A felony conviction does not lock you out of licensed work in Texas. Most professional licenses a convicted felon can get in Texas run through the same framework: the licensing board has to look at your specific conviction, decide whether it directly relates to the job, and weigh your history as an individual before it can turn you down.1State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code Section 53-023 A short list of offenses triggers automatic bars for a few specific licenses, and federal rules add their own limits on maritime and banking work, but outside those pockets the door is open.
Licensed Trades and Professions Open to You
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation oversees more than two dozen occupations, and no applicant is automatically denied based on criminal history alone. Every application goes through case-by-case review.2Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Second Chances for Occupational Licensing TDLR staff regularly visit Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities to walk incarcerated people through the pathways, especially in three fields where in-prison training is already available through the Windham School District.
Common TDLR-regulated careers people with felony records pursue:
- Barbering and cosmetology, with training programs available inside TDCJ facilities.
- Air conditioning and refrigeration contracting.
- Electrical work, also offered through Windham School District programs in prison.
- Tow truck operation, including vehicle storage facility licensing.
- Water well drilling and pump installation.
TDLR also regulates auctioneers, boiler safety technicians, property tax consultants, mold assessors, and elevator safety inspectors, among others, under the same individualized review.3Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Criminal History Evaluation Letter You still have to meet the normal education, examination, and experience requirements.
Other agencies license professions outside TDLR’s reach. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission oversees nursing assistants and certain healthcare roles, the Texas Board of Nursing handles RN and LVN licenses, and the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner regulates financial services licenses. All of them operate under the same Chapter 53 framework: they must evaluate your record individually and show a conviction relates to the occupation before denying you.4Legal Information Institute. 7 Texas Admin Code 82.3 – Request for Criminal History Evaluation Letter
How a Board Decides Whether Your Conviction Blocks a License
Texas law starts with a presumption in your favor. A board that wants to deny you carries the burden of showing your conviction directly relates to the work you want to do.1State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code Section 53-023 Every licensing authority must publish written guidelines explaining which crimes it treats as related to each license and why.5Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Guidelines for License Applicants with Criminal Convictions A violent-crime conviction, for example, draws closer scrutiny for a barber license because barbers work in close physical contact with customers; a financial-crime conviction unrelated to that setting would not. You can read these guidelines on each agency’s website before you apply.
Even where a board does find a connection, it cannot stop there. Seven additional factors must be weighed:1State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code Section 53-023
- The nature and extent of your criminal history. A single offense is treated differently than a pattern.
- Your age when the offense happened.
- Time elapsed since the offense or your release from supervision.
- Your conduct and work activity before and after the offense.
- Evidence of rehabilitation, including treatment programs, certifications earned while incarcerated, and volunteering.
- Compliance with parole, probation, or community supervision conditions.
- Letters of recommendation from employers, parole officers, or community leaders. You have to gather and submit these yourself.
The Massage Therapy Exception
Massage therapy is the one major TDLR license where the case-by-case approach does not apply. Under Texas Occupations Code Section 455.152(a), you are automatically ineligible for any massage therapy license (therapist, instructor, school, or establishment) if you have been convicted of, pleaded guilty or no contest to, or received deferred adjudication for any of the following:5Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Guidelines for License Applicants with Criminal Convictions
- Trafficking of persons
- Sexual assault
- Solicitation or promotion of prostitution
- Compelling prostitution
The board has no discretion here. Rehabilitation and time elapsed do not matter. If you have a conviction in one of these categories, paying for massage therapy training is throwing money away.
Federal Rules That Override State Licensing
A few career paths carry federal restrictions that apply no matter what Texas decides.
Maritime and Port Work (TWIC)
Working at ports, on vessels, or at other maritime facilities requires a Transportation Worker Identification Credential from the TSA. Certain felonies permanently disqualify you: espionage, treason, federal terrorism offenses, murder, and crimes involving explosives or transportation security incidents.6eCFR. 49 CFR 1572.103 – Disqualifying Criminal Offenses
A second category triggers only an interim disqualification. You are barred if you were convicted within seven years of applying or released from incarceration within five years. These interim disqualifiers include robbery, arson, kidnapping, firearms offenses, drug distribution, bribery, extortion, and fraud or dishonesty offenses related to the categories above.6eCFR. 49 CFR 1572.103 – Disqualifying Criminal Offenses Once the waiting period runs, you can apply.
Banks and Credit Unions
Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act bars anyone convicted of a crime involving dishonesty, breach of trust, or money laundering from working at an FDIC-insured bank or credit union without the FDIC’s prior written consent.7GovInfo. 12 USC 1829 – Penalty for Unauthorized Participation by Convicted Individual For specified federal financial crimes like bank fraud, embezzlement from a financial institution, and money laundering, the FDIC cannot grant an exception for at least ten years after the conviction becomes final. Simple drug possession offenses generally do not trigger the ban.
Check Before You Pay for Training
Before you enroll in a program or pay exam fees, request a Criminal History Evaluation Letter (CHEL) from the agency that regulates the license you want. The CHEL is essentially a preliminary ruling on whether your record would likely disqualify you.8State of Texas. Texas Occupations Code Section 53-102 – Request for Criminal History Evaluation Letter
A complete request includes the agency’s request form, a criminal history questionnaire for each conviction or deferred adjudication (date, name and degree of the charge, sentencing court), a personal statement about the circumstances and your rehabilitation, and the agency’s fee. TDLR charges $10 per request; HHSC charges $50 per license type, and fees are non-refundable; other agencies set their own.3Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Criminal History Evaluation Letter9Texas Health and Human Services. Request for a Criminal History Evaluation Letter
The agency has 90 days from a complete request to issue your letter. A favorable CHEL is not a guarantee of licensure, but it gives you solid footing before you spend money on school.
Restricted Licenses as a Middle Path
For electricians (Chapter 1305) and air conditioning and refrigeration contractors (Chapter 1302), TDLR has a middle option. Under House Bill 1342, the agency can issue a restricted license instead of denying your application when your record raises concerns short of a full bar.2Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Second Chances for Occupational Licensing Conditions may limit your geographic area or scope of practice, require you to work under a supervisor, and require you to report changes in your supervision status to TDLR.10Texas Department of Public Safety. HB 1342 Enrolled Bill Text The restricted status appears on the face of your license and can serve as a stepping stone toward a full one.
If You Are Denied
If a board denies your application or revokes a license based on your criminal history, you can challenge the decision. After the agency’s internal appeals are exhausted, you can file a lawsuit in the district court in the county where the licensing authority is located. The petition must be filed within 30 days of the date the agency’s decision becomes final.11Texas State Board of Education. Texas Occupations Code Section 53.052 – Judicial Review The court reviews the evidence the board considered and whether it properly applied the Chapter 53 factors. The 30-day window is strict, so talk to an attorney quickly if you believe the board got it wrong.