How to verify a contractor's license in Texas
Published October 4, 2026
Plumbers are licensed by TSBPE, electricians and HVAC contractors by TDLR, and roofers, foundation companies and general contractors have no Texas license at all. Each lookup takes about a minute.
Which trades are licensed in Texas
| Trade | State license? | Who issues it | Where to look it up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumber | Yes | Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) | tsbpe.texas.gov license search |
| Electrician | Yes | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) | tdlr.texas.gov license search |
| Air conditioning and heating | Yes | TDLR | tdlr.texas.gov license search |
| Roofer | No | None | Insurance, permits, references |
| Foundation repair | No | None (engineers are licensed separately) | Independent engineer’s report |
| General contractor or remodeler | No | None | Check each licensed trade underneath |
| Water well, irrigation, backflow testing | Yes | TDLR or TCEQ depending on the work | Agency license search |
How to do the lookup
- Get the license number from the truck, the website, the business card, or the invoice. Texas requires plumbing, electrical and HVAC companies to print it on all of these.
- Search the number on the issuing agency’s site. Confirm three things: the license is active, the name matches the company or the person you are dealing with, and the license class matches the work. A tradesman plumber-limited license, for example, covers residential service work, not a commercial job.
- Check for disciplinary history. TDLR publishes enforcement actions. TSBPE publishes board actions.
- Ask who will be on site. The license holder of record is often the owner. The person in your house must also be licensed or a registered apprentice working under a licensed plumber or electrician.
What a missing or mismatched number means
A company that cannot give you a number, or whose number comes back inactive or under a different name, is operating illegally. That is not a paperwork issue. An unlicensed company cannot pull a permit, usually has no insurance, and leaves you with no agency to complain to. Walk away.
Why Houston makes this urgent
After every freeze, flood and hurricane, a wave of unlicensed operators works Houston neighborhoods. Many are from out of state and have no idea what Texas requires. The lookup is the one check that takes a minute and cannot be faked.
Frequently asked
Is there a Texas general contractor license?
No. Texas does not license general contractors or remodelers at the state level. The City of Houston registers some contractors for permitting, but registration is not a competency test. Check the licensed trades that work under the general contractor instead.
What if the license is active but under a different company name?
Ask. A master plumber or master electrician can only be the license holder of record for one company at a time. If the name does not match, the company may be borrowing a license, which is illegal.