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Trades / licenses

We walk students to the state's first card.

Fair Start does not issue a license. We help a student start the correct Texas pathway, then keep a church and a licensed supervisor in the loop.

Talk through a trade path
Organized trade tools, a carpenter's square, and a small brass cross on a workshop bench
The Fair Start Foundationwork, worship, stand
Texas first-credential facts

Accurate cards. No shortcuts.

Read the official state details below. Fees, ages, requirements, supervision, background checks, fingerprints, and hours matter. A clean start is a safe start.

State first card

Electrical — TDLR Electrical Apprentice License

The first card for electrical work in Texas.

  • Age 16+
  • No experience or exam required
  • $20, valid 1 year, renew annually
  • Works under general supervision of a Master Electrician, Journeyman Electrician, or Residential Wireman
  • Generally must hold the license before performing electrical work; a temporary license is often issued immediately for clean applications
Official TDLR Electrical Apprentice License page
State first card

HVAC — TDLR ACR Technician Registration (Registered Technician)

The direct equivalent of the electrical apprentice license for air conditioning and refrigeration.

  • Direct equivalent of the electrical apprentice license
  • Age 16+
  • No experience or exam required
  • $20 new / $20 renew, valid 1 year
  • Works under supervision of a licensed ACR contractor
  • Under 18: supervision must be direct — a licensed contractor or Certified Technician personally present
  • Cannot advertise HVAC services independently
  • Criminal background check required
  • Anyone assisting a licensed ACR contractor with install, maintenance, or repair must hold this registration
  • Higher voluntary Certified Technician tier later (18+, 24 months or 2,000-hour approved program + exam)
  • Contractor license typically requires 48 months supervised experience (or 36 months if Certified Technician held for 12 months) + exam + insurance
  • EPA Section 608 is a separate certification required only if handling refrigerants
Official TDLR ACR Technician Registration page
State first card

Plumbing — TSBPE Plumber's Apprentice Registration (not TDLR)

The first card for the plumber apprentice Texas path.

  • Age 16+
  • Must be authorized to work lawfully in the United States
  • $15 application + $15 renewal
  • Fingerprints required (one-time, statewide)
  • No experience or exam required to register
  • Must register BEFORE hours start counting — hours worked before registration do not count
  • Works only under direct on-site supervision of a licensed plumber; if no licensed plumber is present, only manual tasks such as digging trenches are permitted
  • Path: Tradesman Plumber-Limited (4,000 hours + 24 classroom hours + exam) → Journeyman (8,000 hours + 48 classroom hours + exam) → Master / Responsible Master Plumber
Official TSBPE Plumber's Apprentice Registration page
Fair Start's promise on licenses

We walk the student to the correct first card, get them under a licensed supervisor so hours count, and keep a church at their back so they don't quit.

Does Fair Start itself issue a card?

No. The official Texas agencies issue the card. Fair Start walks students to the correct application and supervised path.

Why do criminal-background checks and fingerprints appear here?

Because they are part of the real path. We do not hide them or soften them for a general audience.

Does Fair Start promise a job?

No. We promise a path and an introduction. A contractor decides whether to hire.