Guide · Mold in Texas

Texas mold assessment and remediation: who does what

Texas splits a mold job between two separately licensed parties: a mold assessment consultant inspects the home and writes the remediation protocol, and a mold remediation contractor carries out that protocol. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) licenses both, and its rules say one license holder may not do both the assessment and the remediation on the same project.

Why Texas separates the two jobs

The split is about independence. The person who decides how much mold there is and what has to be removed should not be the person paid to remove it. In Texas, that principle is written into the law that governs mold work, Chapter 1958 of the Occupations Code, and into TDLR's rules. TDLR's FAQ for mold assessors and remediators states it plainly: license holders are not allowed to conduct both mold assessment and mold remediation activities on the same project. A narrow exception applies to school district employees working on their own district's projects; it does not apply to homes.

For a homeowner, the practical rule is simple. Be wary of any company in Texas that offers to inspect for mold, test, write the plan and then do the removal on your house. On a licensed project, those are two different companies.

The mold assessment consultant's job

The assessment consultant looks at the home, finds where mold is growing and where the moisture is coming from, may take samples, and then writes the remediation protocol. The protocol is the plan for the job: which areas are affected, how they will be contained, which materials will be removed and which cleaned, what protective equipment the workers use, and what the area must look like at the end. TDLR's FAQ notes that a licensed remediation contractor works from a protocol developed by a licensed mold assessment consultant.

The consultant usually returns at the end of the job to check the work, the step often called clearance. TDLR's FAQ also notes that if an owner did the remediation without a licensed consultant's protocol, a consultant cannot declare that the project achieved clearance.

The mold remediation contractor's job

The remediation contractor sets up containment, removes mold growth and the materials it damaged, cleans what stays, and leaves the area ready for the final check, all following the protocol. When a project affects 25 contiguous square feet or more, TDLR requires a notification before remediation begins; its notification page sets out the details. After a project that meets the rules, a licensed remediator can issue a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation, often called a CMDR. TDLR's FAQ says only a licensed remediator may issue it, and that the certificate can be presented to an insurer.

The remediation itself, how containment, removal and cleaning work in a home, is described on our mold remediation page.

When do the licensing rules apply?

Not every mold patch in Texas needs licensed professionals. A few points from TDLR and the statute help sort it out:

• Size. The statute does not require a license to remediate an area where mold affects a total surface of less than 25 contiguous square feet on the project. TDLR's FAQ adds that a licensed contractor doing a small project is still bound by the rules.
• Owners of homes. TDLR's FAQ notes that a homeowner can, in some circumstances, do their own remediation, and that owners or maintenance staff can clean small areas.
• Assessment. Anyone providing mold assessment as a service in Texas must be licensed by TDLR as an assessment technician, consultant or company.
• Insurance. If you want a certificate to show your insurer, the project needs to follow the licensed process from the start.

Because the details depend on the project, read TDLR's mold pages or call TDLR before deciding you can skip the licensed route on a large job.

Advertising rules: what a mold company should not say

Texas also sets rules for how mold work is advertised. The rules under Title 16 of the Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 78, cover how licensees present themselves and their credentials. As a homeowner, two signs deserve caution: frightening language meant to rush you into a contract, and promises about outcomes that no honest company can make, such as a home with no mold at all. Spores are a normal part of indoor air everywhere; the goal of remediation is to bring affected areas back to the normal level found in unaffected parts of the house, which is how the IICRC's S520 standard for mold remediation describes it.

How to check a Texas mold license

TDLR's website has a license search where you can enter a person's or company's name or license number and see the license type and status. Check both companies on a project: the assessment consultant and the remediation contractor. Ask each for its license number in writing, and make sure they are two different license holders. While you are there, TDLR's consumer mold information sheet is worth reading; it summarizes what homeowners should expect on a licensed project.

How it compares with California

California works differently. The California Department of Public Health notes that the state has no license or certification specifically for fixing moisture or mold problems. There, the license that matters is the general contractor license: any job of $1,000 or more in labor and materials, or one that needs a permit, must be done by a contractor licensed by the Contractors State License Board. A separate tester is a good idea in California too, for an independent view of the scope and of the result, but it is not required by a mold-specific law.

What this means when you call us about mold in Dallas–Fort Worth

When you call about mold in Texas, the first questions are about moisture and size: where the water came from and roughly how large the affected area is. On a project that falls under the Texas rules, the assessment and the remediation are done by two separate licensed parties, and we tell you at the start who holds each license on your job, so you can check both on TDLR's site. The moisture repair, drying and the rebuild after, described on our water damage restoration and reconstruction after damage pages, follow once the mold work has passed its final check.

Sources: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Mold Assessors and Remediators FAQ, Texas Mold Assessors and Remediators Law, Mold Remediation Notification Requirements, Consumer Mold Information Sheet and License Search; IICRC, S520 Standard for Professional Mold Remediation; U.S. EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home; California Department of Public Health, Information on Mold and Moisture for Renters in California (2020); CSLB, AB 2622 bulletin.