Which trades does Texas treat differently?

3 of them: Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC.

Contractor licensing in Texas

Q: How do you check a Texas contractor license?

TDLR license search. Covers the trades TDLR licenses. A roofer will not be in it, because there is nothing to be in it for.

What the state requires, which trades are treated differently, and what you will be asked for whatever the answer is.

The short answer

Texas does not license construction contractors at the state level. There is no state general contractor license and no state registration.

3 trades are treated differently and have their own page below.

Last verified 2026-09-12

Workers' compensation is optional here

Texas is the only state where a private employer may opt out of workers' compensation entirely. A subcontractor who has opted out is legal and uninsured for injury, which is why hiring contractors ask about it directly rather than assuming.

Trades with their own rules

ElectricalState license required · Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation PlumbingState license required · Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners HVACState license required · Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation

Everything else

These 26 trades fall under Texas's general position above — no license required. There is no separate rule for any of them, which is why there is no separate page.

Roofing
Siding
Windows / Doors
Gutters
Soffit / Fascia
Coping
Masonry / Brick
Solar
Framing
Concrete
Foundation
Excavation / Grading
Demolition
Insulation
Drywall / Sheetrock
Painting
Flooring / Carpet
Tile / Stone
Cabinets / Countertops
Finish Carpentry
Deck / Fence
Hardscaping
Landscaping
Garage Doors
Water / Fire Restoration
Final Clean

Checking a license

Registry TDLR license search

Worth knowing Covers the trades TDLR licenses. A roofer will not be in it, because there is nothing to be in it for.

Where this comes from. Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation — program list — the source. Checked 2026-09-12. This is a reference, not legal advice: if a contract turns on it, read the statute.

What you will be asked for anyway

No state requirement does not mean no paperwork. Every hiring contractor and property manager worth working for asks for the same four things before anybody starts, and asks again every time one expires.

1
Certificate of insuranceGeneral liability, naming them as additional insured.
2
Surety bondOften required by cities that register your trade, and by plenty of hiring contractors regardless.
3
Signed subcontractor agreementTheirs, not yours. Scope, payment terms, and who carries what.
4
W-9So they can 1099 you. It carries your TIN, so it is the one to be careful with.

If you are the contractor

Your compliance pack, sent in one link.

Keep them in one place and answer the next contractor who asks in about six seconds — with a page showing your carrier, policy number, cover and expiry, that updates itself when you renew. Free, and whoever you send it to needs no account.

Set up your compliance pack

If you are hiring one

Check the certificate before they start.

Texas has no general contractor license to look up. What you can always check is the insurance, the bond, and whether either has lapsed since the day it was emailed to you. That last part is where it usually goes wrong: a PDF attached in March says nothing about July.

Keep a roster current

Cities that add their own rules

Where the state is quiet, municipalities fill the gap, and they do not agree with each other. If you work across a metro you are dealing with several sets at once.

Houston
Dallas
San Antonio
Austin
Fort Worth
El Paso