Texas Contractor License Requirements
No statewide general contractor license, exam, or bond — but specialty trades and many cities have their own rules.
License Requirement
Licensing body: No state board for general contracting. Specialty trades (electricians, plumbers, HVAC technicians) are licensed statewide by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) — tdlr.texas.gov.
Texas has no state-level general contractor license, no state licensing exam, and no state bond requirement for general contracting work. This is a well-established, high-confidence fact across multiple independent sources. What you actually need depends on your city: Houston requires no contractor registration but does require permits per project, while San Antonio requires contractor registration through its Development Services Department before pulling permits.
Exam
No statewide GC exam exists. Specialty trades licensed through TDLR (electrical, plumbing, HVAC) have their own state exams.
Bonding
No statewide bonding requirement for general contracting. Some cities or specific project types may impose their own requirements.
Continuing Education
Not applicable at the state level for general contracting — no statewide license means no statewide renewal or CE cycle.
Experience Requirements
No statewide experience requirement for general contracting.
Reciprocity
Not applicable — there is no statewide license to reciprocate.
Licensing requirements change and vary by locality within a state. Always verify current requirements with your state's contractor licensing board before applying. This page is an independent informational reference — it is not legal advice, and ContractorLicense.org is not a government agency and is not affiliated with any state licensing board.
Research note: High confidence that no statewide GC license exists. City-specific examples (Houston, San Antonio) are medium confidence — verify current local rules with the specific city before relying on them.
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