Does a Restoration Company Need a License? State Rules Explained

It depends on your state and the type of work. There is no single national license for restoration companies, but some states require a special license for mold remediation, and many require a contractor license for the rebuild work that follows water, fire or storm damage.

The safest move is simple: before you sign anything, look the company up in your state's official license database. This guide shows you where.

Is there a national restoration license?

No. Licensing is handled state by state, and sometimes locally. Even the IICRC, an industry certification and standards nonprofit, tells companies that each county, city and state has different laws for operating a mold remediation business, and points them to local government for requirements (IICRC ↗).

That means a company can be fully legal in one state and need a license in the next. Never assume one state's rule applies everywhere.

States that license mold remediation

Texas

Texas licenses mold work through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) under Occupations Code chapter 1958 ↗.

• License required: A person may not do mold assessment without a mold assessment license, or mold remediation without a mold remediation license (sec. 1958.101). TDLR issues separate licenses for remediation companies, remediation contractors, assessment consultants and others (TDLR ↗).
• Separate companies: A license holder may not do both assessment and remediation on the same project (sec. 1958.155). TDLR's FAQ ↗ confirms this, with a narrow exception for school district employees.
• Exemptions (sec. 1958.102): No license is needed to remediate an area under 25 contiguous square feet. Owners, and their managing agents or employees, generally don't need a license for work on residential property they own with fewer than 10 dwelling units, unless they do mold work for the public. TDLR says the small-area exemption doesn't apply to a licensed remediation contractor (TDLR FAQ ↗).
• Certificate: Only a licensed remediator can issue a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation (TDLR FAQ ↗). The Texas Department of Insurance tells consumers to make sure the mold professional has a state license (TDI ↗).
• Look it up: TDLR License Search ↗ by name, license number or county.

More on our Texas page.

Florida

Florida licenses mold assessors and mold remediators through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) under Florida Statutes chapter 468, Part XVI (DBPR ↗).

• License required: The law bars performing or offering mold assessment or remediation without required training and without complying with Part XVI (Fla. Stat. 468.8419 ↗).
• Size threshold: The law defines mold assessment and remediation as work on mold growth of greater than 10 square feet (Fla. Stat. 468.8411 ↗).
• Insurance: Mold remediators must carry at least $1,000,000 in general liability insurance with specific mold coverage. Assessors must carry general liability and errors and omissions coverage of at least $1 million (Fla. Stat. 468.8421 ↗).
• Conflict rule: An assessor may not remediate a structure the assessor's company assessed within the last 12 months, and the reverse is also barred, with an exception for certain certified Division I contractors (468.8419).
• Look it up: DBPR License Search ↗ by name, license number, city or county, or license type. DBPR's license types are Mold Assessor and Mold Remediator.

More on our Florida page.

New York

New York's Department of Labor licenses mold work under Labor Law Article 32.

• License required: DOL says it's unlawful to engage, advertise or hold yourself out as a mold assessor, remediation contractor or abatement worker without a valid license (NY DOL ↗).
• Size threshold: A covered "project" means mold work on areas greater than 10 square feet (Labor Law sec. 930 ↗).
• Independence: No licensee may do both assessment and remediation on the same property, and no one may own an interest in both companies on the same property (Labor Law sec. 936 ↗). DOL also says an independent mold assessment defines the scope of remediation work.
• Exemptions: DOL lists limited exceptions, such as home or business owners working on their own property.
• Look it up: The state's Mold Contractor Licenses dataset ↗ on NY Open Data, which DOL links as its licensed contractor search (NY DOL ↗).

More on our New York page.

Louisiana

Louisiana licenses mold remediation through the State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC).

• License required: The board says a mold remediation license is required for remediation projects valued at $7,500 or more (LSLBC ↗). Its classification page words this as a value that "exceeds $7,500" (LSLBC ↗).
• Training: The license requires 24 hours of board-approved training in mold remediation and assessment.
• Look it up: LSLBC Verify Licensure ↗, which links to the board's contractor search.

Other states may have their own rules. If your state isn't listed, check its contractor licensing board or attorney general's office.

Rebuild work often needs a contractor license

Mold licensing is only part of the picture. Putting walls, floors, roofs and systems back together is construction, and many states license that.

• California: The Contractors State License Board (CSLB) says contracting without a license is illegal when a project is valued at $1,000 or more in combined labor and materials, or when the work needs a building permit or uses employee labor (CSLB ↗). Check licenses with CSLB's lookup ↗.
• Florida: DBPR says roofing, structural additions, HVAC, plumbing, electrical and alarm work require a DBPR license and usually a permit. It also warns that unlicensed contracting during a declared state of emergency is a felony (DBPR ↗).
• New York City: Home improvement work on residential property in the city requires a Home Improvement Contractor license from the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (NYC DCWP ↗).

Ask every company which parts of the job it will do itself and which it will subcontract, and check the license for each.

Insurance and certification

Insurance. Ask for a certificate of insurance before work starts. Some states set minimums. Florida requires $1 million in liability coverage for mold remediators (Fla. Stat. 468.8421 ↗), and Texas mold license applicants must show proof of required insurance (TDLR FAQ ↗).

IICRC certification. The IICRC is a nonprofit that sets industry standards and provides training and certification (IICRC ↗). It's a private credential, not a government license, and it doesn't replace a state license where one is required. You can verify an IICRC Certified Firm on its Global Locator or by contacting the IICRC (IICRC ↗).

How Best Restoration labels companies

On our company listings, you'll see one of two labels:

• State licensed: We found the company's license in official Texas, Florida or New York mold remediation records, and we link to that record so you can check it yourself.
• No state license on record: We didn't find a state mold remediation license. This is not a warning on its own. The state may not license that kind of work, the company may do work that doesn't need one, or we may not check that state's records yet.

Licenses can expire or change. Always confirm on the official lookup before you sign. Our guides on choosing a restoration company and restoration contractor scams cover other red flags.

When you're ready: Get matched with restoration companies near you for free.

Frequently asked questions

Do mold remediation companies need a license?

In some states. Texas, Florida, New York and Louisiana license mold remediation, each with its own rules and thresholds (TDLR ↗; DBPR ↗; NY DOL ↗; LSLBC ↗). Many states don't have a mold-specific license.

How do I check a contractor license?

Use your state's official lookup, such as TDLR ↗, Florida DBPR ↗, NY Open Data ↗, LSLBC ↗ or California CSLB ↗. Match the exact business name and license number on your contract.

Can the same company test and remove mold?

Not on the same project in Texas or the same property in New York (Tex. Occ. Code 1958.155 ↗; NY Labor Law 936 ↗). Florida bars it within 12 months, with a contractor exception (468.8419).

Is IICRC certification the same as a license?

No. IICRC is a private nonprofit certification and standards body (IICRC ↗). It's useful to check, but it doesn't replace a state license.

Does water damage restoration need a license?

Rules vary by state. Even where drying work itself isn't specially licensed, rebuild work often needs a contractor license, as in California (CSLB ↗) and Florida (DBPR ↗). Check your state's board.

What does "No state license on record" mean on Best Restoration?

It means we didn't find a state mold remediation license. The state may not license that work, or we may not check that state yet. Confirm with the official lookup.