IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER
This guide provides general information about employment opportunities in the state or jurisdiction covered by this guide. While we strive for accuracy, hiring policies change frequently. Always verify current hiring practices directly with employers. Individual results vary based on offense type, time since conviction, and specific job requirements. This is not legal advice. Consult an attorney for guidance on your specific situation.
Felon Friendly Jobs in San Antonio, TX
2026 Employers, Free Reentry Help and Record Clearing
November 3, 2026
Looking for felon friendly jobs in San Antonio? San Antonio is the largest city in Bexar County and the center of the 13-county Alamo workforce region. Known as Military City USA, it's home to Joint Base San Antonio, and free job help is available through Workforce Solutions Alamo, Bexar County's Reentry Center and local nonprofits. Hiring decisions are made case by case, so always check the current job posting for the role and location you want. Last reviewed November 2026.
Employers hiring in the San Antonio area
Joint Base San Antonio is the metro's largest employer, according to a 2024 HUD market report, and H-E-B and USAA are headquartered in San Antonio. The national employers below hire across the metro; start with our guides, then search each careers site for openings near you.
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Free job and reentry help in San Antonio
Workforce Solutions Alamo: The public American Job Center network for San Antonio and the Alamo region, with job search help, training and job fairs. It works with Goodwill on a federal reentry jobs grant.
Bexar County Reentry Center: County-run walk-in center at 222 S. Comal with free job training and certifications (forklift, OSHA, manufacturing), job fairs and help getting an ID and birth certificate. Open weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 210-335-8281.
Goodwill San Antonio Reentry Program: For adults released from prison in the last five years: career coaching, certification training in construction, manufacturing and logistics, and help with costs such as tools, transportation and record expungement. Call 210-924-8581.
Chrysalis Ministries: Reentry services at 928 W. Commerce, listed by the City of San Antonio as a local reentry resource. Call 210-299-4540.
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA): Free legal aid that has run record-clearing clinics for Bexar County residents with St. Mary's School of Law. Email your DPS criminal history report to BexarExpunctions@trla.org for clinic details.
Clearing your record in Texas
Texas has two main tools: expunction and orders of nondisclosure.
Texas has two kinds of relief. Expunction erases records, mostly when you won the case: acquittal, dismissal, no-bill or identity theft. Since January 1, 2025, the rules are in Chapter 55A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, so guides citing Article 55.01 are out of date.
An order of nondisclosure seals an offense from the public. It's available after deferred adjudication for many felonies and misdemeanors, and for some misdemeanor convictions, including some DWIs, with waiting periods from 180 days to 5 years depending on the offense.
You can't get nondisclosure if you were ever convicted or placed on deferred adjudication for an offense requiring sex offender registration, murder, aggravated kidnapping, trafficking, injury to a child, elderly or disabled person, stalking or family violence. A new offense during the waiting period (other than a fine-only traffic ticket) also blocks it.
For free help, contact TRLA's Bexar County record-clearing clinics after ordering your DPS criminal history report. Goodwill San Antonio's reentry program can also help with expungement costs.
Your rights when applying in San Antonio
The City of San Antonio doesn't ask about criminal history on civilian job applications (since 2016) and asks later in the process. Police and fire academy applications are exempt.
San Antonio's policy has never covered private employers, and Texas HB 2127 (in effect since September 1, 2023) bars cities from enforcing local labor rules beyond state law, so private employers may still ask.
After a nondisclosure order, most job applications don't require you to disclose the sealed offense, though some state agencies and licensing boards can still see it.
Federal Bonding Program: the Texas Workforce Commission offers free fidelity bonds through local Workforce Solutions offices, protecting the employer for six months with no deductible.
The federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit lapsed for people hired after December 31, 2025. TWC still accepts forms but holds them until Congress reauthorizes the credit.
Next steps
Sources
This page is for general information and is not legal advice. Employer policies and laws change; confirm details with the employer or a legal aid organization before you rely on them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the City of San Antonio ask about my record?
Not on civilian job applications. The question comes later in the process, and police and fire academy applications are exempt.
Can private employers in San Antonio ask about my record?
Yes. The city's policy covers only city jobs, and a 2023 state law limits cities from adding hiring rules for private employers.
What's the difference between expunction and nondisclosure?
Expunction erases records, mostly when you won your case. Nondisclosure seals an offense from the public, but some agencies and licensing boards can still see it.
Can I expunge a conviction in Texas?
Usually not. Expunction is mainly for cases that were dismissed, ended in acquittal or were never charged.
I finished deferred adjudication. Can I seal it?
Possibly, with an order of nondisclosure. The waiting period runs from 180 days to 5 years, and some offenses aren't eligible.
Do I have to tell employers about a sealed offense?
Most job applications don't require you to disclose an offense covered by a nondisclosure order, though some state agencies and licensing boards may still see it.
Where can I get free help clearing my record in San Antonio?
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid has run free clinics for Bexar County residents. Order your DPS criminal history report first, then email it to BexarExpunctions@trla.org.
Where can I get job training after release?
The Bexar County Reentry Center at 222 S. Comal offers free certifications and job fairs, and Goodwill San Antonio's reentry program offers training for people released in the last five years.
What is fidelity bonding?
It's free insurance that protects an employer for your first six months on the job. Ask your local Workforce Solutions Alamo office about it.
Is the WOTC tax credit still available?
It lapsed for people hired after December 31, 2025. TWC is holding new forms until Congress acts, so don't count on it in your job search.