Military service members and military spouses may work in a licensed business or occupation without getting the Texas license first if they have a similar out-of-state license and are in good standing, but they must apply to the state agency and follow the other rules.
Sec. 55.0041. RECOGNITION OF OUT-OF-STATE LICENSE OF MILITARY SERVICE MEMBERS AND MILITARY SPOUSES. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a military service member or military spouse may engage in a business or occupation for which a license is required without obtaining the applicable license if the member or spouse currently holds a license similar in scope of practice issued by the licensing authority of another state and is in good standing with that licensing authority. (b) Before engaging in the practice of the business or occupation under Subsection (a), the military service member or military spouse must submit an application to the applicable state agency in the form the agency prescribes that includes: (1) a copy of the member's military orders showing relocation to this state; (2) if the applicant is a military spouse, a copy of the military spouse's marriage license; and (3) a notarized affidavit affirming under penalty of perjury that: (A) the applicant is the person described and identified in the application; (B) all statements in the application are true, correct, and complete; (C) the applicant understands the scope of practice for the applicable license in this state and will not perform outside of that scope of practice; and (D) the applicant is in good standing in each state in which the applicant holds or has held an applicable license. Text of subsection as added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 686 (H.B. 5629), Sec. 2 (b-1) Not later than the 10th business day after the date the agency receives an application under Subsection (b), the agency shall notify the applicant that: (1) the agency recognizes the applicant's out-of-state license; (2) the application is incomplete; or (3) the agency is unable to recognize the applicant's out-of-state license because the agency does not issue a license similar in scope of practice to the applicant's license. Text of subsection as added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 857 (S.B. 1818), Sec. 2 (b-1) On receipt by a state agency of the notice and information required by Subsections (b)(1) and (2), the agency shall promptly issue the confirmation under Subsection (b)(3) or issue a provisional license to the military service member or military spouse pending the issuance of a confirmation under Subsection (b)(3). A provisional license issued under this subsection expires on the earlier of: (1) the date the agency issues or denies confirmation under Subsection (b)(3); or (2) the 180th day after the date the provisional license is issued. (c) The military service member or military spouse shall comply with all other laws and regulations applicable to the business or occupation in this state. (d) A military service member or military spouse may engage in the business or occupation under the authority of this section only for the period during which the military service member or, with respect to a military spouse, the military service member to whom the spouse is married is stationed at a military installation in this state. (d-1) In the event of a divorce or similar event that affects a person's status as a military spouse, the former spouse may continue to engage in the business or occupation under the authority of this section until the third anniversary of the date the spouse submitted the application required by Subsection (b). (e) A state agency that issues a license shall adopt rules to implement this section. The rules must establish a process for the agency to identify, with respect to each type of license issued by the agency, the states that issue licenses similar in scope of practice to those issued by the agency. (f) Repealed by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 686 (H.B. 5629), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2025. Added by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 622 (S.B. 1200), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019. Amended by: Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 46 (H.B. 139), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2021. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1061 (S.B. 422), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 686 (H.B. 5629), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2025. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 686 (H.B. 5629), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2025. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 857 (S.B. 1818), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2025.