Texas Elevator Compliance Checklist for Building Owners
The short answer
Under Texas Health and Safety Code §754.019, a building owner must have every unit inspected annually by a registered elevator inspector, obtain the report, file it with TDLR with all applicable fees by the 30th calendar day after the inspection, display the certificate of compliance in a publicly visible area, and maintain the equipment to the standards adopted by commission rule. The same section adds a 24-hour accident-reporting duty.
Chapter 754 of the Texas Health and Safety Code puts elevator compliance on one party: the building owner. Section 754.019 — titled "Duties of Owners" — lists the duties plainly, each with its own deadline, and missing any one breaks the compliance chain.
This checklist walks the statutory duties in order, each item cited to the section that imposes it, with the fees TDLR publishes for owners. Prime Elevator Corp is a TDLR-registered elevator contractor (license #20478) serving the Houston metro, with scheduled service in DFW.
What does Texas law require building owners to do about their elevators?
Texas law gives building owners seven recurring duties: inspect annually, obtain the report, file it with fees, resolve cited deficiencies, display the certificate, maintain to adopted standards, and report accidents. All seven sit in §754.019, and the table below is the working checklist.
| Checklist item | What satisfies it | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Annual inspection | A registered elevator inspector inspects every unit, every 12-month period | §754.019(a)(1) |
| 2. Obtain the report | Inspector's report covering all equipment in the building, issued within 5 calendar days | §754.019(a)(2); §754.016(b) |
| 3. File with TDLR | Report plus all applicable fees filed by the 30th calendar day after the inspection | §754.019(a)(3) |
| 4. Resolve deficiencies | Proof of correction, a bona fide correction contract, or a waiver/delay application filed with the report | §754.019(b) |
| 5. Display the certificate | Certificate of compliance posted in a publicly visible area of the building | §754.019(a)(4); §754.016(d) |
| 6. Maintain to standards | Equipment kept in compliance with the codes adopted by commission rule | §754.019(a)(5) |
| 7. Report accidents | Any accident involving the equipment reported to TDLR within 24 hours | §754.019(e) |
Source: Tex. Health & Safety Code §754.019 — Duties of Owners
Which equipment in the building does the checklist cover?
The checklist covers more than passenger elevators — "equipment" is defined to include escalators, chairlifts, platform lifts, cable-operated automated people movers, and moving sidewalks (§754.011(15)). Under §754.016(a), one report and certificate must cover all equipment in the building and its appurtenant structures, including a parking facility, under the same ownership. Fees, though, are charged per unit.
- Annual inspection
- An inspection performed in a 12-month period per the applicable ASME or ASCE code; an acceptance inspection in that period counts (§754.011(4)).
- Certificate of compliance
- The document TDLR's executive director issues to the owner after a complete, timely filing (§754.016(c)).
- Accident
- An event involving equipment that results in death or serious bodily injury (§754.011(2)) — the trigger for the 24-hour report.
What are the deadlines in the elevator compliance year?
The compliance year runs on four clocks: a 12-month inspection cadence, a 5-day report turnaround, a 30-day filing window, and a 24-hour accident rule. The commission may not require routine inspections more often than every 12 months, though reinspection can follow an alteration or a safety finding (§754.015(b)–(c)). Under §754.019(c), a report counts as filed on the earliest of personal delivery, U.S. mail postmark, or courier deposit.
- Inspection cadence
- Every 12 months§754.019(a)(1); §754.011(4)
- Inspector report to owner
- 5 calendar days after inspection§754.016(b)
- Owner filing deadline
- 30 calendar days after inspection§754.019(a)(3)
- Deficiency status due
- With the filingCorrected, under contract, or waiver/delay applied for — §754.019(b)
- Accident report
- 24 hours§754.019(e)
Source: Tex. Health & Safety Code §754.015 — Rules (12-month inspection ceiling)
What fees should a building owner budget for?
TDLR's published filing fee is $20 per unit of equipment, submitted with the inspection report. Fees are set by TDLR rule rather than by the statute, so confirm the current schedule on TDLR's elevator pages before submitting. One exemption is statutory: no certificate fee may be charged for an institution of higher education (§754.019(d)).
| Item | Published fee |
|---|---|
| Inspection report filing | $20 per unit |
| Late filing fee | $10 per unit, each 30-day period late — see TDLR's Late Fee Calculator |
| Waiver or delay application | $50 per violation, per unit |
| Duplicate certificate of compliance | $25 per certificate |
The inspection itself is priced by the inspector, not TDLR — but the charge may not be made contingent on a maintenance contract between the inspecting party and anyone else (§754.0172). That keeps the inspection an arm's-length check on the maintenance work.
Source: TDLR Elevator Program FAQ — fee schedule and owner responsibilities
What does maintaining equipment to the adopted standards mean?
It means the equipment must stay in compliance with the safety codes the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation adopts by rule — principally ASME A17.1, ASME A17.3, ASME A18.1, and ASCE 21 (§754.014). Equipment must meet the installation requirements of the code in effect on its installation date, plus the minimum safety standards of ASME A17.3 regardless of installation date (§754.014(c)–(d)). Whoever installs, repairs, alters, tests, or maintains it must hold a TDLR contractor registration (§754.0171(a)).
The standards leave room for older buildings. The executive director may grant a compliance delay — accumulated time generally capped at three years — and may grant a waiver for a qualified historic building or where structural components cause the non-compliance, provided safety is not significantly threatened (§754.014(e), (g)).
Source: Tex. Health & Safety Code §754.014 — Standards Adopted by Commission
What happens if an owner misses an item on the checklist?
Missed items start with late fees and can end with the equipment ordered out of service. Late filings accrue TDLR's published $10-per-unit fee for each 30-day period, and TDLR's FAQ states the executive director may seek injunctive relief and civil penalties of up to $5,000 per day, per violation. Under §754.0235(a), an emergency order may direct the owner to disconnect power to or lock out equipment on a finding of imminent danger — or when no annual inspection has been performed in more than two years.
Power stays off until the fix is verified. After a lockout order, the equipment may be unlocked only once a registered inspector, registered contractor, or department representative verifies in writing to TDLR that the danger has been removed (§754.0235(b)).
Source: Tex. Health & Safety Code §754.0235 — Orders to Disconnect Power to or Lock out Equipment
Frequently asked questions
- Can I delegate this checklist to my property manager or elevator contractor?
- You can delegate the legwork, not the liability. Commission rules provide for an owner's designation of an agent (§754.015(a)(14)), and TDLR's FAQ confirms the paperwork can be handed off — but states the legal responsibility for compliance cannot be delegated. If a delegated inspection happens late or not at all, the owner still answers for it.
- Who chooses the elevator inspector — the owner or the contractor?
- The owner. TDLR's FAQ states the owner has the sole right to select the inspector who enters the property, and may delegate that choice to a contractor and withdraw it at any time. The inspector must be registered with TDLR under §754.017.
- Does the checklist apply to escalators, platform lifts, and moving sidewalks?
- Yes. The duties in §754.019 attach to "equipment," which §754.011(15) defines to include elevators, escalators, chairlifts, platform lifts, automated people movers operated by cables, moving sidewalks, and related equipment. Each unit carries its own per-unit filing fee.
- Is a maintenance contract legally required to check the maintenance box?
- Chapter 754 mandates the result and the credential, not a contract form. The equipment must be maintained to the adopted standards (§754.019(a)(5)), and whoever performs the maintenance must be a TDLR-registered elevator contractor (§754.0171(a)). Most owners meet both through a service contract with a registered contractor.
- My elevator is shut down — do I still need the annual inspection?
- Only formal removal from service pauses the duty. Section 754.019(a)(1) requires the annual inspection unless the equipment has been removed from service in accordance with commission rules — a dark, unused elevator that was never formally removed still needs its inspection. Contact TDLR's elevator program for the current removal procedure.
- What counts as an accident I must report within 24 hours?
- An event involving the equipment that results in death or serious bodily injury to a person (§754.011(2)). Section 754.019(e) requires the owner to report each accident to TDLR within 24 hours. The reporting method is set by commission rule, so use the procedure on TDLR's elevator program pages.
Related services
Guides and compliance
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-08-05
Talk to a person who works on this equipment
Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Emergency service dispatched 24/7, including weekends and holidays.
(832) 391-8514