Mold Inspection & Remediation in Texas

Texas regulates mold work under Chapter 1958 of the Texas Occupations Code and the Texas Mold Assessment and Remediation Rules (16 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 78). The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) licenses two separate sides of the trade: mold assessment consultants and technicians, who inspect, take samples, and write the remediation protocol, and mold remediation contractors and workers, who remove the growth. Laboratories that analyze mold samples are licensed too.

When a license is required. Removal of mold covering a total of 25 contiguous square feet or more must be done by a licensed mold remediation contractor; below that size, a contractor does not need a mold license for the removal. A company you hire to assess mold generally needs a mold assessment license. Homeowners are treated differently: the owner of a residential property with fewer than 10 dwelling units may assess and remediate mold on that property without a license, whatever the size. Since September 1, 2025, under Senate Bill 1255, every employee who performs assessment or remediation work must hold a TDLR license or registration, and the demolition of a structure after a fire or other disaster falls outside the mold law.

One project, two companies. A license holder may not perform both the mold assessment and the mold remediation on the same project, and one person may not own an interest in both the assessment company and the remediation company on that project. The consultant writes a protocol that lists the quantities and locations of materials to be remediated, the methods to be used, and the clearance criteria. The contractor follows it along with its own work plan. When the work is done, a consultant performs a post-remediation assessment and must give you a passed clearance report before the project is considered complete. There is no national or state standard for a safe level of mold, so agree on the clearance criteria before work starts.

Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation. No later than the 10th day after the project ends, the remediation contractor must sign and give you a certificate, which the consultant who did the post-remediation assessment also signs. The consultant states whether the underlying cause of the mold has been corrected. If you later sell the home, the law requires you to give the buyer a copy of every certificate issued for the property in the preceding five years.

Before any work starts. Licensed assessors and remediators must give each client, and the property owner if different, the state's Consumer Mold Information Sheet before starting any mold-related activity. Licensees must carry at least $1 million in commercial general liability insurance or be self-insured. You can verify any license at tdlr.texas.gov and file a complaint with TDLR if a licensee breaks the rules.

Texas spans several climates. Under NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Houston averages about 56 inches of precipitation a year, Dallas and Fort Worth about 38, San Antonio about 32, and El Paso less than 9. Along the Gulf Coast and in East Texas the air stays humid for much of the year, so wet drywall, carpet, and insulation dry slowly. In Central and North Texas, rain tends to arrive in bursts: May and October are the wettest months in Dallas and Fort Worth, and San Antonio's peaks come in May, September, and October.

Water finds its way indoors differently across the state: hurricanes and tropical storms on the coast, flash floods in Central Texas, hail and wind-driven rain that damage roofs, and hard freezes that split pipes. The February 2021 winter storm, which froze and burst pipes across Texas, led to about 500,000 insurance claims, according to Texas Department of Insurance data. The EPA recommends drying wet materials within 24 to 48 hours and keeping indoor relative humidity below 60%, ideally between 30% and 50%.

Mold coverage varies from one Texas policy to the next. The Texas Attorney General's office notes that many homeowners policies sold in the state cover only sudden and accidental water leaks, not damage from continuous or repeated leakage, and that many exclude mold remediation or cap it. The Texas Department of Insurance explains that most homeowners and renters policies cover sudden and accidental water damage, such as a burst pipe or a broken washer hose, and that mold growing on an item damaged that way would be covered, while damage from gradual leaks usually is not.

Flood water is not covered by a standard homeowners policy and needs a separate flood policy. Some policies also set short reporting windows for hidden leaks: the mold endorsement Texas adopted for its standard HO-A form in 2001 required a hidden loss to be reported within 30 days of when it was, or should have been, detected. Report damage as soon as you find it, and photograph everything before cleanup.

Keep your Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation. When it shows that the underlying cause of the mold was corrected, an insurer may not make an underwriting decision on your home based on the earlier mold damage or mold claim. Our guide on whether homeowners insurance covers mold explains more.

Our phone line is for homeowners. If you rent in Texas, your landlord is generally responsible for repairs, and state law sets out a process to follow.

Under Chapter 92 of the Texas Property Code, a landlord must make a diligent effort to repair a condition that materially affects the physical health or safety of an ordinary tenant, such as a serious water leak, after the tenant gives notice. The duty applies when you are current on rent at the time you give notice and the problem was not caused by you, your household, or your guests, apart from normal wear and tear. Give notice to the person or place where you normally pay rent, and follow any written-notice requirement in your lease. If the landlord has not made a diligent effort to repair within seven days and your first notice was not sent by certified mail, registered mail, or another trackable method, send a second written notice.

If the landlord still does not act, a justice of the peace can order repairs that cost up to $10,000, and other remedies may apply, including ending the lease in some cases. Withholding rent can backfire: the Attorney General's office warns that a landlord may sue a tenant who withholds rent over repairs. Texas law also bars a landlord from retaliating against a tenant for a good-faith repair request for six months. Keep copies of every letter and dated photos.

If you hire a licensed mold assessor yourself, state rules require the company to give the Consumer Mold Information Sheet to the property owner as well as to you before any work starts, so your landlord will be notified. For your own belongings, see our guide to renters insurance and mold.