Store sales licenses

Texas coin-operated machine licenses and decals: due every November 30

By the Fair Permits licensing team · Updated November 10, 2026 · 2 min read

Short answer

A Texas business that owns or hosts coin-operated amusement or music machines needs a Comptroller coin-operated machine license and a yearly tax decal on each machine ($60 per machine). A store that owns its machines and keeps them only at its own location uses the $150 registration certificate; businesses that place machines elsewhere need a general business license ($200 to $500). Licenses and decals renew every year by November 30.

At a glance

Coin-operated machine license and decals

Issued by: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (plus city or county game-room rules)
Government fee: Registration certificate $150 a year (your own machines at your own store) or general business license $200 to $500, plus $60 per machine (prorated by quarter in the first year).
Typical time: Renewals are due by November 30 every year.
Renewal: Yearly, by November 30.

Fees and times as published by each agency (checked November 10, 2026). We confirm them again when we file.

Which machines count

The Comptroller's coin-operated machine tax covers machines that take coins, bills, tokens or cards to play a game or music: arcade and video games, pinball, jukeboxes, pool tables, claw and crane machines and similar amusement machines. Vending machines that only sell products are not covered. If you are unsure about a machine, check before you buy decals for it.

Which license

Registration certificate, $150 a year: for a business that owns its machines and exhibits them only at its own location, like a convenience store with its own games.
General business license, $200 to $500 a year: for an owner who places machines at other businesses.
Decals, $60 per machine per year: every machine displays a current Comptroller decal. In the first year the decal is prorated by quarter.

A store hosting machines owned by someone else does not buy the owner's decals, but it must check that each machine displays a current one. Operating a machine without a current decal can bring penalties for both the owner and the location.

November 30 renewal

Every coin-op license and every decal expires at the end of the year and must be renewed by November 30 for the next year. In 2026 that is Monday, November 30. Late renewal can bring penalties, and machines without a current decal cannot legally be operated.

A license is not a gambling permit

The Comptroller license and decals are a tax filing. They do not make a machine legal under Texas gambling law. Machines that pay out cash, or gift cards and tickets redeemable for cash, are illegal "eight-liners" regardless of decals. Machines that award only non-cash merchandise of limited value can be legal, but Texas cities and counties also regulate game rooms: in Harris County, a location with six or more such machines is a game room that needs its own county permit, and Houston has its own rules inside the city. Talk to your own lawyer before installing redemption machines.

Frequently asked questions

When do Texas coin-operated machine licenses expire?

Every license and decal expires at the end of the year and must be renewed by November 30 for the following year.

How much is a coin-op decal in Texas?

$60 per machine per year, prorated by quarter in the first year.

Does my convenience store need a coin-op license for its own arcade game?

Yes. A business that owns machines and keeps them only at its own location uses the $150 registration certificate, plus a $60 decal for each machine.

Does a coin-op license make eight-liners legal in Texas?

No. The license and decals are a tax filing only. Machines that pay out cash or cash-redeemable prizes are illegal, and game rooms need separate county or city permits.

Sources

This guide is general information about Texas government filings, not legal advice. Agencies change fees and rules; check the official source or ask us before you rely on a figure.

What permits do you need to open a convenience store in Texas?Every permit a new Texas convenience store files, which agency issues each one, the government fees, and the order to file them in so nothing stalls.
Texas small business compliance calendar for 2027Every 2027 deadline a Texas store or small company tracks: sales tax, payroll forms, TWC, property tax, franchise tax (May 17), coin-op (Nov 30) and permit renewals.