Texas contractor licensing
Do You Need a License for Electrical Work in Texas?
Yes. Texas requires a Electrical Contractor license (with a Master Electrician of record) from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) for electrical work, and that state license comes first. 35 of the 37 Texas cities and counties here require a local license or registration for it, and 2 do not. Local fees run from free in Abilene to free in Waco. 37 of the 37 places we could rate score 58, and Waco rates hardest at 58.
The Texas state layer for electrical work
| License | Electrical Contractor license (with a Master Electrician of record) |
|---|---|
| Board | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) |
| Fee | $155 (first year: $110 Electrical Contractor application + $45 Master Electrician application (exam $78 extra)) |
| Exam | Texas Master Electrician exam (NEC knowledge portion and second portion). Given by PSI. Exam fee $78. |
| Experience | 12,000 hours under a Texas Master Electrician plus 2 years as a Journeyman Electrician. |
| Insurance | $300,000 per occurrence, $600,000 aggregate, $300,000 products and completed operations; workers' compensation coverage or a filed election not to carry it. |
| Background check | Required |
| Continuing education | 4 hours each year. |
An electrical contracting business needs a TDLR Electrical Contractor license and must employ a licensed Master Electrician of record. A Master Electrician must have held a Journeyman Electrician license for at least two years and show 12,000 hours of on-the-job training under a Texas Master Electrician. Licenses are valid one year. Four hours of continuing education are required each year. TDLR runs a criminal history check. A city may not collect a permit, registration, administrative or other fee from a TDLR-licensed electrician for work in the city, except a building permit fee (Occupations Code 1305.201(f)), and may not require a city exam of a state license holder working within the license.
Cities commonly require electrical contractors to register their TDLR licenses locally and carry insurance naming the city.
Checked October 18, 2026 against TDLR Electrical Contractor license; TDLR Master Electrician license; PSI candidate bulletin, Texas electrician exams; TDLR electrician continuing education; Texas Occupations Code 1305.201.
Exams for electrical work in Texas
| Texas Master Electrician (NEC Knowledge and Calculations portions) | PSI, for TDLR | $78 for both portions | $78 | Open book | 75 (NEC Knowledge, 5 unscored) and 33 (Calculations, 3 unscored) | 150 minutes and 170 minutes | 70% on each portion |
|---|
Tap a column to sort. Each exam name opens the provider's bulletin or exam page. A blank cell is a fact not confirmed from the provider, and the linked bulletin has the full rules.
- Study references for Texas Master Electrician (NEC Knowledge and Calculations portions) are National Electrical Code, 2026 edition (from September 1, 2026).
Checked October 18, 2026 against PSI TDLR Electrician Candidate Information Bulletin, updated September 15, 2026.
Electrical rules in each Texas city and county
Difficulty adds the Texas state layer to each local rule. The easiest and hardest cities page compares every trade.
| Abilene | Hard · 58 | Electrical contractor registration | Free |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amarillo | Hard · 58 | City electrical contractor license | Free |
| Austin | Hard or harder · 58+ | Trade contractor | |
| Brownsville | Hard · 58 | Electrical contractor registration | Free |
| Cedar Park | Hard · 58 | Contractor registration | Free |
| College Station | Hard or harder · 58+ | Electrical contractor registration | |
| Converse | Hard or harder · 58+ | Contractor Registration | |
| Corpus Christi | Hard · 58 | Electrical Contractor registration | Free |
| Dallas | Hard or harder · 58+ | Electrical contractor registration | |
| Denton | Hard · 58 | Electrical contractor registration | Free |
| El Paso | Hard · 58 | Electrical contractor registration | Free |
| Fort Worth | Hard · 58 | Master Electrical registration | Free |
| Garland | Hard · 58 | State Electrical Contractor registration | Free |
| Georgetown | Hard · 58 | Contractor registration in My Government Online, under the Electrical Contractor | Free |
| Grand Prairie | Hard or harder · 58+ | Electrical Contractor Registration | |
| Houston | Hard or harder · 58+ | Electrical Contractor registration and Master Electrician registration | |
| Killeen | Hard or harder · 58+ | City of Killeen general construction registration plus state TDLR electrical licenses | |
| Kyle | Hard or harder · 58+ | Contractor registration with the Building Inspection Department | |
| Laredo | Hard or harder · 58+ | Electrical Contractor registration | |
| Leander | Hard · 58 | Contractor registration form on file with Building Permits and Inspections | Free |
| Leon Valley | Hard · 58 | Contractor registration | Free |
| Lockhart | Hard or harder · 58+ | Subcontractor registration | |
| Lubbock | Hard · 58 | Electrical contractor registration | Free |
| McKinney | Hard · 58 | Electrical Contractor registration | Free |
| New Braunfels | Hard or harder · 58+ | Subcontractor registration | |
| Odessa | Hard · 58 | Electrical contractor registration | Free |
| Pflugerville | Hard or harder · 58+ | State license listed on the permit application | |
| Plano | Hard or harder · 58+ | Electrical contractor registration listing a master electrician | |
| Round Rock | Hard · 58 | Building Inspection contractor registration | Free |
| San Antonio | Hard · 58 | State Electrical License Registration | Free |
| San Marcos | Hard or harder · 58+ | Contractor's License / Registration, Electrician category | |
| Schertz | Hard · 58 | Electrical Contractor and Master Electrician registration | Free |
| Seguin | Hard or harder · 58+ | Electrician / Electrical Sign Contractor registration | |
| Unincorporated Bexar County | Hard or harder · 58+ | Not required | |
| Unincorporated Comal County | Hard or harder · 58+ | Not required | |
| Universal City | Hard · 58 | Contractor registration | Free |
| Waco | Hard · 58 | Electrical contractor registration | Free |
Tap a column to sort. Blank cells mean the city does not publish that fact. Checked October 18, 2026.
We also checked 25 more Texas cities and counties whose offices publish too little online for a full page yet.
What a electrical work job needs in each city
Licensing is half of it. This is how each city handles the permit for electrical work, from its own pages.
- Abilene. Electrical permits are pulled by a registered TDLR electrical contractor with $300,000 liability insurance.
- Amarillo. Electrical permits ($68 stand-alone) are pulled by a TDLR-licensed electrical contractor licensed with the City.
- Austin. Electrical work needs an electrical permit activated by an electrical contractor registered with BTCS.
- Brownsville. Electrical permits are pulled by a licensed electrical contractor registered with the City.
- Cedar Park. Electrical work, generators, EV chargers and solar need permits by a registered, state-licensed electrician.
- College Station. Electrical permits are obtained only by a licensed electrical contractor registered with the City.
- Converse. Electrical repair or replacement needs a permit by a registered electrician.
- Corpus Christi. Electrical permits are pulled by a TDLR-licensed electrical contractor registered with the City.
- Dallas. Electrical permits are pulled by a TDLR-licensed electrical contractor registered with the City.
- Denton. Electrical permits are pulled by a TDLR-licensed electrical contractor registered with the City.
- El Paso. Electrical permits are pulled by a TDLR-licensed electrical contractor registered with the City.
- Fort Worth. Electrical permits are pulled by a TDLR-licensed electrical contractor registered with the City.
- Garland. Electrical permits are pulled by a TDLR-licensed electrical contractor registered with the City.
- Georgetown. Electrical work needs an electrical permit by a city-registered electrical contractor.
- Grand Prairie. Electrical permits are pulled by a TDLR-licensed electrical contractor registered with the City.
- Houston. Electrical permits are bought by a TDLR-licensed electrical contractor registered with the City.
- Killeen. Electrical permits are pulled by a TDLR-licensed electrical contractor registered in MGO.
- Kyle. Electrical work needs a permit pulled by an electrician registered with the city.
- Laredo. Electrical permits must be obtained by a licensed professional registered with the City.
- Leander. Electrical service upgrades and generators need stand-alone permits by a registered, state-licensed electrician.
- Leon Valley. Electrical work needs a trade permit by a registered electrician.
- Lockhart. Electrical work always needs a separate electrical permit by a registered electrician.
- Lubbock. Electrical permits are pulled by a TDLR-licensed electrical contractor registered with the City.
- McKinney. Electrical permits need both state licenses; a master-only electrician cannot pull permits.
- New Braunfels. Electrical work needs a stand-alone electrical permit filed by a city-registered electrical contractor.
- Odessa. Electrical permits are pulled by a registered TDLR electrical contractor with both state licenses.
- Pflugerville. Electrical work needs a permit with the licensed electrician's license number on the application.
- Plano. Electrical permits are pulled by a TDLR-licensed electrical contractor registered with the City through its master electrician.
- Round Rock. Electrical work that is not part of a larger project uses a standalone electrical permit by a registered, state-licensed electrician.
- San Antonio. Electrical work needs a city electrical permit pulled by a TDLR electrical contractor registered with the city.
- San Marcos. Electrical work needs a trade permit by a city-registered electrical contractor.
- Schertz. Electrical repair or replacement needs a $60 electrical permit by a registered electrical contractor.
- Seguin. Electrical work needs a permit by a city-registered electrical contractor.
- Unincorporated Bexar County. No county electrical permit was found for single-family homes; state TDLR licensing still applies.
- Unincorporated Comal County. No county electrical permit is listed; TDLR licensing applies.
- Universal City. Electrical work needs a permit by a registered electrician; solar submittals need the CPS Energy approval stamp.
- Waco. Electrical permits are pulled by a registered TDLR-licensed electrical contractor.
How to get licensed for electrical work in Texas
- Hold a TDLR Electrical Contractor license with a Master Electrician of record.
- Check the city or county where the work is for local registration and permit rules.
Rules and fees change, and this is not legal advice. Confirm with the city where the work is before you apply or bid.