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How Often Are Boilers Inspected in Texas? Intervals by Boiler Type
Texas sets the inspection interval by the kind of boiler: every year for power boilers, every two years for heating boilers, every three for hot water supply boilers. The law, the exceptions, and how an interval can be extended.
9 October 2026
The intervals, by boiler type
Section 755.025 of the Texas Health and Safety Code requires every boiler to be inspected internally and externally when it is first installed, and then on the schedule below. The certificate inspection must happen before the current certificate of operation expires.
| Boiler | Certificate inspection | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Power boilers, unfired steam boilers, steam collection or liberation drums of process steam generators | Every year, plus an annual external inspection | HSC §755.025(b) |
| Steam heating boilers and hot water heating boilers | Every 2 years | HSC §755.025(c) |
| Hot water supply boilers and potable water heaters | Every 3 years | HSC §755.025(d) |
| Nuclear boilers | Agreed between TDLR and the owner | HSC §755.025(f) |
| Portable boilers | Set by rule (below) | HSC §755.025(e); 16 TAC §65.63 |
This is the same 12, 24 or 36-month pattern TDLR describes on its own boiler pages, and it is why certificates of operation run from one to three years.
Portable boilers
For portable boilers the interval follows the ASME code the boiler was built to, under 16 TAC §65.63:
- ASME Section I (an "S" or other Section I designator): every year.
- ASME Section IV, "H" designator: every two years.
- ASME Section IV, "HLW" designator: every three years.
- Nonstandard boilers: every year.
A portable power boiler that is moved also needs an external inspection after it is relocated.
Extending the interval
Section 755.026 lets TDLR and the inspection agency stretch the time between internal inspections, but only when three things are true:
- The boiler water has been under continuous treatment, supervised by someone competent and experienced, since the last internal inspection.
- The last internal inspection and the current external inspection show the interval can safely be extended.
- There are complete records: water sampled or monitored at least every 24 hours of operation and kept under control, the dates the boiler was out of service and why, and every repair and why.
| Extension | Maximum |
|---|---|
| General extension of the internal inspection interval | 60 months in total |
| Unfired steam boilers | 84 months, or until the next scheduled downtime |
| Process steam generator drums built before 1 January 1970 | 120 months |
| Process steam generator drums built on or after 1 January 1970 | 144 months |
| Emergency extension (once per interval, after an external inspection) | 120 days |
An extension request carries a $100 fee under 16 TAC §65.300, and an approved extension comes with a new certificate of operation covering the longer period. For a gas-fired boiler, the gas regulator or pressure-reducing valve must then be checked at the next external inspection.
What happens if you miss it
- Daily late fees. Since 15 June 2026 TDLR charges late inspection fees for every day past the certificate's expiration: $25 a day for the first 30 days, $50 a day up to day 60, $100 a day after that. They can fall on the owner or operator and on the inspection agency. The fees in detail.
- Penalties. TDLR's boiler sanctions schedule treats a missed annual, biennial or triennial inspection as a Class B violation, with a first-offence range of $1,000 to $3,000. Operating without a current certificate is Class C, $2,000 to $4,000.
Inspections are generally not done on weekends or legal holidays except for accidents and emergencies, so leave room in the calendar.
Questions
How often do heating boilers need to be inspected in Texas?
Steam heating boilers and hot water heating boilers need a certificate inspection every two years.
How often are power boilers inspected in Texas?
Every year, with an annual certificate inspection and an annual external inspection.
Can a Texas boiler inspection be extended?
Yes, the internal inspection interval can be extended up to 60 months in total if the boiler has continuous water treatment and complete records, with longer limits for unfired steam boilers and process steam generator drums. One emergency extension of up to 120 days is also possible.
Related
- Texas boiler inspection fees and late fees
- How to check a boiler certificate of operation
- Who can inspect a boiler
- Which boilers are exempt
Sources
Texas Health and Safety Code §755.025 and §755.026; 16 TAC §65.61, §65.63 and §65.300; TDLR boiler penalties and sanctions; TDLR notice on late inspection fees.
Reviewed 9 October 2026. Written by an independent site; not legal or engineering advice and not an official TDLR publication.
Cite this page
PermitPulled (2026). How Often Are Boilers Inspected in Texas? Intervals by Boiler Type. Retrieved from https://permitpulled.com/blog/texas-boiler-inspection-intervals
Figures compiled from the public TDLR license file and published under CC BY 4.0. Attribution required.
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