Texas Mold Remediation Licensing & Laws

Does Texas require a license for mold remediation?

Yes, for jobs above a minimum size. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) runs the state’s mold program under the umbrella of Tex. Occ. Code Ch. 1958 and the agency rules in 16 Tex. Admin. Code Ch. 78. The program moved from the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to TDLR on November 1, 2017, and old DSHS license numbers automatically transferred to TDLR on that date (TDLR FAQ).

The 25 square foot rule is the practical line. TDLR’s own FAQ states: “in most instances, areas of visible mold of less than 25 contiguous square feet can be cleaned up by people who are not licensed” (TDLR FAQ). Above that, you generally need a TDLR license.

How many license types does Texas have?

Seven, plus a separate Mold Training Provider Accreditation. The full list, taken straight from the TDLR program page:

• Mold Remediation Worker (Registration, not a license)
• Mold Assessment Technician
• Mold Assessment Consultant
• Mold Remediation Contractor
• Mold Assessment Company
• Mold Remediation Company
• Mold Analysis Laboratory
• Mold Training Provider Accreditation

Source: TDLR Mold Assessors and Remediators.

The split between assessment and remediation is important. Assessment is inspecting and surveying a building to determine whether mold is present and what kind of remediation plan is needed. Remediation is the cleanup work itself: removal, cleaning, sanitizing, or other treatment of mold or mold-contaminated matter (TDLR).

Can the same Texas firm do both the assessment AND the remediation?

No, with one narrow exception. TDLR’s FAQ is direct: “you are not allowed to conduct both mold assessment and mold remediation activities on the same project, unless you are employed by a school district and working on a project for that school district” (TDLR FAQ).

The reason is the same one Florida codified: when one firm both finds the problem and gets paid to fix it, there is a built-in incentive to overstate the scope. Texas blocks the conflict at the project level.

What is the Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation (CMDR)?

Texas requires that, at the end of a remediation project, a licensed Mold Assessment Consultant or Mold Remediation Contractor sign a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation (CMDR). The CMDR documents the work that was done and is the form a homeowner relies on to show insurers and future buyers that the property was properly remediated (TDLR Mold program, CMDR FAQ section).

There is also a Consumer Mold Information Sheet (CMIS). Per TDLR: “Licensed mold assessors and remediators are required to provide a copy of the Consumer Mold Information Sheet to each client and to the property owner, if not the same person, before any mold-related activity begins” (TDLR FAQ). If a contractor begins work without giving you the CMIS, that is a procedural violation.

What are Texas’s exemptions from the mold license rule?

TDLR groups the exemptions into a few categories (TDLR Mold program nav, TDLR FAQ):

• Homeowner / Building Owner Exemption. Property owners cleaning up their own buildings.
• Homebuilder Construction and Improvement Exemption. Activity tied to construction and improvement work by the builder.
• Minimum Area Exemption. Visible mold under 25 contiguous square feet, in most cases.
• Containment Area Exemption. Specific containment-related carve-out.
• Buildings with fewer than 10 rental units (including houses). Per TDLR FAQ, “there are certain exemptions that apply for buildings containing less than 10 rental units, including houses.”

The exact bounds of each exemption are in TDLR’s rules. Verify your specific job against TDLR’s program page before relying on an exemption.

What about insurance, fees, and exams?

The TDLR application packet for each license type spells out the current insurance minimums, application fee, exam fee, and renewal fee. Because TDLR can adjust fees by rule, this page does not list specific dollar amounts. Verify them on the per-license-type pages at TDLR before applying.

What we can confirm from TDLR primary sources:

• The application process is apply first, then take the exam. After TDLR approves an application, the candidate gets notice from TDLR’s exam vendor, PSI, that they are eligible to schedule the exam (TDLR FAQ).
• A company license does not require a state exam; an individual license generally does (TDLR FAQ).
• Licensees must maintain a Texas office. Mold Remediation Workers (registration only) and Training Providers (accreditation only) are exempt from the office requirement (TDLR FAQ).
• A Mold Remediation Worker registration belongs to the worker, not the company, and stays valid when the worker changes employers (TDLR FAQ).

What rights do Texas tenants have when there is mold in a rental?

The honest TDLR answer first: TDLR does not enforce mold cleanup against landlords. From the FAQ: “TDLR does not have the authority to require a landlord or someone else to clean up mold… The TDLR rules do not relate to the presence of mold in buildings” (TDLR FAQ).

The remedy track for tenants is the Texas Property Code Ch. 92 (Residential Tenancies), which sets out the landlord’s duty to repair conditions that affect physical health or safety, and the procedure for written notice and enforcement. Read the chapter at statutes.capitol.texas.gov and, before taking action like withholding rent or breaking the lease, talk to a Texas attorney or a Texas legal aid organization. The statutory notice and timeline rules have procedural traps that can forfeit the remedy if you miss a step.

How do I verify a Texas mold contractor’s license?

Use TDLR’s license search, linked from the TDLR Mold program page. Confirm the license is active, in the right category (Mold Assessment Technician, Consultant, Remediation Contractor, etc.), and check disciplinary history.

If a contractor uses a DSHS license number from before November 1, 2017: that is fine. TDLR transferred all DSHS mold license numbers to TDLR on that date, and assessment consultants and remediation contractors can still sign CMDRs with the old number, as long as the license is current and not expired (TDLR FAQ).

How do I file a complaint against a Texas mold contractor?

TDLR runs the complaint intake at tdlr.texas.gov/complaints/. The mold program’s enforcement and complaint pages also link from the TDLR Mold program page. Disciplinary actions, sanctions, and the enforcement plan are all public.

For mold problems in rental housing, TDLR is not the right channel. That is a Texas Property Code Ch. 92 matter, and depending on the issue, a local code enforcement or housing department complaint may also apply.

Get a mold remediation quote in Texas

Looking for a Texas mold remediator? Lookmold connects homeowners with vetted assessors and remediation contractors across the state. Call 866-871-0209 for a no-obligation phone consultation and we will match you with a pro in your area.