Hiring a licensed plumber in Laredo

Published October 24, 2026

Texas plumbing licenses

Plumbing in Texas is regulated by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners under the Plumbing License Law, Chapter 1301 of the Occupations Code. The board issues several kinds of licenses and registrations, and each allows different work.

Licenses renew every year. A license that was valid when someone printed a business card may not be valid today, which is why checking takes priority over taking someone’s word for it.

How to check a license

1. Ask for the number. Any plumbing company should give you its Responsible Master Plumber’s name and license number without hesitation. The license number is often printed on the truck and the invoice.
2. Look it up. Search the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners’ website. Confirm the name, the license type and that it is active.
3. Match the company. Make sure the license is tied to the company you are hiring, not to someone who left it years ago.
4. Ask who will do the work. The person in your house may hold a different license than the company owner. That can be legal when properly supervised; ask anyway.

When you can do it yourself

Texas law lets a property owner do plumbing in their own homestead without a plumbing license. Many people replace a toilet flapper, a faucet or a showerhead themselves. The exemption applies to your homestead, not to a rental property you own and not to a neighbor’s house. Permit and code rules can still apply to owner-done work, so check with the city before larger projects. Gas piping, water heater venting and anything that ties into the sewer are good reasons to hire a licensed plumber even when the law does not require one.

Permits in Laredo

Inside city limits, permits go through the City of Laredo Building Development Services department. In 2024 the city adopted the 2021 editions of the International Plumbing Code, the International Fuel Gas Code and the International Private Sewage Disposal Code by Ordinance 2024-O-151. The city also requires a permit for every new lawn irrigation installation under its 2025 cross-connection ordinance.

Jobs that commonly need a plumbing permit include water heater replacement, gas line work, sewer line repair or replacement, repiping, moving or adding fixtures, and new irrigation systems. Small repairs, like replacing a flapper or a faucet cartridge, generally do not. When in doubt, ask the plumber and confirm with the city.

• A permitted job is inspected, which is your independent check on the work
• Unpermitted work can cause problems when you sell the house or file an insurance claim
• A plumber who suggests skipping a required permit to save money is a reason to keep looking
• Ask whether the permit fee is included in the estimate

What a good written estimate includes

• The company name, its Responsible Master Plumber and license number
• A description of the work, specific enough that another plumber could price the same job
• Materials, with brands or grades where it matters, such as a water heater model or pipe type
• Whether permits, inspections, haul-away and wall or floor patching are included
• Any diagnostic or trip fee and whether it is credited toward the repair
• Payment terms, including any deposit and when the balance is due
• The warranty on parts and on labor, and how long each lasts

For larger jobs such as a repipe, a sewer replacement or a slab leak reroute, getting more than one written estimate is common and reasonable. Compare the scope line by line, not only the total.

Insurance, warranties and paperwork

Ask whether the company carries liability insurance and, for larger jobs, ask for proof. Insurance protects you if a worker damages your home or another part of the property during the job. It is separate from the plumbing license.

Warranties vary widely. Manufacturers warrant parts such as a water heater tank or a faucet cartridge; the plumber warrants the labor. Keep the invoice, the permit number if there was one, and any manufacturer registration in one place. If a problem comes back, that paperwork is what gets it fixed without an argument. It also answers the questions a buyer’s inspector will ask if you sell the house.

Red flags

• No license number, or a number that does not match the company
• Pressure to decide on the spot, especially for a large job
• A large cash deposit before any work or materials
• An offer to skip the permit
• A diagnosis that changes completely once the plumber is in the house, with no explanation or photos
• Refusal to put the price in writing
• A camera inspection video you are not allowed to see

Questions worth asking on the phone

• Do you charge a trip or diagnostic fee, and is it credited toward the repair?
• Do you charge more after hours or on weekends?
• Will a licensed plumber do the work, or supervise it?
• Do you handle gas, backflow testing or irrigation, or only water and drain work?
• How soon can you come, and will you call before arriving?
• Do you pull the permit if one is needed?

If something goes wrong

1. Contact the company in writing. Describe the problem, include photos and the invoice, and give them a chance to fix it. Many issues are resolved here.
2. Check the warranty. Most plumbing companies warranty their labor for some period. Read what you signed.
3. File a licensing complaint. Complaints about licensed plumbers, or about unlicensed plumbing work, go to the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners.

Sources

Official and primary sources used on this page. Rules change, so check the source before acting on a detail.

• Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners: license types
• Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (license search and complaints)
• Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1301 (Plumbing License Law)
• City of Laredo Ordinance 2024-O-151: 2021 International Plumbing, Fuel Gas and Private Sewage Disposal Codes
• City of Laredo Building Development Services: permit applications and requirements
• City of Laredo Ordinance 2025-O-103: cross-connection control and backflow (Sec. 31-115)