Combative Sports

Apply for an Amateur Combative Sports Association License

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What is an Amateur Association?

An amateur combative sports association is a registered non-profit organization that arranges combative sports events in which contestants compete in bouts with no purse or other thing of value provided.

Do I Need a License?

You must be licensed if you produce, arrange, advertise, conduct, or stage combative sports events in which all the contestants are amateurs (i.e. contestants have never received or competed for any purse or other thing of value).

Exceptions

Licenses are not required for the following types of events:

  • Events conducted by a college, school, or university that is part of the institution's athletic program in which only students of educational institutions participate
  • Events conducted by the Texas National Guard or a law enforcement agency in which only members of military or law enforcement organizations participate
  • Events conducted by an organization of the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games, or the Pan-American Games

See Section 2052.110 of the Combative Sports law for more details.

Association Rules

You must include with your license application materials a copy of your association’s rules, which must include:

  • Membership rules and conditions
  • Standards of conduct for contestants and officials
  • Training guidelines for members
  • A minimum training period before contestants may compete in events
  • A requirement that all referees be licensed in Texas
  • The specific sports that the association will practice (e.g. boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, and/or muay thai)
  • Rules for each sport within the organization (e.g. boxing, MMA, etc.)

Surety Bonds

You must submit with your application materials proof of financial responsibility by obtaining two surety bonds in the amount of $15,000 by a bonding or insurance company authorized to do business in the State of Texas.

  • The first bond is intended to guarantee payment of all obligations for events you promote. This does not include gross receipts taxes.
  • The second bond is intended to guarantee payment of gross receipts taxes owed for promoted events.

Each bond must remain effective for four years after the effective cancellation date.

Each surety bond should be recorded on a Combative Sports Promoter Bond Form (PDF) and included with the application materials.

You can obtain a bond from any bonding company or insurance company authorized to write bonds and do business in Texas.

Application and Fee

To begin your application process, submit a completed Combative Sports Amateur Association License Application (PDF) with the non-refundable application fee of $100.

Send the completed application form and any required materials by to:

  • By Fax: (512) 463-1087
  • By Mail:
    Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
    Combative Sports Program
    PO Box 12157
    Austin, TX 78711-2157

Interview

After submitting your application, you will need to schedule an interview with TDLR Combative Sports staff in Austin.

This interview must be completed before a determination can be made about issuing a license.

Responsibilities of Amateur Associations

It is your responsibility to read and understand the responsibilities of amateur associations and all relevant sections of the Texas law and rules for combative sports.

If you have questions about the law or rules, please contact TDLR by email, or call us at (512) 659-5034.

Applicants with Criminal Convictions

If you have ever been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor (other than a minor traffic violation) or pleaded guilty or no contest (resulting in a deferred adjudication) to any in-state, out-of-state or federal criminal offense, you must provide a completed Criminal History Questionnaire (PDF) along with your application materials.

The department will conduct a criminal history background check on all persons who apply for a license. Criminal convictions are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Licenses may be denied based on the nature of the conviction and how long prior to the application the conviction occurred. Depending on your criminal history, a review can take from one to six weeks to complete.

Individuals may request TDLR review their criminal background before actually applying for a license. TDLR uses the same process for this pre-application evaluation as the process described below. See the Criminal History Evaluation Letter page for more information.

Please see the Guidelines for License Applicants with Criminal Convictions, which describe the process that TDLR uses to determine whether a criminal conviction renders an applicant an unsuitable candidate for the license, or whether a conviction warrants revocation or suspension of a license previously granted.