Tennessee licenses HVAC at the company level: the CMC-C classification at $25,000, two $53 Prov exams, a $250 application, and a CPA statement or surety bond.
Tennessee has no statewide journeyman HVAC license. The state licenses HVAC at the company level: the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (TBLC) requires a contractor's license before you bid, offer, or negotiate a price on a project of $25,000 or more, and the HVAC classification is CMC-C.
At a glance Who issues it: the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. Threshold: $25,000 or more in total cost, prime or HVAC subcontractor. Exams: Business and Law plus the CMC-C trade exam, $53 each through Prov, 73 percent to pass. Application fee: $250, with a CPA financial statement or, since July 1, 2026, a surety bond. Renewal: every two years, $200.
This page covers the HVAC side. For the full picture of licensing in the state, start with Tennessee contractor license requirements, and for every other state see our contractor license guide.
Which Tennessee HVAC Jobs Need a State License?
The Board's rule is simple to state. A contractor's license is required before contracting, including bidding, offering to engage, or negotiating a price, on a project of $25,000 or more when you act as the prime contractor (TBLC contractor page).
The rule reaches subcontractors too. An HVAC subcontractor working for a contractor, not the owner, must be licensed when its portion is $25,000 or more, including materials, equipment, and labor (TBLC contractor page; Rule 0680-01-.24).
Since July 1, 2026, the dollar test uses a wider measure. Total cost now means all labor, materials, equipment, subcontracted work, overhead, profit, and any other expense of the project, no matter who pays it and whether the work runs under one contract or several (Tennessee Public Chapter 1039, Section 23).
Other trades have their own lines. Masonry is the exception to the $25,000 figure: a masonry contractor needs the LMC license when the masonry portion exceeds $100,000 in materials and labor (T.C.A. 62-6-102, as amended by Tennessee Public Chapter 950 of 2010). Electrical, plumbing, and HVAC all sit at $25,000, which is why our Tennessee electrician license and Tennessee plumbing license guides read much like this one.
CMC-C or CMC: Which Classification Fits Your Work?
Two Board classifications cover HVAC. Sources: Prov candidate bulletin and TBLC exam information.
| Classification | What it covers | Board pre-approval |
|---|---|---|
| CMC-C, HVAC/Refrigeration | Heating, cooling, refrigeration, ventilation | Not required |
| CMC, Full Mechanical | Plumbing, gas, HVAC, sprinklers, more | Required, $50 |
Notes on the table
- CMC-C scope: Prov's bulletin describes it as installing, altering, repairing, replacing, and servicing heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, and gas piping related to HVAC equipment, including ductwork, controls, heat pumps, and geothermal and solar thermal HVAC systems.
- CMC scope: the full mechanical license adds plumbing and gas piping systems, process piping, fire sprinkler and fire protection systems, boilers, and more.
- Pre-approval: the Board must approve you before you can schedule the CMC or plumbing CMC-A exam, and the request carries a $50 fee.
If your company only does heating, cooling, and refrigeration, CMC-C is the usual fit. If you also run plumbing and gas lines beyond HVAC equipment, look at the full CMC.
How Much Experience Does the Board Want?
For CMC-C there is no fixed number of years you must document before you test. You register with Prov and sit for the exam without Board approval (Prov candidate bulletin).
Experience still matters at the application stage. The Board's application package says the Board looks at experience, equipment, and financial information and prefers three years of experience (TBLC application package). Your monetary limit is set from your financials "plus required experience," so thin experience can cap the job size you are approved for (TBLC contractor page).
The full CMC has a hard rule. The pre-approval form asks for verification of at least three years of plumbing work experience; a plumbing license from another agency or an engineering degree in the plumbing or mechanical field can serve as that documentation (TBLC pre-approval form).
The Prov Exams: Format, Fees, and Passing Score
Prov began administering the Board's exams on July 1, 2026, replacing PSI. Candidates already booked with PSI for a later date could keep that seat, and PSI continued running already scheduled exams through September (TBLC contractor page).
| Exam | Questions | Time | Fee to Prov |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business and Law | 50 | 2.5 hours | $53 |
| CMC-C HVAC/Refrigeration | 100 | 5 hours | $53 |
| CMC Full Mechanical | 100 | 5 hours | $53 |
Notes on the table
- Passing score: every exam is scored against 73 percent.
- Open book: all Tennessee contractor exams are open book. Through January 1, 2027, you may also bring the older references approved by the prior vendor.
- Retakes: there is no waiting period and no limit on attempts; each retake costs $53.
- Where: Prov test centers in Chattanooga, Greenville, Memphis, Murfreesboro, and Tullahoma, or at home through Examroom.
Source for the table and notes: Prov candidate bulletin.
The CMC-C exam leans hardest on air distribution and venting (23 questions), piping (14), and fuel gas systems (10), with HVAC equipment and refrigerants and oils at 10 each. The references include the 2021 International Mechanical Code.
Scores are typically valid for two years, and the person who takes Business and Law does not have to be the one who takes the trade exam. Up to two people may take each exam for the company (TBLC exam information). For scheduling logistics, see how to schedule a contractor exam with PSI, Prov, or Pearson VUE.
Financial Statement or Surety Bond: Setting Your Monetary Limit
Every Tennessee contractor license carries a monetary limit, the total dollar amount allowed for each individual project or contract. There is no cap on how many projects you run, as long as a job is not split into phases to get around the limit, and a 10 percent tolerance applies (TBLC contractor page).
The limit is 10 times the lesser of your working capital or net worth, plus required experience (Rule 0680-01-.13; TBLC contractor page). A $150,000 limit needs $15,000 in both. An unlimited license needs $300,000 in both working capital and net worth (TBLC contractor page).
The traditional proof is a CPA or LPA financial statement in the exact name and mode of operation to be licensed, less than 12 months old and prepared under GAAP. A Reviewed statement covers limits of $3,000,000 or less; an Audited statement is required above $3,000,000 (TBLC contractor page).
Since July 1, 2026, a surety bond can replace that statement. The bond must equal at least 50 percent of the monetary limit you request, stay continuous for as long as you hold the license, and if it lapses the license becomes invalid (Tennessee Public Chapter 1039, Section 24). You file it on the Board's Contractors' Surety Bond form.
The bond works at every stage. It can support a request to change your monetary limit (Section 25), and it can stand in for the financial statement at renewal, either filed with the renewal or already on file with the Board (Sections 27 and 28) (Tennessee Public Chapter 1039). For a $500,000 limit, that means a bond of at least $250,000. Our guide to the monetary limit on a contractor license walks through the math.
Insurance, Reference Letter, and Affidavit
General liability insurance is required at a level tied to your monetary limit, and workers' compensation is required unless you prove an exemption (TBLC contractor page). The Board's insurance resource sets these minimums.
| Monetary limit | Minimum general liability |
|---|---|
| Up to $500,000 | $100,000 |
| $500,001 to $1,500,000 | $500,000 |
| $1,500,001 to unlimited | $1,000,000 |
Source: TBLC insurance resource. Your carrier may advise more. See also contractor insurance requirements by state.
Three more items go with the application (TBLC contractor page):
- Letter of reference from a past client, employer, or a code official who inspected your work, not a family member.
- Contractor's Affidavit, signed and notarized by the qualifying agent, owners, partners, members, main officers, and major stockholders.
- Entity records from the Secretary of State, plus a local business tax license for each city or county where you operate.
What It Costs in Board and Exam Fees
Government and vendor fees only; CPA, bond, and insurance costs vary by business.
| Item | Fee | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Initial contractor application | $250 | TBLC |
| Business and Law exam | $53 | Prov |
| CMC-C trade exam | $53 | Prov |
| CMC pre-approval request (CMC only) | $50 | TBLC |
| Renewal, every two years | $200 | TBLC |
| Late renewal penalty, per month | $20 | TBLC |
Sources: TBLC fees, Prov candidate bulletin, TBLC exam information. All Board fees are non-refundable, and a wrong exam taken by mistake is not refunded either. For bond costs by state, see contractor bond requirements by state.
The Licensing Steps in Order
- Price the job honestly. If the total cost is $25,000 or more, as prime or as the HVAC subcontractor, you need the license before you bid.
- Pick the classification. CMC-C for HVAC and refrigeration only; CMC if you also do plumbing, which needs Board pre-approval first.
- Name your qualifying agent. This is the person who sits for the exams for the company: an owner, officer, or full time employee.
- Pass both Prov exams at 73 percent: Business and Law and the CMC-C trade exam.
- Get your financials or bond ready. A Reviewed or Audited CPA statement, or a surety bond of at least 50 percent of the limit you want.
- Gather insurance and paperwork. General liability at your limit's minimum, workers' compensation or exemption, the reference letter, the notarized affidavit, and entity records.
- Apply online through the Board's CORE portal and pay the $250 fee.
- Pull local permits. Your city or county still issues mechanical permits and may require its own registration.
How Long Does Approval Take?
The Board's application package says there are no deadlines to submit applications. An assigned Board member reviews applications as they arrive, and the Board meets six times a year to ratify approvals and hold any interviews (TBLC application package).
Allow at least three weeks for processing before you call or email; the Board says inquiries slow the work down. After approval, the license shows on the Board's online verification within 3 to 7 business days (TBLC application package).
An interview can add time. The Board may call one if the application is incomplete, if you disclose complaints or convictions, or if the qualifying agent is not a majority owner and has been employed less than six months (TBLC contractor page; TBLC application package). See contractor exam approval by state for how other states compare.
Reciprocity and Trade Exam Waivers
You cannot work in Tennessee on another state's license. Tennessee may waive the trade exam for applicants actively licensed in states with a waiver agreement, when that state completes the Board's License Verification form (TBLC contractor page).
For HVAC, the Board's list includes Alabama (HVAC), Louisiana (Mechanical), Mississippi (Mechanical, Unlimited), Ohio (HVAC), South Carolina (commercial HVAC through its Commercial Contractors Licensing Board), and West Virginia (Mechanical). The waiver covers the trade exam only; Business and Law is still part of the contractor process (TBLC contractor page).
There is also an in-state route. The Board's application package says an applicant who passed a comparable proctored trade exam with a Tennessee city such as Nashville, Knoxville, Oak Ridge, or Chattanooga may request a waiver (TBLC application package).
HVAC Work Under $25,000 and Local Rules
Below $25,000, the state contractor license is not required for HVAC. Unlike electrical and plumbing, the Board has no limited HVAC license: its license programs are contractor, home improvement, limited licensed electrician, and limited licensed plumber (TBLC home page).
Residential work in nine counties can still fall under the state. A Home Improvement license is required for residential projects from $3,000 to $24,999 in Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford, and Shelby counties. Its definition covers repair, replacement, remodeling, alterations, or additions to a residential building, so confirm with the Board whether your residential HVAC job falls inside it (TBLC Home Improvement page).
Cities and counties add their own layer. In Nashville, the Metro Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical Examiners and Appeals Board examines applicants for the master mechanical, HVAC&R, and gas and appliance certificates (Metro Nashville board). Before any job, call the codes office where the work sits and ask what it needs to issue your mechanical permit.
EPA 608 Refrigerant Certification
Separate from any Tennessee license, federal EPA Section 608 certification covers technicians who work with refrigerant, such as attaching and detaching hoses and gauges or adding and removing refrigerant (EPA Section 608 requirements). It applies on every job, including work under $25,000.
EPA offers four types: Type I for small appliances, Type II for high and very high pressure appliances, Type III for low pressure appliances, and Universal for all three. Certifications do not expire, and apprentices are exempt while closely and continually supervised by a certified technician (EPA Section 608 requirements). We compare the two credentials in EPA 608 certification vs an HVAC license.
Renewal Every Two Years
A Tennessee contractor license is issued for two years (TBLC application package), and the renewal fee is $200 (TBLC fees). Renewal opens in your CORE account 90 days before expiration, and the Board asks for it at least 30 days before so you are never working on an expired license (TBLC renewal page).
A limit above $1.5 million needs a compiled statement from a licensed CPA; below that, a self-prepared balance sheet is accepted, or you can keep a qualifying surety bond on file instead (TBLC renewal page; Tennessee Public Chapter 1039). Proof of general liability and workers' compensation goes in too.
The grace period is 12 months with a $20 monthly late fee. After 12 months expired, you reapply as a new applicant. The continuing education requirement on the Board's renewal page, eight hours, is written for the BC-A and BC-A/r residential classifications (TBLC renewal page).
Who Can Qualify Your Company for CMC-C?
In Tennessee the license is issued to the business, and a qualifying agent qualifies it. The QA is the person who takes the exams for the entity and may be an owner, officer, or full time employee; a QA without ownership signs the Board's Power of Attorney form (TBLC contractor page). The license belongs to the owner of the entity, not to the QA, unless the QA is also the owner (TBLC application package).
The Board watches this role closely. A QA who is not an owner cannot be added if already listed on another license, and a new employee of less than six months needs Board approval (TBLC renewal page). If your QA leaves, a replacement must be designated within three months under T.C.A. 62-6-115 and Rule 0680-01-.23, or the classification is invalid until one is added (TBLC renewal page; Rule 0680-01-.23).
That is where many HVAC companies get stuck: a strong crew and the balance sheet for $25,000 and up, but no one on payroll who can pass the CMC-C and carry real responsibility for the work. The lawful answer is a qualifying agent who joins your company as a full time W-2 employee and actually supervises the HVAC work. Learn how that works in what an HVAC contractor qualifying agent does, our Tennessee qualifying agent guide, and what is a qualifying agent, then hire a qualifying agent when you are ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Tennessee have a journeyman HVAC license? No. The state licenses HVAC at the contractor level through the CMC-C and CMC classifications. Some cities, including Nashville, issue their own mechanical and HVAC&R certificates, so check locally.
Do I need a Tennessee HVAC license for small jobs? The state contractor license applies at $25,000 or more in total cost. Below that, check the Home Improvement license if you do residential work in one of the nine listed counties, your city or county permit rules, and EPA 608 for refrigerant work.
What is the difference between CMC and CMC-C? CMC-C covers heating, cooling, refrigeration, and related gas piping and needs no pre-approval to test. CMC adds plumbing and other mechanical systems and requires Board pre-approval, with verified plumbing experience or an engineering degree.
How much does the Tennessee HVAC exam cost? Each Prov exam is $53, and you take two: Business and Law and the CMC-C trade exam. Retakes are also $53 each, with no waiting period.
Can I use a surety bond instead of a CPA statement? Yes, since July 1, 2026. The bond must equal at least 50 percent of the monetary limit you request and stay in force, or the license becomes invalid.
Who can qualify my company for the HVAC license? An owner, officer, or full time employee who passes the exams and serves as the qualifying agent. If no one on your team qualifies, you can hire a qualifying agent as a W-2 employee.
Talk to Us About Your Tennessee HVAC License
The founders of The Licensing Company, Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski, have helped contractors across the country get licensed and stay licensed. If you want to bid Tennessee HVAC work at $25,000 and up and need a qualifying agent, call 615-219-2110 or start at Hire a Qualifying Agent. For the rest of the state picture, see the Tennessee general contractor license guide.
Sources
All retrieved 2026-09-29.
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: Contractor license requirements
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: Exam information
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: Fees
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: Renewal, reinstatement, and other resources
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: Home page and updates
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: Home Improvement Contractor
- TBLC Contractor's License Application Package
- TBLC Pre-Approval Request Form, CMC-A and CMC
- TBLC Contractors' Surety Bond form
- TBLC Insurance Resource Information
- Rules of the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Chapter 0680-01 (revised November 2025)
- Tennessee Public Chapter 1039 (2026)
- Tennessee Public Chapter 950 (2010), licensed masonry contractor
- Prov: Tennessee Contractor Candidate Information Bulletin (August 2026)
- Metro Nashville Mechanical, Plumbing, and Electrical Examiners and Appeals Board
- U.S. EPA: Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements
Disclaimer: This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, licensing guidance, or an offer of services. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction. For specific compliance questions, contact The Licensing Company for a confidential consultation.