Texas has no state general contractor license
Texas does not issue a state license for general contractors.1 Cities and counties set their own rules; this page lists what Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin and Fort Worth require.
On this page
Is there a Texas general contractor license?
No. Texas does not license general contractors at the state level.1
- No state dollar threshold: there is no state license at any job size. Homeowners may act as their own general contractor (Austin).2
The official wording“PRIME AND/OR GENERAL CONTRACTORS ARE NOT PROFESSIONALLY LICENSED IN HOUSTON OR BY THE STATE OF TEXAS. THERE IS NO “GENERAL CONTRACTOR LICENSE”.”1
City of Houston Office of Business Opportunity
City and county licenses
Cities regulate general contractors through permits and contractor registration. Of the five largest cities: Houston has no general contractor license; San Antonio has no requirement for commercial GCs but registers residential building contractors ($170/2 yrs) and home improvement contractors ($150/2 yrs); Dallas requires a $120 annual GC registration; Austin requires a one-time registration (no fee stated); Fort Worth requires a $168.75 annual building contractor registration.1
| City or county | What it requires | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Houston | No general contractor license in Houston; building permits (especially for general contractors) are obtained job by job.1 | Official page1 |
| San Antonio | No license or registration for commercial general contractors. Home Improvement Contractor registration ($150 for two years; FBI background check; liability insurance $300,000/$600,000/$300,000) for limited repair and non-structural remodeling permits. Residential Building Contractor registration ($170 for two years; FBI background check; Residential ICC certification for the holder or one agent; insurance $500,000/$1,000,000/$500,000) for new homes, structural remodels, additions, foundation repairs and accessory buildings over 300 sq ft.3 | Official page3 |
| Dallas | City of Dallas General Contractor Registration is required before pulling building permits: $120.00 a year, renewed annually in DallasNow; only proof of business location (certificate of occupancy number or home occupation declaration) is required.4 | Official page4 |
| Austin | General contractors (and homeowners acting as contractors) register once with Building and Trade Contractor Services through an Austin Build + Connect account and a Letter of Authorization before being assigned to a building permit; no annual update is needed. No fee is stated on the page.2 | Official page2 |
| Fort Worth | Anyone pulling a building permit needs a Contractor Registration (Building Contractor type) on file: $168.75 a year, expiring one year from issue. Owner-occupants working on their own homestead are exempt.5 | Official page5 |
Other rules for general contractors in Texas
- Insurance
- No state insurance requirement tied to a license; San Antonio requires liability insurance for its residential and home improvement registrations (e.g. $500,000 per occurrence for residential building contractors).3
- Also required
- Trade work still needs state trade licenses (electrical, plumbing, mechanical) and city trade registration.6
| Fee | Amount | Paid to | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration fee | $1204 | City of Dallas | Dallas, annual |
| Registration fee | $168.755 | City of Fort Worth | Fort Worth, annual |
| Registration fee | $1703 | City of San Antonio | San Antonio residential building contractor, two years |
| Registration fee | $1503 | City of San Antonio | San Antonio home improvement contractor, two years |
Each line is a separate charge, listed by the city or county named in its notes; they are not added up.
Laws and rules
The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.
General contractor licenses in other states
Sources
Every number and rule above links to one of these official pages. Select a footnote number to read the board's own words.
- New Business Guide (Houston Business Solutions Center)City of Houston Office of Business OpportunityChecked November 6, 2026
- Contractor RegistrationCity of Austin Development Services DepartmentChecked November 6, 2026
- Building & Home Improvement (Contractor Registration & Licensing)City of San Antonio Development ServicesChecked November 6, 2026
- Dallas Planning & Development GuideCity of Dallas Planning & Development DepartmentChecked November 6, 2026
- Contractor RegistrationCity of Fort Worth Development ServicesChecked November 6, 2026
- How to Select a ContractorCity of Austin Development Services DepartmentChecked November 6, 2026