Texas Electrician License Renewal (TDLR)

At a glance

Renews every

1 year: a license is valid for one year from the date it was issued

Renewal reminder

TDLR sends a reminder email or postcard about 60 days before the license expires, but renewing on time is your responsibility

Continuing education

4 hours from a TDLR-registered provider, completed within the term of the license being renewed, covering the National Electrical Code, Texas electrician law, TDLR's electrician rules, and NFPA 70E electrical safety. One CE hour is 50 minutes of instruction

What counts

Only whole courses: TDLR accepts no partial completion (a provider may let you finish later), and the same course taken twice counts once. If your 4 hours were all on the NEC, add an approved course of at least one hour on the law, the rules or NFPA 70E

Who owes CE

Master, journeyman, journeyman lineman, journeyman industrial, residential wireman, maintenance and apprentice electricians, plus master, journeyman and apprentice sign electricians. Electrical contractors and residential appliance installers don't

Apprentices

Electrical and electrical sign apprentices can be enrolled in a department-registered electrical apprenticeship training course instead of taking the 4 hours

More than one license

Holding several license types (say, master and journeyman) still means 4 hours in total, taken during the term of the license being renewed

Fee

$45 for a master electrician, $30 for a journeyman electrician. Other license types have their own fees

Renew

Online renewal application with TDLR. Your CE provider reports the hours; check they show up in TDLR's CE lookup

Renewing late

Up to 18 months after expiration, you can still renew online for a higher fee: a master electrician pays $67.50 within 90 days and $90 after that, a journeyman $45 and then $60. From 18 months to 3 years, a master or journeyman electrician renews by mail with the license application form (first two pages), TDLR's expired-license renewal request form and the fee; other license types should check their own TDLR renewal page. After 3 years, the license can't be renewed and you apply as a new applicant

Electrical contractor

$110 online: a separate license with no CE. Renewed late, it's $165 within 90 days and $220 after that. From 18 to 36 months it's renewed by mail with the contractor application form (first two pages), the expired-license request form, the fee and a certificate of liability insurance in the same business name as the application. After 36 months you re-apply as a new applicant

An electrical contractor must keep business liability insurance of at least $300,000 per occurrence, $600,000 aggregate and $300,000 aggregate for products and completed operations, and employ (or be) a licensed master electrician. A master electrician's license can be assigned to only one electrical contractor, unless the master owns more than 50 percent of the business; when your master electrician of record leaves, notify TDLR and designate a new one within thirty business days of the separation.

Residential wiremen, journeyman and master electricians who taught at a department-approved career and technology education (CTE) program for at least one academic semester can have their renewal fee waived (late renewal fees aren't). Send the renewal form and verified documentation through TDLR's customer service contact page.

How to renew

1. Check your license expiration date on TDLR's license search, and that your contact details are current so the 60-day reminder reaches you.
2. Take your 4 CE hours from a TDLR-registered provider during the license term (confirm the provider is on TDLR's list before paying), and keep the completion certificate for a year.
3. Check TDLR's CE lookup shows the hours. If they're missing, contact the provider: reporting them is the provider's job.
4. Renew online with TDLR and pay the renewal fee for your license type before the expiration date.

Deadline checklist

• 90 days outConfirm the exact expiration date on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) license lookup.
• 90 days outStart your continuing education with an approved provider, and keep the completion certificates.
• 45 days outCheck that your bond, liability insurance and workers' comp (where required) are current and will stay current through the renewal.
• 30 days outFinish all CE hours, then submit the renewal and pay the fee.
• 7 days outConfirm the board shows the renewal as processed and your license as active.

Put this renewal in your calendar

Know your expiration date? Download a free calendar file with reminders before it, no sign-up needed. It's made in your browser: nothing you type is sent to us (your browser keeps it only if you follow the sign-up link, for your new ledger). A Google Calendar button sends just that one event to Google.

The file covers one date: once you renew, make a new one. How to add it to your calendar

Frequently asked questions