Storm contractor rules in Texas: price gouging, door-to-door contractors and contracts
The Texas Attorney General's office publishes three consumer pages that bear on contractors after a governor-declared disaster. This page restates them as they were read on October 9, 2026.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 9, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. The wider picture is on the storm contractor rules page. All three pages are consumer guidance from the Attorney General, not the statute text, and none of them names tree work.
The three pages in one table
| Page | What it says |
|---|---|
| Disaster Scams | Names price gouging, door-to-door contractors and bogus charities as the scams to watch for after an emergency. Says a notice of cancellation giving three business days must be included if the transaction occurs at the home. Says special laws apply to contractors from another area doing emergency remediation |
| How to Spot and Report Price Gouging | Quotes section 17.46(b) of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act. The disaster must be declared by the Governor under Chapter 418 of the Government Code, or by the President |
| How to Avoid Home Improvement Scams | Covers choosing a contractor, contract contents and contractor liens on a homestead. Names the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation as the agency that issues licences for the trades it oversees |
Price gouging
The price gouging page says it is a false, misleading or deceptive practice to take advantage of a declared disaster by selling or leasing fuel, food, medicine, lodging, building materials, construction tools or another necessity at an exorbitant or excessive price, or by demanding such a price in connection with a sale or lease. It adds that high prices alone do not mean price gouging has taken place, because businesses are generally allowed to set prices. The Attorney General has authority to prosecute after a declaration. The list names building materials and construction tools, and the page does not say whether labour or tree services count as a necessity.
Door-to-door contractors after a disaster
The disaster page says door-to-door contractors flock to some neighbourhoods after a natural emergency, and that many are honest and some are not. It lists what it suggests to owners: more than one estimate, no rush to sign, everything in writing, no contract with blanks, proof of insurance including disability and workers' compensation cover, and guarantees written into the contract. It says an owner who is not covered by the contractor's insurance could be liable for accidents on the property.
Its reminder box says special laws apply when a contractor from another area works because of damage or destruction caused by an emergency. It says these emergency remediation contractors, with some exceptions, are not allowed to require payment before beginning work, or after work has begun if the amount exceeds what is proportionate to the work performed. The page does not cite the section, so the exceptions are not stated on it.
Contracts and liens
The home improvement page says a contract for work on a homestead must carry a fixed warning that the owner may lose legal ownership rights in the home if the terms are not met. It says the contractor can legally place a lien on the homestead, that a notary other than the salesperson must witness the signature on a document creating a lien, and that an owner is responsible if a contractor fails to pay subcontractors and suppliers. It says most legitimate bids fall into a fairly close range and warns about a low-ball bidder. It names no tree-specific rule.
Licensing
None of the three pages says whether tree work needs a state licence in Texas. The home improvement page says the Department of Licensing and Regulation oversees over twenty types of businesses, industries, trades and occupations, and that a person in a state-licensed trade such as an electrician can be checked with the licensing agency. For how other states treat tree work, see contractor licences for tree work.