Texas Electrical Contractor License Lookup: Full Guide

Texas has no statewide general contractor license, so the electrical contractor license lookup is where the state license check actually happens for electrical work. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) licenses electrical contractors and individual electricians statewide, and its free online license search lets you confirm any Texas electrical contractor license in about two minutes. This guide walks through the lookup step by step, explains the license types, and flags the warning signs that should stop a hire.

Last reviewed October 9, 2026. This is an operational guide, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with TDLR or counsel before you sign a contract.

How do you look up a Texas electrical contractor license?

Go to the TDLR license search at tdlr.texas.gov/LicenseSearch. Select the electrical license type, then search by license number, business name, or individual name. The search is free and does not require an account.

The number to search is the TDLR electrical contractor license number, which reputable contractors print on business cards, trucks, and proposals. If you only have a business name, name search works, but spellings vary; get the exact license number from the contractor when you can. If a contractor cannot or will not give you a license number, treat that as a red flag on its own.

One search result is not the whole picture. TDLR's licensee database covers the credential itself. Past violations and enforcement actions can be checked separately through TDLR's enforcement search at tdlr.texas.gov/cimsfo. Run both when the project is large.

Which TDLR electrical licenses should you check?

Texas separates the business license from individual credentials. For electrical work you generally need to verify both sides:

The business license is what you are hiring. An individual master electrician card without an associated electrical contractor business license does not authorize the business to contract for work. When you look up the business record, confirm a master electrician is tied to it; when you look up the individual, confirm the person's own credential is active. That two-record check is the step most people skip.

What does an active TDLR record show?

A complete TDLR electrical contractor record includes:

• License number and legal business name. The exact entity the license was issued to.
• License type. Should read Electrical Contractor for general electrical work, not Electrical Sign Contractor or an individual electrician license.
• Status. Active, expired, suspended, or revoked. Only active licenses authorize contracting.
• Issue and expiration dates. TDLR electrical contractor licenses are valid for one year from issuance and renew annually.
• Qualifying master electrician. The individual whose credential anchors the business license.
• Disciplinary history. Enforcement actions tied to the license.

If the record shows an expired or suspended status, the business cannot legally contract for electrical work as described, even if the number on their truck looks official.

What insurance, fees, and renewal rules apply?

TDLR sets concrete numbers, which makes this check easy to anchor:

• Insurance minimums. An electrical contractor must maintain $300,000 per occurrence (combined property damage and bodily injury), $600,000 aggregate, and $300,000 aggregate for products and completed operations. The certificate of insurance must name the same business that appears on the application; a mismatch stalls renewals and is worth flagging during onboarding.
• Workers' compensation. Applicants must show proof of workers' comp coverage, a certificate of authority to self-insure, or file a statement electing not to carry it. An election of no coverage must be filed online with the Texas Department of Insurance.
• Application fee. $110, non-refundable, filed with the Electrical Contractor License Application.
• Annual renewal. $110 online. Late renewal fees escalate: $165 if expired 90 days or less, $220 from 91 days to 18 months. Expired 18 to 36 months requires a mail application plus a Request to Executive Director form; expired over 36 months cannot be renewed and requires a brand-new application.

For GCs and compliance teams, the insurance minimums are the most useful detail: a contractor whose policy lapses below these floors has lost the basis of its license. Recheck insurance at renewal anniversaries, not just at onboarding.

What are the red flags in a TDLR lookup result?

• No record at all. The license number or name returns nothing. TDLR periodically joins coordinated enforcement sweeps against unlicensed contractors, and unlicensed electrical work is not a paperwork problem; it is an enforcement target.
• Expired or suspended status. An expired license has no legal force. Check the expiration date, not just the status line.
• Business license without a master electrician. If the contractor record exists but no qualifying master electrician is tied to it, the license cannot stand.
• Wrong license type for the scope. An Electrical Sign Contractor license does not cover residential rewiring; a journeyman credential does not authorize contracting.
• Name mismatch. The entity on your contract is not the entity on the license. Payments should only go to the licensed business.
• Insurance that does not match. The COI names a different business, has expired, or is below TDLR's minimums.

Frequently asked questions

Is the TDLR license search free?

Yes. The lookup is free, public, and requires no account. Anyone can verify any TDLR license, which is what makes it the default tool for homeowners, GCs, and compliance teams.

What if the contractor's license expired last month?

An expired license has no legal force, and the contractor must reinstate it before performing work. TDLR allows online renewal for licenses expired up to 18 months (with increased fees); beyond that the process gets harder, and past 36 months requires a new application. Do not accept "the renewal is in progress" as a substitute for an active record, and recheck the record before the next draw payment on longer projects.

Does Texas require a general contractor license too?

No. Texas does not issue a statewide general contractor license; general contracting is handled through city or county registration. State licensing applies to trades: electrical and air conditioning/refrigeration contractors through TDLR, plumbers through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. Our guide to how to verify a contractor license covers the full 50-state picture.

Can I look up individual electricians, not just businesses?

Yes. Search the same TDLR tool by the individual's name or license number under the electrician license type. Verify the master electrician tied to the business license this way.

How do I automate Texas license checks at scale?

If you onboard electricians, subs, or property-service pros regularly, manual lookups do not scale: a two-minute check times hundreds of vendors is a full-time job, and TDLR records change between onboarding and the next project phase. StateLicense's Texas electrical contractor license verification reads the same official TDLR records and can verify licenses in bulk, on a schedule, so an expiration, suspension, or enforcement action surfaces before the next payment goes out.

Quick checklist before you hire in Texas

1. Get the electrical contractor license number (ask directly; reputable firms provide it immediately).
2. Search it at the TDLR license search: confirm active status and a future expiration date.
3. Confirm the license type is Electrical Contractor, not a sign-contractor or individual-only credential.
4. Verify a licensed master electrician is tied to the business record.
5. Check the entity name on the license matches the entity on your contract.
6. Confirm insurance at or above TDLR minimums ($300k/$600k/$300k) with matching business name.
7. Run the enforcement search for past violations before signing a large contract.

Pair this lookup with the other checks on the contractor onboarding verification checklist: identity, insurance, bond, W-9, and sanctions. A license lookup tells you the contractor is legal; the rest of the checklist tells you they are safe to pay.