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One of the issuing agencies, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), oversees many occupational licenses including those for cosmetologists, plumbers, audiologists and auctioneers; related businesses are also regulated. Equipment licensing includes scales, elevators and gas pumps, among others.
TDLR expects to issue more than 135,000 new licenses in 2024 and 2025 and renew more than 650,000, according to state budget documents.
The agency also provides human trafficking prevention certification for multiple public-facing license holders including speech-language pathologists and behavior analysts.
Licensing functions are supported by multiple databases, and many still require manual processes, according to leadership, who have plans to consolidate and modernize systems in the coming years.
FAST FACTS
Budget: The agency’s overall budget is set to be $83.3 million in 2024 and $51.7 million in 2025.
Leadership: The Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation, comprised of seven volunteer members, oversees agency governance and policy. Mike Arismendez is the TDLR executive director.
CIO John Fowler has been with the agency since October 2021.
Staff: There are 577 full-time equivalents.
TECH OUTLOOK
A new law, HB 2453, paved the way for digital licenses including the professional licenses TDLR oversees.
The Legislature also allocated $33 million for the department to “acquire a modern and comprehensive licensing system,” according to the budget.
Additional technology and funds for the upcoming biennium include scheduled PC replacement, $82,852 in 2024 and $83,580 in 2025. Funding for data center consolidation is $1.6 million and $1.4 million, respectively.
Editor's note: The total budget of the department has been corrected.
