Texas Contractor License Lookup & TDLR Verification
Checking a sub's TDLR license by hand? Look up a TDLR electrical license free. Once a sub's license is on your roster, TrackMyVendor re-checks it against TDLR daily and alerts you before it lapses — not on your job site.
Texas contractor license lookup
Enter a license number to instantly check its holder, status, and expiration date.
Why a one-time TDLR check isn't enough
A license can go from Active to Suspended within 24 hours of your manual check — triggered by a bond payout, a consumer complaint investigation, or a failure to comply with a prior TDLR order. You'll never know unless someone looks again.
TrackMyVendor checks every tracked license daily and alerts you the moment the status changes. Set up automated alerts free →
Texas contractor license requirements
Before hiring contractors in Texas, you need to verify they maintain proper credentials. Texas contractors are often required to have:
- A valid state-issued license (TDLR, TECL, or other licensing boards)
- Active insurance coverage (Certificate of Insurance)
- Tax documentation (such as W-9 forms)
Requirements vary by trade and licensing authority. Texas vendor license tracking helps you stay on top of expiration dates and compliance status across all your contractors. For a full breakdown of which trades require a TDLR license, see our Texas subcontractor license requirements guide. For insurance requirements, see our Texas subcontractor insurance requirements guide.
What TDLR license status codes mean
When you look up a sub's Texas license, TDLR returns one of five status codes. Here is what each means and what action it should trigger before that sub sets foot on your job site. For the full reference, see our contractor license status guide, or skip the manual checks with license verification software that monitors every sub daily.
The license is current and in good standing.
The licensee has met all renewal, continuing education, and fee requirements. This is the only status that authorizes work. Note the expiration date — Active today does not mean Active in 90 days.
The license exists but the holder is not authorized to perform licensed work.
A licensee may voluntarily place a license in Inactive status — common when a tradesperson is between employers or taking time off. An Inactive license does not authorize work in Texas. Do not let an Inactive sub pull permits or perform regulated trade work on your sites.
The renewal deadline has passed without renewal.
Most TDLR licenses carry a grace period during which the licensee can renew late with a penalty fee — but work performed during this window is still unauthorized. If a job inspector finds an Expired license on your site, enforcement risk falls on you as the GC. Stop work for that trade until the sub shows a renewed Active license.
TDLR has taken enforcement action and temporarily removed authorization to work.
Suspension follows a complaint investigation, court order, or failure to comply with a prior TDLR order. A Suspended license means the contractor cannot legally perform licensed work in Texas for the duration of the suspension. This is a hard stop: do not allow work, do not accept a sub's assurance that it is "being resolved."
TDLR has permanently cancelled the license.
Revocation is the most severe TDLR enforcement outcome. A revoked licensee cannot legally work in that trade in Texas. Revocation typically results from serious violations, consumer harm, or failure to comply with prior enforcement orders. Remove this contractor from your approved vendor list immediately.
GC liability note: Texas does not have a statewide GC license, but that does not reduce your exposure. If a job inspector finds an unlicensed or Suspended sub working under your contract, stop-work orders, fines, and civil liability can attach to you as the responsible party. Knowing a sub's license status at onboarding is necessary but not sufficient: status can change mid-project.
Texas trade license requirements by trade
Not every trade license in Texas comes from the same place — and not every one is in our lookup. Use this breakdown to confirm which credential to verify for each sub, and where.
Requires a company Electrical Contractor license and an individual Master Electrician license held by the qualifying supervisor. If the qualifying master leaves, the company loses its authorization to contract for electrical work — so check both.
Search the number printed on the license — TECL 40223 and 40223 both work — or the business or electrician's name.
HVAC businesses need an Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor license (TACLA or TACLB), and the people doing the work need TDLR technician licenses.
Search the contractor number as printed — TACLA 134508E works — or the license holder's or business name. Technician licenses are in the lookup too.
Plumbing is licensed by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE), not TDLR. A plumbing company operates under a Master Plumber holding the Responsible Master Plumber designation — if that person leaves, the company can't take on plumbing work.
Responsible Master Plumbers are in our lookup — search M-16345, RMP 16345, the plumber's name or the company. Journeyman and tradesman licenses are on the TSBPE license lookup.
Residential appliance installation that involves electrical connections requires a TDLR Residential Appliance Installer license, and the business an appliance installation contractor license.
In our lookup — search by number or name.
Mold assessment and mold remediation are licensed separately by TDLR, for both the company and the individuals.
In our lookup — search by number or name.
Track Texas licenses automatically
What TrackMyVendor re-checks against TDLR on its own, and what it tracks by the expiration date you record.
Electrical contractor and electrician licenses, A/C contractor and technician licenses, appliance installers, elevator contractors and mold licenses, re-checked against TDLR daily. Responsible Master Plumber licenses are matched to the TSBPE's list, which we load on our side.
Journeyman and tradesman plumber licenses and local registrations: add the license and its expiration date, and the same reminders apply. We don't re-check these against the state automatically.
Every plan gets the Monday summary of anything expiring; per-deadline alerts at 90, 60, 30 and 7 days are on Starter and above.
First 25 subs free — no credit card
How Texas contractor license verification works
TrackMyVendor connects to Texas state licensing databases to help you:
- Look up and verify Texas contractor licenses using official state data
- Monitor license status and track expiration dates automatically
- Get alerts before a license expires or becomes inactive
Licenses verified through state data are clearly marked as Verified.
License status is one piece. Here's what Texas GCs track together:
All three documents expire on different schedules. Right now, you're probably chasing all three manually — by email, by request, or by memory.
| Document | How often it lapses | Who chases it today |
|---|---|---|
| TDLR License | Annually | You, manually |
| Certificate of Insurance | Every 6–12 months | You, by email |
| W-9 | Per new vendor | You, by request |
TrackMyVendor automates alerts for all three — most users set it up in under 10 minutes. Route them to Slack, Teams, Zapier, or Make →
Comparing tools before you commit? See how TrackMyVendor compares to other COI tracking software — including myCOI alternatives and TrustLayer alternatives built for smaller teams.
Texas contractor insurance tracking
License verification is just one part of contractor compliance. TrackMyVendor also helps you manage Texas contractor insurance tracking:
Upload Certificates of Insurance (COIs)
Store and track COI documents with expiration dates for each vendor. Upload a PDF and AI COI parsing extracts carrier, limits, and expiration date automatically.
A COI proves the sub had insurance at issue date — it cannot tell you if their license was revoked last week. COI tracking software that verifies both in the same dashboard →
Track insurance expiration dates
Get alerts before insurance coverage lapses
Store W-9 forms securely
Keep tax documentation organized and accessible
Complete vendor compliance view
See licenses, insurance, and documents in one place per vendor — how contractor compliance software works across your full roster.
Texas contractor compliance software features
Our Texas contractor compliance software helps you stay ahead of issues with:
- Email reminders at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before license or insurance expiration
- Clear compliance scores showing each vendor's status at a glance
- Exportable PDF and Excel compliance reports for boards, audits, or internal reviews
No more spreadsheets or last-minute follow-ups.
Who uses Texas vendor license tracking
Texas vendor license tracking is especially useful for:
If you work with licensed contractors in Texas, TrackMyVendor is built for you.
What to do when a sub's Texas license is expired or suspended
You ran a TDLR lookup and found a problem. Here is the step-by-step response — and why most of these situations were preventable.
Stop that trade's work immediately
Do not let a sub with an Expired, Inactive, Suspended, or Revoked license continue performing regulated work. Document the date and time you became aware of the status. If work has already been completed under a lapsed license, note that in your records.
Confirm the status directly with TDLR
Run the lookup yourself at the TDLR public license search — do not rely on a screenshot or verbal assurance from the sub. TDLR's public lookup is the authoritative source. Save or print the results showing the date of your verification.
Contact the sub and give a clear deadline
For Expired licenses, the sub may be in the late-renewal window and can restore Active status quickly. Give them a written deadline and require a TDLR confirmation showing Active status before work resumes. For Suspended or Revoked licenses, there is no deadline to give — the sub cannot work until TDLR reinstates them, if ever.
Find a backup sub if needed
If the sub cannot resolve the issue within your project timeline, you need a replacement who holds an Active license. Verify the replacement's TDLR status before they mobilize — not after.
Review your other subs on active projects
One expired license found on one project usually means it is time to check the rest of your roster. Most GCs who find one lapse find others. Do this check now, not the next time a job inspector shows up.
Most of these situations are preventable
The common thread in expired-license incidents is the same: no one was watching between onboarding and the inspection. TDLR license status can change mid-project — renewal deadlines pass, enforcement actions are filed, Responsible Master Plumbers leave. Manual spot-checks miss changes that happen between checks.
TrackMyVendor re-checks the TDLR licenses on your roster daily and reminds you before any license on file expires.
Start free — verify your first 25 Texas subsNo credit card required
Texas contractor license lookup FAQ
How does Texas contractor license verification work?
What Texas licensing boards do you cover?
What happens when a Texas contractor license expires?
Can I track multiple licenses per Texas vendor?
What does Inactive mean on a TDLR license?
What is the difference between a Suspended and Revoked TDLR license?
What should I do if a sub's TDLR license is expired?
Start Texas contractor license tracking today
Verify TDLR licenses automatically — and track COI and W-9 in the same dashboard.
No credit card required
Explore More
California Licenses
Search California professional licenses
Florida Licenses
Search Florida professional licenses
Colorado Licenses
Search Colorado DORA contractor licenses
Arizona Licenses
Search Arizona ROC contractor licenses
How to Track Subcontractor Insurance & Compliance
COIs, licences and W-9s across the whole roster
Compare COI Tracking Software
How TrackMyVendor compares to myCOI, Billy, TrustLayer and more
Contractor Compliance Software
Full compliance platform for GCs and property managers
Plans & Pricing
View plans and start your free trial