Texas contractor licensing
How to Get a Contractor License in New Braunfels, Texas
New Braunfels requires a general contractor-residential registration from the city for foundation repair and general contracting. It costs $200. You also need proof of liability insurance and a background check.
City contractor registration in New Braunfels
| Registration | General contractor-residential registration |
|---|---|
| Covers | Foundation repair and general contracting |
| Fee | $200 (application; $100 annual renewal; expires December 31) |
| Insurance | $300,000 liability naming the City of New Braunfels as certificate holder ($1,000,000 for general contractor-commercial). Source |
| Background check | Prior denials, revocations and any misdemeanor or felony conviction (other than traffic) must be disclosed. |
| Processing time | Not published. Email building@newbraunfels.gov. |
| Renewal | Annual, expires December 31; $100. |
| Before a permit | You must be registered before the permit is issued |
How to register
- Get a liability certificate (ACORD 25) naming the City of New Braunfels as holder: $300,000 residential, $1,000,000 commercial.
- Gather the Comal County DBA or Texas Secretary of State entity filing and a color copy of photo ID.
- Apply online through the permit portal and pay the $200 fee.
- Renew each year between 60 days before and 30 days after December 31 with the $100 fee and current insurance.
Homeowners living in a homesteaded single-family house may work on it without registering after the Building Safety Division approves the homestead exemption.
What each trade needs in New Braunfels
| Foundation repair | Not rated | General contractor-residential registration | $200 |
|---|---|---|---|
| General contracting | Easy · 13 | General contractor-residential registration | $200 |
| Roofing | Not rated | Contractor-limited registration | |
| Plumbing | Hard or harder · 62+ | Subcontractor registration | |
| Electrical | Hard or harder · 58+ | Subcontractor registration | |
| HVAC | Hard or harder · 52+ | Subcontractor registration | |
| Irrigation | Moderate or harder · 32+ | Subcontractor registration | |
| Concrete flatwork | Not rated | Contractor-limited registration | |
| Drainage and detention | Not rated | Not published | $2,500 |
| Demolition | Not rated | Demolition permit | $50 |
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, roofing, concrete flatwork, drainage and detention work, and demolition are not rated because their rules are not fully published.
How the difficulty score works
Details for each trade
Foundation repair
| Local rule | General contractor-residential registration ($200) or contractor-limited registration; the code does not name foundation repair. Ask Building Safety at (830) 221-4041. |
|---|---|
| Background check | Prior denials, revocations and any misdemeanor or felony conviction (other than traffic) must be disclosed. |
| Engineer letter | For a remodel that includes foundation repair, the checklist asks for a foundation plan complying with IRC Chapter 4. For an addition over 500 square feet or one that requires a foundation repair, an engineered foundation plan sealed by a Texas licensed engineer is required. No published checklist was found for a stand-alone Foundation permit. |
The city lists Foundation as a residential permit type. Foundation work on a house falls under the IRC, which the code assigns to general contractor-residential registration; whether the city also accepts a contractor-limited registration for repair-only firms is not stated. Confirm with Building Safety at (830) 221-4041.
A residential foundation repair needs a Foundation permit through the online portal; when it is part of a remodel the city asks for an IRC Chapter 4 foundation plan, and when part of an addition, a sealed engineered plan.
- Register with Building Safety (general contractor-residential) with $300,000 insurance and the $200 fee.
- Prepare the foundation repair plan; use a Texas PE if an engineered plan is required.
- Apply for the Foundation permit in the online portal.
Checked October 18, 2026 against New Braunfels Code Sec. 14-44; New Braunfels permits; Residential Remodel Application Checklist; Residential Addition Application Checklist.
General contracting (residential remodels, additions and home improvement)
| Local rule | General contractor-residential registration (Code Sec. 14-44). |
|---|---|
| Background check | Prior denials, revocations and any misdemeanor or felony conviction (other than traffic) must be disclosed. |
Remodels, alterations and additions need a residential building permit; all contractors on the job, including the general contractor, must be registered with the city.
- Apply online with the remodel or addition checklist documents.
- Make sure each trade subcontractor is registered and files its own permit before work starts.
Checked October 18, 2026 against New Braunfels Code Sec. 14-44; General Contractor Registration Checklist; Residential Remodel Application Checklist.
Roofing
| Local rule | Contractor-limited registration (Code Sec. 14-44(c)), which the code applies to roofing, framing, paving, fencing and other specialty crafts. |
|---|---|
| Fee | The code sets a $200 fee for general contractor registration but does not state a separate fee for contractor-limited. Ask Building Safety at (830) 221-4041. Fee schedule |
| Insurance | $300,000 liability naming the City of New Braunfels as certificate holder. |
Roofing is a listed residential permit type, applied for online.
- Register as a contractor-limited with $300,000 insurance naming the city.
- Apply for a Roofing permit in the online portal.
Checked October 18, 2026 against New Braunfels Code Sec. 14-44; New Braunfels permits.
Plumbing
| Local rule | Subcontractor registration (Code Sec. 14-45 to 14-47). |
|---|---|
| Fee | The checklist says 'application fee, if applicable'; no amount is published. Ask Building Safety. Fee schedule |
| Insurance | $300,000 liability naming the City of New Braunfels as certificate holder. |
Submit online with photo ID and a copy of the current TSBPE license. The registration expires when the insurance or state license expires.
Plumbing work needs a stand-alone plumbing permit filed by a city-registered plumber before work starts.
Register with Building Safety with the TSBPE license, photo ID and $300,000 insurance naming the city.
Checked October 18, 2026 against New Braunfels Code Sec. 14-46; Subcontractor Registration Checklist.
Electrical
| Local rule | Subcontractor registration (Code Sec. 14-45 to 14-47). |
|---|---|
| Fee | The checklist says 'application fee, if applicable'; no amount is published. Ask Building Safety. Fee schedule |
| Insurance | $300,000 liability naming the City of New Braunfels as certificate holder. |
Submit online with photo ID and the TDLR license. Generator, solar or sign jobs, or jobs where the electrician is the homeowner's responsible agent, need general contractor registration too. Carry proof of city registration on the job.
Electrical work needs a stand-alone electrical permit filed by a city-registered electrical contractor.
Register with Building Safety with the TDLR license, photo ID and $300,000 insurance naming the city.
Checked October 18, 2026 against New Braunfels Code Sec. 14-45; Subcontractor Registration Checklist.
HVAC
| Local rule | Subcontractor registration (Code Sec. 14-45 to 14-47). |
|---|---|
| Fee | The checklist says 'application fee, if applicable'; no amount is published. Ask Building Safety. Fee schedule |
| Insurance | $300,000 liability naming the City of New Braunfels as certificate holder. |
Submit online with photo ID and a copy of the current TDLR ACR license. The registration expires when the insurance or state license expires.
HVAC work needs a stand-alone mechanical permit filed by a city-registered mechanical contractor.
Register with Building Safety with the TDLR ACR license, photo ID and $300,000 insurance naming the city.
Checked October 18, 2026 against New Braunfels Code Sec. 14-47; Subcontractor Registration Checklist.
Irrigation
| Local rule | Subcontractor registration (Code Sec. 14-45 to 14-47). |
|---|---|
| Fee | The checklist says 'application fee, if applicable'; no amount is published. Ask Building Safety. Fee schedule |
| Insurance | $300,000 liability naming the City of New Braunfels as certificate holder. |
Submit online with photo ID and a copy of the current TCEQ irrigator license. The registration expires when the insurance or state license expires.
A landscape irrigation system needs a stand-alone irrigation permit filed by a city-registered irrigator.
Register with Building Safety with the TCEQ license, photo ID and $300,000 insurance naming the city.
Checked October 18, 2026 against New Braunfels Code Sec. 14-46; Subcontractor Registration Checklist.
Concrete flatwork (driveways, sidewalks and work in the public right-of-way)
| Local rule | Contractor-limited registration (Code Sec. 14-44(c)), which the code applies to roofing, framing, paving, fencing and other specialty crafts. |
|---|---|
| Fee | The code sets a $200 fee for general contractor registration but does not state a separate fee for contractor-limited. Ask Building Safety at (830) 221-4041. Fee schedule |
| Insurance | $300,000 liability naming the City of New Braunfels as certificate holder. |
Paving is named as contractor-limited work. Driveway, Flatwork and Sidewalk are separate residential permit types. Requirements for work in the public right-of-way are not confirmed here; ask Development Services.
Driveways, sidewalks and flatwork each have their own residential permit type in the online portal.
Apply for the Driveway, Sidewalk or Flatwork permit online.
Checked October 18, 2026 against New Braunfels Code Sec. 14-44; New Braunfels permits.
Demolition
| Local rule | Demolition permit. |
|---|
Demolition is a listed residential permit type. Which registration the demolition contractor needs is not stated; ask Building Safety.
Demolishing a house needs a Demolition permit through the online portal.
Checked October 18, 2026 against New Braunfels permits; New Braunfels fee schedule.
New Braunfels does not publish a local license or registration rule for drainage and detention work and demolition. Ask Development Services before you bid that work.
Official sources and contacts
Development Services, Building Safety Division, 550 Landa St., (830) 221-4041, option 1.
- Code of Ordinances Chapter 14, contractor registration Sec. 14-44 to 14-48
- General Contractor Registration Checklist
- Subcontractor Registration Checklist
- Building permits
- Fee schedule (Appendix D)
Rules and fees change, and this is not legal advice. Confirm with Development Services before you apply or bid.