To file a complaint against a business in Texas, you have three main options: the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, an industry-specific state regulator, or the Better Business Bureau. If none of those resolve the problem, you can sue the business in justice court for amounts up to $20,000. Which route fits best depends on the type of business, how much money is at stake, and whether you’re prepared to go to court.
Put Your Documentation Together First
Before you contact anyone, gather your paper trail. You need the legal name of the business (not just a trade name), the physical address where the transaction happened, and the dates of every interaction that matters. If you dealt with a specific manager or owner, write the name down. Collect receipts, signed contracts, invoices, emails, text messages, and any written correspondence.
Calculate your actual dollar losses. A complaint that says “they owe me money” gets less traction than one that says “I paid $1,200 for a roof repair that was never completed, and here’s the contract and canceled check.” Agencies and courts both respond to specificity. If you paid by credit card, pull the statement showing the charge. If the business made promises in advertising, screenshot or print those.
File With the Texas Attorney General
The Office of the Attorney General runs the state’s primary consumer complaint system through its Consumer Protection Division. You can submit online through the Consumer Complaint Portal or mail your documentation to the Consumer Protection Division at P.O. Box 12548, Austin, TX 78711-2548.1Office of the Attorney General. File a Complaint The online portal walks you through the steps and lets you upload evidence directly.2Office of the Attorney General. Consumer Complaint Portal
Once processed, you’ll receive a file number to track progress. The office reviews your submission to determine whether it falls within their enforcement jurisdiction and may contact the business for a formal response. Set expectations accordingly: the Attorney General’s office does not act as your private attorney or represent you individually. What it can do is apply institutional pressure that often nudges a business toward resolution, and it uses complaint data to identify patterns of deceptive conduct that may trigger enforcement action.
Industry Regulators Often Move Faster
The Attorney General handles broad consumer protection, but several Texas agencies oversee specific industries and hold the business’s license. Filing with the right regulator often gets faster results.
- Insurance disputes. The Texas Department of Insurance handles complaints about denied claims, claim delays, settlement disputes, and billing issues for auto, homeowners, health, life, and title insurance. The process typically takes 30 to 40 days, during which a specialist reviews your complaint, contacts the insurer, and analyzes the response.3Texas Department of Insurance. Consumer Complaint Process
- Licensed trades and professions. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation accepts complaints about air conditioning technicians, electricians, plumbers, auctioneers, tow truck companies, cosmetologists, and dozens of other licensed categories. If you hired a licensed professional and the work was substandard, or the person wasn’t actually licensed, TDLR is the right place to file.4Texas.gov. Complaints
- Real estate agents and brokers. The Texas Real Estate Commission investigates complaints about licensed agents and brokers. File in writing through the REALM Portal, provide your name and contact information (no anonymous complaints), and include supporting documents like contracts, emails, and closing statements. TREC imposes a four-year deadline from the date of the incident.5Texas Real Estate Commission. How to File a Complaint
File With the Better Business Bureau
The BBB is not a government agency and has no legal authority to force a business to do anything. Many businesses still respond because an unresolved complaint damages their public rating. You enter the business details on the BBB’s online platform and describe the dispute. The BBB forwards everything to the business within two business days, and the business has 14 calendar days to respond. If no response comes, the BBB sends a follow-up. Complaints are generally closed within about 30 days.6Better Business Bureau. Complaints
You can accept the business’s response to close the case or reject it if the proposed resolution falls short. The interaction becomes part of the business’s public BBB profile. Treat a BBB complaint as a reputational lever, not a legal one. It works best alongside a complaint to the Attorney General or the appropriate regulator, not instead of one.
When the Deceptive Trade Practices Act Applies
If the business misled you, broke a warranty, or engaged in unfair dealing, Texas law gives you more than a complaint form. The Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act covers false or misleading advertising, failing to disclose known defects, charging for services not performed, and bait-and-switch tactics.7State of Texas. Texas Business and Commerce Code Chapter 17 – Deceptive Trade Practices
A successful DTPA claim can recover your economic damages plus court costs and attorney’s fees. If you can prove the business acted knowingly, you may recover up to three times your actual damages.8Office of the Attorney General. Consumer Rights That multiplier is the reason businesses often settle DTPA claims rather than risk trial.
Send the 60-Day Notice Before Filing a DTPA Lawsuit
This is the step most people skip, and it can get your case thrown out. Before you file a DTPA lawsuit, Texas law requires you to send the business a written notice at least 60 days in advance. The notice must describe your complaint in reasonable detail and state the amount of economic damages, mental anguish damages, and expenses (including attorney’s fees) you’ve incurred.9State of Texas. Texas Business and Commerce Code Chapter 17 – Deceptive Trade Practices – Section 17.505
The 60-day window gives the business a chance to inspect the goods at issue and make a settlement offer before litigation begins. If you skip the notice and file anyway, the business can file a plea in abatement, and the court will pause your case until 60 days after you provide proper notice. The only exception is when waiting 60 days would cause you to miss the statute of limitations. In that narrow situation you can file suit immediately, and the business gets 60 days after being served to make a settlement offer.9State of Texas. Texas Business and Commerce Code Chapter 17 – Deceptive Trade Practices – Section 17.505
Send the notice by certified mail with return receipt requested so you have proof of delivery. Keep a copy of the letter and the mailing receipt. If the business ignores you or responds with an inadequate offer after 60 days, you can go to court.
Filing Suit in Justice Court
When complaints and demand letters don’t resolve the problem, Texas justice courts handle civil disputes for amounts up to $20,000, not counting interest and court costs.10Harris County Justice of the Peace Courts. Justice Court Suits – About the Justice Court These courts are designed to be accessible without a lawyer, though you can hire one.
The Petition and Filing Fees
File a petition with the justice court clerk in the precinct where the business is located, where the transaction happened, or where a contract was supposed to be performed.11Harris County Justice of the Peace Courts. Filing Small Claims Cases The petition must include your name and contact information, the business’s name and address, the amount you’re seeking, and the basis for your claim. Write it in plain factual language: what happened, when, what you paid, and what the business failed to do.
You’ll pay a filing fee at the time you submit the petition. The exact amount varies by county and is governed by the Texas Local Government Code.12State of Texas. Texas Local Government Code Chapter 118 – Fees Charged by County Officers You’ll also pay a separate service fee to have the citation delivered. Budget at least $150 to $250 total to get the case started.
Serving the Business
After you file, the clerk issues a citation that must be formally delivered. Texas justice court rules allow service by a sheriff, constable, certified process server, the court clerk via certified mail, or a court-authorized person who is at least 18.13Texas State Law Library. Serving the Defendant Delivery is either in person or by certified mail with restricted delivery and return receipt. A Return of Service is then filed with the court to prove the business was properly notified.
The Business’s Response Deadline
After being served, the business has until the end of the 14th day to file a written answer with the court. If the 14th day falls on a weekend or legal holiday, the deadline extends to the next business day. If the business fails to respond, you can ask the court for a default judgment awarding you the amount you requested without a trial. Courts do scrutinize default judgment requests to make sure service was proper and the claim has merit, so don’t treat it as automatic.
Mediation and Trial
Some justice courts refer cases to mediation before setting a trial date. A mediator helps both sides negotiate, and you can accept or reject any proposal. If the court orders mediation and you have a legitimate reason to object, file a written objection within 10 days. If the judge finds your grounds reasonable, mediation won’t be required. Cases that don’t settle proceed to trial, where you present your evidence directly to the judge.
Deadlines That End Your Options
Texas imposes strict time limits on legal action. Missing these deadlines permanently bars your claim.
- Fraud: four years from the date the cause of action accrues.14State of Texas. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 16 – Limitations – Section 16.004
- Debt: four years.14State of Texas. Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 16 – Limitations – Section 16.004
- Breach of fiduciary duty: four years.
- Breach of a contract for the sale of goods: four years under the Texas Business and Commerce Code.
- TREC complaints against real estate agents: four years from the date of the incident.5Texas Real Estate Commission. How to File a Complaint
These clocks start on the date the harmful act occurs, not when you discover it, with limited exceptions for fraud where the deception itself prevented discovery. Factor in the DTPA’s mandatory 60-day pre-suit notice when you calculate your timeline. If you’re within a few months of a deadline, send the notice immediately and consult an attorney.
Collecting After You Win
Winning in court and getting paid are two different problems. A judgment is a piece of paper saying you’re owed money; collecting it requires more steps, and some businesses make the process as difficult as they can.
After the appeal window expires (10 days for justice court cases), you can obtain an abstract of judgment from the court for $5.00.15State of Texas. Texas Local Government Code Chapter 118 – Fees Charged by County Officers – Section 118.121 Filing the abstract with the county clerk in any county where the business owns real property creates a lien on that property, meaning the business cannot sell without paying your judgment first. You can file the abstract in as many Texas counties as you want, paying a recording fee each time.
If the business won’t pay voluntarily and you want to seize assets, request a writ of execution. The writ directs a constable or sheriff to levy against the business’s non-exempt property to satisfy the judgment. The court charges $5.00 per page for issuing the writ.15State of Texas. Texas Local Government Code Chapter 118 – Fees Charged by County Officers – Section 118.121
Texas has some of the most generous debtor protections in the country. A business owner’s homestead is protected from forced sale for most debts under the Texas Constitution.16Texas State Law Library. Exempt Property A significant amount of personal property is also exempt under the Texas Property Code, including home furnishings and tools of trade.17State of Texas. Texas Property Code Chapter 42 – Personal Property If the business operates as a formal entity like an LLC or corporation, its commercial assets are generally reachable, but sole proprietors can shield more behind personal exemptions. Consider that before you spend money suing a business with few collectible assets.