“Licensed chimney sweep” and “licensed chimney inspector” are common San Antonio searches, and the honest answer surprises most people: Texas does not license chimney sweeps. It also has no state license for masons, roofers or general contractors. What Texas does regulate is the gas piping that feeds a fireplace, heating and air-conditioning work, propane and real-estate inspections, and the City of San Antonio regulates who may contract for repairs on an existing house. This is general information, not legal advice.
TDLR: 41 regulated programs, none of them chimneys
The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) is the agency most people assume would license a chimney sweep. Its “Regulated Industries Menu,” checked on October 19, 2026, lists 41 programs, including Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors, Electricians, Boiler Safety, Elevators, Mold, Water Well Drillers and Residential Solar Retailers. None is named chimney, chimney sweep, fireplace, hearth, masonry, roofing or general contractor. No Texas statute or rule mentioning chimney sweeps turned up in any search either.
Two consequences follow. A company advertising itself as “state-licensed” or “TDLR-approved” for sweeping is describing a credential that does not exist. And the credentials that do exist in this trade are private: the Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) and the National Fireplace Institute (NFI) run certification programs, and CSIA states its certification is valid for three years. Verify them on csia.org or nficertified.org rather than trusting a logo on a van. Texas’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act (Bus. & Com. Code §17.46(b)) lists “causing confusion or misunderstanding as to the source, sponsorship, approval, or certification of goods or services” as a deceptive practice.
TSBPE: gas piping is plumbing
Where state licensing does reach a fireplace is the gas line. Texas Occupations Code §1301.002(7) defines “plumbing” to include “a fixture, appurtenance, appliance, or piping … used to: (i) supply, distribute, circulate, or recirculate water, other liquid, or gas,” and “the installation, repair, service, or maintenance” of that piping. Section 1301.351(a) says “A person, other than a responsible master plumber, may not engage in plumbing unless: (1) the person holds the proper license, registration, or endorsement required by this chapter; and (2) the person’s work is supervised and controlled by a person licensed under this chapter.” Section 1301.351(a-2) adds that “A person that advertises or otherwise offers to perform or provide plumbing must secure the services of a responsible master plumber.”
So a new gas stub, a replaced valve or a run of pipe to a fireplace is work for a plumber licensed by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE). Section 1301.053(a)(4) carves out “connecting appliances to existing openings with a code-approved appliance connector” when done by an appliance dealer, and §1301.051 lets an owner do plumbing in their own homestead; TSBPE’s own reading of the dealer exemption was not confirmed, so ask rather than assume. Our gas fireplace post goes deeper, and the gas fireplace service page explains how log-set quotes work.
TDLR again: air conditioning and heating contractors
TDLR does license one trade that can brush against a fireplace. Occupations Code §1302.002(2) defines “air conditioning and refrigeration contracting” as “performing or offering to perform the design, installation, construction, repair, maintenance, service, or modification of equipment or a product in an environmental air conditioning system, a commercial refrigeration system, or a process cooling or heating system,” and §1302.251(a) requires a license for it. Furnace and water-heater flues fall inside that world. Whether a decorative gas log set or fireplace burner does is unclear: TDLR’s FAQ covers furnaces, mini-splits and LP-gas appliances but never mentions fireplaces or gas logs, and no written interpretation was found. So ask any company quoting burner or log-set service whether it holds a TDLR ACR (TACL) license for that work, and note the answer.
The Railroad Commission: propane
Fireplaces beyond CPS Energy’s gas mains, common in the Hill Country ring, run on propane, which the Railroad Commission of Texas regulates. Natural Resources Code §113.081(a) requires a Commission license for “the installation, service, and repair of systems … and appliances to be used with LP-gas as a fuel,” with an exception for connecting “manufactured unvented appliances to LP-gas systems by means of LP-gas appliance connectors.” Licensed plumbers and air-conditioning contractors may register for an exemption under 16 TAC §9.13 by filing LPG Form 16B. If your fireplace runs on a tank, ask who holds the Commission license or the Form 16B exemption.
The City of San Antonio: contractor registration and permits
Inside city limits, the rule that matters for chimney repair is local. The City’s Home Improvement Contractor registration, run by Development Services (DSD), “is for nonstructural repair, replacement, remodeling, alteration, conversion, or modernization to any existing building.” The application requires an FBI criminal-history record dated within 30 days and liability insurance of at least $300,000 per occurrence with the City as certificate holder; the term is two years under City Code Chapter 10-115. A June 2025 DSD interpretation, CI-2025-005, adds that “Structural alterations are only allowed by Residential Building Contractors.” That puts crowns, flashing, tuckpointing, caps, relining and firebox panels on the nonstructural side, while a rebuild that carries load may need a Residential Building Contractor; DSD has not ruled on chimneys specifically, so the contractor confirms.
On permits: chimneys, fireplaces, masonry, flues, caps and gas appliances are not on the City’s ten-item No-Permit-Required list, but sweeping, inspections, caps and dampers need no City permit we could find. The DSD Home Remodeling FAQ says dryer ducts need a mechanical permit and gas work a plumbing permit ($50 plus each fixture), and that “Only State licensed contractors can get electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits.” Whether a chimney rebuild or reline needs a building permit is not stated on the City’s pages, so the contractor confirms with Development Services. In historic districts such as King William, Monte Vista and Dignowity Hill, exterior work needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Office of Historic Preservation. Outside the city, permits vary by city; your contractor confirms. See our how it works page for the service side.
Real-estate inspectors: a different license entirely
Occupations Code §1102.103 requires a TREC professional inspector license to inspect real property “for a buyer or seller.” A TREC inspector’s fireplace check follows 22 TAC §535.228(i), which covers creosote in accessible areas, the damper, firebox, crown and cap, but states the inspector “is not required to: (A) verify the integrity of the flue; (B) perform a chimney smoke test; or (C) determine the adequacy of the draft.” A Level 1 or Level 2 chimney inspection under NFPA 211 is the separate service that fills that gap. It is not a TREC real-estate inspection and should never be sold as one.
What to ask for instead of a license
- Certification: a current CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep or NFI credential, verified on csia.org or nficertified.org.
- Insurance: a certificate of insurance naming the company, with a current date.
- A written scope with photos before any repair is approved, and a written report after a sweep or inspection.
- City registration: for repair work inside San Antonio city limits, the company’s Home Improvement Contractor registration (or Residential Building Contractor registration for structural work).
- Gas: the TSBPE license of the plumber who will touch any piping, a Railroad Commission license or Form 16B exemption for propane, and whether the company holds a TDLR ACR license for burner work.
San Antonio Chimney Sweeps connects San Antonio-area homeowners with independent local chimney sweep, inspection and repair companies for free, no-obligation quotes. Each company supplies its own credentials, so ask for the documents above and compare. Typical price ranges are on our cost guide, and you can request a free quote in about a minute. This is general information, not legal advice; statutes are quoted from public mirrors of the Texas Statutes and Administrative Code, and 2025 amendments may post-date them.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a licensed chimney sweep in Texas?
No. TDLR’s list of regulated industries has no chimney, chimney sweep, fireplace, hearth, masonry, roofing or general-contractor program, and no Texas statute mentioning chimney sweeps was found. A company that says “licensed chimney sweep” is usually describing a private credential such as CSIA or NFI, a City contractor registration, or nothing at all. Ask which document it means and verify it.
What should I ask a San Antonio chimney company for?
Ask for a current CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep or NFI certification and check it on csia.org or nficertified.org, a certificate of insurance, and a written scope with photos. For repair work inside San Antonio city limits, ask for the company’s City of San Antonio Home Improvement Contractor registration. For anything touching gas piping, ask for the plumber’s TSBPE license.
Does a chimney inspection count as a home inspection in Texas?
No. Texas licenses real-estate inspectors under Occupations Code chapter 1102, and a TREC inspector’s fireplace check follows 22 TAC §535.228(i). A Level 1 or Level 2 chimney inspection under NFPA 211 is a separate service performed by a chimney company; it is not a TREC real-estate inspection and not a substitute for one. Buyers often order both.