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Restrictions After a Criminal Conviction

Texas laws that place restrictions on people with certain criminal convictions.

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Restrictions from a Licensing Authority

Many occupations require a license or certification from a state agency or board. In many cases, a person with a certain criminal convictions may not be able to get or renew an occupational license.

Section 53.021 of the Texas Occupations Code allows a licensing authority to to deny, revoke, or suspend a license if the person was convicted of:

  • an offense that directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of the occupation;
  • a sexually violent offense; or
  • an offense listed in Article 42A.054 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (sexual assault, indecency with a child, murder, aggravated kidnapping, etc.)

A licensing authority can be:

Statutory Restrictions

There are also many employment-related restrictions for specific professions in the Texas statutes. We've listed many of these in the boxes below.

Note This page is not a complete list of restrictions. If you need help researching restrictions for a specific occupation, please ask a librarian.

How can I check if I'm restricted?

Check with the state agency, board, or commission that regulates the occupation.

The Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) regulates certain occupations. Other occupations may instead be regulated by different agencies or commissions, like the Texas Board of Nursing or the Texas Real Estate Commission.

In some cases, you can information about criminal history restrictions on the agency's website.

Find a Licensing Agency

Criminal History Evaluations

You can also request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority. The authority will review the person's criminal history as if an actual license application had been filed. 

Business

These restrictions may apply to certain types of businesses or to the business organization process.

Texas Law

Business & Commerce Code

Business Organizations Code

Civil Practice & Remedies Code

Education Code

Finance Code

Alcoholic Beverage Code

Certification & Licensing Information

Education

These restrictions may apply to employees and volunteers in public and private schools, charter schools, and similar entities.

Texas Law

Certification & Licensing Information

Finance

These restrictions apply to specific positions in financial institutions like banks or credit unions.

Texas Law

Finance Code

Government Code

Certification & Licensing Information

Health Care

These restrictions apply to specific positions in the medical field, including physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and more.

Texas Law

Occupations Code

Human Resources Code

Certification & Licensing Information

Care Facilities

These restrictions apply to employees of care facilities, including child care facilities, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, etc. 

Texas Law

Human Resources Code

Health & Safety Code

Certification & Licensing Information

Law Enforcement & First Responders

These restrictions apply to specific positions in law enforcement, fire protection, and emergency medical services, like police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel.

Texas Law

Local Government Code

Health & Safety Code

Certification & Licensing Information

Legal

These restrictions apply to specific positions in the legal field, including attorneys and court reporters.

Texas Law

Certification & Licensing Information

Insurance

These restrictions apply to insurance professionals, including insurance agents and adjusters.

Texas Law

Certification & Licensing Information

Note The library cannot tell you what the law means for your situation.

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