Type mold remediation companies near me into a search bar in Plano and you will get pages of nearly identical listings, most with five stars and a friendly photo of a van. What the listings rarely show is the detail that actually protects your home and your wallet: whether the company holds the correct Texas license for the work it is quoting. Texas regulates mold work more tightly than most states, and those rules hand you a free verification checklist. Used properly, it takes about ten minutes per company and eliminates most of the risk before anyone touches your drywall.
Why Texas Splits Mold Work Between Two Different Licenses
Most homeowners assume a mold contractor is one professional who inspects, prices, and removes the growth. In Texas, that assumption can cost you. Under Occupations Code chapter 1958, mold assessment and mold remediation are two separate licenses issued by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and the same company may not perform both on a single project. A company that offers to handle the inspection, the protocol, and the removal as one package is either describing work it cannot legally do or quietly subcontracting the parts it is not licensed for.
The licensing rule only applies once a job crosses a specific line: 25 contiguous square feet of mold. Below that threshold, you may clean the area yourself or hire anyone you like. At or above it, hired work follows a defined sequence, and each step involves a different licensee:
A licensed mold assessment consultant inspects the property, maps moisture, and writes a project-specific remediation protocol naming the rooms involved, how much material comes out, what containment and methods apply, and how clearance will be judged. You must receive that protocol at least a day before work begins. A separate licensed mold remediation contractor then writes a work plan to carry out the protocol, notifies TDLR at least five days before starting (the next business day in a water-damage emergency, with a $25 fee), builds containment, removes the moldy material, and dries the area. Before containment comes down, the assessment consultant returns, checks visually, takes any samples the protocol calls for, confirms the water source was fixed, and issues a written passed clearance report.
Within 10 days of completion, the remediation contractor provides a Certificate of Mold Damage Remediation, known as TDI form MDR-1, signed by both licensees. Insurers may not underwrite against damage that a certificate documents as remediated, and buyers are entitled to copies for five years. Practically speaking, a responsible shortlist is really two lists: one for assessment and one for remediation. Sorting that out before you request pricing saves everyone time.
How to Check a TDLR License and What to Ask For Before Work Starts
The verification itself is straightforward. TDLR maintains a public license search at tdlr.texas.gov. Enter the company name exactly as it appears on the quote—not the trade name on the van—and confirm two things: that the license is active, and whether it covers assessment, remediation, or both lines held by separate entities. Note the license holder’s legal business name and match it to the paperwork you are asked to sign. Unlicensed assessment or remediation is a Class C violation carrying a $2,000 to $5,000 penalty per violation, so the incentive to look legitimate is strong.
License status changes, so run the search again in the week before work begins rather than relying on a result from months earlier. A license verified back in March 2026 tells you nothing if the renewal lapsed in the interim.
Beyond the database, three documents should be on hand before anyone starts. First, the Consumer Mold Information Sheet, which companies are expected to provide. Second, proof of at least $1 million in liability insurance—ask for the certificate itself, not a verbal assurance. Third, the written protocol, which the assessment consultant must deliver at least a day ahead of the work. A company that resists any of these requests has told you something useful about how the rest of the job will go.
It also helps to ask directly: Which license do you hold, and who is handling the other half of the project? A licensed remediation contractor should be able to name the assessment consultant who wrote the protocol or confirm that one will be engaged. Solo operators who promise the whole package are the fastest way to end up with work that cannot be cleared, documented, or insured.
If you would rather not call ten companies one by one, a free quote service such as Plano Mold Experts does the routing for you. You describe the problem once, and independent TDLR-licensed companies—assessment firms and remediation firms among them—contact you with no-obligation quotes. The service does not perform the work; the licensing check remains yours to complete.
Red Flags and Real-World Scenarios in Plano and Collin County
Some warning signs show up across every kind of job. An offer to perform assessment and remediation under one roof. A price given over the phone without anyone looking at the space. A request to start the same day when nothing is actively leaking. No written scope, no mention of TDLR notification, no insurance certificate. And a growing favorite: out-of-area call centers with a Plano phone number and no local address. None of these guarantee a bad outcome, but each one shifts risk onto you.
Local conditions make certain scenarios common. Blackland clay soil around Plano shifts with moisture and produces slab leaks that wick up baseboards and carpet tack strips. Attic air handlers and condensate lines stain decking and ceiling drywall below. Hail-bruised roofs let water into sheathing that stays damp for weeks. In each case the EPA’s guidance holds: wet materials dried within 24 to 48 hours usually do not grow mold. And if growth may be inside or near the air handler or ducts, the EPA advises against running the system until it has been inspected—a detail worth mentioning to whoever quotes the job.
Comparing bids fairly means comparing scopes, not totals. Assessment, protocol, and clearance are separate invoices from a separate company, so a low remediation number paired with an unbudgeted assessment fee is not a bargain. Published national planning ranges from sources such as This Old House, Fixr, and HomeAdvisor can help you sanity-check a figure, but real Plano pricing comes from the licensed companies after they have looked at the space. For renters, Texas Property Code 92.052 governs repair obligations and is worth reading before a landlord conversation. Whoever you hire, keep the MDR-1 with your closing documents—it outlasts the contractor’s invoice.
