Tennessee: under $25,000 a job without a contractor license ($3,000 in 9 counties)

The limit in Tennessee

The limit: Under $25,000 per job; $3,000 for home improvement in 9 counties, incl. Davidson and Shelby. In short: under $25,000 per project statewide; but in 9 counties a Home Improvement license is needed for residential remodeling from $3,000.

What counts: "projects of $25,000 or more"; for trade subcontractors "when that portion of the project is $25,000 or more, including materials, equipment, and labor." Home improvement: "residential remodeling projects from $3,000 to $24,999" The state's words do not say whether materials count toward the limit.

Conditions: Home Improvement license required from $3,000 in Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford and Shelby counties; electrical/plumbing work under $25,000 needs a Limited Licensed Electrician/Plumber license where the state Division of Fire Prevention does permits/inspections, otherwise local licensing.

No single statewide handyman exemption figure; $25,000 is the statewide contractor-license line, $3,000 the home-improvement line in the counties that adopted it.

Licenses in Tennessee

General contractors: State license. State contractor license required for projects of $25,000 or more (prime contractors, certain subcontractors, construction managers); masonry subcontractors from $100,000. Residential remodeling $3,000-$24,999 needs a Home Improvement license only in 9 adopting counties.

Plumbing: State license from $25,000; below that, state or local depending on the area. State contractor license (plumbing classification) at $25,000+. Below $25,000 a state Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) license is required only where the state Division of Fire Prevention handles permits/inspections; elsewhere local licensing. General maintenance under $500 exempt from LLP.

Electrical: State license from $25,000; below that, state or local depending on the area. State contractor license (electrical classification) at $25,000+. Below $25,000 a Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) license is required only where the state Division of Fire Prevention handles permits/inspections; elsewhere local licensing.

HVAC: State license from $25,000; below that, local. HVAC/mechanical subcontractors need a state contractor license when their portion is $25,000 or more; no state HVAC license below $25,000 found (local rules apply).

Your license number in Tennessee

Your license number: Home improvement contractors must show the number on advertising. None of these rules names invoices.

In the rule's words: “A licensed home improvement contractor may not solicit home improvement business by way of advertisement in a newspaper, magazine, circular, or printed document, or by way of television or radio announcement, unless the name and license number of the contractor is stated in the advertisement.” (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0680-07-.04(1) (home improvement contractors only))

Tennessee's board, and when this was checked

The board: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Dept. of Commerce & Insurance). As of November 6, 2026. Dates on the state's pages: Rules ch. 0680-07: November, 2025 (Revised) and Board page notes dated July 1, 2026 and September 17, 2026.

This is a summary of each state's own pages as of November 6, 2026, not legal advice. Rules change, and cities and counties add licenses of their own. Check with your state's board, linked on this page, before you rely on it.

Compare Tennessee with every state's limit.

Next door to Tennessee

• Alabama: up to $10,000 per job (roofing: $2,500)
• Arkansas: up to $2,000 per job
• Georgia: up to $2,500 per job
• Kentucky: no statewide license found
• Mississippi: up to $10,000 per job
• Missouri: no statewide license found
• North Carolina: under $40,000 per job
• Virginia: up to $1,000 per job

Official sources for Tennessee

6 of Tennessee's own pages, each quoted with its link:

• Contractor - Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (T.C.A. Title 62, Ch. 6): “A contractor's license is required before contracting, including bidding, offering to engage, or negotiating a price, for projects of $25,000 or more when acting as a prime contractor, certain subcontractor, or construction manager/consultant.”
• Contractor - Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: “Subcontractors must be licensed when contracting directly with a contractor, not the owner, to perform electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC, or roofing work when that portion of the project is $25,000 or more, including materials, equipment, and labor.”
• Home Improvement Contractor (T.C.A. § 62-6-501(4)(A)): “A Home Improvement license is required for residential remodeling projects from $3,000 to $24,999; however, this only applies to the counties adopting the law. Currently, this applies to the following counties: Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford, and Shelby.”
• Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) (T.C.A. § 62-6-102(d); § 68-102-150): “The Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) license is only required by electricians performing work in a municipality utilizing the Division of Fire Prevention for permits or inspections and covers work less than $25,000 per project.”
• Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) (T.C.A. § 62-6-403): “The Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) license is only required by plumbers performing work in a municipality utilizing the Division of Fire Prevention for permits or inspections and covers work less than $25,000 per project. Note that general maintenance work that is less than $500 is exempt from the LLP license.”
• Rules of the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Ch. 0680-07 (Home Improvement Contractors) (0680-07-.04(1)): “unless the name and license number of the contractor is stated in the advertisement.”

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