Texas Contractor License Exam Guide (2026)

How Texas licenses contractors

TDLR oversees electrical and HVAC contractors; the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners licenses plumbers; the State Fire Marshal licenses fire protection. Cities such as Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio register general contractors with bond and insurance requirements.

Contractors plan for 140-degree rooftop heat in Houston, expansive clay around Dallas, and desert wind in El Paso. Exams emphasize NEC, mechanical code, gas piping, and windstorm-resistant detailing for the Texas coast.

Official source: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)

Texas contractor license types

TDLR contractors must maintain $300k liability insurance and register qualifying license holders. Cities may require additional bonds for general contracting.

What's on the Texas contractor exam

PSI delivers TDLR electrical and HVAC exams statewide; TSBPE provides in-person and computer exams for plumbers.

What Texas exam questions emphasize

• NEC 2023 and Texas amendments
• International Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes
• Texas Plumbing License Law and Board Rules
• Windstorm certification for coastal counties under TDI

Exam-day logistics

• Bring two IDs, approval letters, and allowed code books
• TDLR exams are open book for NEC/IMC references
• Scores post immediately; update insurance certificates with TDLR or TSBPE

Trade-specific exam guides

If you're licensing in a single trade rather than the Texas general contractor classification, the dedicated trade hub will get you to the right code book and exam structure faster.

• General contractor exam guide — IBC/IRC, NASCLA acceptance, and Business & Law.
• Electrical contractor exam guide — NEC (NFPA 70) calculations and grounding/bonding.
• Plumbing contractor exam guide — IPC/UPC drainage sizing, venting, and backflow.
• HVAC contractor exam guide — IMC ventilation, refrigerant management, and load calcs.

Texas code books & approved references (2026)

Always confirm the exact editions and tab rules in your candidate bulletin before exam day. Editions can change between license cycles.

• National Electrical Code 2023
• International Mechanical Code 2021
• Uniform Plumbing Code/International Plumbing Code (city dependent)
• Texas Plumbing License Law & Board Rules
• OSHA 29 CFR 1926

Fees & timeline for the Texas contractor license

• $115 TDLR application fee for electrical/HVAC
• $78 PSI exam fee per module
• $111 plumbing exam fee via TSBPE
• $300k liability insurance minimum for TDLR contractors
• City registration fees and bonds ($5k-$25k) for general contractors

Use the All States hub for budgeting; confirm fees with TDLR and local jurisdictions.

Texas Business & Law focus

TDLR exams include business/law portions that cover licensing statutes, lien law, payroll, and safety, while plumbers follow TSBPE's law and rules exam.

• Understand TDLR electrical/HVAC statutes and penalties
• Know Texas lien law (Property Code Chapter 53) and notice deadlines
• Register with the Comptroller for sales tax and franchise tax
• Maintain OSHA heat-stress and confined-space safety plans

Practice with our national Business & Law exam hub for cross-state baseline rules.

A focused 4-week study plan for the Texas exam

Because contractors plan for 140-degree rooftop heat in Houston, expansive clay around Dallas, and desert wind in El Paso, this four-week outline targets what Texas field inspectors and your licensing board exam items actually test—not generic national prep.

1. Week 1 — Map the exam. Pull your current candidate bulletin, list every reference, and confirm the modules you have to pass. Start a one-page error log. Spend extra time on: NEC 2023 and Texas amendments.
2. Week 2 — Code book navigation. Drill open-book lookups (or memorisation drills if your module is closed-book) until you can find any answer in under 60 seconds. Anchor practice around: International Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes.
3. Week 3 — Business & Law. TDLR exams include business/law portions that cover licensing statutes, lien law, payroll, and safety, while plumbers follow TSBPE's law and rules exam. Layer in scenario-based questions on contracts, lien notice, payroll, and insurance.
4. Week 4 — Full simulations. PSI delivers TDLR electrical and HVAC exams statewide; TSBPE provides in-person and computer exams for plumbers. Run two full-length timed simulations. Review every miss with a one-sentence rule statement.