Texas contractor licensing
How to Get a Contractor License in Dallas, Texas
Dallas requires a city of Dallas Contractor Registration, General Contractor category from the city for foundation repair, general contracting, roofing, concrete flatwork, and demolition. It costs $120 per year.
City contractor registration in Dallas
| Registration | City of Dallas Contractor Registration, General Contractor category (Chapter 52) |
|---|---|
| Covers | Foundation repair, general contracting, roofing, concrete flatwork, and demolition |
| Fee | $120 per year |
| Renewal | Every year, $120. |
How to register
- Create a DallasNow account.
- Choose Registrations and then General Contractor Registration.
- Add the Business Entity and the Qualifying Individual with a street address (no P.O. boxes).
- If the company is located inside Dallas, give its certificate of occupancy number or home office form.
- Pay the $120 registration fee and renew every year.
The City's registration form says a General Contractor includes residential and commercial general contractors and roofing, fence, foundation, demolition and pool contractors. Concrete, asphalt and paving contractors register on the same form. The DallasNow guide shows a $120.00 contractor registration fee. No exam is listed. Paving work on City property also needs a $10,000 paving bond, and demolition of buildings other than one- and two-family homes needs insurance.
What each trade needs in Dallas
| Foundation repair | Not rated | City of Dallas Contractor Registration, General Contractor category | $120 |
|---|---|---|---|
| General contracting | Easy · 2 | City of Dallas Contractor Registration, General Contractor category | $120 |
| Roofing | Easy · 2 | City of Dallas Contractor Registration, General Contractor category | $120 |
| Plumbing | Hard or harder · 62+ | City registration of the TSBPE license | |
| Electrical | Hard or harder · 58+ | Electrical contractor registration | |
| HVAC | Hard or harder · 52+ | Mechanical contractor registration | |
| Irrigation | Moderate or harder · 27+ | Irrigation contractor registration | |
| Concrete flatwork | Easy · 10 | Contractor registration, Concrete/Asphalt/Paving category, plus a City paving bond | $120 |
| Drainage and detention | Not rated | No separate grading contractor registration found. A paving and grading permit is required | |
| Demolition | Easy · 7 | City of Dallas Contractor Registration, General Contractor category | $120 |
Tap a column to sort. Each trade opens its Texas comparison by city, and fees link to the official fee page, checked October 18, 2026. Plumbing, electrical, HVAC and irrigation also need a Texas state license, which no city registration replaces.
Foundation repair and drainage and detention work are not rated because their rules are not fully published.
How the difficulty score works
Details for each trade
Foundation repair
| Local rule | City of Dallas Contractor Registration, General Contractor category (Chapter 52). The form names foundation contractors as general contractors. |
|---|
Dallas issues a Residential Foundation Repair permit in DallasNow (record type RES-FDN) with a pier, beam and foundation inspection. We could not find a current City page stating whether an engineer's letter or sealed plan is required for a residential repair; ask Planning and Development at (214) 948-4480.
A foundation repair needs a Residential Foundation Repair permit pulled by a registered contractor and a pier, beam and foundation inspection.
Apply for the Residential Foundation Repair permit in DallasNow.
Checked October 18, 2026 against City of Dallas, application for contractor registration; City of Dallas, General Contractor Registration guide; City of Dallas, record types and inspection codes (March 2026).
General contracting (residential remodels, additions and home improvement)
| Local rule | City of Dallas Contractor Registration, General Contractor category (Chapter 52). |
|---|
Remodels and additions need a residential alteration and addition permit pulled by a registered contractor or an exempt homeowner.
- Add the Business Entity and the Qualifying Individual with a street address (no P.O. boxes).
- If the company is located inside Dallas, give its certificate of occupancy number or home office form.
- Pay the $120 registration fee and renew every year.
Checked October 18, 2026 against City of Dallas, General Contractor Registration guide; City of Dallas, application for contractor registration.
Roofing
| Local rule | City of Dallas Contractor Registration, General Contractor category (Chapter 52). The form names roofing contractors as general contractors. |
|---|
Reroofing is permitted as a Residential Roofing Permit in DallasNow (record type RES-ROOF).
A reroof needs a Residential Roofing Permit pulled by a registered contractor.
Checked October 18, 2026 against City of Dallas, application for contractor registration; City of Dallas, record types and inspection codes (March 2026).
Plumbing
| Local rule | City registration of the TSBPE license (plumbing contractor registration). |
|---|
The license holder registers in person at 320 E. Jefferson Blvd. The City checks the Responsible Master Plumber's license and insurance on the TSBPE website, and the City registration expires when the state license or the certificate of insurance expires. The form lists a $30 record change fee but no registration fee; confirm with Planning and Development.
Plumbing permits are pulled by a TSBPE Responsible Master Plumber registered with the City.
- Register in person with the plumbing contractor registration form, pocket license and photo ID.
- Renew online in DallasNow or in person when the state license renews.
Checked October 18, 2026 against City of Dallas, plumbing contractor registration form.
Electrical
| Local rule | Electrical contractor registration. |
|---|---|
| Fee | The registration form lists $160 for two years. State law bars a city registration fee for state-licensed electricians (Occupations Code 1305.201(f)), so ask the city whether it charges one. Fee schedule |
| Insurance | General liability of at least $300,000 combined single limit per occurrence, with the City of Dallas as certificate holder. |
The Master Electrician must appear in person with the forms and insurance certificate. Mail and fax are not accepted for a first registration. The permitting system will not issue a permit to an unregistered contractor or one whose insurance has expired. The form lists a $160 two-year contractor fee and a $0 master fee. Occupations Code section 1305.201(f) bars cities from charging licensed electricians registration fees, so ask the City whether the $160 is still collected.
- Hold a TDLR Electrical Contractor license and Master Electrician license.
- Get a certificate of insurance naming the City of Dallas as certificate holder.
- The Master Electrician registers in person at 320 E. Jefferson Blvd. and pays the $160 two-year fee.
Checked October 18, 2026 against City of Dallas, electrical contractor registration form.
HVAC
| Local rule | Mechanical contractor registration (City registration of the TDLR ACR license). |
|---|
The license holder registers in person at 320 E. Jefferson Blvd., Room 210, with the pocket license and photo ID. City certificates of registration expire when the state license expires. The form does not list a registration fee; confirm with Planning and Development.
Register in person with the contractor registration form, pocket license and photo ID.
Checked October 18, 2026 against City of Dallas, contractor registration form (mechanical, plumbing, irrigation).
Irrigation
| Local rule | Irrigation contractor registration (City registration of the TCEQ license). |
|---|
Irrigation plans must carry the seal and signature of a licensed irrigator or landscape architect, except for an owner-occupied homestead or plans submitted by a licensed, registered plumbing contractor. The 2025 fee schedule lists a $120 irrigation plan review fee. The registration form does not list a registration fee.
A new irrigation system needs a sealed irrigation plan, plan review and a certificate of completion.
- Submit the sealed irrigation plan and pay the plan review fee.
- File the irrigation system certificate of completion after the final inspection.
Checked October 18, 2026 against City of Dallas, contractor registration form; City of Dallas, irrigation plan requirements (2026); City of Dallas, permit fee schedule July 2025.
Concrete flatwork (driveways, sidewalks and work in the public right-of-way)
| Local rule | Contractor registration, Concrete/Asphalt/Paving category, plus a City paving bond. |
|---|---|
| Bond | $10,000. Source |
A permit to install paving on City property (drive approach, sidewalk, curb and gutter) is issued only to a bonded paving contractor. The bond is $10,000 on the City form and covers the work for five years after completion.
Sidewalks, curbs and drive approaches on City property need a paving permit issued only to a bonded, registered paving contractor.
- File the $10,000 paving bond on the official City form with the surety's seal.
- Apply for the paving permit with a dimensioned site plan.
Checked October 18, 2026 against City of Dallas, paving permit; City of Dallas, paving bond form; City of Dallas, application for contractor registration.
Drainage and detention (grading, drainage, stormwater and detention ponds)
| Local rule | No separate grading contractor registration found. A paving and grading permit is required. |
|---|
The paving and grading permit checklist asks for a drainage plan when the property is one acre or larger, with a stormwater pollution prevention plan. Drainage and detention design must be sealed by a Texas Professional Engineer.
Grading work needs a paving and grading permit, with a drainage plan for sites of one acre or more.
Have a Texas Professional Engineer prepare the grading and drainage plan.
Checked October 18, 2026 against City of Dallas, paving and grading permit checklist.
Demolition
| Local rule | City of Dallas Contractor Registration, General Contractor category (Chapter 52). The form names demolition contractors as general contractors. |
|---|---|
| Insurance | General liability of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and auto liability of $500,000 per vehicle, with the City as certificate holder. Not required for demolishing a one- or two-family dwelling. |
The 2025 fee schedule sets the demolition fee at $205 plus $0.21 per square foot of floor area. The checklist also requires a hold harmless agreement, proof of a contract with a franchised solid waste hauler, an asbestos survey and a written demolition route.
Demolition needs a demolition permit with an asbestos survey, a hold harmless agreement and a hauling route.
- Have an asbestos survey done and notify DSHS when the building is covered.
- Gather the hold harmless agreement, hauler contract and insurance certificate.
- Apply for the demolition permit and pay $205 plus $0.21 per square foot.
Checked October 18, 2026 against City of Dallas, demolition permit checklist (2026); City of Dallas, permit fee schedule July 2025.
Dallas does not publish a local license or registration rule for drainage and detention work. Ask the city's permit office before you bid that work.
Official sources and contacts
- City of Dallas, DallasNow resources and guides
- City of Dallas, General Contractor Registration guide (DallasNow)
- City of Dallas, application for contractor registration
- City of Dallas, permit fee schedule effective July 1, 2025
- City of Dallas, Planning and Development forms
Rules and fees change, and this is not legal advice. Confirm with the city's permit office before you apply or bid.