What can a handyman do in Galveston, TX?
Texas has no statewide general contractor license for this work, so local and trade rules decide.
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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
What Galveston adds
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 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
Jobs a handyman usually takes
Texas has no general state license, so everyday jobs like these turn on local rules and trade licenses:
- Mounting TVs, shelves, mirrors and pictures
- Assembling furniture and flat-pack cabinets
- Patching drywall and interior painting
- Caulking, weatherstripping and sealing
- Repairing doors, locks, screens and windows
- Basic carpentry, trim and small repairs
- Pressure washing and gutter cleaning
Trade work in Texas
Electrical: TDLR licenses electricians and electrical contractors statewide (licensing effective Sept 1, 2004; residential appliance installer license since March 1, 2008); applies in unincorporated areas too; a municipal electrician license is valid only within that city. No handyman carve-out found; 'electrical work' includes any labor or material used in installing, maintaining or extending an electrical wiring system. SB 705 (2025) changed the ACR contractors advisory board).
Source: tdlr.texas.gov · checked November 2, 2026
Nearby places
Rules change. This page shows what official sources said on the dates above. It is not legal advice, so confirm with the office named before you take the job.
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