Texas Fire Extinguisher License: Type A, B, K and PL Explained

Texas Fire Extinguisher License: Type A, B, K and PL Explained

Anyone who installs, services or certifies portable fire extinguishers or fixed extinguishing systems in Texas needs a license from the State Fire Marshal's Office (SFMO) at the Texas Department of Insurance. The licenses are issued under Texas Insurance Code Chapter 6001 and 28 TAC Chapter 34, Subchapter E.

There are four license types. Three of them are earned with state-written tests, and for each of those technical tests the SFMO also accepts a national ICC/NAFED certification in its place. This guide lays out both routes.

The four license types

License	What it covers	State tests	Prerequisite
Type B, Portable (FEL-B)	Install, certify and service portable fire extinguishers	TFM01 + TFM02	None
Type K, Kitchen (FEL-K)	Pre-engineered systems protecting cooking areas, plus portables	TFM01 + TFM02 + TFM03	Type B license or apprentice permit held at least six months
Type A, Fixed Systems (FEL-A)	All fixed extinguishing systems, pre-engineered systems and portables	TFM01 + TFM02 + TFM03 + TFM04	Type B license or apprentice permit held at least six months
Type PL, Planning (EPL)	Plan, install, certify and service all fixed systems, plus portables	TFM01	NICET Level III in Special Hazards Systems

Every license costs $70 initially and $100 to renew, on a two-year cycle. There is also an apprentice permit: $30, no test, and it allows installation and service work only under the direct visual supervision of a licensee.

These are the SFMO's published figures at the time of writing. Confirm them on the SFMO fire extinguisher license and test guide before you apply.

What each test covers

Test	Based on
TFM01, Extinguisher Statutes and Rules	Texas Insurance Code Chapter 6001 and 28 TAC §34.500 and following
TFM02, Extinguisher Type B	NFPA 10, Standard for Portable Fire Extinguishers
TFM03, Extinguisher Type K	NFPA 10, NFPA 17A (wet chemical systems) and NFPA 96 (commercial cooking ventilation)
TFM04, Extinguisher Type A	NFPA 11, 12, 12A, 15, 16, 18, 25 and 2001

All SFMO tests share one format: 50 questions, true/false or multiple choice, closed book, 70% or better to pass, administered by PSI. You may schedule each type of test once a week and no more than three times in a 12-month period.

Texas adopts specific editions of these standards by reference. For portable extinguishers the adopted edition is NFPA 10, 2018, alongside NFPA 17 and 17A (2021) and NFPA 96 (2021).

The ICC route: certifications Texas accepts instead

Per the SFMO guide, a current ICC/NAFED certification replaces the matching Texas technical test:

Texas test	Accepted in its place
TFM02 (Type B)	ICC/NAFED Certified Portable Fire Extinguisher Technician
TFM03 (Type K)	ICC/NAFED Pre-Engineered Kitchen Fire Extinguishing Systems Technician
TFM04 (Type A)	ICC/NAFED Pre-Engineered Industrial Fire Extinguishing System Technician and Engineered Fire Suppression Systems Technician

TFM01 is not replaced by anything. Every applicant takes the Texas statutes and rules test.

Which route makes sense depends on where you expect to work:

• Texas only, and soon. The state tests are the direct path. They are short and they exist for exactly this license.
• More than one state, or an employer who wants a portable credential. The ICC/NAFED certifications are recognised nationally, and in Texas they take the technical tests off your list in one move. A technician who already holds the ICC portable certification needs only TFM01 for a Type B license.

Preparing for the ICC certifications

We publish practice tests for the three ICC certifications Texas accepts toward Types B, K and A:

• ICC Portable Fire Extinguisher Technician (FE), built on NFPA 10, covering selection, distribution, inspection, maintenance, recharging and hydrostatic testing
• ICC Pre-Engineered Kitchen Fire Extinguishing Systems Technician (FK)
• ICC Pre-Engineered Industrial Fire Extinguishing Systems Technician (FN)

One difference to keep in mind: the ICC portable exam tests the 2022 edition of NFPA 10, while Texas has adopted the 2018 edition. The two are close on the fundamentals a technician works with daily, such as inspection intervals, the six-year internal examination and hydrostatic test intervals, but they are not identical. If you take the ICC route, read the Texas-adopted edition before you start certifying work in the state.

We do not currently offer practice tests for the Texas-written TFM01 through TFM04 tests.

Company registrations

A company cannot register with the SFMO without a licensed employee. The firm-level registrations are:

Registration	Initial	Renewal (two years)
Extinguisher Certificate of Registration (ECR)	$450	$600
Branch office certificate	$100	$200
Type C hydrostatic testing registration	$250	$300

The Type C registration covers hydrostatic testing of DOT specification cylinders and requires a requalification identification number (RIN) from the U.S. Department of Transportation. A Type B licensee may test non-specification cylinders, but DOT specification testing has to go through a Type C registered company.

Related Texas licenses

Texas structures its fire alarm and sprinkler licenses the same way, with national certifications standing in for the technical exam:

• Texas Fire Alarm Technician License (FAL)
• Texas Fire Alarm Planning Superintendent (APS)
• Texas fire sprinkler RME licenses

What to do next

1. Start with Type B. It has no prerequisite, and Types K and A both require six months on a Type B license or an apprentice permit first.
2. Choose your route for the technical test: TFM02 through PSI, or the ICC portable certification.
3. Read Chapter 6001 and the Subchapter E rules for TFM01. It is closed book and it is required whichever route you take.
4. Apply through the SFMO once you are employed by a registered company.

Considering the ICC route? Try a free 10-question ICC Portable Fire Extinguisher Technician sample test first.