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Tennessee
Source: Local Help Stations (localhelpstations.com). Last updated November 2, 2026.
Tennessee licenses contractors through the Board for Licensing Contractors, with a separate home improvement license in some counties. These are the statewide home rules we could confirm on official Tennessee pages.
Key Tennessee facts
- A state contractor license is needed before bidding or contracting on projects of $25,000 or more as a prime contractor. (source: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance)
- Electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing subcontractors need a license when their part of the job is $25,000 or more. (source: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance)
- Masonry subcontractors need a license once the masonry part reaches $100,000. (source: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance)
- A license from another state does not let a contractor work in Tennessee. (source: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance)
- A home improvement license is required for home remodeling jobs from $3,000 to $24,999 in the counties that adopted the law. (source: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance)
- Those counties are Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford and Shelby. (source: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance)
- Home improvement work includes driveways, pools, porches, garages, landscaping, fences, roofing and painting. (source: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance)
- Home improvement license holders must post a $10,000 surety bond or other financial security. (source: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance)
- The department suggests checking a license at verify.tn.gov before you hire. (source: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance)
- It advises getting at least three bids and checking references. (source: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance)
- Never pay more than one third down, and do not let payments get ahead of the work. (source: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance)
- Never sign over your insurance check to a contractor. (source: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance)
- Make sure the contractor gets a permit so the work is inspected. (source: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance)
Tennessee topics
Tennessee electrician
Tennessee electrical rules here come from the Board for Licensing Contractors and the State Fire Marshal's electrical permit pages.
Not covered yet
We have not published Tennessee pages for these topics yet, because we have not confirmed enough Tennessee specific facts on official pages: HVAC, Plumbing, Roofing, Auto, Appliance repair, Garage doors, Locksmith, Pest control, Movers.
Sources
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance: Contractor license (Board for Licensing Contractors) (checked November 2, 2026)
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance: Home Improvement Contractor license (Board for Licensing Contractors) (checked November 2, 2026)
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance: TDCI Offers Tips to Help Consumers Avoid Shoddy Spring Home Repairs (March 24, 2017) (checked November 2, 2026)
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