Tennessee

To find out if a contractor is licensed by the Department of Commerce and Insurance, go to http://licsrch.state.tn.us/ or call (615) 741-8307. To find out if someone is licensed for installing fire protection sprinkler systems, call (615) 741-1322.

You'll have to fill out an extensive application for the Board. Some important items you have to include are:

You also have to complete a worksheet to determine monetary limits for your company. The limits are based on ten times your working capital or net worth. There are some possibilities for you to increase the limits with guaranty agreements and lines of credit.

You'll have to pass the Tennessee business and law exam, and possibly a trade exam, to get a license from the Board. The exams are given by PSI Exams. You can contact them at:

The Board has a lengthy list of the trades it licenses. For many of the trades, you'll also have to pass a trade exam. The trades which involve environmental work (asbestos abatement, underground storage tank installation, lead abatement, hazardous waste removal, and air, water, or soil remediation) all require you to have a current EPA training certificate. Outlines are available for all of the exams in the Candidate Information Brochure distributed in the license application packets by the Board.

In addition to a license from the Board, you must also register with the Division of fire prevention in the Department of Commerce and Insurance if you do any electrical work which requires inspection. To get an application, you can contact them at:

Contractor's license fees: It will cost you $250 nonrefundable to file your application and get your license if you pass the exams. A license is good for two years. License renewal will cost $200. The Business and Law exam will cost $44. Trade exams cost either $44 or $38, depending on the specific trade.

Recommended reading for the exams are listed below. You can get the references listed from:

American Contractors Bookstore and Exam Services- (615) 832-4550 or (800) 992-1910

National Contractor's Bookstore and Examination Services- 1-866-388-8867 or 1-865-774-9944

Tennessee holds reciprocity agreements with: Alabama (General, Home Building and HVAC, only); Arkansas (General Contractor/Electrical), Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina (General). Please attach a copy of your exam scores and proof of licensure. The contractor applicant must complete all application requirements.

Recommended Reading for the Contractor's Exams

Commercial Building Contractor's Exam

Standard Building Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402

-or-

OSHA Excerpts for Contractors, Experior, 2100 NW 53rd Ave., Gainesville, FL 32653

Carpentry and Building Construction, Feirer, Hutchings & Feirer, McGraw-Hill Inc., Box 543, Blacklick, OH 43004-0543

The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, American Concrete Institute, 38800 International Way/ Country Club Drive, P.O. Box 9094, Farmington Hills, MI 43331

Modern Masonry, Kicklighter, Goodheart-Wilcox Co., Inc., 123 West Taft Drive, South Holland, IL 60473

Fundamentals of Building Construction: Materials and Methods, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1 Wiley Drive, Somerset, NJ 08875-1272

Gypsum Construction Handbook, United States Gypsum Company, 125 South Franklin Street, P.O. Box 806278, Chicago, IL 60680-4124

Commercial/Industrial Contractor's Exam

SBCCI Standard Building Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402

-or-

OSHA Excerpts for Contractors, Experior, 2100 NW 53rd Ave., Gainesville, FL 32653

Carpentry and Building Construction, Feirer, Hutchings & Feirer, McGraw-Hill Inc., Box 543, Blacklick, OH 43004-0543

The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, American Concrete Institute, 38800 International Way/ Country Club Drive, P.O. Box 9094, Farmington Hills, MI 43331

Modern Masonry, Kicklighter, Goodheart-Wilcox Co., Inc., 123 West Taft Drive, South Holland, IL 60473

Fundamentals of Building Construction: Materials and Methods, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1 Wiley Drive, Somerset, NJ 08875-1272

Gypsum Construction Handbook, United States Gypsum Company, 125 South Franklin Street, P.O. Box 806278, Chicago, IL 60680-4124

Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders, Technical Digest No. 9, 1987, Steel Joist Institute, 1205 48th Ave. North, Suite A, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Commercial/Industrial/Residential Contractor's Exam

SBCCI Standard Building Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402

-or-

OSHA Excerpts for Contractors, Experior, 2100 NW 53rd Ave., Gainesville, FL 32653

Carpentry and Building Construction, Feirer, Hutchings & Feirer, McGraw-Hill Inc., Box 543, Blacklick, OH 43004-0543

The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, American Concrete Institute, 38800 International Way/ Country Club Drive, P.O. Box 9094, Farmington Hills, MI 43331

Modern Masonry, Kicklighter, Goodheart-Wilcox Co., Inc., 123 West Taft Drive, South Holland, IL 60473

Fundamentals of Building Construction: Materials and Methods, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1 Wiley Drive, Somerset, NJ 08875-1272

Gypsum Construction Handbook, United States Gypsum Company, 125 South Franklin Street, P.O. Box 806278, Chicago, IL 60680-4124

Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders, Technical Digest No. 9, Steel Joist Institute, 1205 48th Ave. North, Suite A, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Commentary & Recommendations for Handling, Installing & Bracing Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses, HIB-91, Truss Plate Institute, 583 D'Onofrio Drive, Ste 200, Madison, WI 53719

Electrical Contractor's Exam

NFPA 70 - National Electrical Code, National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, P. O. Box 9101, Quincy, MA 02269

American Electricians Handbook, Croft/Summers, McGraw-Hill Inc., Box 543, Blacklick, OH 43004-0543

Alternating Current Fundamentals, Delmar Publishing/Thomson Learning, PO Box 6904, Florence, KY

Industrial Motor Control, Delmar Publishing/Thomson Learning, PO Box 6904, Florence, KY

High Voltage Electrical Contractor's Exam

NFPA 70 - National Electrical Code, National Fire Protection Association, 1 Batterymarch Park, P. O. Box 9101, Quincy, MA 02269

The Lineman's and Cableman's Handbook, Kurtz and Shoemaker, McGraw-Hill Inc., Box 543, Blacklick, OH 43004-0543

American Electricians Handbook, Croft/Summers, McGraw-Hill Inc., Box 543, Blacklick, OH 43004-0543

HVAC Refrigeration Contractor's Exam

Standard Mechanical Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Standard Gas Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Standard Building Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Althouse, Turnquist and Bracciano, The Goodheart-Willcox Company, Inc., 123 West Taft Drive, South Holland, IL 60473

Industrial Building Contractor's Exam

SBCCI Standard Building Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402

-or-

OSHA Excerpts for Contractors, Experior, 2100 NW 53rd Ave., Gainesville, FL 32653

Carpentry and Building Construction, 1997, Feirer, Hutchings & Feirer, McGraw-Hill Inc., Box 543, Blacklick, OH 43004-0543

Commentary & Recommendations for Handling, Installing & Bracing Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses, HIB-91, Truss Plate Institute, 583 D'Onofrio Drive, Ste 200, Madison, WI 53719

Carpentry and Building Construction, John L. Feirer et al., Glencoe Order Services, McGraw-Hill Publishing, Inc., PO Box 545, Blacklick, OH

The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, American Concrete Institute, 38800 International Way/ Country Club Drive, P.O. Box 9094, Farmington Hills, MI 43331

Modern Masonry, Kicklighter, Goodheart-Wilcox Co., Inc., 123 West Taft Drive, South Holland, IL 60473

Fundamentals of Building Construction: Materials and Methods, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1 Wiley Drive, Somerset, NJ 08875-1272

Gypsum Construction Handbook, United States Gypsum Company, 125 South Franklin Street, P.O. Box 806278, Chicago, IL 60680-4124

Handling and Erection of Steel Joists and Joist Girders, Technical Digest No. 9, Steel Joist Institute, 1205 48th Ave. North, Suite A, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Residential/Small Commercial Contractor's Exam

SBCCI Standard Building Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402

-or-

OSHA Excerpts for Contractors, Experior, 2100 NW 53rd Ave., Gainesville, FL 32653

Commentary & Recommendations for Handling, Installing & Bracing Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses, HIB-91, Truss Plate Institute, 583 D'Onofrio Drive, Ste. #200, Madison, WI 53719

Carpentry and Building Construction, Feirer, Hutchings & Feirer, McGraw-Hill Inc., Box 543, Blacklick, OH 43004-0543

The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, American Concrete Institute, 38800 International Way/ Country Club Drive, P.O. Box 9094, Farmington Hills, MI 43331

Modern Masonry, Kicklighter, Goodheart-Wilcox Co., Inc., 123 West Taft Drive, South Holland, IL 60473

Fundamentals of Building Construction: Materials and Methods, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1 Wiley Drive, Somerset, NJ 08875-1272

Gypsum Construction Handbook, United States Gypsum Company, 125 South Franklin Street, P.O. Box 806278, Chicago, IL 60680-4124

Mechanical Contractor's Exam

Standard Mechanical Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Standard Gas Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402

-or-

OSHA Excerpts for Contractors, Experior, 2100 NW 53rd Ave., Gainesville, FL 32653

NFPA 13 - Installation of Sprinkler Systems, National Fire Protection Association, 11 Tracey Ave., Avon, MA 02322

NFPA 14 - Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems, National Fire Protection Association, 11 Tracey Ave., Avon, MA 02322

NFPA 54 - National Fuel Gas Code, National Fire Protection Association, 11 Tracey Ave., Avon, MA 02322

NFPA 58 - LP- Gas Code, National Fire Protection Association, 11 Tracey Ave., Avon, MA 02322

NFPA 90A - Installation of Air Conditioning and Ventilating Systems, National Fire Protection Association, 11 Tracey Ave., Avon, MA 02322

ANSI/ASHRAE 15-94 - Safety Code for Mechanical Refrigeration, , American National Standards Institute, 1791 Tutlie Circle, Atlanta, GA

ASME B31.8- Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 22 Law Drive, P. O. Box 2300, Fairfield, NJ 07007-2300

ASME B31.1 - Power Piping, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 22 Law Drive, P. O. Box 2300, Fairfield, NJ 07007-2300

Manual N - Load Calculation for Commercial Summer and Winter Air Conditioning, Air Conditioning Contractors of America, 1712 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20009

Trane Ductulator, Trane Company, 8929 Western Way, Suite #1, Jacksonville, FL 32256

System Design Manual - Part III, Piping Design, Carrier, 1960, Carrier Air Conditioning Company, Carrier Parkway, P. O. Box 4808, Syracuse, NY 13221

Pipefitters Handbook, Forest Lindsey, Industrial Press, Inc., 200 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016

Pipe Welding Procedures, H. Rampaul, Industrial Press, Inc., 200 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016

Plumbing, L. V. Ripka, American Technical Publishers, 1155 West 175th Street, Homewood, IL 60403

Low Pressure Boilers, F. M. Steingress, American Technical Publishers, 1155 West 175th Street, Homewood, IL 60403

High Pressure Boilers, F. M. Steingress, American Technical Publishers, 1155 West 175th Street, Homewood, IL 60403

Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, A.R.I., Prentice Hall, Order Processing Center, P.O. Box 11071, Des Moines, IA 50336

Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Althouse, Turnquist & Bracciano, Goodheart-Wilcox Company, Inc.,123 West Taft Drive, South Holland, IL 60473

Trane Air Conditioning Manual, Trane Co., 8929 Western Way, Ste. #1, Jacksonville, FL 32256

ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals, American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers, 1791 Tullie Circle, Atlanta, GA 30329

Residential Contractor's Exam

SBCCI Standard Building Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402

-or-

OSHA Excerpts for Contractors, Experior, 2100 NW 53rd Ave., Gainesville, FL 32653

Commentary & Recommendations for Handling, Installing & Bracing Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses, HIB-91, Truss Plate Institute, 583 D'Onofrio Drive, Ste. #200, Madison, WI 53719

Carpentry and Building Construction, Feirer, Hutchings & Feirer, McGraw-Hill Inc., Box 543, Blacklick, OH 43004-0543

The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, American Concrete Institute, 38800 International Way/ Country Club Drive, P.O. Box 9094, Farmington Hills, MI 43331

Modern Masonry, Kicklighter, Goodheart-Wilcox Co., Inc., 123 West Taft Drive, South Holland, IL 60473

Gypsum Construction Handbook, United States Gypsum Company, 125 South Franklin Street, P.O. Box 806278, Chicago, IL 60680-4124

Plumbing Contractor's Exam

Standard Plumbing Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Standard Gas Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Plumbing Technology: Design and Installation, Lee Smith, Delmar Publishers, P. O. Box 6904, Florence, KY 41022

Plumbing, L. V. Ripka, American Technical Publishers, 1155 West 175th Street, Homewood, IL 60403

Small Commercial Contractor's Exam

SBCCI Standard Building Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., 900 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213-1206

Code of Federal Regulations - Title 29, Part 1926 (OSHA), Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402

-or-

OSHA Excerpts for Contractors, Experior, 2100 NW 53rd Ave., Gainesville, FL 32653

Commentary & Recommendations for Handling, Installing & Bracing Metal Plate Connected Wood Trusses, HIB-91, Truss Plate Institute, 583 D'Onofrio Drive, Ste. #200, Madison, WI 53719

Carpentry and Building Construction, Feirer, Hutchings & Feirer, McGraw-Hill Inc., Box 543, Blacklick, OH 43004-0543

The Contractor's Guide to Quality Concrete Construction, American Concrete Institute, 38800 International Way/ Country Club Drive, P.O. Box 9094, Farmington Hills, MI 43331

Modern Masonry, Kicklighter, Goodheart-Wilcox Co., Inc., 123 West Taft Drive, South Holland, IL 60473

Gypsum Construction Handbook, United States Gypsum Company, 125 South Franklin Street, P.O. Box 806278, Chicago, IL 60680-4124

Fundamentals of Building Construction: Materials and Methods, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1 Wiley Drive, Somerset, NJ 08875

To be a sprinklers and fire protection contractor, you must get a certificate of registration from the Division of Fire Prevention, Permits and Licenses Section. To get an application, you can contact them at:

To register as a contractor you must certify that you are familiar with the Tennessee Fire Protection Sprinkler System Code Rules and Regulations. If you aren't licensed by the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, you must post a $10,000 surety bond. You also have to provide a list of Responsible Managing Employees that are licensed in Tennessee (see below for information on Responsible Managing Employee).

You'll have to pass an exam to get a license from the Board. The exams are given by PSI Exams. You can contact them at:

Fire protection sprinkler system contractor certificate fees: It will cost you $100 nonrefundable to file an application. The Certificate will cost you $500 and it's good for one year, expiring on June 30.

To qualify as a Responsible Managing Employee of a Fire Protection Sprinkler System contractor, you must be registered in Tennessee as a professional engineer or architect, or complete the National Institute for Certificate in Engineering Technology (NICET) requirements for certification at Level III for fire protection automatic sprinkler systems layout. You must be familiar with the Tennessee Fire Protection Sprinkler System Code Rules and Regulations. And you have to apply as an employee of a registered Fire Protection Sprinkler System contractor in Tennessee.

Responsible managing employee of a fire protection sprinkler system contractor certificate fees: It will cost you $25 nonrefundable to file an application. The Certificate will cost you $200 and it's good for one year, expiring on June 30.

You have to be prequalified to bid on Tennessee Department of Transportation projects. To get an application, contact:

Some of the details the Department will ask you about are your organization, personnel, financial condition, equipment, and experience. You'll be asked what type of work you want to be qualified for.

Prequalification is good for one year, with a three-month grace period at the end.

Out-of-state corporations must get a Certificate of Authority to do business in Tennessee from the Tennessee Secretary of State. To apply for this certificate, contact:

The Certificate of Authority application form is available online at http://www.state.tn.us/sos/bus_svc/forms.htm. There is a $600.00 one-time fee to establish your Certificate of Authority. To receive a copy of your Certificate of Authority it will cost $20.