How to get an HVAC contractor license in Tennessee: the official requirements
The Contractor license with the CMC-C (HVAC, Refrigeration and Gas Piping) classification license, the experience and training it takes, the exam and how to apply, from the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors.
In Tennessee, the statewide HVAC license is a contractor license, issued by the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. In Tennessee, the Board for Licensing Contractors issues a contractor license with the CMC-C classification (HVAC, refrigeration and gas piping), required for HVAC projects above a per-project cost limit; the full CMC (mechanical) classification also covers HVAC. Smaller projects are mostly regulated by the city or county, some of which issue their own mechanical HVAC or journeyman licenses. The person who takes the exams for the licensed entity is its qualifying agent. Experience and training: The Board looks at experience (it prefers three years), equipment and financial information; the license's monetary limit is based on a CPA-prepared financial statement and experience. Licensing exam: Two exams: the Tennessee Business and Law exam (required of all new applicants) and the CMC-C trade exam. No preapproval is needed for the CMC-C exams (only the plumbing CMC and CMC-A exams need it). How to apply: Apply online through the Department of Commerce and Insurance (or mail the paper form) with your exam scores, a CPA-prepared financial statement and proof of insurance. Board approval is required.
Tennessee HVAC contractor license requirements
| Requirement | Tennessee |
|---|---|
| License you apply for | In Tennessee, the Board for Licensing Contractors issues a contractor license with the CMC-C classification (HVAC, refrigeration and gas piping), required for HVAC projects above a per-project cost limit; the full CMC (mechanical) classification also covers HVAC. Smaller projects are mostly regulated by the city or county, some of which issue their own mechanical HVAC or journeyman licenses. The person who takes the exams for the licensed entity is its qualifying agent. |
| Apprentice or trainee registration | Not stated in the official source we read. Check with the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. |
| Experience and training | The Board looks at experience (it prefers three years), equipment and financial information; the license's monetary limit is based on a CPA-prepared financial statement and experience. |
| Classroom hours | Not stated in the official source we read. Check with the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. |
| Licensing exam | Two exams: the Tennessee Business and Law exam (required of all new applicants) and the CMC-C trade exam. No preapproval is needed for the CMC-C exams (only the plumbing CMC and CMC-A exams need it). |
| How to apply | Apply online through the Department of Commerce and Insurance (or mail the paper form) with your exam scores, a CPA-prepared financial statement and proof of insurance. Board approval is required. |
| Background check | If you have been convicted of a felony in any jurisdiction, you must disclose it and provide information about it for the Board to review. |
| State fees | License application fee: $250, nonrefundable, for a two-year license. Renewal fee: $200. |
| License term | Two years. Renewal notices are mailed 90 days before expiration and you can renew online; there is no grace period to work on an expired license. |
| Continuing education | Not stated in the official source we read. Check with the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. |
Where the official source we read does not state something, the table says so rather than guessing. Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools, apprenticeship programs, fingerprint vendors and application portals are not included.
This page covers the HVAC license issued by the state. Cities and counties can have their own registration, permit or license rules; ask the local building department where you will work.
How to get licensed in Tennessee
- Check whether your project needs the state contractor license (larger projects) or a local license (smaller projects).
- Pass the Tennessee Business and Law exam.
- Pass the CMC-C trade exam (HVAC, refrigeration and gas piping).
- Have a CPA prepare the business's financial statement.
- Apply online (or by mail) with the $250 application fee and wait for Board approval.
- Renew every two years before the license expires.
Go further
Requirements state by state.
Open →CareerHow to become an HVAC technicianThe career path, nationally.
Open →PayHVAC technician salary in TennesseeWhat HVAC technicians earn.
Open →CareerHVAC technician career guideThe job, skills and outlook.
Open →ResumeHVAC technician resumeHow to present your experience and licenses.
Open →InterviewHVAC technician interview questionsWhat hiring managers ask.
Open →Disclosure: TryHired makes HIRED, a paid job-search program, so we have a conflict of interest when we mention it. Everything on this page is free to use without buying anything.
Questions people ask
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How this page is built
Each fact on this page comes from the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (sources named below), read on the dates shown, with the exact wording we relied on kept on file. Requirements and fees change; the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors's current instructions govern. We re-read each state's sources every six months (next review by May 10, 2027).
- Not legal advice.
- Licensing rules can change. Verify current requirements with the issuing agency.
- Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools, apprenticeship programs, fingerprint vendors and application portals are not included.
- This page covers the HVAC license issued by the state. Cities and counties can have their own registration, permit or license rules; ask the local building department where you will work.
- This page covers the contractor license named above. Specialty, limited and out-of-state (reciprocity) licenses have their own rules.
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Board for Licensing Contractors, Tennessee Contractor Classification Outline, official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Board for Licensing Contractors, Contractor License Application and Instructions, official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance Customer Service Center, HVAC Projects Less Than $25,000 (updated September 24, 2026), official source, read Nov 9, 2026.