TDLR License Renewal: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide [2026]

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) is the state agency responsible for licensing and regulating over 40 industries and occupations in Texas. If you hold a cosmetology, barber, electrician, or HVAC/ACR contractor license, TDLR is the agency that issued your license and oversees your renewal.

Many TDLR license types — including every license we serve: cosmetology, barber, electrician, and HVAC/ACR contractor — require continuing education (CE) before renewal. (Not every TDLR license type has a CE requirement; some are exempt entirely.) Where CE does apply, it ensures that Texas professionals stay current on safety standards, code changes, and legal updates. You must complete your CE before you can submit your renewal application — TDLR will not process a renewal without it.

All renewals are handled through TDLR Online Services at tdlr.texas.gov. You can complete the entire process — CE courses and license renewal — without visiting an office.

The single most important step in your TDLR license renewal is completing your continuing education before you start the renewal process. TDLR will ask you to attest that you have completed the required CE hours when you submit your renewal. Submitting a false attestation can result in disciplinary action.

OnlineTexasCE.com is a TDLR-approved CE provider (Provider #2273). We offer online courses for all three professions:

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

All courses are self-paced, available 24/7, mobile-friendly, and there is no final exam — just short in-lesson knowledge or attendance checks, depending on the approved course design. Complete your hours, receive your certificate, and we report your completion to TDLR within 24 hours.

Texas cosmetology and barber licenses are renewed every 2 years (biennial) on the anniversary of your issuance date. The renewal fee is $50 for all practitioner types — cosmetology operators, barbers, estheticians, manicurists, eyelash extension specialists, and hair weaving specialists.

CE Requirements (16 TAC §83.25, effective for licenses expiring on or after September 1, 2025):

• Licensed less than 15 years: 4 hours total — 1 hour sanitation, 1 hour human trafficking prevention, 2 hours elective topics
• Licensed 15+ years: 2 hours total — 1 hour sanitation, 1 hour human trafficking prevention (elective hours waived)

All cosmetology sub-types (operators, estheticians, manicurists, barbers) take the same TDLR-approved 4-hour course. If you hold multiple cosmetology/barber licenses, CE hours completed for one license satisfy the requirement for your other licenses. However, each license must still be renewed separately with its own $50 fee.

One CE credit hour equals 50 minutes of instruction time. TDLR sends a reminder approximately 60 days before expiration, but you should start the process at least 30 days early. For the full walkthrough, see the cosmetology renewal guide and the barber renewal guide.

Texas electrician licenses are renewed annually on the anniversary of your issuance date. This applies to all individual license types: master, journeyman, journeyman industrial, journeyman lineman, master sign, journeyman sign, maintenance electrician, residential wireman, and apprentice electrician.

CE Requirements:

• 4 hours annually for all individual electrician license holders
• Topics must cover: National Electrical Code (NEC 2023), Texas electrician law (Occupations Code Chapter 1305), Texas administrative rules (16 TAC Chapter 73), and electrical safety (NFPA 70E)
• If you hold multiple electrician license types, you only need 4 total hours (not per license)

Renewal fees range from $20 (apprentice/maintenance/residential wireman) to $30 (journeyman) to $45 (master). Electrical contractor business licenses do not require CE, but the master electrician of record must maintain their personal CE. Full steps and fee tables: electrician renewal guide.

Texas HVAC/ACR contractor licenses are renewed annually. Only Class A and Class B contractors are required to complete CE — registered and certified technicians do not have a CE requirement for renewal.

CE Requirements:

• 8 hours annually for ACR contractors
• 1 hour must cover Texas state law and rules (Occupations Code Chapter 1302 and 16 TAC Chapter 75)
• Remaining 7 hours may cover mechanical codes, safety, refrigerant handling, energy efficiency, and industry updates

The annual renewal fee is $65 for contractors. With the ongoing refrigerant transition from R-410A to R-454B (effective January 1, 2025 for new residential equipment), staying current on CE is especially important for HVAC professionals this year. Full steps and late fees: HVAC renewal guide.

Here is the exact process for renewing your TDLR license online:

1. Complete your CE hours through a TDLR-approved provider. At OnlineTexasCE.com, you can finish your course in a single sitting from any device — no final exam.
2. Save your completion certificate. Keep it for two years (cosmetology/barber) or one year (electrician and ACR contractor). Your approved provider reports the completion to TDLR, but TDLR retains general authority to inspect or investigate licensee records.
3. Go to TDLR Online Services at tdlr.texas.gov and log in (or create an account if you have not used the portal before).
4. Select your license from the list of licenses associated with your account.
5. Click "Renew" and follow the prompts.
6. Attest to CE completion. TDLR will ask you to confirm that you have completed the required continuing education hours.
7. Pay the renewal fee via credit card or electronic check.
8. Receive confirmation. TDLR emails your confirmation once the renewal is processed.

As a TDLR-approved provider (Provider #2273), OnlineTexasCE.com submits your course completion to TDLR within 24 hours. That creates a record in TDLR's system tied to your license number.

Here is a summary of standard (on-time) renewal fees for each license type regulated by TDLR:

Cosmetology & Barber (Biennial — Every 2 Years)

• All practitioner types: $50

Electrician (Annual)

• Master Electrician / Master Sign Electrician: $45
• Journeyman / Journeyman Industrial / Journeyman Lineman / Journeyman Sign: $30
• Apprentice Electrician / Apprentice Sign / Maintenance Electrician / Residential Wireman: $20

HVAC/ACR (Annual)

• Class A / Class B Contractor: $65
• Registered Technician: $20 (no CE required)
• Certified Technician: $35 (no CE required)

These fees are paid directly to TDLR during the online renewal process. They are separate from the cost of your CE course.

If your license has already expired, you can still renew — but late fees apply and increase the longer you wait. Here is the general late renewal structure:

• 0-90 days expired: 1.5x the standard renewal fee (online renewal available)
• 91 days to 18 months expired: 2x the standard renewal fee
• 18 months to 3 years expired: Renewal is still possible, but it requires TDLR executive director approval and the fee stays at 2x the standard renewal fee
• More than 3 years expired: Cannot renew — you must reapply and meet the current requirements for new applicants, which may include any applicable examinations

Practicing on an expired license is illegal in Texas. For cosmetology and barber professionals, it is a Class B violation carrying fines from $1,000 to $3,500 and potential license suspension. For electricians and HVAC contractors, working without a valid license can result in similar penalties and personal liability for any incidents.

If your license is currently expired, the fastest path back to compliance is: complete your CE today at OnlineTexasCE.com ($22.95, no final exam), then renew through the TDLR portal with the applicable late fee. Do not wait — the penalties only increase with time.