How do I get Texas VetHUB certification?

What changed in the Texas HUB program

For decades, Texas certified Historically Underutilized Businesses to increase their participation in state purchasing. The Texas Comptroller now runs that program as VetHUB, focused on certifying service-disabled veterans to support their growth and increase their state contracts and subcontracts.

According to the Comptroller’s VetHUB FAQ, the current rules are in 34 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 20, Subchapter D, Division 1, effective May 12, 2026, replacing emergency rules effective December 2, 2025. The Comptroller revoked certifications previously based on race, ethnicity, or sex unless the business proved ownership and control by service-disabled veterans, ended its agreements with outside certifying organizations, and now accepts new applications only through its own certification system. Contracts in place before the new rules took effect are not affected.

Who qualifies

The Comptroller’s certification-process page lists the core requirements. Read them carefully, because every one must be met and documented.

• Ownership: at least 51% of the business owned by qualifying service-disabled veteran owners.
• Disability: a service-related disability of 20% or greater, which the Comptroller describes as identified by the federal military department.
• Control: the qualifying owner must prove control of day-to-day operations and hold a company title consistent with ownership and control.
• Residency and base: qualifying owners must be Texas residents, and the business must be primarily based in Texas with its principal place of business in Texas.
• Type and size: a for-profit entity that does not exceed the size standard set in the Texas rules, which reference SBA size standards.

Before you apply

Gather documents before you open the application. The Comptroller states that all VetHUB submissions must be made through the vendor record in its certification system; paper, email, mail, and in-person submissions are not accepted.

Ownership records are a common gap. For a corporation, the Comptroller asks for a stock issuance and transfer ledger, and for an LLC, a membership issuance and transfer ledger. Each should identify every owner, their address, certificate number, number of shares or units or percentage, the date they became an owner, and the amount paid or capital contributed. Many small LLCs never created this ledger at formation, so build it carefully and make sure it matches your company agreement.

• Formation and governing documents for your entity type.
• Ownership ledger and proof of capital contributions.
• Disability documentation showing at least a 20% service-connected rating.
• Proof of Texas residency for qualifying owners and proof that the principal place of business is in Texas.
• Evidence of who manages daily operations, such as signature authority on bank accounts, contracts, and key licenses.

The application and review

The Comptroller describes the process this way: the application is date-stamped, a business file is created and assigned to a certification specialist, the specialist reviews it for completeness against the eligibility criteria and sends clarification requests by email, and on approval the vendor profile is uploaded to the VetHUB Directory. The Comptroller asks applicants to allow up to 90 days for review, and longer when applications are incomplete.

Respond quickly to clarification requests and keep the single email address on your vendor profile monitored, since the profile has room for only one email and contact person. Check your spam folder for messages from the Comptroller.

After approval: VetHUB and CMBL together

Approval puts your business in the VetHUB Directory with status code “A” for active. The Comptroller notes that state agencies use the directory together with the Centralized Master Bidders List to solicit bids, and that prime contractors use it to find VetHUBs for subcontracting plans on projects of $100,000 or more. For purchases of $10,000 or less, state entities can contact a business directly.

VetHUB certification and CMBL registration are separate. If you also pay the $70 annual CMBL fee in the same period, the Comptroller combines the profiles into one vendor listing searchable on both. Choose accurate NIGP commodity codes, since Texas purchasing does not use NAICS codes, and list the highway districts you can actually serve.

Keeping your certification

The Comptroller states that VetHUB certification is good for up to four years as long as the business continues to meet eligibility requirements. Ownership changes must be reported to the VetHUB program; certification does not transfer automatically to new owners, who must submit new applications, and failing to report a change can lead to a vendor performance report and a bar from certifying a new business.

Use the VetHUB Certified Vendor logo only while certification is active, and stop when the business graduates or is no longer certified. Put your expiration date on your calendar well before it arrives.

Is VetHUB worth it for your business?

VetHUB is most valuable when State of Texas agencies, universities, or their prime contractors buy what you sell. The Comptroller describes statewide utilization goals as qualitative, and each agency sets its own goals, so certification is a door-opener rather than a guarantee of work.

Pair it with a target list of agencies and primes, a one-page capability statement using NIGP language, and regular searches of the Electronic State Business Daily. If you are not sure whether state buyers purchase your product or service, ask an APEX Accelerator counselor or the Texas Veterans Commission’s business consultants before you invest time in the application.

Frequently asked questions