TEXAS MOLD LAW EXPLAINED

Texas Mold Remediation Laws: Licensing, Inspection & Clearance Testing Explained

What Texas actually requires for mold assessment and remediation, and what a clearance inspection really means.

Texas mold assessment and remediation work is regulated by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). If you’re hiring someone to inspect for mold or clean it up in Houston, here’s what the law actually requires — and what it doesn’t. This guide is part of the resources on Houston Mold Treatment, covering mold inspection, testing, and remediation across the Houston area.

Who Regulates Mold Work in Texas?

TDLR’s Mold Assessors and Remediators Program licenses individuals and companies that inspect for mold (“mold assessment”) or clean it up (“mold remediation”). This program was previously run by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS); all mold licenses transferred from DSHS to TDLR on November 1, 2017, and existing DSHS license numbers became TDLR license numbers at that time.

It’s worth knowing what TDLR does not do: TDLR does not inspect or test homes for mold, and it cannot force a landlord or property owner to clean up mold. Its role is licensing and enforcement of work standards for the professionals who do that work — not property inspection itself.

Do You Need a Licensed Contractor?

For most residential mold jobs, yes — but there’s an important size exemption.

• The 25-square-foot allowance: TDLR guidance states that areas of visible mold covering less than 25 contiguous square feet can generally be cleaned up by an owner or maintenance staff without a mold license. Separately, TDLR rules require that remediation of 25 contiguous square feet or more of visible mold in residential properties with 10 or more units be conducted by a licensed Mold Remediation Contractor. TDLR’s public FAQ does not spell out an identical square-footage licensing trigger for smaller residential properties in the same terms, so property owners with questions about a specific property should confirm current requirements directly with TDLR.
• If you hire a licensed contractor for a small job anyway: the license requirement doesn’t disappear. A licensed Mold Remediation Contractor performing even a small (under-25-sq-ft) project must still follow the full law and rules, including a remediation work plan based on a protocol from a licensed Mold Assessment Consultant — though they don’t have to submit a project notification for jobs that size.
• Homeowner/building-owner exemption: Property owners can, in some circumstances, do their own remediation without a licensed consultant’s protocol, under exemptions in Texas Occupations Code §1958.102 and 16 TAC §78.30(b)–(d).

Assessment and Remediation Are Usually Kept Separate

Texas law generally does not allow the same individual or company to perform both mold assessment and mold remediation on the same project. This separation exists to avoid a conflict of interest — the person diagnosing the problem isn’t also the one being paid to fix it. (A narrow exception exists for school district projects.) A company can hold both an assessment license and a remediation license, but not use both on the same job.

What a Licensed Assessor or Remediator Must Give You

• Consumer Mold Information Sheet (CMIS): Licensed mold assessors and remediators are required to give a copy of this TDLR-published sheet to the client, and to the property owner if different, before any mold-related work begins.
• A remediation protocol/work plan: For licensed work, the remediation contractor must follow a protocol developed by a licensed Mold Assessment Consultant.

What Is a Mold Clearance Inspection?

After remediation, a licensed consultant can conduct a post-remediation assessment to determine whether the project achieved “clearance.” Two important limits apply: a consultant who did not write the original remediation protocol cannot declare clearance for that project. Separately, a licensed consultant who had no role in the original protocol can still conduct a post-remediation inspection and sign a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation (CMDR) — a Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), not TDLR, form (MDR-1) — certifying the property “does not contain evidence of mold damage.” This certificate can matter for insurance purposes.

Is Mold Testing Required Before Remediation?

No. According to TDLR, testing to determine what kind of mold is present is not required prior to remediation or cleaning. TDLR’s own guidance also notes that the CDC does not recommend routine sampling for mold, since interpreting results reliably requires physical inspection and consideration of the building’s specific conditions — not just a lab result.

How to Check if a Company Is Actually Licensed

TDLR maintains license verification and complaint tools. If you believe someone is performing mold assessment or remediation without the required license, you can file a complaint with TDLR; complaints must generally be filed within two years of the event.

Mold in Rental Housing

Texas mold rules don’t give TDLR authority to force a landlord to clean up mold — that’s a separate landlord-tenant matter.

Frequently Asked Questions