Handyman License Requirements in Galveston, TX
Contractor registration with Galveston Building Division: $200 + $25/yr, $300k liability insurance with the city as additional insured, $25k surety bond (building/electrical). No general city business license confirmed.
Galveston requirements
Contractor registration with Galveston Building Division: $200 + $25/yr, $300k liability insurance with the city as additional insured, $25k surety bond (building/electrical). No general city business license confirmed.
Source link: galvestontx.gov · galvestontx.gov · checked November 2, 2026
Local business license
Our check could not confirm this from an official page, so we don't state it. Ask the city or county office.
Local contractor or handyman license
Required
- Name: City of Galveston Contractor Registration (Building Division, 3015 Market St.)
- Trigger: Contractors pulling permits: $200 registration + $25 annual fee; $300,000 liability insurance naming the city; $25,000 surety bond for building and electrical contractors (not HVAC)
"To register with the City of Galveston, you will need the following: $200 registration fee and $25 annual fee... Liability insurance with a $300,000 minimum... Surety bonds with a $25,000 minimum... Building and electrical contractors are required to have a surety bond"
Source: galvestontx.gov · checked November 2, 2026
County: Galveston County
The Texas rule
Regulator: None for general/handyman work. Trades: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) - Electricians and Air Conditioning & Refrigeration programs; Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) - plumbing. LLC formation: Texas Secretary of State.
Not applicable. No state dollar threshold for general/handyman work. Electrical work has no dollar exemption: TDLR states anyone who performs electrical work in Texas must be licensed. TDLR's listed exemptions include a homeowner doing electrical work on a dwelling they own and live in, and work on low-voltage circuits (class 1, 2 or 3 remote control, signaling or power-limited circuits, fire alarm, optical fiber or communications circuits).
What counts toward it: other: not applicable - no state general/handyman license exists, so there is no dollar threshold
"Anyone who performs electrical work in the state of Texas must be licensed."
Source: tdlr.texas.gov · tdlr.texas.gov · checked November 4, 2026
State registration
No state registration for handyman/general contractors. Electricians are licensed by TDLR; plumbers by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE). TSBPE fees: journeyman plumber $40 exam application plus $40 for the license; master plumber $75 initial license, $75 renewal. TDLR electrician fees: journeyman $30 application, master $45 application; electrician licenses are valid one year and renew annually (journeyman renewal $30).
Source: tdlr.texas.gov · tdlr.texas.gov · tdlr.texas.gov · checked November 4, 2026
Forming an LLC in Texas
State filing fee: $300.
Source: sos.state.tx.us · checked November 2, 2026
What to do, in order
- Read the Texas rule and confirm with None for general/handyman work. Trades: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) - Electricians and Air Conditioning & Refrigeration programs; Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) - plumbing. LLC formation: Texas Secretary of State..
- Line up the Galveston items listed on this page.
- Get your insurance and rate in place before the first paid job.
Nearby places
Rules change. This page shows what official sources said on the dates above. It is not legal advice.
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