Selling Texas Lottery scratch tickets and draw games brings steady foot traffic and commission income to a convenience store or gas station, but the Ticket Sales License application is more involved than most retail permits: every owner is fingerprinted and background-checked, the store needs an active sales tax permit and a business bank account for weekly electronic settlements, and the location must clear the Commission's eligibility rules. Calibre Licensing Services prepares and files the application, guides every owner through the fingerprint step, and follows up with the Texas Lottery Commission until your license is issued and the terminal is installed.
What the Texas Lottery Commission requires
- An active Texas sales tax permit for the location. The 11-digit taxpayer number goes on the application.
- A business bank account for the weekly electronic funds transfer of ticket settlements. Personal accounts are not accepted, and the store's DBA must be registered on the account.
- Electronic fingerprints for every owner, partner, officer, director and member, taken by IdentoGO, the vendor contracted by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
- Eligibility: no owner or spouse with a felony, gambling or fraud conviction within the last 10 years, no professional gamblers, no delinquent state taxes, and a location that is not licensed for bingo, does not hold a mixed beverage or private club permit, and is not on state-owned land.
- Fees: $125 for the first location, $50 for each additional location under the same taxpayer number, payable to the Texas Lottery Commission.
How the application works
- Intake. You complete our Texas Lottery intake form: business, ownership, store hours, eligibility questions and bank details. If you do not have a sales tax permit, entity or DBA yet, we file those first.
- Eligibility check. We confirm the location and every owner clear the Commission's rules before anything is filed, so there are no surprises after the fee is paid.
- Filing. We prepare the Ticket Sales License application, the electronic funds transfer authorization and the payment worksheet, and submit them with the fee.
- Fingerprinting. After the Commission receives the application it sends each owner instructions. We help every owner book the IdentoGO appointment and bring the right identification. Fingerprints taken before filing are not accepted.
- Background review and approval. The Commission runs criminal history and, if it chooses, credit checks. We answer every request until the license is issued.
- Terminal installation. The Commission schedules the terminal at your store. We walk you through the retailer rules before your first day of sales.
Retailer rules worth knowing before you apply
Tickets may only be sold to customers 18 and older, for cash, check or debit card, never on credit or with SNAP benefits. The license must be displayed where tickets are sold, tickets are sold only at the licensed location, and the Commission sweeps settlements from your business account weekly. Changes in ownership, officers, location or financial status must be reported within 10 days. The Commission may also require a bond, letter of credit or certificate of deposit as financial security.
Adding locations and ownership changes
Additional locations under the same taxpayer number are added at the reduced $50 fee, and owners who are already licensed skip fingerprinting. A change of ownership is different: the license does not transfer, so a new owner applies fresh. We coordinate the lottery application with the sales tax, tobacco and TABC transfers so the store keeps trading through the handover.
Serving Houston and all of Texas
Texas Lottery licensing is a state process, so it works the same for a store in Houston, Harris County, Fort Bend County, Katy, Pearland or anywhere in Texas. IdentoGO fingerprint locations are available statewide, and out-of-state owners can submit paper fingerprint cards that the Commission provides after filing.
Official sources
We link to the agencies directly so you can verify every requirement and fee.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Texas Lottery license cost?
The Texas Lottery Commission charges $125 for the first location, made up of a $100 application fee and a $25 bond payment, and $50 for each additional location under the same taxpayer number. Calibre Licensing Services charges a flat service fee quoted up front, separate from the Commission's fees.
How long does it take to become a Texas Lottery retailer?
Once the application is filed, the Commission runs background checks on every owner, which requires electronic fingerprints, and may pull a credit report. Timing depends mostly on how quickly each owner completes fingerprinting after the Commission sends instructions. We help every owner book the appointment the week the request arrives.
Do I need a sales tax permit to sell Texas Lottery tickets?
Yes. The application requires your Texas sales tax taxpayer number, and the Commission will not process it without one. If you do not have a sales tax permit yet, we file it first as part of the same engagement.
Who has to be fingerprinted for a Texas Lottery license?
Every sole owner, partner, officer, director, member and managing member of the business. Owners who are already licensed to sell Texas Lottery tickets at another location do not need new fingerprints. Fingerprints must not be taken before the application is filed; the Commission sends instructions after it receives the application.
Can a bar or restaurant that serves liquor sell lottery tickets?
Locations holding a mixed beverage permit, a private club permit, or a beer and wine permit with 30% or more of gross receipts from alcohol are not eligible. A convenience store with a beer and wine permit and under 30% alcohol sales is eligible. We confirm eligibility before filing.
Does the Texas Lottery license transfer when I buy a store?
No. A new owner must apply for a new license, and the Commission requires notice within 10 days of any ownership change. We file the new application as part of the change of ownership so the terminal stays active with as little gap as possible.