Do you need a license to be a property manager in Texas?

In Texas, managing or renting property for others for pay is real estate work that needs a license: the sales agent license, issued by the Texas Real Estate Commission. The law exempts some staff employed by a property owner or a licensed broker, such as on-site or leasing employees doing limited tasks. The exact wording, with any exceptions, is below.

Managing property for others"(1) "Broker": (A) means a person who, in exchange for a commission or other valuable consideration or with the expectation of receiving a commission or other valuable consideration, performs for another person one of the following acts: (i) sells, exchanges, purchases, or leases real estate; ... (x) controls the acceptance or deposit of rent from a resident of a single-family residential real property unit; ... (a) Unless a person holds a license issued under this chapter, the person may not: (1) act as or represent that the person is a broker or sales agent; or (2) act as a residential rental locator." official source
On-site and employee exemptions"(7) an on-site manager of an apartment complex;" "(8) an owner or the owner's employee who leases the owner's improved or unimproved real estate;" "(C) the lease or management of a hotel or motel;" official source
Leasing agents"(8) an owner or the owner's employee who leases the owner's improved or unimproved real estate;" official source
Licensing agencyTexas Real Estate Commission (TREC) official source
CredentialSales agent license (sponsored by a broker); broker license above it official source

Checked against official Texas sources on Oct 27, 2026. This is not legal advice: rules change and exemptions depend on who employs you, so confirm with the licensing agency. This page lists only what we could confirm on an official page.

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