Apply for a Promoter License

What Does a Promoter Do?

Promoters arrange for event approval with TDLR, provide event venues, ensure financial security of events (including insurance and bonding), sell tickets, and pay required taxes on the proceeds of events.

Do I Need a License?

Professional combative sports promoters who participate in a regulated professional event must be licensed.

If you promote amateur events, please see the Amateur Combative Sports Associations page.

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 Promoter License Application (PDF) with the non-refundable application fee of $900.

Send the completed application form and any required materials by mail to TDLR.

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

Orientation

You must attend a promoter orientation with TDLR Combative Sports staff, if any of the following are true:

• This is your first time applying for a promoter license, or
• Your license expired more than 18 months ago

After sending in your application, you will have three options for completing a promoter orientation:

1. Schedule an in-person meeting with our Combative Sports staff located in the Austin office
2. Schedule a video conference meeting with staff
3. View our Combative Sports Promoter Orientation, PowerPoint video

You must select which option you’ve chosen on the application form.

Prohibited Actions and Behavior

Licensed promoters who violate the laws and rules may be subject to fines of up to $5,000 per occurrence and suspension, revocation, or denial of their license.

• A promoter may not be a timekeeper
• Promoters cannot be licensed as a referee or judge
• Promoters cannot participate in any illegal combative sports events

For a complete list of penalties, see the Combative Sports Penalties and Sanctions webpage.

Responsibilities of Promoters

It is your responsibility to read and understand the responsibilities of promoters, the rules of the sport you will participate in and all relevant sections of the Texas law and rules for combative sports.

Promoters should pay particular attention to:

• Section 2052.115 of the law, Promoter Responsibilities
• Section 61.40 of the rules, Responsibilities of Promoters
• Section 61.105 of the rules, Weight Categories and Weigh-In for Boxing and Kickboxing

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.