Tennessee Contractor License Lookup

Tennessee requires a state contractor license for projects of $25,000 or more. In nine counties, home remodeling jobs over $3,000 and under $25,000 need a state home improvement license. Search contractors on the official site of the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept. of Commerce & Insurance), and see the rules for trades and the job price where each applies. Runs in your browser; nothing is stored.

Search Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept. of Commerce & Insurance)

Tennessee rules checked against official sources on October 25, 2026.

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Labor and materials together, in dollars. Leave it blank to see the state's dollar limits.

Tennessee: Remodel, repair or home improvement

  • This state rule applies to jobs of $25,000 or more. Credential: contractor license.

    A contractor who bids or contracts directly with the owner needs a Board for Licensing Contractors license for projects of $25,000 or more, counting materials and labor. The license is needed before bidding or quoting a price. Source: T.C.A. 62-6-102, 62-6-103; 2013 Pub. Ch. 355 (roofing portion of $25,000 or more, 62-6-103); Board for Licensing Contractors, Contractor page

    Conditions and exceptions for this rule:

    • The license is required before bidding, offering a price or negotiating, not only before work starts.
    • Construction managers and consultants need the license when the total project is $25,000 or more.

  • This state rule applies to jobs over $3,000. Credential: home improvement license (only in nine counties).

    In Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford and Shelby counties, residential remodeling, repair and improvement jobs over $3,000 and under $25,000 need a state home improvement license. Other counties have not adopted this law. Source: T.C.A. 62-6-501(4)(B)(ii) (2007 Pub. Ch. 460); 62-6-516; Board for Licensing Contractors, Home Improvement page

    Conditions and exceptions for this rule:

    • This applies only in the nine counties that adopted the home improvement law; elsewhere, check with your city or county.
    • Home improvement includes repair, remodeling, additions, roofing, painting, porches, garages, driveways, pools and fences, and installing central heating or air-conditioning systems.
    • At $25,000 or more, the full contractor license applies instead.
    • Board pages describe the range as $3,000 to $24,999; the statute leaves out jobs with a contract price of $3,000 or less.

Look up a contractor on the official site

Search Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept. of Commerce & Insurance)

Search by last name, organization name, board, license type, status, license number or city.

What to check on the board's record

  • The name or business on the record matches the name on your contract or estimate.
  • The status is active, not expired, suspended or revoked.
  • The license type or class covers your kind of job.
  • The license number in the contractor's ads and contract is the same one.

City and county licenses: Below $25,000, electrical and plumbing licensing often comes from the city or county. Check with local code enforcement before hiring. Source

This summarises state rules from official sources. Only the board's own record can confirm one contractor's license. Checked October 25, 2026.

How Tennessee licenses contractors

Tennessee requires a state contractor license for projects of $25,000 or more. In nine counties, home remodeling jobs over $3,000 and under $25,000 need a state home improvement license. T.C.A. 62-6-102, 62-6-103; 62-6-501 et seq. (as summarized by the Board for Licensing Contractors)

Below $25,000, electrical and plumbing licensing often comes from the city or county. Check with local code enforcement before hiring. (source)

Bidding without a required contractor license is a Class A misdemeanor, with fines and a bar from the project. The board can also hold the license application for up to six months. Tennessee Dept. of Commerce & Insurance, Bidding FAQs

Rules by type of work

Home improvement and roofing

  • contractor license: A contractor who bids or contracts directly with the owner needs a Board for Licensing Contractors license for projects of $25,000 or more, counting materials and labor. The license is needed before bidding or quoting a price. Issued by Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept. of Commerce & Insurance). T.C.A. 62-6-102, 62-6-103; 2013 Pub. Ch. 355 (roofing portion of $25,000 or more, 62-6-103); Board for Licensing Contractors, Contractor page
    • The license is required before bidding, offering a price or negotiating, not only before work starts.
    • Construction managers and consultants need the license when the total project is $25,000 or more.
  • home improvement license (only in nine counties) (residential): In Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford and Shelby counties, residential remodeling, repair and improvement jobs over $3,000 and under $25,000 need a state home improvement license. Other counties have not adopted this law. Issued by Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept. of Commerce & Insurance). T.C.A. 62-6-501(4)(B)(ii) (2007 Pub. Ch. 460); 62-6-516; Board for Licensing Contractors, Home Improvement page
    • This applies only in the nine counties that adopted the home improvement law; elsewhere, check with your city or county.
    • Home improvement includes repair, remodeling, additions, roofing, painting, porches, garages, driveways, pools and fences, and installing central heating or air-conditioning systems.
    • At $25,000 or more, the full contractor license applies instead.
    • Board pages describe the range as $3,000 to $24,999; the statute leaves out jobs with a contract price of $3,000 or less.

Building a new home

Electrical work and plumbing

  • contractor license (electrical, plumbing, HVAC classification): Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and HVAC work of $25,000 or more needs a state contractor license, both for a contractor hired by the owner and for a subcontractor whose portion is $25,000 or more. Issued by Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept. of Commerce & Insurance). T.C.A. 62-6-102; Rule 0680-01; Board for Licensing Contractors, Contractor, LLE and LLP pages
    • Below $25,000, a state Limited Licensed Electrician or Limited Licensed Plumber license is required only where the municipality uses the state Division of Fire Prevention for permits or inspections; many cities and counties have their own trade licenses.
    • General plumbing maintenance under $500 is exempt from the Limited Licensed Plumber license.

Heating and air conditioning (HVAC)

  • home improvement license (only in nine counties) (residential): In Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford and Shelby counties, residential remodeling, repair and improvement jobs over $3,000 and under $25,000 need a state home improvement license. Other counties have not adopted this law. Issued by Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept. of Commerce & Insurance). T.C.A. 62-6-501(4)(B)(ii) (2007 Pub. Ch. 460); 62-6-516; Board for Licensing Contractors, Home Improvement page
    • This applies only in the nine counties that adopted the home improvement law; elsewhere, check with your city or county.
    • Home improvement includes repair, remodeling, additions, roofing, painting, porches, garages, driveways, pools and fences, and installing central heating or air-conditioning systems.
    • At $25,000 or more, the full contractor license applies instead.
    • Board pages describe the range as $3,000 to $24,999; the statute leaves out jobs with a contract price of $3,000 or less.
  • contractor license (electrical, plumbing, HVAC classification): Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and HVAC work of $25,000 or more needs a state contractor license, both for a contractor hired by the owner and for a subcontractor whose portion is $25,000 or more. Issued by Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept. of Commerce & Insurance). T.C.A. 62-6-102; Rule 0680-01; Board for Licensing Contractors, Contractor, LLE and LLP pages
    • Below $25,000, a state Limited Licensed Electrician or Limited Licensed Plumber license is required only where the municipality uses the state Division of Fire Prevention for permits or inspections; many cities and counties have their own trade licenses.
    • General plumbing maintenance under $500 is exempt from the Limited Licensed Plumber license.

Where to look up contractors in Tennessee

  • Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept. of Commerce & Insurance): official license search. Search by last name, organization name, board, license type, status, license number or city.

On the record, check that the name matches your contract, the status is active (not expired, suspended or revoked), the license type covers your job, and the license number matches the one the contractor gave you.

What this tool does not do

  • It does not check any one contractor. Only the board's own record shows whether a license is active and what it covers.
  • It covers state rules. Cities and counties can add their own licenses and permits, and the tool cannot list every local rule.
  • It does not decide whether a contractor broke the law or what you can recover. For a dispute, contact the board or a lawyer.
  • It does not cover every specialty trade a state licenses (for example pest control, elevators or well drilling).

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I look up a contractor license in Tennessee?

Use the official online license search from the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept. of Commerce & Insurance). Search by the contractor's name, business name or license number, and check that the status is active and the license type covers your job.

Do you need a contractor license for a small job in Tennessee?

In Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford and Shelby counties, residential remodeling, repair and improvement jobs over $3,000 and under $25,000 need a state home improvement license. Other counties have not adopted this law. For jobs of $3,000 or less, this state rule generally does not apply, but the conditions and exceptions listed on this page can change that, and a city or county can require its own license. Other state rules on this page can also apply.

Which trades need a state license in Tennessee?

Electrical: contractor license (electrical, plumbing, HVAC classification) from the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept. of Commerce & Insurance) ($25,000 or more). Plumbing: contractor license (electrical, plumbing, HVAC classification) from the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept. of Commerce & Insurance) ($25,000 or more). HVAC: contractor license (electrical, plumbing, HVAC classification) from the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept. of Commerce & Insurance) ($25,000 or more).

What happens if a Tennessee contractor works without a required license?

Bidding without a required contractor license is a Class A misdemeanor, with fines and a bar from the project. The board can also hold the license application for up to six months.

Sources

Checked against official Tennessee sources on October 25, 2026.

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