Tennessee Plumber License Requirements (2026)

The Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (TBLC) regulates plumbing contracting statewide under T.C.A. Title 62 Chapter 6. Tennessee does not issue individual journeyman or master plumber credentials at the state level — plumbing contractors are licensed as business entities under the CMC-A (Plumbing) classification with a monetary limit set by a CPA-prepared financial statement. Any plumbing project, regardless of dollar value, requires a TBLC license. The Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) credential, administered separately by the Department of Commerce and Insurance, covers smaller plumbing work up to $25,000. All plumbing contractor applicants pass a PSI trade exam and the Business and Law exam at 73%.

Regulatory Body Profile

Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors — Department of Commerce and Insurance (TBLC) is the statutory authority responsible for issuing and enforcing this license under Tennessee Code Annotated Title 62 Chapter 6 (Contractors Licensing Act of 1994); Rules of the Board Chapter 0680. TBLC licenses general and specialty contractors statewide, sets monetary limits based on CPA-reviewed financial statements, administers the PSI examination program, and conducts disciplinary proceedings under T.C.A. Title 62 Chapter 6.

Official portal: https://www.tn.gov/commerce/regboards/contractor.html
Address: 500 James Robertson Parkway, Davy Crockett Tower, Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: (615) 741-8307

The Eligibility Audit

The applicant must be at least 18 years of age and possess a valid Social Security Number. No Tennessee residency requirement.

Good moral character

TBLC reviews fitness for licensure on every application. Prior license revocations in any state are grounds for denial.

Background investigation

Mandatory criminal history disclosure on the application.

Disqualifying conditions

Plumbing-related fraud convictions
Felonies involving dishonesty within the past ten years
Prior plumbing contractor license revocations in any U.S. jurisdiction

Experience and Education Standards

A minimum of 3 years of three or more years of practical plumbing experience for the qualifying individual, demonstrated through completed projects of comparable scope and value to the requested monetary limit must be documented and verified. Unless the board publishes a different lookback period, applicants should keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records that support the claimed experience.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

TBLC Reference Letter forms from prior owners, engineers, or licensed plumbing contractors
Project list with addresses, dollar values, and dates for the past five years
W-2 statements, 1099 records, or business tax returns covering the qualifying period
Approved plumbing apprenticeship completion certificate (where applicable)

Education substitution

Plumbing technology coursework from an accredited institution may substitute for a portion of the experience requirement at the discretion of the Board.

The Exam Syllabus

PSI Services LLC under contract to TBLC administers the required examination. Each part below must be passed before the license will issue:

PSI Tennessee Business and Law Examination — open book — 50 questions, 140 minutes, passing score 73%
PSI Tennessee CMC-A Plumbing Trade Examination — IPC, theory, isometrics, and Tennessee-specific rules — 100 questions, 300 minutes, passing score 73%

Examination fee: $57 per PSI exam part paid on the day of testing.

Retake policy: Failed parts may be re-taken individually after a 24-hour wait by paying a new $57 fee. Each application remains valid for one year from filing.

Bonding, Insurance & Financial Security

There is no statewide surety bond tied to this credential in the cited record. Bonding can still surface at the project level — permit, license, or public-works bonds — so check before you bid.

General liability

Minimum general liability of $500,000 combined single limit for the CMC-A classification. Higher limits are commonly required by owners and general contractors.

Workers' compensation

Workers compensation insurance is mandatory for any plumbing contracting business with five or more employees under T.C.A. §50-6-902.

Additional financial requirements

A CPA-prepared financial statement is required at application. Compilation supports limits up to $1,500,000; a CPA review is required for limits up to $3,000,000; an audited statement is required for unlimited monetary limits.

Schedule of Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$250
Examination	$114
Initial license	$250
Renewal (every 2 years)	$250

Renewal and Continuing Obligations

The Tennessee CMC-A Plumbing Contractor (LLP Limited Licensed Plumber for projects under $25,000) runs on a 2 years renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $250. Tennessee CMC-A plumbing licenses renew every two years on the anniversary date assigned at issuance.

Continuing education: Tennessee does not mandate continuing education hours for CMC-A renewal, but an updated CPA financial statement is required each cycle.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Tennessee Plumber License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Out-of-State Reciprocity

For this classification, Tennessee does not recognize the NASCLA Accredited Examination.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
North Carolina	Trade exam waived	Bilateral TBLC–NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing Contractors reciprocity.
Georgia	Trade exam waived	Bilateral TBLC–Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board reciprocity for plumbing.
Alabama	Trade exam waived	Bilateral TBLC–Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board reciprocity.
Mississippi	Trade exam waived	Bilateral TBLC–Mississippi State Board of Contractors reciprocity.
South Carolina	Trade exam waived	Bilateral TBLC–SC Contractors Licensing Board reciprocity.
Louisiana	Trade exam waived	Bilateral TBLC–Louisiana State Plumbing Board reciprocity.

Tennessee maintains broad bilateral plumbing contractor reciprocity across the Southeast. The Business and Law exam is required even when the CMC-A trade exam is waived through reciprocity.

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

The Application Roadmap

Choose the monetary limit. Decide the maximum project size you want assigned. The limit drives the CPA financial statement type required.
Designate a qualifying individual. The qualifier must be a full-time owner, officer, or W-2 employee with three or more years of practical plumbing experience.
Prepare the CPA financial statement. Compilation up to $1.5M, review up to $3M, audited statement for unlimited. Less than twelve months old at filing.
Submit the TBLC application packet. File with the application fee, financial statement, reference letters, project list, certificate of insurance, and entity formation documents.
Pass the PSI Business and Law exam at 73%. Open-book 50-question Tennessee Business and Law exam scheduled with PSI after TBLC approves the application.
Pass the PSI CMC-A Plumbing trade exam at 73%. Open-book 100-question IPC-based trade exam covering theory, isometrics, and Tennessee-specific rules.
Receive the CMC-A license. TBLC issues the license at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting after the exams are passed and the file is complete.

Where Applications Stall

The errors below are the ones that most frequently cost Tennessee Plumber applicants time, drawn from the cited board guidance.

Assuming Tennessee issues a master plumber credential

Tennessee licenses business entities, not individuals, at the state level. The Master Plumber credential familiar from other states does not exist as a standalone Tennessee program.

Confusing CMC-A with LLP

The LLP Limited Licensed Plumber is capped at $25,000 per project. Contractors planning larger work must apply for the CMC-A classification with TBLC.

Filing a stale financial statement

TBLC rejects financial statements older than twelve months. Time the CPA engagement to land within the application window.

Studying the wrong plumbing code

Tennessee adopts the International Plumbing Code, not the Uniform Plumbing Code. Confirm the currently adopted edition before scheduling PSI.

Missing local backflow certifications

Many Tennessee water utilities require a separate backflow prevention certification before issuing a permit. The TBLC license does not include backflow authority by default.

Pre-Application Checklist

Have each of the following squared away before the packet goes to TBLC:

☐ TBLC application with $250 fee and qualifying individual designation
☐ CPA-prepared financial statement (compilation, review, or audit) less than twelve months old
☐ Three reference letters from prior owners, engineers, or licensed plumbing contractors
☐ Project list covering the past five years with addresses, values, and dates
☐ PSI Business and Law exam pass certificate at 73%+
☐ PSI CMC-A Plumbing trade exam pass certificate at 73%+
☐ Certificate of insurance showing $500,000 GL and workers compensation coverage

Recommended Study Materials

The following references are cited by the regulator, used in the application process, or commonly used to prepare for the trade scope. Listed for reader convenience; CLR receives no compensation for these recommendations.

International Plumbing Code (Tennessee-adopted edition) — International Code Council. Primary technical reference for the CMC-A trade exam. Open-book at the PSI test center.
NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management — Tennessee edition — NASCLA. Required reference for the Business and Law portion of the exam.
Plumbers Exam Preparation Guide (Howard Massey) — Craftsman Book Company. Widely used by Tennessee CMC-A applicants for isometrics and theory practice.

Other Tennessee Trade Licenses

For a different Tennessee credential, see these companion guides published by CLR:

Common Questions

Does Tennessee issue individual plumber credentials?

No. Tennessee licenses plumbing contractors as business entities under the CMC-A classification with TBLC. The Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) covers plumbing projects under $25,000. Some municipalities issue local journeyman credentials in addition.

When does Tennessee require a plumbing contractor license?

Always. Plumbing has no dollar threshold under T.C.A. §62-6-102. Any plumbing project, regardless of cost, must be performed by a CMC-A licensed contractor or LLP.

Which plumbing code does Tennessee use?

Tennessee adopts the International Plumbing Code (IPC) on a state-wide basis with amendments. The PSI CMC-A trade exam is keyed to the currently adopted IPC edition.

Does Tennessee reciprocate plumbing contractor licenses?

Yes. TBLC maintains bilateral CMC-A reciprocity with North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Louisiana. Reciprocal applicants must still pass the Tennessee Business and Law exam.

How often does the Tennessee CMC-A plumbing license renew?

Every two years. Renewal requires the $250 fee and an updated CPA financial statement of the same type as the original.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-06-13 · Next scheduled review 2026-09-11