# Fire protection licensing by the numbers

Computed from state licensing records, re-pulled weekly. Last updated October 26, 2026. Source page: https://plumbregistry.com/guides/fire-protection-by-the-numbers/

## Totals

- Licensed companies: 4,121
- Active company licenses and registrations: 4,769
- Cities with a licensed company headquartered there: 873
- Licenses expiring in the next 90 days: 356
- Latest refresh: 1 company added, 12 lapsed
- Companies lapsed since tracking began: 12

## Weekly refreshes

| Refresh | Active companies | Active licenses | Added | Lapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-26 | 4,121 | 4,769 | 1 | 12 |
| 2026-10-24 | 4,132 | 4,783 | 0 | 0 |

## Texas

Source: Texas Department of Insurance, State Fire Marshal's Office (https://appscenter.tdi.texas.gov/reports/p/sfmo), retrieved October 26, 2026.

- Licensed companies: 1,908 (109 based out of state)
- Active registrations: 2,556
- Cities with a company headquartered there: 392
- Companies with more than one Texas location: 169
- Individual licenses listed on company records: 16,247 (median 2 per company that lists any)
- Registrations expiring in the next 90 days: 202

### Top cities (companies headquartered there)

| City | Companies | Active registrations |
|---|---|---|
| Houston | 155 | 228 |
| San Antonio | 90 | 108 |
| Dallas | 68 | 107 |
| Austin | 50 | 70 |
| Fort Worth | 41 | 54 |
| El Paso | 44 | 52 |
| Pasadena | 17 | 38 |
| Corpus Christi | 27 | 36 |
| Cypress | 24 | 32 |
| Irving | 19 | 29 |
| Katy | 19 | 27 |
| Laredo | 24 | 27 |
| Lubbock | 21 | 25 |
| McAllen | 22 | 25 |
| Amarillo | 20 | 22 |
| Pflugerville | 11 | 22 |
| Round Rock | 16 | 22 |
| Garland | 16 | 21 |
| Arlington | 15 | 20 |
| Waco | 10 | 20 |
| Spring | 18 | 19 |
| Carrollton | 14 | 18 |
| Odessa | 15 | 18 |
| Richardson | 13 | 18 |
| Plano | 12 | 17 |

### Companies by service

- Fire sprinkler contractors: 644
- Fire alarm companies: 1,062
- Fire extinguisher companies: 655
- Licensed for exactly 1 of 3 services: 1,504 (79%)
- Licensed for exactly 2 of 3 services: 221 (12%)
- Licensed for exactly 3 of 3 services: 183 (10%)

### Registrations by type

- Fire Alarm Certificate of Registration: 1,132
- Fire Extinguisher Certificate of Registration: 678
- Fire Sprinkler Certificate of Registration (General): 417
- Fire Sprinkler Certificate of Registration (Underground): 286
- Extinguisher Hydrostatic Testing Certificate of Registration: 38
- Fire Sprinkler Certificate of Registration (Dwelling): 5

## California

Source: California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) (https://www.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/CheckLicenseII/CheckLicense.aspx), retrieved October 26, 2026. California listings cover CSLB C-16 Fire Protection contractors (sprinkler and fixed suppression systems). Fire alarm and portable extinguisher companies are not yet included.

- Licensed companies: 2,213 (106 based out of state)
- Active licenses: 2,213
- Cities with a company headquartered there: 481
- Licenses expiring in the next 90 days: 154

### Top cities (companies headquartered there)

| City | Companies | Active licenses |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | 96 | 96 |
| Los Angeles | 61 | 61 |
| Glendale | 47 | 47 |
| San Jose | 35 | 35 |
| Bakersfield | 31 | 31 |
| Sacramento | 31 | 31 |
| Anaheim | 25 | 25 |
| Burbank | 23 | 23 |
| Oakland | 22 | 22 |
| San Diego | 22 | 22 |
| Fresno | 21 | 21 |
| Santa Rosa | 21 | 21 |
| Van Nuys | 18 | 18 |
| Irvine | 17 | 17 |
| Riverside | 16 | 16 |
| Ventura | 16 | 16 |
| Huntington Beach | 15 | 15 |
| Livermore | 15 | 15 |
| Santa Ana | 15 | 15 |
| Corona | 14 | 14 |
| El Cajon | 14 | 14 |
| Fremont | 13 | 13 |
| Pleasanton | 13 | 13 |
| Rancho Cucamonga | 13 | 13 |
| Concord | 12 | 12 |

## Questions

**How many licensed fire protection companies are there?** As of October 26, 2026, 4,121 companies hold an active state fire protection license in the states we cover: 1,908 in Texas and 2,213 in California.

**Which Texas city has the most fire protection companies?** Houston: 155 licensed companies are headquartered there, holding 228 active SFMO registrations. Next are San Antonio (90), Dallas (68), Austin (50).

**How many fire alarm, sprinkler and extinguisher companies are licensed in Texas?** 1,062 fire alarm, 644 fire sprinkler and 655 fire extinguisher companies hold active SFMO registrations. 10% hold all three.

**How many C-16 fire protection contractors are licensed in California?** 2,213 contractors hold an active, clear CSLB C-16 Fire Protection license; 2,107 are based in California. The most are in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Glendale.

**How often do fire protection licenses lapse?** In the latest weekly refresh, 12 companies dropped out of state records and 1 was added. 356 active licenses expire within 90 days, though most are renewed in time.

Data license: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Credit Plumb Registry with a link.