How to Check Your TDLR CE Hours Online [Step-by-Step]

Checking your TDLR CE hours online is one of the smartest things you can do before renewing your license. It takes just a few minutes and confirms whether your continuing education completions are on file with TDLR.

There are several reasons you might want to look up your TDLR CE hours:

• You are about to renew your license and want to confirm your CE is recorded before you attest to completion
• You completed a course recently and want to verify the provider reported it to TDLR
• You cannot remember whether you completed CE for the current renewal cycle
• You switched CE providers and want to make sure the new provider's report went through
• You want peace of mind that your provider's report actually landed before your renewal deadline

Since January 2, 2025, your CE completion is not verified at the time of renewal — you self-attest that you have completed your hours, and TDLR processes the renewal on that attestation. That makes the attestation yours to stand behind. Checking your hours ahead of time confirms that your approved provider's report reached TDLR, so you are never attesting to something your record cannot support.

Here is how to check your TDLR CE hours through the online portal:

1. Go to TDLR Online Services at tdlr.texas.gov. Click on "Online Services" in the main navigation.
2. Log in to your account. Enter your username and password. If you have never created an account, you will need your TDLR license number, Social Security number, and email address to register.
3. Select your license from the list of licenses associated with your account. If you hold multiple licenses (for example, both cosmetology and barber), each will appear separately.
4. Navigate to CE details. Look for a section labeled "Continuing Education," "CE Hours," or similar. This section displays the CE completions that approved providers have reported to TDLR.
5. Review your hours. The system should show the provider name, course name, completion date, and number of hours for each reported course.

Step	What You Need	Where to Find It
Log in to TDLR portal	Username and password	tdlr.texas.gov Online Services
Register (first time)	License number, SSN, email	TDLR Online Services registration page
Find your license	License type or number	Your TDLR account dashboard
Check CE status	Look for CE/education section	License detail page in portal

Alternative method: If you have trouble navigating the portal, you can call TDLR directly at (512) 463-6599 or toll-free at (800) 803-9202. A representative can look up your CE status by license number.

Public license search: TDLR also offers a public License Search tool that anyone can use to verify whether a license is active. However, this tool shows license status only — not individual CE hour details. CE records are private and accessible only by the license holder.

When you check your hours, you need to know how many you are looking for. Here is a quick reference for each profession:

Profession	CE Hours	Renewal Cycle	Mandatory Topics
Cosmetology/Barber (< 15 yrs)	4 hours	Every 2 years	1 hr sanitation + 1 hr human trafficking
Cosmetology/Barber (15+ yrs)	2 hours	Every 2 years	1 hr sanitation + 1 hr human trafficking
Electrician (all types)	4 hours	Annual	NEC + TX law/rules + safety
HVAC Contractor (Class A/B)	8 hours	Annual	1 hr TX law/rules
HVAC Technician	0 hours	Annual	N/A (no CE required)

A few important rules that apply across all professions:

• 1 CE hour = 50 minutes of actual instruction time
• You cannot repeat the same course for credit — each approval year's course is a new approved course
• CE must be completed before your license expires
• Hours do not carry over from one renewal cycle to the next
• Multiple-license holders (e.g., master and journeyman electrician) need only one set of hours, not separate hours per license

When checking your TDLR CE hours online, compare what is on file against the requirements for your specific license type and renewal cycle. If the numbers match, you are good to renew. If they fall short, you need to complete additional hours before submitting your renewal.

If you completed a CE course but your hours are not appearing in the TDLR system, do not panic. There are several common reasons — and solutions for each:

Reason 1: The provider has not reported yet.

TDLR requires providers to report within 7 days of course completion. If you just finished your course today, the hours may not appear until tomorrow or even a few days later. Wait 3-5 business days before escalating.

Reason 2: TDLR processing delay.

Even after a provider reports, TDLR may take 1-3 business days to process and reflect the hours in their online system. This is normal and does not mean anything is wrong.

Reason 3: Data mismatch.

If the name or license number you provided to the CE provider does not exactly match what TDLR has on file, the hours may not link to your account. Contact your provider to verify the information they submitted.

Reason 4: The provider is not TDLR-approved.

If you took a course from a provider that is not on the TDLR approved list, the hours will not appear because TDLR does not accept reports from unapproved providers. In this case, you will need to complete the course again through an approved provider.

What to do:

1. Contact your CE provider and ask them to confirm they reported your completion to TDLR
2. Provide the provider with your exact TDLR license number and name as it appears on your license
3. Wait 3-5 business days for TDLR to process the report
4. If hours still do not appear, call TDLR at (512) 463-6599 with your completion certificate in hand

OnlineTexasCE.com reports completions to TDLR within 24 hours of when you finish the course. If you completed your course with us and your hours are not showing after 5 business days, contact us and we will investigate immediately.

Understanding how your CE reaches TDLR explains why checking your hours matters. Here is how it works:

Before January 2, 2025, TDLR verified your CE completion before processing your renewal. The old system checked your hours on file and would not let you renew if they were missing.

The current system works differently:

1. You renew and self-attest. When you submit your renewal through the TDLR portal, you check a box confirming that you have completed your required CE hours. TDLR does not verify this at the time of renewal.
2. Your renewal is processed. TDLR processes your renewal and issues your updated license based on that attestation.
3. Your provider reports separately. For cosmetology and barber, electrician, and ACR licenses, your approved CE provider reports your completion directly to TDLR — you do not submit anything yourself. That report is what creates the official record behind your attestation.
4. Your own records still matter. Keep your completion certificate — two years for a barber or cosmetology license, one year for an electrician or ACR contractor license. TDLR retains general authority to inspect or investigate records, and an attestation you cannot support can lead to enforcement action.

Pre-January 2025	Current
CE verified before renewal	CE self-attested at renewal
Cannot renew without CE on file	Can renew with attestation only
Verification gated the renewal	Provider reporting creates the record
Certificate useful but not critical	Certificate is your own proof of completion

This makes it more important than ever to verify your CE is on file and to keep your certificates. Checking your TDLR CE hours online before you renew is the simplest way to avoid problems down the road.

Your CE completion certificate is your own proof of compliance. Here is how to protect yourself:

• Download your certificate immediately after completing your course. Do not rely on being able to access it from the provider's website later.
• Save it in multiple locations. Keep a digital copy in cloud storage (Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox) and a local copy on your phone or computer. Consider printing a paper copy for your salon, shop, or office.
• Retain certificates. Keep your certificate for at least two years if you hold a barber or cosmetology license, and at least one year for an electrician or ACR contractor license. When in doubt, keep them longer.
• Organize by renewal cycle. Create a folder for each renewal period so you can quickly find the relevant certificate if a question ever comes up.
• Verify provider reporting. After saving your certificate, check the TDLR portal within a week to confirm your hours are on file. This gives you time to resolve any issues before your renewal deadline.

OnlineTexasCE.com provides instant downloadable certificates upon course completion. Your certificate includes your name, license number, course title, completion date, provider number (#2273), and the number of CE hours — all the information TDLR requires on a completion certificate.

For a complete overview of the renewal process and deadlines for all three professions, see our TDLR License Renewal Guide. To check a license's status and expiration date (not just CE hours), use the TDLR license search guide.

If you checked your TDLR CE hours and found that you are behind — or if you have not started your CE yet — there is still time. OnlineTexasCE.com makes it easy to complete your hours and get back on track.

We offer TDLR-approved courses for all three professions:

• Cosmetology & Barber CE: 4-hour course — $22.95
• Electrician CE: 4-hour course — $22.95
• HVAC/ACR Contractor CE: 8-hour course — $22.95

Every course is:

• TDLR-approved (Provider #2273)
• 100% online — no classroom, no office visits
• Self-paced — work at your own speed, pause and resume anytime
• Available 24/7 — start at 6 AM or midnight
• Mobile-friendly — phone, tablet, or computer
• No final exam — completion-based, with short in-lesson knowledge or attendance checks
• Instant certificate — download immediately upon completion
• TDLR reporting within 24 hours — we report your completion within a day of finishing

The total time to complete your CE depends on your profession: the 4-hour cosmetology and electrician courses take approximately 3 hours and 20 minutes of instruction time (200 minutes), and the 8-hour HVAC course takes approximately 6 hours and 40 minutes (400 minutes). Most people complete the 4-hour course in a single sitting.

Do not wait until your license expires. Late renewal fees range from 1.5x to 2x the standard fee, and practicing on an expired license carries fines from $1,000 to $5,000 per violation. Complete your CE today, verify your hours are on file, and renew with confidence.