How to start a hood cleaning business in Texas
We found no Texas state license specific to kitchen exhaust cleaning. Texas adopts NFPA 96 through its fire code, and local fire departments check restaurants' cleaning certificates during inspections — so your certification and paperwork are what get you hired.
Licensing in Texas
There's no statewide hood cleaning license we could find. Check the fire marshal's office in each city you'll work in (Houston, Dallas, Austin and others) for any local registration, and register your business and sales tax with the Texas Comptroller where it applies.
What restaurants will ask for
- Proof of general liability insurance
- IKECA or Phil Ackland certification
- A dated certificate on the hood after each cleaning, and photos
- A schedule that matches their cooking volume under NFPA 96
Where the work is
Houston, Dallas and Austin are among FirstBearing's launch cities for hood cleaning. Restaurants there send requests; companies that cover the area see each job before deciding whether to take it.
Sources
Rules change and vary by city — confirm with your state fire marshal and local fire departments.
Get restaurant hood cleaning requests
See each job before you pay for it. No monthly fee, no contract. Takes about 3 minutes.
Join FirstBearing