Contractors

Purpose

The Board for Licensing Contractors was established in 1931 to regulate contractors in the State of Tennessee. The current requirements for the licensure of contractors, home improvement contractors, limited licensed electricians, and limited licensed plumbers can be found in Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 6.

Mission

The mission of the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors is to protect the public health, safety and welfare through the regulation of contractors, home improvement contractors, limited licensed electricians, and limited licensed plumbers.

Who Is Required To Be Licensed

NOTICE! A Tennessee contractor's license is required BEFORE bidding or offering a price, for projects $25,000 and up (includes materials and labor), as a prime (general) contractor; and also subcontractors performing electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing and masonry are also required to be licensed as a contractor, when the total portion on the project is $25,000 or more; masonry, when $100,000 or more. In addition, a sub to a sub would need to be licensed whenever there are more than one (1) subcontractors on the project. Reciprocal agreements do NOT allow using another state's license in Tennessee, but provides a trade exam waiver, only.  License issuance takes 4 to 6 weeks.

A Contractor's license is required prior to contracting (bidding, offering to engage, or negotiating a price) for projects $25,000 or more, when acting as one of the following: 

• Prime (General) Contractor - Bidding or contracting directly with the “owner” of the project;
• Subcontractor – Contracting directly with any contractor (not to the owner) to perform projects when the total cost of that portion on the project is *$25,000 or more, for the following (includes all materials, equipment, and labor):
  • Electrical, Mechanical, Plumbing, HVAC, and **Roofing; and
  • Masonry when *$100,000 and up
• Construction Management – When the value of the total project is $25,000 or more.

*Masonry subcontractors must be licensed as a contractor when the project is $100,000 or more.

**Roofing subcontractors must be licensed as a contractor, effective January 1, 2014, in addition to performing work currently as a prime, for projects $25,000 or more.

The definition of contractor is found in the statute at  T.C.A. § 62-6-102 and covers a very broad area, which includes construction, installation, movement, repair, etc.

All contractors licenses are assigned a monetary limit and also a classification, such as: Building (Residential, Commercial and Industrial); Electrical; Mechanical (Plumbing and HVAC); Heavy Construction; Highway, Railroad & Airport; Masonry; Municipal Utility; Environmental; and Specialties (landscaping, excavation, roofing, cell towers, solar panels, audio visual, etc.,). Contractor's must bid/contract in the exact name as licensed. See more information below in the "Summary of Contractor License Requirements".  See the Law and Rules for legislative updates.