Texas › Guides
How to report an unlicensed contractor in Texas
If an HVAC or electrical contractor is working without a TDLR license in Texas, you can report them to the state. Here's how to confirm they're unlicensed, how to file a complaint with TDLR, and what happens next.
Updated
Doing HVAC or electrical work for a customer in Texas without the proper TDLR license is illegal. If you suspect a contractor is unlicensed — or you've already been burned by one — you can report them to the state, and you should. Here's how to confirm it first, then how to file.
Step 1: Confirm they're actually unlicensed
Before reporting, verify. A contractor might hold a valid license you just haven't found — or might genuinely have none.
- Search their name or license number on licensed-tx or directly at TDLR. No active record for the trade they're doing is a strong signal.
- Remember the license vs. permit distinction: a contractor needs a TDLR license to do the work, separate from any city permit for a specific job.
- For electrical work, confirm there's a licensed electrical contractor backed by a master electrician; for HVAC, an ACR contractor.
If nothing comes up active, they may be operating unlicensed — which is exactly what TDLR wants to know about.
Step 2: File a complaint with TDLR
TDLR is the agency that licenses and disciplines HVAC and electrical contractors, and it takes complaints from the public — including reports of unlicensed activity.
- File through TDLR's complaints process.
- Include what you know: the person or business name, where and when the work happened, what they did, and any documentation (contract, invoice, photos, ads).
- You don't need to be a customer to report unlicensed practice — a neighbor or competitor can report it too.
Step 3: What happens next
TDLR reviews complaints, investigates, and can take administrative action against violators — including penalties and orders. Resolved actions become part of the public record. You can see the kinds of orders TDLR issues on our disciplinary actions page, drawn verbatim from those public records.
Reporting matters: unlicensed work is uninsured, unaccountable, and often unsafe. Flagging it protects the next homeowner too.
If you already hired an unlicensed contractor
- Stop further payments if work is incomplete or substandard.
- Document everything (contract, payments, photos, communications).
- File the TDLR complaint above.
- For financial loss, you may also have options through small-claims court or the Texas Attorney General's consumer protection division — see also our guide on the red flags of hiring an unlicensed contractor.
Frequently asked questions
Is it illegal to do HVAC or electrical work without a license in Texas?
Yes. Performing regulated HVAC or electrical work for a customer in Texas requires a TDLR license. Doing it without one is a violation TDLR can act on.
How do I confirm a contractor is unlicensed before reporting?
Search their name or license number on licensed-tx or TDLR. If there's no active license for the work they're doing, that's the signal to report.
Where do I report an unlicensed contractor in Texas?
File a complaint with TDLR through its complaints process. Include the name, location, dates, and any documentation.
What can TDLR do about it?
TDLR can investigate and take administrative action — including penalties and orders — against contractors who violate licensing law. Resolved actions become public record.
Do I have to be the customer to report them?
No. Anyone can report suspected unlicensed activity to TDLR.
Every license fact on licensed-tx is published from the TDLR All Licenses dataset and refreshed nightly. We don't edit the underlying records — we make them readable and link back to the source.