Texas Contractor Exam — All Questions

How does Texas regulate a person who wants to work as a general building contractor statewide?

• a.It licenses general contractors through the Texas Real Estate Commission
• b.It issues a single statewide general contractor license through a Texas Contractors Board
• c.It requires a state general contractor license only for projects over $50,000
• d.It has NO statewide general contractor license; general contracting is regulated by trade and by local city rules✓

Unlike many states, Texas does not issue a statewide general contractor license. There is no state contractor board that licenses general building contractors. Instead, specific trades are regulated at the state level (for example electrical and HVAC through TDLR, plumbing through the plumbing board), and general contractors are typically registered or permitted at the city or county level.

Which Texas state agency licenses electricians and air conditioning/refrigeration (HVAC) contractors?

• a.The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)✓
• b.The U.S. Department of Labor
• c.The Texas Contractors State License Board
• d.The Texas Real Estate Commission

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) administers many occupational programs, including electrical contractors/electricians and air conditioning and refrigeration (ACR/HVAC) contractors. TDLR does not, however, license general contractors, because Texas has no statewide general contractor license.

A contractor plans to build homes in several Texas cities. Where does the authority to require registration and pull building permits usually come from?

• a.The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
• b.Each local municipality (city) or county sets its own registration and permit requirements✓
• c.The federal government through OSHA
• d.A single statewide contractor registry that covers all Texas cities

Because Texas has no statewide general contractor license, local governments fill the gap. Cities and counties commonly require a contractor to register, carry insurance, and obtain building permits under their own local ordinances. A contractor working in multiple jurisdictions may have to register separately in each one.

In Texas, plumbing work is licensed by which authority?

• a.The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE)✓
• b.The city building department only
• c.The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
• d.There is no license required for plumbing in Texas

Plumbers in Texas are licensed by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE), a separate state board from TDLR. This is an example of how Texas regulates individual trades at the state level even though it does not license general contractors.