STATE LICENSE
NoneSee what applies
No Texas agency licenses concrete or foundation contractors. There is no exam, no registry and no state fee. What the state does regulate is the ground you disturb and the moment before the pour.
Stormwater is the one contractors miss. TCEQ's Construction General Permit TXR150000 regulates construction activities that discharge stormwater to surface water in the state and disturb an acre or more of soil — including sites under one acre that are part of a larger common plan of development totalling an acre or more. The permit requires a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan developed and implemented before construction begins, a posted site notice, and electronic filing through TCEQ's STEERS system. Sites under an acre and not part of a larger plan are not regulated by it.
The inspection rule is sequencing. Inside a municipality the IRC governs by statute and the city inspects. In counties that have opted into Local Government Code chapter 233, subchapter F, new residential construction on a vacant lot must be inspected at the foundation stage before the placement of concrete — a hard stop the builder is responsible for arranging.
Finally, the tax split: concrete work in new construction or residential remodeling is untaxed labor, while the same work as nonresidential repair or remodeling is taxable on the total charge.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Concrete sits at the seam between three authorities. Inside a city, the statutorily adopted IRC and IBC apply and the city permits and inspects (Loc. Gov't Code §§ 214.212, 214.216). In unincorporated areas, only counties that adopted the chapter 233, subchapter F resolution apply the IRC to new residential construction — with a foundation inspection before concrete, arranged by the builder, and with a city's ETJ building code taking precedence where one exists. Layered across both is TCEQ's construction general permit, which is a state permit that does not care about municipal boundaries. Cities may also require contractor registration, since no state licensing statute preempts them for this trade.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Texas county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of September 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
A quarter-acre driveway inside a subdivision that will ultimately disturb five acres is covered — the CGP reaches construction that is part of a larger common plan of development or sale meeting the acreage threshold.
Small construction activity may qualify for automatic authorization during periods of low erosion potential, or for a low rainfall erosivity waiver based on the erosivity factor — both filed through TCEQ.
Where the county three-inspection regime applies, the foundation inspection must happen before the placement of concrete. Once it is poured, there is no retrofit for a missed inspection.
A practical sequence for a new concrete contractor in Texas. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
No Texas state concrete license exists, so no state unlicensed-practice offense applies. Enforcement is environmental, code-based and civil.
Construction that disturbs an acre or more and discharges to surface water in the state must be authorized under the TCEQ construction general permit, with an SWP3 in place before construction commences.
Construction payments and loan receipts are trust funds; retaining, using or diverting them before paying beneficiaries is misapplication.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on September 2026.
Pending verification: The TCEQ notice-of-intent fee amount for the construction general permit — the program page links the permit and forms but does not state the fee · Which counties have adopted the chapter 233, subchapter F resolution; Texas publishes no consolidated list
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.