Quick answer: Tennessee licenses construction primarily by project size, not by trade. Any prime contractor bidding or performing a project of $25,000 or more (including materials and labor) needs a state Contractor License with the correct classification. Electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC, and roofing subcontractors also need a Contractor License when their portion is $25,000+. For smaller stand-alone work, a Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) or Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) may be required in municipalities that use the state Division of Fire Prevention, and local permit rules still apply. A separate Home Improvement license covers residential jobs of $3,000–$24,999 in nine adopting counties.
Whether you need a license in Tennessee depends far more on the size and location of the job than on the name of your trade.
Which trades need a license in Tennessee?
| Trade | State license required? | Licensing body |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber | License required (size-based) | Plumbing is a mechanical classification (CMC-A) under the state Contractor License, which is required when the plumbing portion of a project is $25,000 or more, including materials, equipment, and labor. For smaller stand-alone jobs (under $25,000), a plumber may need a state Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) license if working in a municipality that uses the Division of Fire Prevention for permits or inspections; the LLP requires at least one year of experience and a passing exam. An LLP is not exempt from local licensing, permit, and inspection requirements, and 15 counties are exempt from the LLP law. |
| Electrician | License required (size-based) | Electrical is its own classification (CE) under the state Contractor License, required when the electrical portion of a project is $25,000 or more (materials, equipment, and labor). For stand-alone electrical work under $25,000, a state Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) license is required only in municipalities that use the Division of Fire Prevention for permits or inspections. The LLE is issued to individuals who pass the LLE trade exam. Local governments may have their own licensing, permit, and inspection requirements. |
| HVAC | License required (size-based) | HVAC/mechanical falls under the state Contractor License (CMC-C for HVAC), required when the HVAC portion of a project is $25,000 or more, including materials, equipment, and labor. For HVAC projects under $25,000, requirements are largely local: in municipalities where the Fire Marshal's electrical inspectors perform inspections, the state Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) license is required for HVAC permits, or a Contractor License with a CMC-C classification is also accepted. |
| General Contractor | License required | A state Contractor License is required before bidding, offering, negotiating a price, or contracting on any project of $25,000 or more when acting as a prime contractor (or as a construction manager/consultant when the total project value is $25,000 or more). Every license carries both a monetary limit and a classification, such as Building – Residential (BC-A), Commercial (BC-B or BC), or Industrial. Qualifying requires financial statements, a business and law exam, and typically a trade exam for the classification. |
| Roofer | License required (size-based) | Roofing is a specialty contractor classification. A state Contractor License is required for a prime roofing project of $25,000 or more, and roofing subcontractors must be licensed when contracting directly with a contractor and their portion is $25,000 or more. For residential roofing between $3,000 and $24,999, a Home Improvement license is required in the nine adopting counties (Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford, and Shelby). |
| Painter | Sometimes (size/county-based) | There is no stand-alone state painting license. Painting falls under a Contractor License only when the work is part of a project of $25,000 or more. For residential painting jobs between $3,000 and $24,999 in the nine Home Improvement counties (Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford, Shelby), a Home Improvement license is required. Smaller jobs and jobs outside those counties generally need no state license, though local rules may apply. |
| Carpenter | Sometimes (size/county-based) | Tennessee has no separate carpentry license. Carpentry is covered by a Contractor License (typically a Building classification) when it is part of a project of $25,000 or more. For residential remodeling, repairs, or additions between $3,000 and $24,999 in the nine Home Improvement counties, a Home Improvement license is required. Below those thresholds, no state license is generally required, but check local permit rules. |
| Landscaper | Sometimes (size/county-based) | Landscaping is a specialty classification (for example BC-29) under the state Contractor License, required when the landscaping project is $25,000 or more. Landscaping is also expressly included in the definition of home improvement, so residential landscaping work between $3,000 and $24,999 in the nine adopting counties requires a Home Improvement license. Routine lawn maintenance and smaller jobs typically need no state license. |
| Handyman | Usually not (county rules apply) | Tennessee has no dedicated handyman license. Small odd jobs below the dollar thresholds generally do not require a state license. However, in the nine Home Improvement counties (Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford, Shelby), residential improvement work of $3,000 or more requires a Home Improvement license, and any project reaching $25,000 requires a Contractor License. A handyman cannot split a larger project into phases to stay under a threshold. |
| Cleaner | No state license | House cleaning and janitorial services are not construction contracting and are not licensed by the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. No state occupational license is required to operate a cleaning business, though a standard local business license or tax registration may apply. |
Thresholds are based on the total value of the relevant work including materials, equipment, and labor, and a project cannot be split into phases to stay under a limit.
The $25,000 rule: when a state Contractor License is required
The Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors requires a Contractor License before a prime contractor bids, offers to engage, negotiates a price, or contracts on any project of $25,000 or more. This total includes materials, equipment, and labor for the work in question, and a construction manager or consultant needs a license when the total project value is $25,000 or more. Each license is issued with both a monetary limit and a classification — for example Building (Residential BC-A, Commercial BC-B, Industrial), Electrical (CE), Mechanical/Plumbing and HVAC (CMC), Masonry, Heavy Construction, and Specialties such as landscaping, roofing, and solar.
Subcontractors: electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing, and masonry
Subcontractors must hold a Contractor License when they contract directly with a contractor (not the owner) to perform electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC, or roofing work and that portion of the project is $25,000 or more, including materials, equipment, and labor. Masonry has a higher trigger: a masonry subcontractor must be licensed when the masonry portion is $100,000 or more. These rules mean the specialty trades often need the full state Contractor License, not just a limited license, once a job grows large.
Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) and Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP)
For smaller stand-alone electrical and plumbing work under $25,000, Tennessee offers limited licenses. A Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) is required for electricians (and, in some municipalities, for HVAC permits) performing work under $25,000 in a municipality that uses the state Division of Fire Prevention for permits or inspections. A Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) similarly covers plumbing projects under $25,000 in those municipalities, requires at least one year of experience plus an exam, and does not exempt the holder from local licensing, permits, or inspections. Fifteen counties are exempt from the LLP law.
Home Improvement license: residential work $3,000 to $24,999
A separate Home Improvement license applies to residential improvement work — repair, replacement, remodeling, alterations, or additions — costing from $3,000 to $24,999, but only in the counties that have adopted the law: Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford, and Shelby. Covered work expressly includes driveways, swimming pools, porches, garages, landscaping, fences, roofing, and painting. Applicants must provide a $10,000 surety bond (or an accepted alternative). Once a residential job reaches $25,000, the full Contractor License applies instead.
Trades with no state license: painting, carpentry, handyman, and cleaning
Tennessee does not issue stand-alone state licenses for painters, carpenters, general handymen, or cleaners. These trades become regulated only through the dollar-based rules above: a Contractor License at $25,000+, or a Home Improvement license for residential work of $3,000–$24,999 in the nine adopting counties. Cleaning and janitorial services are not construction contracting and fall outside the Board's authority entirely. In all cases, a local business license and local permit or inspection rules may still apply.
How to get licensed in Tennessee
- Determine the total value of your project including materials, equipment, and labor, and identify the county and municipality where the work will occur.
- If the project is $25,000 or more (or you are a specialty subcontractor over that threshold), apply for a state Contractor License with the correct classification, including required financial statements and passing the business/law and trade exams.
- For stand-alone electrical, plumbing, or HVAC work under $25,000, check whether your municipality uses the Division of Fire Prevention and, if so, obtain the appropriate Limited License (LLE or LLP) and pass the required exam.
- For residential improvement work of $3,000 to $24,999 in Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford, or Shelby County, apply for a Home Improvement license and secure the $10,000 bond or accepted alternative.
- Confirm and obtain any local business license, permits, and inspections with your city or county before starting work, since local rules apply on top of state requirements.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the dollar threshold for needing a contractor license in Tennessee?
A state Contractor License is required for prime projects of $25,000 or more, counting materials, equipment, and labor. Electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC, and roofing subcontractors also need the license when their portion of the project is $25,000 or more (masonry subcontractors at $100,000 or more).
Do electricians, plumbers, and HVAC techs always need a state license?
Not always. Large work ($25,000+) requires a full Contractor License with the correct classification. Smaller stand-alone work may require a Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) or Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) in municipalities that use the Division of Fire Prevention, and local governments frequently have their own licensing, permit, and inspection rules.
What is the Tennessee Home Improvement license and where does it apply?
It is a license for residential improvement work costing $3,000 to $24,999, required only in nine adopting counties: Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford, and Shelby. It covers work such as roofing, painting, landscaping, driveways, and remodeling, and requires a $10,000 bond or accepted alternative.
Do handymen and cleaners need a license in Tennessee?
There is no state handyman or cleaning license. Small handyman jobs below the thresholds generally need no state license, but residential improvement work of $3,000 or more in the nine Home Improvement counties requires a Home Improvement license, and any project reaching $25,000 requires a Contractor License. Cleaning services are not regulated by the contractors board, though a local business license may apply.
Sources: TN Board for Licensing Contractors — Contractor License, TN Board for Licensing Contractors — Types of Licenses / Classifications, TN Board for Licensing Contractors — Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE), TN Board for Licensing Contractors — Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP), TN Board for Licensing Contractors — Home Improvement Contractor, 2025. Licensing rules change — always confirm current requirements with the relevant state board and your local city before you work.