Tennessee Roofing License Requirements (2026)

The Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (TBLC) licenses roofing contractors under T.C.A. Title 62 Chapter 6. Any project of $25,000 or more (or $3,000 or more for masonry) requires a TBLC license. Roofing falls under the BC-A (Building Construction — Roofing) specialty classification. TBLC sets a monetary limit on every license based on a CPA-reviewed financial statement (10× working capital, capped at the limit requested). The qualifying party must pass the PSI Roofing trade exam and the TN Business and Law exam, both at 70%. TN also enforces the storm-chaser deductible non-waiver under T.C.A. §56-7-130 and a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) license for residential remodeling under $25,000 in certain counties.

Governing Authority

This license is issued and enforced by Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors — Department of Commerce and Insurance (TBLC) pursuant to 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

Eligibility Requirements

An applicant qualifies only after meeting the age floor of 18 and producing a valid Social Security Number. No TN residency requirement.

Good moral character

TBLC reviews fraud and construction-related offenses.

Background investigation

Disclosure on application.

Experience & Education Matrix

No fixed number of years of experience is set out in the cited sources for this credential; instead, the controlling requirement is no statutory minimum experience; the trade exam and CPA-reviewed financial statement are gating.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

Project list
Reference letters

Education substitution

Not applicable.

Examination Structure

The licensing examination is delivered by PSI Services LLC. All of the following parts must be cleared prior to issuance:

TN Roofing BC-A Trade Exam — IBC Chapter 15, NRCA practices, hot-mop fire safety — 80 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%
TN Business and Law Exam — 50 questions, 120 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $57 per exam paid to PSI.

Retake policy: Failed exams retaken at $57; application valid one year.

Insurance & Financial Security

The cited state source set does not require a contractor license surety bond for this credential. Contractors should still confirm project-specific bond, permit-bond, or public-works bond requirements before bidding.

General liability

TBLC requires general liability and workers compensation certificates filed at application; market practice $1,000,000.

Workers' compensation

Mandatory for every TN employer with five or more employees in non-construction; construction has a zero-employee threshold under T.C.A. §50-6-902.

Additional financial requirements

CPA-reviewed financial statement required showing minimum working capital. Monetary limit set at 10× working capital up to the requested limit.

Application and License Fees

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

Maintenance & Renewal

Expect to renew the Tennessee BC-A (Roofing) Specialty Contractor License — TBLC every 2 years. Renewal currently costs $250. Biennial renewal.

Continuing education: No state CE required. Updated CPA financial statement at each renewal.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and Endorsement

The NASCLA Accredited Examination is accepted by Tennessee for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
North Carolina	Trade exam waived	Bilateral TBLC–NCLBGC endorsement.
Georgia	Trade exam waived	Bilateral TBLC–GA SLBGC endorsement.
South Carolina	Trade exam waived	Bilateral TBLC–SCCLB endorsement.
Mississippi	Trade exam waived	Bilateral TBLC–MS SBOC endorsement.

NASCLA accreditation waives the trade exam. Business and Law never waived.

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

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Designate the qualifying party (QP). QP must be an officer or full-time employee.
Prepare CPA-reviewed financial statement. Working capital × 10 sets the monetary limit.
Pass the PSI Roofing trade and Business and Law exams. 70% on each.
Submit the TBLC application. $250 application fee.
File general liability and workers compensation certificates. Workers comp mandatory for construction at zero employees.
Wait for the next TBLC monthly meeting for approval. TBLC approves applications at scheduled board meetings.
Receive license and renew biennially. Two-year cycle with updated insurance and financial statement.
Comply with T.C.A. §56-7-130 deductible non-waiver. Cannot waive or rebate insurance deductible on residential roofing.

Study and Reference Materials

What follows are the regulator-cited and commonly used preparation references for this trade. They appear here for convenience only; CLR takes no compensation for them.

TN Contractor Candidate Information Bulletin — PSI Services. Exam source list.
T.C.A. Title 62 Chapter 6 — State of Tennessee. Contractors Licensing Act.
TN Building Code (IBC adoption) — TN State Fire Marshal. Roof assembly requirements.

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 Roofing application.

Storm-chaser deductible rebating

T.C.A. §56-7-130 prohibits insurance deductible waiver/rebate on residential roofing. TN AG actively prosecutes after tornado and hail events.

Working under the $25K threshold loophole

TBLC exempts only projects under $25K. Splitting a $40K reroof into two $20K contracts is bid-splitting and unlicensed contracting.

Construction zero-employee workers comp rule

TN construction employers must carry workers comp regardless of employee count. Sole-proprietor exemption does not apply to construction.

CPA financial statement timing

TBLC requires the CPA review to be dated within 12 months of application. Stale statements force resubmission and delay the next board meeting.

Tornado-alley wind uplift

Middle and West TN sit in Tornado Alley. ASCE 7 wind loads apply. Six-nail patterns and ring-shank fasteners prevent uplift failures.

Pre-Submission Checklist

These are the pieces to lock down before filing with TBLC:

☐ TBLC application + $250
☐ CPA-reviewed financial statement
☐ PSI Roofing trade pass certificate (70%+)
☐ PSI Business and Law pass certificate (70%+)
☐ General liability certificate of insurance
☐ TN workers compensation declaration page (zero-employee threshold for construction)

Other Tennessee Trade Licenses

If the Roofing license is not the right fit, the following published Tennessee trade guides are also covered by CLR:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Tennessee threshold?

$25,000. Any roofing project of $25,000 or more requires a TBLC license under T.C.A. 62-6.

How is the monetary limit calculated?

TBLC sets the monetary limit at 10× working capital from a CPA-reviewed financial statement, up to the limit requested by the applicant.

Does TN accept NASCLA?

Yes for the trade exam. Business and Law never waived.

Is workers comp mandatory?

Construction has a zero-employee threshold under T.C.A. §50-6-902. Every TN construction employer must carry workers comp regardless of count.

When does the license renew?

Every two years with updated CPA financial statement and insurance.

Primary Sources

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

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