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Licenses by State

How to check if a contractor is licensed in Tennessee

Edited by John Voll. Last verified .

In Tennessee, the state keeps license or registration records for general contractors, electrical contractors, plumbing contractors, HVAC contractors and roofing contractors, and each has an official lookup or board listed below. Check the record before you sign a contract or pay a deposit, and treat the board's own record as final.

Which board covers which trade

TradeWho keeps the recordOfficial lookup
General contractorTennessee Board for Licensing ContractorsSearch general contractor licenses
ElectricalTennessee Board for Licensing ContractorsSearch electrical licenses
PlumbingTennessee Board for Licensing ContractorsSearch plumbing licenses
HVACTennessee Board for Licensing ContractorsSearch HVAC licenses
RoofingTennessee Board for Licensing ContractorsSearch roofing licenses

Step by step

  1. Open the official Tennessee lookup run by Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors and search the contractor by name or number.
    Open the official lookup
  2. The board publishes a searchable dashboard of Tennessee contractors and their qualifying agents, with license verification details. source Each contractor license carries a monetary limit, the most it may contract for on any single project, so check the limit against the size of your job. source A contractor may exceed its monetary limit by up to 10%, except on a Restricted Residential (BC-A/r) license. source
  3. Confirm the record is active and the class matches the job (BC-A (Residential) or BC-B (Commercial) or BC-C (Industrial) or Home Improvement). The board's own record governs. A license is required for jobs above Contractor license required for projects of $25,000 or more. source
  4. Check the bond and insurance on the record against the state minimums: Optional surety bond of at least 50% of the requested monetary limit, accepted since July 1, 2026 as an alternative to a CPA-reviewed or audited financial statement. source General liability insurance of at least $100,000 for a monetary limit up to $500,000 ($500,000 coverage for limits of $500,001 to $1,500,000 and $1,000,000 above that), plus workers compensation unless exempt. source

If the contractor is not licensed, or you have a complaint

  • The Board may dismiss a complaint against a Home Improvement contractor filed more than one year after the contract date, so complain promptly. source
  • File complaints about unlicensed work or misconduct with the Department of Commerce and Insurance online. source
  • The department disciplines licenses but does not get refunds for homeowners; it points to private counsel or the Division of Consumer Affairs mediation program. source

Homeowner protections in Tennessee

  • Home Improvement contractors carry a $10,000 surety bond for homeowners damaged by a breach of a home improvement contract. source
  • A Home Improvement contractor must show its name and license number in print, TV and radio ads. source

Questions

How do I check if a contractor is licensed in Tennessee?
Search the contractor by name or license number on the official Tennessee lookup run by Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, then confirm the record is active and covers the type of work. For electrical, plumbing, HVAC or roofing work, use that trade's lookup in the table on this page.
What can I do if a contractor in Tennessee is not licensed?
The Board may dismiss a complaint against a Home Improvement contractor filed more than one year after the contract date, so complain promptly. File complaints about unlicensed work or misconduct with the Department of Commerce and Insurance online. The department disciplines licenses but does not get refunds for homeowners; it points to private counsel or the Division of Consumer Affairs mediation program.

All Tennessee licensing rules by trade

Sources

This is not a government site. The licensing board's own record governs; always confirm on the official lookup. Information as of October 6, 2026.