The Texas Occupations Code is the body of state law that creates and governs occupational licenses in Texas. It is the statute behind your license — the law passed by the Legislature that says who must be licensed, what the license covers, and what authority TDLR has. The chapters that matter for TDLR trade licensees:
- Chapter 51 — TDLR's general enabling statute, covering the department and the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation
- Chapter 1603 — Regulation of Barbering and Cosmetology. (The old Chapters 1601 and 1602 were repealed and consolidated into 1603 when the barber and cosmetology programs merged under HB 1560)
- Chapter 1305 — the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act, governing electricians
- Chapter 1302 — the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor License Law, governing ACR/HVAC contractors
You'll see these citations on TDLR notices, enforcement documents, and CE course outlines — an electrician CE course covering "Texas law," for example, is teaching Chapter 1305. The statutes set the framework; the detailed day-to-day rules (CE hours, fees, procedures) live in the Texas Administrative Code, which the Commission adopts under the authority these chapters grant.
What it means for your renewal
You don't need to read the code to renew, but knowing your chapter helps you decode official mail and verify claims independently — when a requirement is real, it traces back to one of these chapters or a rule adopted under it.
Authority: Texas Occupations Code Chapters 51, 1302, 1305, 1603