Which Texas Trades Need a State License: HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical and Roofing
Texas does not license every trade the same way. Some trades are licensed by the state and some are not, and the agency depends on the trade. Air conditioning and electrical work go through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Plumbing has its own board. Roofing has no state license at all. This guide sorts it out trade by trade, using the agencies' own pages, so a Dallas Fort Worth contractor knows what to hold and a homeowner knows what to check.
| Trade | State license? | Agency |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC (air conditioning, refrigeration, heating) | Yes: ACR contractor license; helpers register as technicians | TDLR |
| Electrical | Yes: apprentice through master electrician, plus an electrical contractor license for the business | TDLR |
| Plumbing | Yes: apprentice registration through master plumber, plus a Responsible Master Plumber for the company | TSBPE |
| Roofing | No state license | None at the state level |
| Landscape irrigation | Yes: irrigation design, installation, repair and connection to the public water supply | Texas Commission on Environmental Quality |
| Water well drilling and pump installation | Yes | TDLR |
| Residential solar sales | Registration for retailers and salespeople since September 1, 2026 | TDLR |
HVAC: the TDLR air conditioning and refrigeration license
TDLR says contractors who install, repair or maintain air conditioning, refrigeration or heating systems must have a TDLR license, and ACR companies must employ a licensed ACR contractor at each permanent location. Anyone who assists a licensed contractor with maintenance or repair work must register as a technician. Technicians work under the contractor's supervision and may not advertise ACR services.
| Item | What TDLR says |
|---|---|
| Classes | Class A covers any size unit. Class B covers cooling up to 25 tons and heating up to 1.5 million BTU per hour. |
| Endorsements | Environmental Air Conditioning, Commercial Refrigeration, or Process Cooling or Heating |
| Experience | 48 months of supervised experience within the past 72 months, or 12 months as a certified technician plus 36 months of experience within the past 48 months |
| Exam | Required after TDLR approves the application; finish everything within one year of filing |
| Insurance, Class A | $300,000 per occurrence, $600,000 aggregate, $300,000 products and completed operations |
| Insurance, Class B | $100,000 per occurrence, $200,000 aggregate, $100,000 products and completed operations |
| Fee and term | $115 application fee; the license is valid for one year |
| Technician registration | $20, at least 16 years old, valid for one year |
A state ACR license is valid throughout Texas. Since September 1, 2021, the Occupations Code has barred cities from charging registration fees to TDLR licensed ACR contractors, though cities can still charge building permit fees.
Electrical: TDLR licenses people and businesses
TDLR is plain about it: anyone who performs, or offers to perform, non-exempt electrical work in Texas must be licensed and perform that work through a licensed electrical contractor. That applies in unincorporated areas too. The individual licenses build on each other.
| License | Requirements TDLR lists |
|---|---|
| Apprentice Electrician | No experience or exam; online application and a $20 fee; works under a master, journeyman or residential wireman |
| Residential Wireman | 4,000 hours under a master electrician or residential wireman, or an approved career and technology program; homes and multifamily dwellings up to four stories |
| Journeyman Electrician | 8,000 hours of on the job training under a Texas master electrician (you can test at 7,000); $30 application fee |
| Master Electrician | A journeyman license for at least two years and 12,000 hours of on the job training; $45 application fee |
| Electrical Contractor | Must employ a licensed master electrician; $110 application fee; liability insurance of $300,000 per occurrence, $600,000 aggregate and $300,000 products and completed operations; workers' compensation proof or a filed notice of no coverage |
Electrician licenses are valid for one year and renew annually. TDLR also licenses sign electricians, journeyman linemen, maintenance and industrial electricians, and residential appliance installers. A city license is valid only in that city, while a state license is valid anywhere in Texas. TDLR's FAQ says a city may not require a state license holder to take a city exam, and state law limits the fees a city can charge state license holders, though cities can still collect building permit fees.
Plumbing: the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners
Plumbing is not under TDLR. The Plumbing License Law in Occupations Code chapter 1301 says a person may not engage in plumbing without the proper license, registration or endorsement, with work supervised and controlled by a licensee. It also says any person that advertises or offers plumbing must secure the services of a Responsible Master Plumber (RMP). The TSBPE ladder looks like this:
| Level | Requirements TSBPE lists |
|---|---|
| Plumber's Apprentice | Register first, since hours before registration do not count; at least 16; $15 fee; a licensee must be on the job site at all times |
| Tradesman Plumber-Limited | 4,000 hours plus a 24 hour approved course; one and two family dwellings under an RMP; $35 initial license fee |
| Journeyman Plumber | 8,000 hours plus a 48 hour approved course, as a registered apprentice or tradesman; $40 initial license fee |
| Master Plumber | A journeyman license held for at least two years, or one year plus a U.S. Department of Labor approved apprenticeship; $75 initial license fee |
| Responsible Master Plumber | A Texas master plumber in good standing with at least $300,000 of commercial liability insurance; $225 initial application |
Licenses renew every year with six hours of continuing professional education. TSBPE also offers endorsements, such as medical gas piping and water supply protection, and apprentice registrations for drain cleaning and residential utilities installation. One rule matters for marketing: TSBPE says the RMP is responsible for making sure every service vehicle displays the company name and the RMP's license number.
Roofing: no state license in Texas
Texas does not license roofers. The official House committee analysis of House Bill 3344 in 2025 states it directly: Texas does not currently require a state-issued license for reroofing contractors. That bill would have had TDLR license reroofing contractors. It was reported out of committee, and its last action was on May 8, 2025, when it was sent to the House Calendars Committee. It never passed, so there is still no state roofing license.
That does not mean roofing is unregulated:
- Permits. The City of Dallas says replacing large areas of a roof or an entire roof requires a reroof permit, while minor repairs to roofing or roof vents do not. Other cities in the metroplex set their own rules.
- Insurance jobs. State law bars roofers from offering to waive or absorb a deductible and from acting as a public adjuster. See Texas roofing and insurance rules.
- Licensed trades on the job. If a roofing job includes electrical, plumbing or HVAC work, such as moving a vent stack or a rooftop unit, that work falls under the trade's own license rules.
Without a license to point to, a roofer has to earn trust another way: a permanent address, insurance, permits pulled in the company name, warranty terms in writing and proof of real local jobs.
How to check a Texas license in two minutes
- Ask for the license number and the exact business name on it.
- HVAC and electrical: search the number on TDLR's Verify a License tool at tdlr.texas.gov, or call TDLR at (800) 803-9202.
- Plumbing: use the TSBPE public license search, or call the board at (512) 936-5200.
- Check the scope. A Class B ACR license has size limits, and a residential wireman is limited to dwellings up to four stories.
- Roofing: there is nothing to look up at the state, so ask for proof of insurance and check that the permit is pulled with the city.
Put your license to work in your marketing
A license number is one of the few trust signals a homeowner can verify. Most contractors bury it in a footer. The DFW trade companies that stand out show it in their videos, on their trucks and on their Google Business Profile, next to real jobs and real crews.
| Trade | Video idea |
|---|---|
| HVAC | The owner holding the ACR license with the TDLR lookup on a phone, then a real install |
| Plumbing | A service truck walkaround showing the company name and RMP license number |
| Electrical | A master electrician explaining a panel upgrade and the permit and inspection steps |
| Roofing | Insurance certificate, permit card on the job and a dated before and after, since there is no state license to show |
This is what we do at Picture Perfect Video. We film Dallas Fort Worth contractors on real jobs and cut one filming day into a month of short videos for your site, ads and Google Business Profile. See Dallas contractor video production, HVAC marketing in Dallas and plumbing marketing in Dallas.
Common questions
Do you need a license to be a contractor in Texas?
It depends on the trade. Texas licenses HVAC and electrical work through TDLR and plumbing through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. There is no state license for roofing, and cities may require permits for many jobs.
Does Texas require a roofing license?
No. A 2025 House committee analysis states that Texas does not currently require a state-issued license for reroofing contractors, and House Bill 3344, which would have created one, did not pass. Cities still require permits, such as a reroof permit in Dallas.
Who needs a TDLR HVAC license in Texas?
TDLR says contractors who install, repair or maintain air conditioning, refrigeration or heating systems need an ACR contractor license, and each company location must employ one. Helpers who assist with maintenance or repair register as technicians.
Can a Texas city require its own electrician or HVAC license?
A city can issue its own licenses, but TDLR says a state license is valid anywhere in Texas. State law limits the fees cities can charge state licensed ACR contractors and electricians, though cities can still charge building permit fees.
How do I verify a Texas contractor license?
Use TDLR's Verify a License search for HVAC and electrical licenses, and the TSBPE public license search for plumbers. For roofers, there is no state license, so ask for proof of insurance and confirm the city permit.
Licensed, insured and easy to trust?
Book a free call. We will plan a filming day that shows your license, your crew and your real jobs in Dallas Fort Worth.
Book a free call →Or email charles@pictureperfectvideo.com · call or text 945.212.2522
Related reading
Sources checked October 25, 2026: TDLR: air conditioning and refrigeration contractors, ACR contractor license, technician registration and ACR FAQ; TDLR: electricians, apprentice, residential wireman, journeyman, master electrician, electrical contractor and electrician FAQ; Texas Occupations Code chapter 1302 and chapter 1301; TSBPE license types, apprentice, tradesman, journeyman, master plumber and Responsible Master Plumber; House committee bill analysis, C.S.H.B. 3344 and HB 3344 bill history; City of Dallas: single family storm repair permits; TCEQ: hiring licensed professionals for landscape irrigation; TDLR: water well drillers and pump installers; TDLR: residential solar retail sales now regulated. Fees and requirements change, so confirm with the agency before you apply or hire. This is general information, not legal advice.