Tennessee Roofer License Requirements

Official classification: Contractor License, BC classification (Roofing is building category 21, includes gutters and vinyl siding) · Issued by the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce & Insurance).

🏠 RooferTN ✔ Verified 2026-06-18

License types

Contractor License - BC (Building Construction), Roofing category — Roofing is not its own classification code; it is a building category under the BC classification (category 21: 'Roofing - includes gutters and vinyl siding'). A Contractor license is required before bidding or contracting roofing work where the total cost is $25,000 or more.

Requirements at a glance

Experience required	Tennessee sets no fixed statutory number of years; experience is evaluated with the financial statement to set the monetary limit.
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, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina 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.

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Exams

Building (BC) trade exam covering the roofing category	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

Roofer liability & workers' comp insurance — required for most license holders. Compare quotes in minutes.

Local / municipal notes

Roofing under $25,000 may instead fall under a local Home Improvement license in the 9 Home Improvement counties. Confirm the building-category designation with the Board when applying.

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.

Official sources

https://www.tn.gov/commerce/regboards/contractors/license/get/contractor.html
https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/tennessee/Tenn-Comp-R-Regs-0680-01-.20
https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/tennessee/Tenn-Comp-R-Regs-0680-01-.16
https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/tennessee/Tenn-Comp-R-Regs-0680-01-.13