Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE)

The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) is the state agency that licenses and regulates plumbers in Texas. If you have searched for the Texas plumbing board, the Texas state board of plumbing, or the Texas board of plumbing examiners, you are looking for the same agency. TSBPE is the short name.

What the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners does

The TSBPE licenses plumbers, registers apprentices, and takes complaints about plumbing work. It does not set prices. A company that offers or contracts plumbing work to the public must have at least one Responsible Master Plumber and a current certificate of insurance on file with the board. The board's own certificate of insurance form describes coverage of at least $300,000 for commercial general liability claims in a one-year period. Get the price and any warranty in writing, and compare more than one quote on a larger job.

How to check a license

1. Go to tsbpe.texas.gov and choose Find a license/registration. The board's own how-to also points to the public license search at vo.licensing.hpc.texas.gov.
2. Choose Search by Name or Search by License Number. If you search by number, enter digits only. The TSBPE notes that "99999" works and "M99999" does not.
3. Set the board to Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners and the type to Plumbing – Licensed or Registered. Use Plumbing – Inspector only if you are looking up an inspector.
4. Open the person's record and read the status, dates, insurance, and any disciplinary actions.

The board's PDF walks through the same clicks: How to look up current license status.

What to read on the record

• License status should be current, not expired.
• Expiration date should cover the day of your job.
• Insurance (COI) for the Responsible Master Plumber behind the company.
• Endorsements, such as the one required for gas work.
• Disciplinary actions, which the record lists with documents you can download.

License types you will see

The TSBPE publishes lists of Responsible Master Plumbers, Master Plumbers, Journeyman Plumbers, Tradesman Plumber–Limited licensees, and registered apprentices. Those files are on the TSBPE licensee lists page. For a homeowner, the practical test is simple: the company should be working under a Responsible Master Plumber, and the person doing the work should hold a current license or registration.

On the board's consumer page, a Master Plumber license number starts with the letter M. A number that starts with A, T, or J is not a Master Plumber number. Ask for the Responsible Master Plumber's name and that M number, then look it up before work starts. Hiring tips are on the TSBPE consumer information page.

How to contact the TSBPE

The board's contact page lists the Austin office, as of September 2025, at 7915 Cameron Road, Austin, TX 78754. The main phone number is (512) 936-5200. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Complaints start with the fillable form linked from tsbpe.texas.gov. Use the phone number and department contacts on the TSBPE contact page rather than an old mailing address you might find on a PDF from years ago.

Red flags

• The plumber will not give you a license number.
• The name on the license does not match the business or the person on site.
• You are asked to pull the permit yourself for work the plumber is doing.
• A large cash payment up front, with no written quote.

Find a plumber near you

Browse plumbers in Houston or plumbers in Dallas. Many listings show a Texas license number so you can check it on the TSBPE search before you call.

Related pages

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• Questions to Ask a Mover in Dallas Before You Book

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change — check the official source linked above before you rely on it.