Texas licenses mold work through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Assessors and remediators hold separate licences, and the state generally requires a licensed remediator once mold affects 25 contiguous square feet or more. Owners have limited exemptions. Ask for a licence number and check it with TDLR before you hire.
Key takeaways
- Texas does license mold work. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) administers Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1958 and the mold rules in 16 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 78.
- Mold assessors and mold remediators are licensed separately, and the rules generally keep one licence holder from both assessing and remediating the same project. Confirm the details with TDLR.
- A person is generally not required to hold a licence to remediate an area under 25 contiguous square feet. At 25 contiguous square feet or more, a licensed remediator is generally required.
- Owners and tenants have limited exemptions on property they own or lease, but not for 25 or more contiguous square feet, and larger residential buildings are treated differently from homes with fewer than 10 units.
- Licensed assessors and remediators must give clients a Consumer Mold Information Sheet before starting mold-related work, and you can ask any company for its licence number.
- Drying fast helps limit mold, but the EPA's 24 to 48 hour figure is a guideline, not a deadline, and mold may have grown even where materials later dried.
Does Texas license mold work?
Yes. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation licenses mold assessors and mold remediators under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1958 and the Texas Mold Assessment and Remediation Rules, 16 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 78. Companies and individuals who do mold-related work must be licensed unless an exemption applies.
Many homeowners assume mold removal is an open-market service, like painting. In Texas it is a regulated activity. Applicants need qualifying training, must pass a state exam and must clear a criminal-history background check before a licence is issued. TDLR also enforces the rules, and unlicensed work or violations such as failing to show credentials can lead to administrative penalties.
This guide is general information about Texas law, not an offer of mold testing or removal, and it is not legal advice. Rules change, and the exact wording of an exemption can matter. TDLR is the agency that answers questions about its own rules, and its website lets you look up a licensee.
Why it matters in Kaufman County: leaks, hail-driven roof water, burst pipes and flash flooding, such as the October 28, 2023 Kaufman County flood when county emergency management reported 10 to 12 inches of rain in about eight hours, can leave wet materials in a house. When wet materials stay wet, the question of mold, and of who is allowed to deal with it, comes up.
What is the 25-square-foot rule?
A person is generally not required to be licensed to remediate an area where mold affects less than 25 contiguous square feet. At 25 contiguous square feet or more, a licensed remediator is generally required. Contiguous means connected, so two separate small patches are measured differently from one large one.
The threshold is about the total surface area affected by mold, measured as one connected area. It is not about how bad the water was and it is not about how many rooms are wet. A water-stained ceiling can still have less than 25 contiguous square feet of mold on it, and a damp wall cavity can have more than you can see.
The line also explains why measuring matters. Under the threshold, the state does not require a licence for the remediation itself, though that is not a reason to ignore the cause of the moisture or to skip protective gear. At or above it, the work needs a licensed remediator, and the licensed company follows a written plan.
Nothing here tells you how much mold you have. Only an assessor can measure and document that, which is why the next sections matter.
| Situation | Is a TDLR remediation licence generally required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mold affects less than 25 contiguous sq ft | Generally no | Fix the moisture source first. Protective gear and cleaning method still matter. |
| Mold affects 25 contiguous sq ft or more | Generally yes | Licensed remediator, following a protocol from a licensed assessor where one applies |
| Owner of a home with fewer than 10 dwelling units | Limited owner exemption, but not for 25 or more contiguous sq ft | The exemption is limited, so check the exact rule with TDLR. |
| Residential property with 10 or more units, 25 or more sq ft of visible mold | Licensed remediator generally required | Different from a single-family home |
| Tenant or an employee or agent of the owner | Limited exemption on property they lease or manage, not for 25 or more sq ft | Check the current rule with TDLR |
Why are mold assessors and mold remediators licensed separately?
Texas licenses the person who evaluates mold, the assessor, separately from the person who removes it, the remediator. The aim is an independent check, so the one who decides what needs removing is not the one paid to remove it. A single licence holder generally may not do both on the same project.
An assessor inspects, takes measurements, may collect samples and writes a protocol that sets out what must be done and how clean must be proven. A remediator carries out that plan. After the work, the assessor typically checks whether the cleanup met the plan. The separation is deliberate, and it is a check against a company that both diagnoses a problem and profits from fixing it.
That is also why mold testing and removal are not one-stop services. If a company tells you it tests for mold and removes it on the same job, ask which licences it holds, which licence holder is doing which part, and how that fits the state rules. TDLR can confirm whether a particular arrangement is allowed.
Assessors must put licence numbers on their reports and protocols under the rules, so an assessment that arrives without one is a reason to ask questions. The Consumer Mold Information Sheet is a second check: licensed assessors and remediators must give it to each client before they start mold-related activity.
| Role | What the work is | Licensed by TDLR? |
|---|---|---|
| Water mitigation crew | Extracts water, sets drying equipment, removes unsalvageable materials, checks moisture readings | Ask the company what it holds. This is a separate trade from mold work. |
| Mold assessor | Inspects, may sample, writes a protocol and checks the result afterward | Yes, licensed separately |
| Mold remediator | Carries out the removal or cleaning plan | Yes, licensed separately, generally required at 25 contiguous sq ft or more |
| Licensed plumber or roofer | Fixes the source of the water | Plumbers are licensed through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners |
What does drying quickly do, and what does it not do?
Drying quickly limits mold, but it does not guarantee against it. The EPA's guidance on wet materials, 24 to 48 hours, is a guideline and not a deadline. Mold may already have grown on a wet surface, even if the materials later dried, so a dry reading does not prove no mold started.
A restoration crew's job after a leak or flood is to remove water and bring wet materials back to normal moisture readings, using extraction, air movers and dehumidifiers and a moisture meter to check. That reduces the chance that mold gets established, and it is why calling quickly matters.
But the crew's drying does not tell you whether mold grew in the meantime. A ceiling that leaked for several days before anyone noticed, a wall cavity that stayed damp, or a floor that sat wet over a weekend can have mold even after drying brings the readings down. Signs include a musty smell, visible spots or fuzzy growth, staining that returns or damp that does not clear.
If you see or smell mold, do not disturb it with sanding or heavy scrubbing, since that can spread it. Stop the water, keep the area ventilated, keep children and pets out, and decide whether it needs a licensed assessor. Do not assume the visible patch is the whole problem. Read the cost guide to see how the drying stage is priced separately from any mold work.
How do you check a mold licence and what should you ask?
Ask the company for its licence number and the licence type, assessor or remediator, then look it up on TDLR's website. Ask who will do each part of the job, whether you will receive the Consumer Mold Information Sheet, and how the company keeps assessment and remediation separate. A reluctant answer is a reason to keep looking.
Readers can look up a licensee on TDLR's website, and you can ask any company for its licence number and its technicians' certifications before work starts. A licence number printed on a report or contract is worth confirming. Look for a match in the name, licence type and status.
Keep the questions short and written down. The checklist below works for any company that offers anything mold-related, including a restoration company that mentions mold during a water job. IICRC, the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification, publishes industry standards such as ANSI/IICRC S500 for water damage and S520 for mold, but it is an industry body, not a government licensing agency, and its certificates are not a substitute for a TDLR licence.
- What is your TDLR licence number, and is it an assessor or a remediator licence?
- Who will do the assessment, and who will do the remediation, and are they different licence holders?
- Will I receive the Consumer Mold Information Sheet before work starts?
- Is the written estimate itemised, and does it separate drying from any mold work?
- What will you do about the moisture source so the mold does not return?
What should a Kaufman County homeowner do after a leak or flood?
Stop the water, document the damage with photos, call your insurer, and dry the house quickly. Use a licensed plumber or roofer for the source. If you see mold or suspect it has spread, find out whether it reaches 25 contiguous square feet and talk to a TDLR-licensed assessor before any removal begins.
Start with the source. Shut off the main, tarp or board up a roof opening, and make sure the cause is being repaired by a licensed trade, because mold returns if the moisture does. A crew can help stop the water, tarp or board up and clean up afterward, but it does not replace a plumber or a roofer.
Next, dry quickly and document it. The crew's moisture readings and photos can be shared with your insurer. Ask your insurer how mold is treated under your policy, because many policies limit or exclude it, and coverage is decided by the insurer, not by a restoration company. The Texas Department of Insurance helps consumers with claim questions and complaints.
If mold shows up later, bring in a licensed assessor first to find and measure it, then a separately licensed remediator if the work reaches the threshold or you prefer a licensed company to do it. If you need help with the water side of a leak, call (833) 490-5225, and the line connects you with a local restoration crew for extraction and drying.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to clean a small patch of mold myself?
Under the rules, a person is generally not required to be licensed to remediate an area under 25 contiguous square feet, and owners have limited exemptions on their own property. That does not remove the need to fix the moisture source, so confirm the current exemption with TDLR.
Can the same company test for mold and remove it?
Texas licenses assessors and remediators separately, and the rules generally keep one licence holder from doing both on the same project. Ask any company which licence holder does which part, and check with TDLR if an arrangement sounds like one-stop service.
Does fast drying mean I will not get mold?
No. Fast drying lowers the odds, but the EPA's 24 to 48 hour figure is a guideline and not a deadline, and mold may have grown before the crew arrived or inside materials that later read dry.
Where do I report a company that does mold work without a licence?
TDLR enforces the mold rules and handles complaints about licensed and unlicensed activity. Its website lists the current way to file one. Keep contracts, reports and photos to support what you report.
Does homeowners insurance pay for mold?
It depends on your policy and the cause of the water. Many policies limit or exclude mold, and coverage is decided by your insurer. Ask your agent before work starts, and keep photos and moisture readings.
Sources
- TDLR – Mold Assessors and Remediators Penalties and Sanctions
- TDLR – Mold consumer protection information (2025)
- Texas Occupations Code Sec. 1958.102 (FindLaw)
- U.S. EPA – A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home
This guide is general information for Kaufman County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.