Texas Electrician License With a Criminal History: TDLR Review and Evaluation Letters

Two different review processes

Process	When to use it	What it produces
Criminal History Evaluation Letter	Before a license application or costly training	A nonbinding TDLR recommendation based on information then available
License application review	When applying or renewing	A background check and case by case licensing review
Proposed denial of an actual license application	If TDLR proposes denying a license after reviewing a submitted application	A written notice explaining the grounds for proposed denial and the opportunity to request a hearing

The evaluation letter exists to help a person decide whether to invest time and money before applying. It is not a license and it does not replace the later background check.

What TDLR asks applicants to report

The apprentice application page says an applicant must provide a Criminal History Questionnaire for a felony or misdemeanor other than a minor traffic violation, and for a guilty or no contest plea that resulted in deferred adjudication. TDLR’s evaluation FAQ says convictions and deferred adjudications must be reported regardless of how long ago they occurred.

Use a separate questionnaire for each incident. If you cannot remember every detail, TDLR says to provide what you do remember. The agency also points people to county clerks, district clerks and the Texas Department of Public Safety as possible record sources. Do not guess at court information when a record can clarify it.

TDLR conducts criminal background checks on original and renewal applications. Omitting an event can change the agency’s view later if additional history is discovered.

Chapter 53 factors TDLR says it considers

The TDLR criminal conviction guidelines cite Texas Occupations Code §53.025 and list general factors considered in all cases:

1. The nature and seriousness of the crime.
2. The relationship between the crime and the purpose of requiring a license.
3. Whether the license could create an opportunity for similar criminal activity.
4. The relationship between the crime and the ability, capacity or fitness required for the occupation.

TDLR also lists fitness factors:

1. The extent and nature of past criminal activity.
2. The person’s age when the crime occurred.
3. The time since the person’s last criminal activity.
4. Conduct and work activity before and after the criminal activity.
5. Evidence of rehabilitation or rehabilitative effort.
6. Other evidence of fitness, including specified recommendation letters.

The guidelines also describe applicant responsibilities, including providing available recommendations and proof of steady employment, support of dependents, good conduct and payment of outstanding court costs, supervision fees, fines and restitution.

These factors do not create a scoring calculator. TDLR says there is no single crime that automatically decides every license application. The agency also explains that multiple violations can indicate a pattern and that its occupation specific lists are not exclusive.

How to request an evaluation letter

1. Open the TDLR Criminal History Evaluation Letter page.
2. Download the current department request form.
3. Identify the exact TDLR license you are considering, such as Electrical Apprentice.
4. Complete a separate Criminal History Questionnaire for every conviction or deferred adjudication.
5. Gather the information requested by the forms. Use court or DPS records when your memory is incomplete.
6. Include the US$10 request fee.
7. Submit the complete request using the current form instructions.
8. Keep a copy of every item and a record showing when it was submitted.

The 90-day period is TDLR’s deadline for issuing the letter after it receives a complete request, not a promised waiting time for every case. An incomplete packet can delay the start of that period.

What TDLR may review

The evaluation page says the department may look at court records, review police records, interview the requester and interview people with relevant knowledge, such as a parole officer, probation officer, police officer or counselor. Give complete, accurate information and use the form to present records in an organized way.

A personal statement can explain dates and context, but it should not replace requested records. Evidence of work, conduct, rehabilitation and completed financial obligations should be tied to the factors in the TDLR guidelines. If a question is unclear, contact TDLR or seek advice from a qualified attorney rather than inventing an answer.

What the result means

TDLR says the letter will state whether the department would or would not recommend granting a license based on the information available at that time.

Letter result	What it means	What it does not mean
Would recommend granting	TDLR’s current nonbinding evaluation is favorable	It does not promise later issuance
Would not recommend granting	TDLR’s current nonbinding evaluation is unfavorable	It does not prohibit a later application

If TDLR asks for additional information before issuing the letter, respond to that request. A request for additional information is not itself an evaluation letter recommendation.

The recommendation is not binding because circumstances, discovered information or department policy may change before the later application. The evaluation recommendation is not a final decision and cannot be appealed.

An unfavorable evaluation does not prevent the person from applying. If a later actual license application results in a proposed denial, TDLR says the applicant may request a hearing at the State Office of Administrative Hearings. The Commission of Licensing and Regulation makes the final decision after that process.

When to request the letter before paying tuition

Consider requesting an evaluation before making a substantial, nonrefundable financial commitment, especially if your criminal history could affect licensing eligibility. A favorable evaluation can help inform your decision, but it does not assure admission to a training program or approval of a future license application.

Decision point	Safer sequence
Considering an expensive course	Request the evaluation, then decide after reading the result
School says enrollment is required first	TDLR says enrollment is not required to request the letter
Application deadline is near	Compare the 90 day evaluation period with the program calendar
Records are incomplete	Collect court information and submit a complete packet before relying on the timeline
History is complex	Consider qualified legal advice in addition to the official process

This sequence does not remove uncertainty, but it gives the applicant TDLR’s preapplication view before committing more money. It is especially useful because a favorable letter is guidance, while a later application still receives a full review.

How the apprentice application review differs

When someone actually applies, TDLR runs a background check and reviews reportable history case by case. The apprentice page says criminal history review may take one to six weeks, depending on the history. That application timeline is different from the evaluation letter’s up to 90 day period after a complete request.

The licensing staff can refer a potentially disqualifying conviction to the Enforcement Division. The TDLR guidelines describe attorney review and, when denial is proposed, a written notice identifying the convictions and authority. A hearing can be requested in the actual license case.

Do not interpret a delay as an approval or denial. Track the submission, respond to official requests and rely on the written result.

Practical file checklist

Keep the evaluation request, one questionnaire per event, fee proof, court records, work and rehabilitation evidence, delivery record, any TDLR requests and the final letter together. Make a separate copy for a later license application and check whether forms have changed.

Do not send sensitive criminal records to a school, employer or unofficial service unless there is a valid reason and you understand how they will be handled. The official TDLR process is the source for the licensing evaluation.

Read the Texas apprentice license guide, the Texas career route and getting an apprenticeship with no experience after the evaluation question is clear.

If a target program requires an aptitude test, use the aptitude and interview kit only after confirming that program’s test.

This is general information, not legal advice.

Not affiliated with TDLR or the State of Texas.

Sources checked October 11, 2026

• TDLR Criminal History Evaluation Letter: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/crimhistoryeval.htm
• TDLR criminal conviction guidelines: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/crimconvict.htm
• TDLR apprentice application: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/apply/individuals/apprentice-electrician.htm
• Texas Occupations Code Chapter 53: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/OC/htm/OC.53.htm

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