Contractor licenses in
Tennessee
Tennessee licenses or registers contractors statewide.
Official search run by Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce and Insurance) at search.cloud.commerce.tn.gov
Which work needs a license
The state licenses general, residential, commercial, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, masonry and home improvement work.
Small jobs
Under $25,000
A state contractor license is required for projects of $25,000 or more, including materials, equipment, and labor; in Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford, and Shelby counties a home improvement license is required for residential remodeling from $3,000 to $24,999.
What a licensed contractor had to show
- Exam
- Open-book Business and Law exam, plus a trade exam for certain classifications such as residential (BC-A).
- Bond
- No fixed bond; applicants submit a CPA-reviewed or audited financial statement or, since July 1, 2026, a surety bond of at least 50% of the requested monetary limit. Home improvement contractors need a $10,000 surety bond.
- Insurance
- General liability insurance based on monetary limit, plus workers' compensation unless exempt.
- Experience
- A letter of reference from a past client, employer, or code official speaking to construction experience; no fixed number of years stated.
State licensing agency
-
Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce and Insurance)
Contractors on projects of $25,000 or more, home improvement contractors ($3,000 to $24,999 in participating counties), limited licensed electricians and plumbers
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