Regulations / State
Texas asbestos regulations.
Who licenses asbestos work in Texas, who takes the notification, and how long before the job you have to file. Plus how the federal rules layer on top.
State licensing & accreditation
Asbestos abatement work in Texas is licensed/accredited through the Texas Dept. of State Health Services (DSHS), Asbestos Program under 25 Tex. Admin. Code Chapter 296 (Texas Asbestos Health Protection Rules); Tex. Health & Safety Code Ch. 1954.
Credentials the state issues:
- Contractor (firm)
- Supervisor
- Worker (registration)
- Inspector
- Project Manager
- Air Monitoring Technician
- Individual Consultant / Consultant Agency
- Management Planner / Agency
- O&M Contractor / Supervisor
- Transporter
- Laboratory
- Training Provider
Texas Dept. of State Health Services (DSHS), Asbestos Program — asbestos licensing.
Notification
Notifications go to the Texas Dept. of State Health Services (DSHS), Asbestos Program under 25 Tex. Admin. Code § 296.251.
- Advance notice: 10 working days.
- Notification details / form.
How the federal rules layer in
No matter the state, federal OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101 (asbestos in construction), EPA NESHAP (40 CFR 61, Subpart M), and AHERA worker accreditation still apply. A state program layers its own licensing and notification on top of — not instead of — these. Where Texas has no state license, the federal accreditation and NESHAP notification requirements are the floor.
Texas-specific notes
- Rules were renumbered from 25 TAC Ch. 295 to Ch. 296 (TAHPR); use Chapter 296.
- Single agency (DSHS) for both licensing and notification.
- Rules apply to asbestos in public buildings (including commercial buildings/facilities).
- DSHS Demolition/Renovation Form (APB #5) combines NESHAP + TAHPR notification.
- Workers are 'registered'; most other roles are 'licensed'.
Official sources
Related
- All asbestos regulations by state
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101 — Asbestos in Construction
- EPA NESHAP — 40 CFR 61, Subpart M
- Asbestos abatement software
- Compliance reporting in Nexus
Items we could not fully verify against a primary source: No formal interstate license reciprocity verified.
Last reviewed against the published rules: 2026-05-28. This is a summary, not legal advice. Asbestos rules — and the agencies that run them — change; confirm the current requirements with the Texas Dept. of State Health Services (DSHS), Asbestos Program and read the actual rule before making a compliance decision.
Texas asbestos: common questions
Do I need a license to do asbestos abatement in Texas?
Yes — Texas regulates who can perform asbestos abatement. Texas Dept. of State Health Services (DSHS), Asbestos Program. Relevant credentials include Contractor (firm), Supervisor, Worker (registration), and others.
Who do I notify before asbestos work in Texas, and how far in advance?
Notifications go to the Texas Dept. of State Health Services (DSHS), Asbestos Program (25 Tex. Admin. Code § 296.251). Required advance notice: 10 working days.
Do the federal OSHA and EPA asbestos rules still apply in Texas?
Yes. Federal OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101, EPA NESHAP (40 CFR 61, Subpart M), and AHERA worker accreditation apply nationwide — Texas's rules layer on top of them, not instead of them.
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