Beginning May 1, Texas will bar individuals who cannot prove they are lawfully present in the U.S. from obtaining or renewing state‑issued professional licenses. It will also impact occupational and trade licenses.
Commissioners for the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) approved a new rule on Tuesday to check the lawful presence of people applying for or renewing state licenses when they are flagged for verification.
The new rule requires TDLR to verify an applicant’s eligibility under federal immigration law when that applicant is selected for verification under department procedures. It applies across all TDLR‑regulated licenses.
If an applicant is selected, they must submit documentation before a license can be issued or renewed.
The list of acceptable documents includes: REAL ID‑compliant driver license/ID (not “Limited Term” or “Temporary”), U.S. passport, certified birth certificate plus qualifying driver license/ID, U.S. military ID, Texas handgun license, and certain DHS/USCIS/State Department immigration documents showing lawful presence and work authorization.
If the applicant doesn’t provide sufficient documentation, TDLR may deny the application under its existing denial procedures.
The new rule follows a recent opinion by Attorney General Ken Paxton.
In February, Paxton withdrew a 2001 legal opinion issued by then-Attorney General John Cornyn that had been used to let state agencies issue occupational licenses to illegal aliens who lacked Social Security numbers.
Paxton then issued a new opinion requiring licensing authorities to obtain Social Security numbers from applicants and barring agencies from accepting attestations that an applicant simply does not have one.
According to TDLR, the rule will not create any new costs or revenue changes for state and local governments.
