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READYDOCSCOMPLIANCESTATESTEXAS
FILE TX · STATE OF TEXASADMITTED · 1845CAPITAL · AUSTINVERIFIED · 05 / 2026
Public Compliance Directory · State Hub

Texas.

Texas does not have one statewide general-contractor license. The state licenses major trades such as electrical and air conditioning/refrigeration through TDLR and plumbing through TSBPE. Start with the statewide baseline, then drill into the counties and trades where the filing rules usually live.

Counties indexed
38
Cities on file
49
Trades indexed
12
Last verified
05 / 2026
FAST FACTS

Texas at a glance

Quick-reference card
License ReciprocityTrade-specific - verify TDLR/TSBPE
Workers' CompVoluntary for most private employers
Contractor BondUsually local or contract-based
Renewal CycleTrade-specific; ACR annual
Continuing EdACR 8 hrs/yr; plumbing 6 hrs/yr
Primary BodyTexas Department of Licensing and Regulation; Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners
Browse counties→Source register↓
State of
Texas
· ACTIVE FILE ·
ARTICLE I · LICENSING
STATE LICENSING OVERVIEW
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATION; TEXAS STATE BOARD OF PLUMBING EXAMINERS
Article I · Contractor Licensing

State baseline. Local control.

Texas does not have one statewide general-contractor license. The state licenses major trades such as electrical and air conditioning/refrigeration through TDLR and plumbing through TSBPE.

The state file is the first pass: licensing authority, reciprocity posture, workers' compensation threshold, bond notes, and renewal rules. It should not be treated as the final filing answer for a job site.

Cities and counties are the main permit layer. Local registration, plan review, inspections, and insurance proof can change by jurisdiction.

Start with the trade agency for electrical, ACR, plumbing, or specialty work, then confirm the city or county permit desk before bidding.

Primary licensing body

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation; Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners is the main statewide reference point for this file. County and municipal departments may still impose separate registration, permit, insurance, inspection, or bond requirements.

Source · State licensing authority · county building departmentsLast verified · 05 / 2026
ARTICLE II · OPERATING LAYERS
STATE · COUNTY · CITY CONTROL
3 LEVELS
Article II · Operating Layers

Three layers, one job site.

The state page explains the top layer. The county and city branches explain the actual permit path.

State Level

Texas licensing

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation; Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners

Texas does not have one statewide general-contractor license. The state licenses major trades such as electrical and air conditioning/refrigeration through TDLR and plumbing through TSBPE.

File · indexed
Open branch →
County Level

County permits

County building department

Cities and counties are the main permit layer. Local registration, plan review, inspections, and insurance proof can change by jurisdiction.

File · indexed
Open branch →
Municipal Level

City permits

City building department

Start with the trade agency for electrical, ACR, plumbing, or specialty work, then confirm the city or county permit desk before bidding.

File · indexed
Open branch →
ARTICLE III · INSURANCE
INSURANCE & BOND REQUIREMENTS
FIELD BASELINE
Article III · Insurance & Bonds

What contractors usually verify in Texas.

Insurance and bond requirements can be set by state law, the county permit office, the city, the project owner, or all of them at once.

CoverageRequired?MinimumIssued by
General LiabilityBaseline coverage before county add-ons
Verify
Varies
Carrier / issuer
Workers' CompensationTexas workers' compensation is voluntary for most private employers, but non-subscribers have notice/reporting duties and public projects can require coverage.
Conditional
Voluntary for most private employers
State workers' comp authority
Commercial AutoVehicles used for trade
Required
Varies
Insurance carrier
Surety BondOften tied to license or permit
Conditional
Usually local or contract-based
State or local agency
Performance BondPublic work or large permitted jobs
Conditional
Contract based
Public agency
Source · State insurance rules · county permit offices · city departmentsVerify before filing
ARTICLE IV · PERMITS
PERMITS & INSPECTIONS
STATE · COUNTY · CITY
Article IV · Permits & Inspections

The permit usually lives below the state.

That is why the county hub comes next. State rules matter, but local offices usually control filing, review, and inspections.

State Level

Texas code baseline

State code adoption, statewide trade licensing, workers' compensation, and professional board rules where applicable.

  • License lookupState
  • Code adoptionState
  • Renewal rulesState
County Level

County permit desk

County building departments often handle unincorporated permits, plan review, inspection scheduling, land disturbance, septic, and local fee tables.

  • Building permitCounty
  • Plan reviewCounty
  • Inspection deskCounty
Municipal Level

City overlays

Incorporated cities may add their own permit portal, zoning review, historic district review, arborist rules, stormwater requirements, or sign permits.

  • City permitCity
  • ZoningCity
  • Local inspectionCity
ARTICLE V · COUNTIES
BROWSE BY COUNTY
38 INDEXED
Article V · Browse by County

Indexed Texas counties.

Pick a county to see local permit offices, city coverage, and the trade-specific compliance files already built for that jurisdiction.

Bell County1 city
1 files
Bexar County1 city
1 files
Brazoria County1 city
1 files
Brazos County1 city
1 files
Collin County3 cities
3 files
Comal County1 city
1 files
Dallas County1 city
1 files
Denton County4 cities
4 files
Ector County1 city
1 files
El Paso County1 city
1 files
Ellis County1 city
1 files
Fort Bend County1 city
1 files
Galveston County1 city
1 files
Grayson County1 city
1 files
Gregg County1 city
1 files
Guadalupe County1 city
1 files
Harris County1 city
1 files
Hays County1 city
1 files
Hidalgo County1 city
1 files
Johnson County1 city
1 files
Kaufman County1 city
1 files
Lubbock County1 city
1 files
McLennan County1 city
1 files
Midland County1 city
1 files
Montgomery County1 city
1 files
Nueces County1 city
1 files
Parker County1 city
1 files
Potter County1 city
1 files
Randall County1 city
1 files
Rockwall County1 city
1 files
Smith County1 city
1 files
Tarrant County4 cities
4 files
Taylor County1 city
1 files
Tom Green County1 city
1 files
Travis County1 city
1 files
Webb County1 city
1 files
Wichita County1 city
1 files
Williamson County4 cities
4 files
Showing 38 counties →
ARTICLE VI · TRADES
TRADES IN TEXAS
12 TRADES
Article VI · Trades in Texas

Trade branches come off every level.

The next architecture step is state-trade and county-trade hubs, because not every requirement needs a city-specific page.

Concrete
CODE · CN
GL
Branch planned →
Electrical
CODE · EL
State Lic.GLBond
Branch planned →
Flooring
CODE · FL
GL
Branch planned →
Framing
CODE · FR
GL
Branch planned →
General Contracting
CODE · GC
State Lic.GLBond
Branch planned →
HVAC
CODE · HV
State Lic.GLBond
Branch planned →
Landscaping
CODE · LS
GL
Branch planned →
Painting
CODE · PT
GL
Branch planned →
Pest Control
CODE · PC
State Lic.GL
Branch planned →
Plumbing
CODE · PL
State Lic.GLBond
Branch planned →
Pool Service
CODE · PS
GLBond
Branch planned →
Roofing
CODE · RF
LicenseBondGL
Branch planned →
ARTICLE VII · SOURCES
SOURCE REGISTER
VERIFY LOCALLY
Article VII · Sources & Citations

Every branch needs a source trail.

This template keeps the state page honest: broad context here, operational filing details on county and city branches.

Agency

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation; Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners

Primary statewide reference for Texas contractor licensing and board rules.

State licensing authority
VERIFIED
05 / 2026
Local

County building departments

Permit offices, plan-review timelines, inspection desks, and local fee schedules.

County sources
VERIFIED
05 / 2026
Local

Municipal permit offices

City-specific permits, zoning, historic overlays, and inspections where incorporated cities control the process.

City sources
VERIFIED
05 / 2026
Article VIII · Adjacent States

Working across state lines?

Reciprocity and local filing rules do not travel cleanly. Open the neighboring state before relying on an out-of-state license.

AR
Arkansas
State file
LO
Louisiana
State file
NE
New Mexico
State file
OK
Oklahoma
State file
Article IX · Frequently Asked

Questions contractors ask before filing.

Q01Do I start with the state or the county in Texas?+
Start with the state for licensing baseline, then confirm the county or city permit office for the actual filing path.Source · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation; Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners
Q02Are county rules more important than state rules?+
Not more important, but often more operational. The state may license the trade; the county or city may control the permit, inspection, fee schedule, and local overlay.Source · County building departments
Q03Why do trade hubs need to branch off state and county pages?+
Because contractors search by trade at every jurisdiction level: statewide license, county permit, city inspection, or a specific city-trade requirement.Source · ReadyDocs taxonomy

Open the state file. Then go local.

Texas is now wired into the state-hub template. County hubs and trade branches are the next layer.

Browse counties→View trades→