Tennessee HVAC License Requirements (2026)

The Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors licenses HVAC, refrigeration, and gas-piping businesses under the CMC-C classification. A Tennessee contractor license is generally required before contracting for HVAC work of $25,000 or more; the Board’s small-project guidance says HVAC work below that amount is usually regulated locally. CMC-C has a trade examination, and every contractor classification also requires Tennessee Business and Law. HVAC businesses are licensed in an entity name with a Board-assigned monetary limit. Separately, federal EPA Section 608 certification is required for technicians who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of equipment that could release regulated refrigerants.

Regulatory Body

Under Tennessee Code Annotated Title 62, Chapter 6; Board rules Chapter 0680, Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors — Department of Commerce and Insurance (TBLC) is the body that issues this license and enforces compliance with it. TBLC licenses contractor entities, classifications, qualifying agents, monetary limits, and related renewals and discipline.

• Official portal: https://www.tn.gov/commerce/regboards/contractors/license/get/contractor.html
• Address: 500 James Robertson Parkway, Nashville, TN 37243
• Phone: (615) 741-2241

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Applicants must provide a Social Security Number. No Tennessee residency requirement.

Good moral character

The Contractor’s Affidavit requires disclosure and explanation of relevant complaints, convictions, and prior unlicensed bidding. TBLC says those matters can require a Board interview; avoid treating any one item as an automatic denial without the Board’s review.

Background investigation

Submit the current online application and notarized Contractor’s Affidavit, with explanations and supporting records for required disclosures. The Board’s contractor page does not describe a universal fingerprint prerequisite.

Experience and Education

There is no published year count for this credential in the cited sources. What actually controls eligibility is TBLC’s current CMC-C materials require the trade examination but do not publish the CMC-A/full-CMC pre-approval and three-year threshold for CMC-C. Qualifying-agent experience nevertheless helps determine the monetary limit; document relevant HVAC work in the current application..

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

• A current Letter of Reference from a past client, employer, or code official who can speak to construction experience (not a family member)
• Qualifying-agent experience information supporting the monetary-limit request
• Entity, financial, insurance, and Contractor’s Affidavit documents required by the current online application

Education substitution

The Board does not publish the education substitution claimed in the prior guide for CMC-C. Confirm any proposed equivalency with TBLC before applying.

Exam Requirements

An examination applies to the pathway described here. Individual parts and format details are not established in this record; confirm them with the authority. Provider or process notes: Prov (new Board exam provider beginning July 1, 2026; PSI completes already-scheduled appointments through September)

Examination fee: Consult the current Prov Tennessee contractor candidate information for fees, question count, time limits, passing score, and permitted references.

Retake policy: TBLC says contractor examinations are typically valid for two years. Follow current Prov candidate instructions for scheduling and retakes.

Insurance and Bonds

The cited materials impose no contractor license bond for this credential. Bear in mind that specific contracts, permits, or public works can still require their own bonds.

General liability

General liability minimums follow the license monetary limit: $100,000 up to $500,000; $500,000 for $500,001–$1,500,000; and $1,000,000 above $1,500,000 through unlimited. The certificate must match the licensed entity and contain the required policy details.

Workers' compensation

TBLC requires workers’ compensation insurance or proof of exemption as part of the contractor process. Separately confirm the business’s coverage duty under Tennessee workers’ compensation law.

Additional financial requirements

A GAAP reviewed financial statement is required for limits of $3,000,000 or less; an audited statement is required above $3,000,000. The monetary limit is generally 10 times the lesser of working capital or net worth, subject to experience; unlimited requires $300,000 in both plus experience. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Board-approved Contractors’ Surety Bond may be used instead of a review/audit and must equal at least 50% of the requested limit.

Fee Schedule

To turn these board fees into a realistic year-one budget — bond premium, liability insurance, and exam prep included — open the cost calculator preloaded for Tennessee hvac.

Renewal and Continuing Education

Expect to renew the Tennessee CMC-C HVAC, Refrigeration and Gas Piping Contractor License every 2 years. Renewal currently costs $200. TBLC says continuing education is not required for contractor licenses other than specified residential classifications. Renew through CORE within 90 days of expiration and submit the current financial, insurance, entity, and workers’ compensation/exemption documents.

Reciprocity

Tennessee does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for this classification.

Tennessee does not permit use of another state’s license. Its current trade-exam-waiver list is classification-specific and identifies HVAC/mechanical pathways from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, and West Virginia. A waiver affects only the trade exam; every contractor classification requires Tennessee Business and Law.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares published HVAC license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

HVAC Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare Tennessee's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

• Alabama HVAC License Requirements — Alabama Certified Heating and Air Conditioning Contractor
• Arkansas HVAC License Requirements — Arkansas HVACR Class A and Class B Contractor License
• Georgia HVAC License Requirements — Georgia Conditioned Air Contractor (Class I or Class II)
• Kentucky HVAC License Requirements — Kentucky Master HVAC Contractor (and Journeyman HVAC Mechanic)
• Mississippi HVAC License Requirements — Mississippi HVAC Contractor License
• Missouri HVAC License Requirements — Missouri HVAC Contractor — City and County Licensing
• North Carolina HVAC License Requirements — North Carolina Heating Contractor (Groups 1, 2, or 3)
• Virginia HVAC License Requirements — Virginia Master HVAC Tradesman License

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

1. Choose CMC-C or confirm the local small-project route. CMC-C is the Board classification for HVAC, refrigeration, and gas piping. For HVAC work below $25,000, confirm the municipality’s permit and license rules before contracting.
2. Choose a monetary limit and financial route. Use a reviewed or audited GAAP statement in the exact entity name, or the Board-approved surety-bond option. The monetary limit must cover each contract.
3. Pass the required Board examinations. CMC-C requires its trade examination and every contractor classification requires Tennessee Business and Law. Beginning July 2026, use Prov for new appointments; confirm current candidate instructions before scheduling.
4. Complete the online contractor application. File through CORE with the $250 initial fee, qualifier, reference, financial information or bond, general-liability certificate, workers’ compensation documentation or exemption, entity documents, and notarized affidavit.
5. Meet separate refrigerant rules when applicable. Technicians who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of equipment that could release regulated refrigerants need the applicable federal EPA Section 608 certification. That federal credential is separate from CMC-C.
6. Maintain the entity, insurance, and limit. Keep the monetary limit, general liability, workers’ compensation status, and local permits aligned with the work. Renew the contractor license through CORE.

Application Checklist

The most critical documents or confirmations the applicant should have in hand before filing with TBLC:

• Prov CMC-C trade and Tennessee Business and Law examination results, or current trade-exam-waiver verification
• CORE contractor application and $250 initial fee
• Qualifying-agent information and one non-family Letter of Reference from a past client, employer, or code official
• Reviewed/audited GAAP financial statement in the entity name or the Board-approved Contractors’ Surety Bond option
• General-liability certificate appropriate to the monetary limit and workers’ compensation documentation or exemption
• Entity documents and notarized Contractor’s Affidavit
• EPA Section 608 technician certification when the individual will perform covered refrigerant work

Progress is saved in this browser, so you can return to this checklist while your application is in flight.

Common Filing Mistakes

Drawn from the board instructions and sources cited on this page, the pitfalls below are the ones most likely to slow down or sink a Tennessee HVAC application.

Treating small HVAC work as exempt from all regulation

Below the $25,000 state contractor threshold, HVAC work is usually regulated locally. Confirm the city or county permit and licensing path before contracting.

Confusing CMC-C, full CMC, and CMC-A

CMC-C is HVAC, refrigeration, and gas piping. Full CMC Mechanical and CMC-A Plumbing are distinct classifications, so match the classification to the contract scope.

Filing a stale financial statement

Use the current reviewed/audited GAAP financial-statement route in the entity name, or the Board-approved surety-bond option. Do not rely on the former compilation thresholds in older guides.

Using stale PSI exam details

Prov became the Board’s new trade-exam provider on July 1, 2026. Consult the current candidate information rather than relying on historic PSI question counts, scores, fees, or reference lists.

Assuming CMC-C substitutes for EPA technician certification

CMC-C is a Tennessee contractor classification. The federal Section 608 credential applies separately to technicians doing covered refrigerant work.

Study and Reference Materials

These are the preparation and reference materials tied to this credential — cited by the regulator or widely used by applicants. CLR earns nothing from listing them.

• Prov Tennessee contractor candidate information — Prov / Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. Official current source for CMC-C and Business and Law examination format, fee, references, and scheduling.
• TBLC contractor classification and application materials — Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance. Primary source for CMC-C scope, monetary limits, financial documentation, insurance, and contractor entity requirements.
• EPA Section 608 technician certification requirements — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Use for the separate federal credential required when servicing covered refrigerant equipment.

Other Tennessee Trade Licenses

Should the HVAC path not apply, these other Tennessee trade guides from CLR may help:

• Tennessee General Contractor License Requirements
• Tennessee Electrician License Requirements
• Tennessee Plumber License Requirements
• Tennessee Roofing Contractor License Requirements
• Tennessee Painting Contractor License Requirements
• Tennessee Landscaping Contractor License Requirements
• Tennessee Masonry Contractor License Requirements
• Tennessee Concrete Contractor License Requirements
• Tennessee Carpentry Contractor License Requirements
• Tennessee Solar Installer License Requirements
• Tennessee Low-Voltage Technician License Requirements
• Tennessee Fire Sprinkler Contractor License Requirements
• Tennessee Home Inspector License Requirements
• Tennessee Pool Contractor License Requirements
• Tennessee Handyman License Requirements
• Tennessee Pest Control License Requirements
• Tennessee Septic Contractor License Requirements

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Tennessee require an HVAC contractor license?

A Tennessee contractor license is generally required before contracting for an HVAC project valued at $25,000 or more, including labor, materials, and equipment. TBLC says HVAC work below $25,000 is usually regulated locally, so verify the permit and license rules for the jurisdiction before bidding.

What does the CMC-C classification cover in Tennessee?

CMC-C is the Board classification for HVAC, refrigeration, and gas piping. Full CMC Mechanical and CMC-A Plumbing are separate classifications; select the classification that matches the work you will contract to perform.

Is EPA Section 608 certification required?

Federal EPA Section 608 certification is required for technicians who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of equipment that could release regulated refrigerants. It is separate from the Tennessee CMC-C contractor classification; use EPA’s current rules to select the appropriate Type I, II, III, or Universal credential.

Does Tennessee reciprocate HVAC contractor licenses?

Tennessee does not authorize work on another state’s license. Its current trade-exam-waiver list is classification-specific and identifies HVAC/mechanical paths from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, and West Virginia. Confirm the exact classification and examination history with TBLC; Tennessee Business and Law remains required.

How often does the Tennessee CMC license renew?

Contractor licenses renew every two years. TBLC lists a $200 contractor renewal fee and a 12-month grace period with a $20 monthly late fee; the current renewal materials call for applicable financial, insurance, entity, and workers’ compensation or exemption documentation.

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