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How to Verify a Texas Mold Contractor or Assessor License on TDLR

Independent consumer guide. Not affiliated with TDLR. Sources: the TDLR Mold Assessors and Remediators program, Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1958, and TDLR's 2025 mold consumer protection sheet.

Step-by-Step: How to Use TDLR License Search

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) licenses mold assessors and mold remediators under Occupations Code Chapter 1958. Its License Search is the only authoritative source for whether a license is active today. The check takes about two minutes:

1. 1

   Get the license number and exact business name

   Ask the contractor or assessor for their TDLR license number in writing (on the estimate, contract, or business card). Texas mold license numbers start with a three-letter prefix such as MRC, RCO, MAC, or ACO followed by digits. Also note the exact legal business name and the name of the individual license holder who will run the job.

2. 2

   Open TDLR License Search

   Go to the official TDLR License Search. It is free, requires no login, and only lists active licenses. TDLR shows the date its data was last updated at the bottom of the page.

3. 3

   Choose the correct mold license type

   In the "Inquire by License Type" dropdown, pick the mold category that matches what the person says they do: Mold Remediation Contractor or Mold Remediation Company for removal work, Mold Assessment Consultant or Mold Assessment Company for inspections and protocols, Mold Remediation Worker, Mold Assessment Technician, or Mold Analysis Laboratory.

4. 4

   Search by license number or name

   Enter the number in "Inquire by License #" using digits only (drop the letter prefix, e.g. MRC0108 becomes 0108). If you do not have a number, search "Inquire by Name" using Last, First for an individual or the business name for a company. You can also narrow by city, county, or ZIP code.

5. 5

   Compare the result to your paperwork

   Confirm the name, license type, license number, and expiration date match what the contractor gave you. The license type must fit the job: a remediation license for removal work, an assessment license for the inspection, protocol, and clearance. Check the expiration date covers the project dates.

6. 6

   Verify both the individual and the company

   Look up the individual license holder (MRC or MAC) and the business (RCO or ACO). A business offering mold services to the public is generally licensed separately from the people it employs, so a valid individual license does not by itself confirm the company.

7. 7

   If no record appears, stop and call TDLR

   Because the search only lists active licenses, “no record” can mean expired, suspended, never issued, or a typo. Re-check spelling and number, then call TDLR Customer Service at 800-803-9202 before signing anything. Report suspected unlicensed activity through TDLR's complaint page.

TDLR Mold License Types and Prefixes

Every TDLR mold license number begins with a three-letter prefix that tells you what the holder is allowed to do. Match the prefix to the job. A mold remediation license doesn't authorize assessment work, and an assessment license doesn't authorize remediation.

Prefixes as they appear in TDLR's public license records (e.g. MRC0108, RCO0103). License types are listed on the TDLR mold program page. TDLR also accredits mold training providers, which are not hired for jobs. Per §1958.1011, a license is valid for two years, so always check the expiration date.

Assessor vs. Remediator: The Conflict-of-Interest Rule

Texas separates the people who diagnose mold from the people who remove it. Under Occupations Code §1958.155, a license holder may not perform both mold assessment and mold remediation on the same project, and a person may not own an interest in both the assessment entity and the remediation entity on the same project. (The section carves out license holders employed by a school district working on that district's own projects.)

What that means when you verify licenses:

• Look up two licenses for a regulated job: an assessor (MAC/ACO) and a remediator (MRC/RCO), from different companies.
• Be cautious if one company offers to “test, remove, and clear” the mold all by itself on the same project.
• The assessor writes the protocol and evaluates clearance. Under §1958.154, the Certificate of Mold Remediation must include a statement by a mold assessment license holder.
• Search company names on TDLR License Search and ask both firms directly whether they share owners.

When a TDLR Mold License Isn't Required (and What SB 1255 Changed)

Occupations Code §1958.102 lists exemptions. In summary (read the statute for the exact wording):

• Under 25 contiguous square feet: no license is required to remediate an area where mold contamination affects a total surface area of less than 25 contiguous square feet.
• Owners and tenants on their own property: an owner or tenant (or their managing agent or employee) may do assessment or remediation on property they own or lease. This doesn't apply to remediation of 25 contiguous square feet or more, or to an agent or employee who does mold work for the public.
• Residential property with fewer than 10 dwelling units (§1958.102(e)): an owner, or the owner's managing agent or employee, does not need a license to perform mold assessment or remediation on a residential property the owner owns with fewer than 10 dwelling units, unless the agent or employee does mold work for the public. TDLR's 2025 consumer protection sheet notes this exemption applies regardless of the total affected surface area. For residential properties with 10 or more units, TDLR says remediation of 25 contiguous square feet or more must be done by a licensed remediator.
• SB 1255 (effective Sept. 1, 2025): Senate Bill 1255 amended §1958.102 by repealing subsection (b), the former exemption for employees working under the supervision of a mold assessment or remediation license holder. The fewer-than-10-units owner exemption above stays in place in §1958.102(e). Ask anyone on the crew how they are licensed or registered with TDLR.
• Builders during construction or repair: a person who built or improved a one- or two-family dwelling may do mold work there at the same time as that construction, improvement, or repair, unless they do mold work for the public.

§1958.002 also places some activities outside the chapter when they aren't done for mold assessment or remediation, such as routine cleaning, HVAC/plumbing repair, and real estate inspections. An exemption means the owner can skip the license. It does not make an unlicensed contractor legal. Any business doing regulated mold work for the public should show up on TDLR License Search.

Red Flags When You Check a Mold License

• The contractor won't give a license number in writing, or the number isn't on the estimate or contract.
• The name on TDLR doesn't match the company name on the contract or invoice.
• The license type doesn't fit the work, for example a remediation license offered for clearance testing.
• The license expires before or during your project.
• Only a worker registration (MRW) is offered for a job that needs a remediation contractor and company.
• No written remediation work plan before work starts. §1958.152 requires the remediator to provide one.

After the job, Chapter 1958 requires the remediator to give you before-and-after photos (§1958.156) and a Certificate of Mold Remediation (§1958.154), each within 10 days of completion. If you sell, you must give the buyer copies of certificates issued in the previous five years.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page is general information for Texas property owners, not legal advice. Statutes and TDLR rules change. Rely on the current text of Occupations Code Chapter 1958, the TDLR mold program, and TDLR Customer Service (800-803-9202) for decisions about a specific project.