A TDLR-approved CE provider is a school or company that has registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to offer continuing education in a specific trade. Only hours completed through an approved provider count toward your renewal — a course from an unregistered provider earns you nothing, no matter how good it is.
Key facts about provider approval:
- Providers must register separately for each profession they serve — approval for electrician CE does not cover cosmetology CE
- Each individual course must also be approved by TDLR before it can be offered
- Provider registrations run 1 year (16 TAC §59.21) and must be renewed to stay approved
- Providers must declare their delivery methods — online, in-person, and/or virtual
TDLR maintains a searchable provider list on its website for each trade, filterable by "Offers Internet Courses." Before paying for any course, confirm the provider appears on the list for your license type. OnlineTexasCE is TDLR-Approved Provider #2273, approved for cosmetology/barber, electrician, and HVAC/ACR continuing education.
What it means for your renewal
Taking a course from a non-approved provider is the most expensive CE mistake you can make: you pay for the course, get no credit, and still have to complete approved hours before your license expires. A 30-second check of TDLR's provider list — or of the provider number in the course advertising — prevents it.