Tennessee contractor license lookup.

How to verify a Tennessee contractor licence

The Board's page directs consumers to its Verify a License tool at search.cloud.commerce.tn.gov. To verify a Qualifying Agent, it links a separate page that is an interactive dashboard; the page does not define the term or any qualifying agent statuses. The Board lists four licence types: general contractor, home improvement contractor, limited licensed electrician and limited licensed plumber. Tennessee's rules say you cannot operate in the state with a licence from another state.

When a licence is required

The Board states that a contractor's licence is required before contracting, including bidding, offering to engage or negotiating a price, for projects of $25,000 or more, whether as a prime contractor, a certain subcontractor or a construction manager or consultant. A prime contractor is one who bids or contracts directly with the owner. Subcontractors must be licensed when contracting directly with a contractor, not the owner, for electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC or roofing work when that portion of the project is $25,000 or more including materials, equipment and labour. Masonry subcontractors must be licensed when the masonry portion is $100,000 or more. Construction managers and consultants must be licensed when total project value is $25,000 or more.

Worked example: a homeowner is quoted $27,000 for a roof replacement by a roofing company that contracts directly with them. That is above $25,000, so the roofer is a prime contractor on a covered project and should hold a Tennessee licence. If the same roofer were a subcontractor to a general contractor on a $400,000 build, the $25,000 test applies to the roofing portion. The Board warns against splitting projects into phases to circumvent the law, and it applies a 10% tolerance to a licence's monetary limit.

Monetary limits and the surety bond option

The monetary limit is the total dollar amount per project or contract; there is no cap on the number of projects. The Board states limits are 10 times the lesser of working capital or net worth, plus required experience, and an unlimited limit requires $300,000 in both working capital and net worth plus required experience. By that formula, a contractor with $120,000 of working capital and $200,000 of net worth would have a limit of $1,200,000 before the experience requirement. The Restricted Residential (BC-A/r) licence covers residential work under $125,000 and is the exception: it has no 10% tolerance.

The law requires a Reviewed or Audited financial statement prepared by a licensed, independent accounting firm: Reviewed for limits of $3,000,000 or less, Audited above that. The Board adds that, starting July 1, 2026, a Board-approved Contractors' Surety Bond may replace the CPA statement, in an amount of at least 50% of the monetary limit requested. The initial application fee is $250, and a Business and Law exam is required for all applicants, with trade exams for certain classifications.

What this page cannot tell you

It cannot confirm that a contractor is licensed or what limit they hold. The classifications and limit on the Tennessee record, not this summary, decide whether a contractor can take your job. See also our contractor license lookup by state. This is a guide, not legal advice.

Sources

• TN Board for Licensing Contractors (Retrieved November 2026)
• TN Board: Contractor license (Retrieved November 2026)
• TN Board: Verify a Qualifying Agent (Retrieved November 2026)