Short answer: Use TDLR Active License Search. Search by license type and number, or by person or business name. The public tool shows active records only, including name, license number, expiration date, type and address. No result does not prove that a person never held a license.
Launch price through November 30, 2026. Its lists help organize program and contractor research, but TDLR remains the license source.
What the search can show
| Search method | Official format or result | Useful for |
|---|---|---|
| License type | Choose the exact TDLR category | Narrowing a number search |
| License number | Type plus an eight digit number with leading zeros | Checking a supplied credential |
| Individual name | Last name, First name | Finding a personal license |
| Business name | Registered business name | Finding a contractor credential |
| Result fields | Name, license number, expiration date, type and address | Comparing the returned record |
| Coverage | Active licenses only | Current public verification |
TDLR Search Help does not publish a status code glossary for this search. Do not invent meanings for abbreviations or claim that a blank result proves a license was denied, expired or never existed.
Search your own apprentice license
- Open TDLR Active License Search from the official agency site.
- Select the exact license type. For this guide, that is Electrical Apprentice.
- Enter the eight-digit license number, including any leading zeros, and select the correct license type to narrow the search. TDLR Search Help also explains that entering only the eight-digit number can return licenses in more than one category. Always confirm that the returned license type matches the credential you intended to check.
- Submit the search once.
- Compare the returned name, license type, number and expiration date with your application record.
- Save the date you checked and resolve any mismatch with TDLR.
A clearly fictional format example is Electrical Apprentice 00000123. Do not use that number as a real verification. Use the exact type and number from your own TDLR record.
If you do not have the number, search by your own name using the format in Search Help. Try the legal name used on the application before assuming the license is absent. A nickname, reversed name or typographical difference can change the result.
Search a supervisor’s individual license
An apprentice credential and a supervising person’s credential are separate. Ask for the person’s exact license type and number, then search those details. Compare the returned license type and expiration date with the supervisor’s claimed credentials. An active license search result confirms the information displayed in the public record; it does not independently establish that the person may supervise every kind of electrical work. Check the applicable TDLR requirements for the work being performed and the supervision arrangement.
Do not assume that every electrical license category permits the same scope or supervision. Confirm the applicable license requirements and supervision rules directly with TDLR before relying on a person’s credential for a particular job.
Record only what you need for your work file: the name, license type, number, expiration date and date checked. The search may show an address, but a public field does not create a reason to republish personal information.
Search an employer or electrical contractor
A company credential is not the same record as the owner’s or supervisor’s personal license. Search the business name and contractor license separately.
- Ask the company for its registered business name and contractor license number.
- Select the contractor category rather than an individual electrician category.
- Search the exact number first.
- Compare the returned business name, type and expiration date.
- If searching by name, use the registered name rather than a storefront nickname.
- Keep the company result separate from the supervising individual’s result.
| Verification target | Record to search | Why it is separate |
|---|---|---|
| You | Electrical Apprentice | Shows your personal entry credential |
| Supervisor | Master, Journeyman or Residential Wireman as applicable | Shows the individual’s claimed license |
| Employer or contracting business | Electrical Contractor or applicable business category | Shows the business credential |
One matching record does not prove the other two. A supervisor’s active personal license does not substitute for the business credential, and a business result does not identify every supervising person.
Why a search may return no result
A blank result is a signal to investigate, not a conclusion. Possible reasons include:
- The selected license type is wrong.
- The number is missing a leading zero or contains a transcription error.
- The personal name does not match the agency record.
- The business uses a public name that differs from its registered name.
- The credential is not active, while the public search is limited to active licenses.
- A new application has not yet appeared as an active license.
- The record needs clarification from TDLR.
Repeat the search only after correcting a specific input. If the details appear correct and the record remains absent, contact TDLR. Do not convert “not found” into an accusation.
How to read a returned record
Compare the result field by field. The license type should match the credential being claimed. The name should match the person or business. Check the expiration date, note the search date and the data update time TDLR displays, and contact TDLR directly if the information looks inconsistent or a recent licensing change matters. The license number should match the number supplied.
The address can help distinguish similar business names, but handle it carefully for individuals. TDLR Search Help says the result may display an address. Use public information only for the licensing purpose and avoid republishing unnecessary personal details.
| Field | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Name | Is this the same person or registered business? |
| License number | Does every digit match the supplied credential? |
| License type | Is it the category required for this role? |
| Expiration date | Was the record active on the date checked? |
| Address | Does it help distinguish a business without exposing personal data? |
Take a fresh look when the work relationship changes or when the expiration date passes. A saved result documents what the public search displayed when you checked it. Record both your search date and the data update date shown by TDLR, when available. The public search may not reflect changes made after its latest data update. If the record is missing or you need confirmation of a recent change, contact TDLR directly.
Active search versus downloadable files
TDLR also publishes downloadable licensing files and says those CSV files are updated daily. The page includes an All Electricians file and category specific files. These files can help with larger research tasks, while Active License Search is simpler for checking one credential.
Neither source should be used to build a public list of personal addresses. For ordinary hiring or apprenticeship verification, search the exact person and business records you need and save the check date.
No real person, business or license number was searched while preparing this guide. The fictional number is only a format example.
Keep a clean verification record
For your own license, save the application confirmation, temporary license if issued, active search result and renewal receipt. For an employer, record the business credential separately from the supervisor’s individual credential. Add the date checked to each note.
If the employer changes, repeat the business and supervisor checks. Do not copy the old employer’s contractor information into the new record. Keep work hour documentation aligned with the correct dates, employer and supervision.
A free Tsai Electro account lets you keep a self-reported work-hour log. It helps you organize your own records. It does not verify your experience with TDLR or replace official licensing documentation.
Getting ready for the exam? Try 70 free Texas Journeyman practice questions in rounds of 20, with no sign-up. Confirm your examination eligibility and licensing requirements directly with TDLR.
Questions the public search cannot answer
The active search cannot explain a pending application, reconstruct every past status, interpret an unlisted code or decide whether particular work hours will qualify later. It also cannot tell you why a record is absent.
For those questions, contact TDLR with the exact license type, number, name used and date of your search. If the question involves an employer’s supervision or your future experience verification, describe the work arrangement precisely rather than asking only whether a name appears.
Use the Texas apprentice license guide, Texas career route and changing employers and protecting your hours guide to place the verification in context.
If a target program uses an aptitude test, use the aptitude and interview kit only after confirming the test.
Not affiliated with TDLR or the State of Texas.
Sources checked October 11, 2026
- TDLR Active License Search: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/LicenseSearch/
- TDLR License Search Help: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/LicenseSearch/help1.asp
- TDLR licensing files: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/LicenseSearch/licfile.asp
- Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1305: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/OC/htm/OC.1305.htm
FAQ
Does TDLR License Search show expired licenses?
The public page reviewed here is labeled active licenses only.
What number format does the help page describe?
License type plus an eight digit number with leading zeros.
What appears in a search result?
TDLR says results can show name, license number, expiration date, type and address.
What should I do when no result appears?
Check the spelling, number and license type, then contact TDLR. Do not treat absence as proof by itself.
