Criminal History Requirements

Criminal Conviction Notification

Renewals

If you are applying for renewal of a license or registration, or responding to a renewal deficiency letter, complete the online criminal history notification by completing the Criminal History Online Form .

If you are responding to a renewal deficiency letter, you must contact the staff member that issued the letter to inform him/her that you have submitted the form.

Downloadable Criminal Conviction Notification form

New Licenses/Registrations

When using the Occupational Licensing Electronic Application (OLEA) for new licenses or registrations, the Criminal History form questions are included within the application and there is no need to complete a paper form.

If you are not using OLEA, or if OLEA doesn't yet include the registration you are applying for, you can use the Downloadable Criminal Conviction Notification form.

If you are responding to a new license or registration deficiency letter, you must contact the staff member that issued the letter to inform him/her that you have submitted the Downloadable Criminal Conviction Notification form

What to Report

ALL arrests and convictions, including deferred or dismissed cases, above a Class C Misdemeanor, must be reported.

• There is no time limit on the convictions and arrests that must be reported.
• An arrest has occurred any time you have been taken into custody under the authority of law.
• A conviction has occurred any time that you received a court ruling of "Convicted", "Deferred Adjudication", or "Dismissed" for an offense for which you were arrested.

Websites to Assist You in Completing the Form

• To locate website for courts in Texas, visit the interactive map of counties at: https://card.txcourts.gov/DirectorySearch.aspx
• To conduct a Texas Department of Public Safety Public Criminal History Search, go to: https://publicsite.dps.texas.gov/ConvictionNameSearch/
• If you rather request a Fingerprint Search for an in/out of state and national criminal history record check instead, you will be required to submit an application to us first. After your application is received, you will receive further instructions.

Criminal History Evaluation

Individuals who believe that they may be ineligible to obtain an initial license or registration due to a conviction or deferred adjudication may request an evaluation of their criminal conviction history prior to applying for the license or registration.

Evaluations will not be performed for individuals that have no criminal history, already have a TCEQ license or registration, or for those that are not actively seeking to obtain a TCEQ Occupational license or registration.

Individuals that have committed a crime in the following categories and are applying for a new high-risk license or registration (BPAT, CSI, Landscape Irrigation, OSSF, and WTS) are especially encouraged to request an evaluation before applying.

• An offense that directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of the licensed occupation (example: Fraud/Theft connected to business, negligence in occupation)
• An offense that does not directly relate to the license but was committed less than 5 years before the application for a license;
• An offense listed in Texas Code of Criminal Procedures (CCP) 42A (Murder, Injury to a child, Aggravated Kidnapping, Aggravated Robbery)
• A sexually violent offense, identified in CCP 62.001.

You may download a Criminal Conviction Evaluation to request a paper Criminal Conviction Evaluation form.

Criminal History Review Authority and Guidelines

Occupations Code. Title 2. Chapter 53. Subchapter A - D authorizes the TCEQ to consider criminal history on all applicants attempting to obtain or renew a license or registration. The types of convictions that may deem an individual ineligible for a license or registration and the considerations being used to determine eligibility to obtain or renew a license or registration are outlined in the Criminal Conviction Guidelines