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How to verify a Texas electrician's license
Anyone you hire for electrical work in Texas should be licensed through TDLR. Here's how to check a Texas electrician — master, journeyman, or electrical contractor — by name or license number in seconds, free.
Updated
In Texas, electrical work is regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Before you let anyone touch your panel, wiring, or service, it's worth 30 seconds to confirm they're actually licensed — and what kind of license they hold. Here's how to do it, free.
The short version
Texas electrician licensing has two layers:
- Electrical Contractor — the business license. This is who you hire: the company legally authorized to offer electrical services to the public and pull permits.
- Master / Journeyman Electrician — individual licenses for the people who do and supervise the work. A journeyman or apprentice can't contract for jobs on their own — they work under a master electrician or an electrical contractor.
Search any name or license number and you'll see the license type, status, and expiration in plain English, refreshed nightly.
What "licensed" actually means here
Every electrical contractor in Texas must be qualified by a licensed Master Electrician — the master is the person whose credentials stand behind the business. So when you verify a company, you're really confirming two things: that the business holds a current Electrical Contractor license, and that the individual doing or supervising your job holds the right master or journeyman license.
If someone offering to rewire your house only has a journeyman or apprentice license and no contractor backing them, that's a flag — see our red flags of hiring an unlicensed contractor.
How to verify — two free ways
Both pull from the same official TDLR source:
- licensed-tx — search by name or license number. We show the license type, status (active / expired), and expiration, refreshed nightly, with a link back to the state record.
- TDLR directly — the state's license verification search.
What to check on the result
A license number alone isn't the answer — look at four things:
- Status — is it active? Expired means not currently authorized. (See what an active TDLR license means.)
- License type — master, journeyman, or electrical contractor? (See Texas electrician license types explained.)
- Expiration — Texas licenses renew annually, so a license can lapse between your quote and your job.
- Disciplinary history — an active license can still carry a past disciplinary action. We show any on the contractor's profile.
Browse licensed electricians by county
Want to start from a list of verified, currently-licensed electricians near you?
Frequently asked questions
Do electricians have to be licensed in Texas?
Yes. Electrical work performed for a customer in Texas is regulated by TDLR. The business needs an Electrical Contractor license, and the work is done or supervised by a licensed master or journeyman electrician.
What license should the electrician I hire have?
The company should hold a current Electrical Contractor license. The individual doing or supervising the work should be a licensed Master or Journeyman Electrician.
How do I check if an electrician's license is active?
Look it up by name or license number on licensed-tx or on the TDLR site. "Active" means current and authorized; "expired" means lapsed.
Can I hire a journeyman electrician directly?
A journeyman works under a master electrician or electrical contractor — they don't contract independently. If a journeyman is bidding your job, ask which electrical contractor license backs the work.
Is verifying a license free?
Yes. Both licensed-tx and TDLR are free, and we refresh our copy of the data nightly. See what we cover.
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.