Texas elevator regulation at a glance
- Regulator
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), Elevator Safety and Licensing Program
- Statute
- Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 754; TDLR rules at 16 TAC Chapter 74
- Who inspects
- The building owner hires a TDLR-registered elevator inspector (private, not a state employee)
- Frequency
- Annual safety inspection of every elevator, escalator and related unit
- Filing
- Inspection report and $20-per-unit fee filed with TDLR within 30 days of the inspection; late fees after 60 days
- Penalties
- Administrative penalties of up to $5,000 per day per violation; repeat violations must be corrected immediately and verified in writing by the inspector before a certificate of compliance is issued
How elevator compliance works in Texas
Texas regulates elevators, escalators and related equipment through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation under Chapter 754 of the Health and Safety Code. Unlike states where a government inspector shows up on the state’s schedule, Texas requires the building owner to hire a TDLR-registered elevator inspector for an annual safety inspection of every unit.
After the inspection, the owner is responsible for completing the Elevator Equipment Report of Inspection, confirming the inspector has documented violations and equipment specifications, signing it and filing it with TDLR with the per-unit fee within 30 days. File 60 or more days late and late fees accrue per unit for every 30-day period. Repeat violations must be corrected immediately and the inspector must verify the correction in writing before TDLR will issue the certificate of compliance. Penalties for late or missing documentation can reach $5,000 per day per violation.
That structure makes Texas one of the states where an independent, owner-side partner matters most. The inspector you hire works for you, and the filing deadline is yours.
What we do for Texas owners
Elevator Compliance Group is an independent, QEI-licensed inspection and consulting firm. We do not sell maintenance, repairs or modernization, so our work in Texas is only for the owner: inspections and inspection witnessing, review of inspection reports and violations, deficiency tracking to verified correction, maintenance contract review, modernization planning and owner representation when the contractor and the inspector disagree.
- Perform or witness the annual TDLR inspection with QEI-licensed inspectors
- Prepare the inspection report package and track the 30-day filing deadline
- Log every violation, assign it under your maintenance contract and verify correction
- Handle delay and waiver requests when a correction legitimately needs more time
- Review maintenance agreements so code items don’t land on you by default
Where we work in Texas
Our Texas work centers on the state’s four major metros: Austin, San Antonio, Houston and Dallas–Fort Worth, with their office towers, medical districts, university campuses, hotels and high-rise residential. TDLR requirements apply statewide, and we confirm any local permitting that applies to alteration work before it begins.
Regulatory summary based on the agency sources below; requirements change, so confirm current rules with the agency or with us before relying on them.