This guide was created to provide information about occupational licenses (also known as "essential need licenses"). Here you will find information on relevant laws, links to websites from the Department of Public Safety and Texas Law Help that discuss occupational licenses in "plain English," and contact information for the Department of Public Safety and Texas district and county clerks. The Practice Aids page provides a list of State Law Library resources that may be useful to practitioners working with people seeking occupational driver's licenses.

Below you will find references to areas of the Texas Transportation Code that govern occupational driver's licenses and issues related to occupational driver's licenses. If you find these statutes difficult to understand, you may want to view the "plain English" resources on this page or speak to an attorney.

Because Texas and federal law may not be easy to understand, below you'll find a collection of resources that help to explain the law in simple terms.

The Department of Public Safety's website says: “Requests for an occupational license must be made to the county or district court where the individual lives or to the court of original jurisdiction where the offense occurred.”

You can borrow e-books or use legal research databases with your library account. Don't have a library account? Texas residents can register for a library account online! Learn more about how to register online.

For more information on your topic, browse or search our e-books or access our legal research databases.

Below are some of the library resources that can provide further guidance on this topic. The Texas State Law Library has many other resources in addition to the highlights we present below. Please call us at (512) 463-1722 if you have any questions about these materials.