractor license. The state licenses specific trades, and it splits them between two agencies. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) licenses electricians and air conditioning and refrigeration contractors. The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners licenses plumbers. Everything else is mostly a matter of contract terms and local rules.
Who issues what in Texas
TDLR
TDLR licenses electricians and air conditioning and refrigeration (ACR) contractors, among many unrelated professions. Electrical licenses are issued at several levels, and electrical contractor and ACR contractor licenses are held by the business or contracting entity, while technician licenses are held by individuals. TDLR's license search covers only programs TDLR regulates.
Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners
Plumbers are licensed by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. Its categories include responsible master plumber, master plumber, journeyman plumber, and plumbing inspector. It has its own public license search, so a plumber will not appear in a TDLR search. Plumbing is a common reason for a "no record found" scare.
Other trades
General contractors, roofers, framers, concrete, and many other trades have no state contractor license in Texas. Cities and counties may require registration, permits, or business licenses, and some trades have other state rules. Confirm with the jurisdiction.
How to verify a license
- Identify the trade: electrical, ACR, or plumbing.
- Use the matching search: TDLR for electrical and ACR, the plumbing board for plumbing.
- Search by license number when you have it, otherwise by exact name or business name.
- Record the license type, number, status, and expiration date.
- Note any disciplinary or enforcement information shown.
The record confirms a license exists and its status. It does not show insurance coverage, so you still need the certificate of insurance. Check how limits and endorsements compare with your requirements in GC insurance requirements by trade.
What to ask a subcontractor for
- License number and the exact name the license is held under, for each licensed trade on the job
- For ACR work, the contractor license number, plus technician license numbers where relevant
- For electrical work, the electrical contractor license and the master electrician responsible
- A certificate of insurance listing the same legal entity as the license
- Any city or county registration required where the work is located
Common traps
- Company versus individual. A business may hold the contractor license while a person holds the master or technician credential, or the reverse. Check both the entity and the responsible individual.
- Wrong agency. Searching TDLR for a plumber, or the plumbing board for an HVAC contractor, returns nothing and proves nothing.
- Level and scope. ACR contractor licenses come in classes with different scope limits, and electrical licenses come in different levels. Confirm the license covers the work on your job, and check current rules with TDLR.
- Expired or inactive status. A record that exists is not the same as an active license. Read the status and the expiration date.
- Name drift. The legal name on the license, the certificate, and the subcontract should match, or the paperwork may not hold together if a claim happens.
When a license is not required statewide, check city and county
For trades without a state license, the city or county where the work is located may have its own contractor registration, permit rules, or business license requirements. Call the building department or review its website and ask what is required and how to verify it. Keep the answer in the vendor file. Rules change, so confirm current requirements with TDLR, the plumbing board, or the local jurisdiction. This is not legal advice.
For more, see subcontractor prequalification, the Colorado and Florida license guides, and certificate of insurance red flags.
Check this automatically
ComplySub covers license status for Texas, along with Colorado, California, and Florida. It records the status, license number, and expiration date and flags problems next to the insurance checks, based on the requirements you set once. Vendors upload their documents through a link without an account, and reminders go out before dates lapse. It does not replace the official record, and where a trade has no usable source you can enter the license manually.
This guide is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Insurance and licensing rules vary by state, carrier, and contract; confirm what applies to you with your insurance professional, attorney, or licensing board.