Tennessee HVAC License Requirements

Official classification: Contractor License, CMC-C (HVAC, Refrigeration and Gas Piping) classification · Issued by the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce & Insurance).

❄️ HVACTN ✔ Verified 2026-06-18

License types

Contractor License - CMC-C (HVAC, Refrigeration and Gas Piping) — Required before bidding or contracting any HVAC/mechanical project where the total cost is $25,000 or more. HVAC is a subcategory of the Mechanical (CMC) classification; the full CMC covers plumbing, HVAC and fire sprinkler.

Requirements at a glance

Experience required	Tennessee sets no fixed statutory number of years; experience is evaluated with the financial statement when setting the monetary limit. Passing the CMC-C trade exam is the core competency requirement.
Application fee	$250 (application and initial license; Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0680-01-.20)
License fee	Included in the application fee
Renewal fee	$200
Renewal period	Every 2 years
Continuing education	None required by the Board
Bond required	No statewide contractor surety bond is required for the full Contractor license.
Liability insurance	General liability insurance required (proof at application and each renewal); no fixed minimum dollar amount is published for the full Contractor license
Property damage	Covered under the general liability policy
Workers' comp	Required if you have employees; a certificate of coverage or an approved exemption is required at renewal
Background check	No statewide fingerprint-based background check for the Contractor license.
Credit requirement	Monetary-limit financial statement required: the limit is the lesser of 10x net worth or 10x working capital. A CPA/LPA compilation is accepted up to $1,500,000, a reviewed statement up to $3,000,000, and an audited statement above that (an unlimited license also requires $300,000+ in both working capital and net worth).
Reciprocity	Tennessee has trade-exam (exam-waiver) reciprocity agreements with several states — commonly Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio and South Carolina — but coverage varies by classification; confirm the current agreement with the Board.
Processing time	Variable; the Board reviews applications at its scheduled meetings.

Exams

HVAC/Mechanical (CMC-C) trade exam	Provider: PSI Passing: Not officially published by the Board Fee: Set by PSI (exam vendor), subject to Board approval — recently about $57 per exam
Tennessee Business and Law exam	Provider: PSI Passing: Not officially published by the Board Fee: Set by PSI (exam vendor), subject to Board approval — recently about $57

Local / municipal notes

The state CMC license preempts local mechanical exams for the licensed scope.

Fees and rules change frequently (often annually). This page was last verified on 2026-06-18 — always confirm current requirements directly with the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce & Insurance) before applying. This is not legal advice.