Does a home improvement contractor need a license or registration in Tennessee?
Yes, a license. In Tennessee, a business doing residential home improvement work on one- to four-unit dwellings where the contract price is more than $3,000 must first obtain a home improvement license from the state board for licensing contractors, in the counties where the home improvement part applies. Home improvement includes repair, remodeling, roofing, painting, driveways, pools and the installation of central heating or air conditioning, but not construction of a new home. The statute recognizes counties whose home improvement contractors were exempted from licensure on July 1, 2007 by a county exclusion, and lets such a county’s legislative body elect by a two-thirds vote to come under the part. Licensed residential or commercial contractors acting within their licenses, and licensed plumbers and electricians working within their trade, do not need the home improvement license. This is Tenn. Code §§ 62-6-501, 62-6-502, 62-6-505, 62-6-516.
| What | Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Home improvement contractors | Home improvement license for jobs over $3,000 |
Source
Tenn. Code §§ 62-6-501, 62-6-502, 62-6-505, 62-6-516
Read the statute in the Tennessee Code (Tennessee General Assembly): capitol.tn.gov.
The linked sections open Justia’s free copy of the code, because the state’s own site has no stable address for each section.
Checked against the statute on November 13, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
A contractor on Seayora keeps each license with its issuing state, its expiry date and the last four digits of its number, and the business is warned before one lapses — on the website and both phone apps. A customer finding a pro on Seayora sees whether a license is on file.
Guides on this rule
- Contractor License Requirements by State: Every Trade — Which states require a state license for electricians, plumbers, HVAC, general and home improvement contractors, with the statute for each.
Compare this rule in every state
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The same question in other states
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Connecticut
- District of Columbia
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina