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Plumber
Total cost: $75
Governing Authority
Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (under TN Department of Commerce and Insurance)
Official website →Yes
State Licensed?
8,000
Apprentice Hours
7
License Levels
$75
Total Fees
0 hrs
CE Hours
International Plumbing Code (IPC) — Tennessee edition
Code Version
Get the Tennessee Plumber Roadmap — every step, fee, and deadline mapped out. — every step mapped out.
Get the Roadmap — $20Apprentice Registration Fee
$30
Apprentice registration fee
Journeyman License Fee
$75 for a 2-year LLP license (nonrefundable)
LLP 2-year license fee
Master Plumber License Fee
$250
CMC-A/CMC contractor application/license
Exam Fee
$120
Plumbing exam fee
Renewal Fee
$75 (LLP biennial) / $200 (CMC/CMC-A biennial)
Renewal fee per 2 years
Regulation Status
VerifiedState Licensed
Yes
Regulation Level
state
License Types Available
State-Level Licensing Required
Regulated by the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (under TN Department of Commerce and Insurance)
Apprenticeship Program
8,000
Total Hours
4 yrs
Duration
576
Classroom Hours
7,424
OJT Hours
Registered Apprenticeship Program Required
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Experience Required
Registration required; no prior experience
No exam required
Additional Requirements
Experience Required
LLP: 1 year plumbing experience OR proof of local TN plumbing license/exam score; CMC-A/CMC: 3 years verifiable experience or engineering degree
Exam required
Additional Requirements
Experience Required
CMC-A/CMC Contractor: 3 years verifiable plumbing experience; see also local J/M requirements
Exam required
Additional Requirements
Exam Information
VerifiedJourneyman Exam
RequiredMaster Exam
RequiredExam Provider
PSI
Plumbing Code Version
International Plumbing Code (IPC) — Tennessee edition
Open Book Exam
Passing Score
70%
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Overall licensing difficulty: 25/100
Study recommendation: 1–2 weeks of focused review is usually sufficient
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Plumber Licensing Exam
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Difficulty rating based on education, exam, and experience requirements. Individual experience may vary.
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Minimum Age
Education
Background Check
Insurance Required
Bonding Required
Not sure if you need a plumber license? Check whether your state requires one.
Tennessee has 10% below average — nationally the ratio is 1 per 746 residents.
Tennessee has average plumbers density relative to population.
Tennessee ranks #37 out of 51 states by plumbers per capita.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
Apprentice Registration Apprentice registration fee | $30 |
Journeyman License LLP 2-year license fee | $75 for a 2-year LLP license (nonrefundable) |
Master License CMC-A/CMC contractor application/license | $250 |
Exam Fee Plumbing exam fee | $120 |
Renewal Fee Renewal fee per 2 years | $75 (LLP biennial) / $200 (CMC/CMC-A biennial) |
Total Initial Fees LLP: $75 license; CMC-A/CMC: $250 application + exam fees | $75 |
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Renewal & CE Requirements
Verified1 year
Renewal Period
0
CE Hours Required
$75 (LLP biennial) / $200 (CMC/CMC-A biennial)
Renewal Fee
No CE Requirement
Regulatory Board
Renewal fee per 2 years
Out-of-State Reciprocity
VerifiedAccepts Out-of-State Licenses
Transfer Type
Endorsement
Additional Requirements for Transfer
Most states require plumbers to pass the local exam or apply for endorsement when transferring an out-of-state license. Requirements vary by state.
Moving to another state? Use our Transfer Tool to see what you need →
Compare Tennessee with other states →
See how requirements, costs, and timelines differ across all 50 states.
DUAL STATE/LOCAL SYSTEM + $25,000 THRESHOLD: State contractor license (CMC/CMC-A) required for projects ≥$25,000. LLP required for projects <$25,000 in many counties. 15 counties exempt from LLP. LLP cannot use term 'Contractor'. LLP exam has NO out-of-state exam waivers. CMC-A is plumbing-specific; CMC covers plumbing + HVAC. No CE requirement currently. Reciprocity with 8 states (trade exam waiver only). Uses IPC — Tennessee edition. Insurance requirements scale with project limits.
DUAL STATE/LOCAL SYSTEM with $25,000 threshold: CMC/CMC-A for ≥$25K projects; LLP for <$25K
15 counties exempt from LLP requirement: Benton, Decatur, Dickson, Giles, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Humphreys, Lake, Lawrence, Lewis, Obion, Perry, Stewart, Weakley
LLP cannot use term 'Contractor' or advertise as one
LLP exam has NO out-of-state exam waivers (unlike CMC/CMC-A)
CMC-A is plumbing-specific; CMC covers plumbing + HVAC
No CE requirement currently
Reciprocity with 8 states (trade exam waiver only — B&L always required)
Uses IPC — Tennessee edition
Local journeyman/master licenses exist in many cities/counties
Insurance requirements scale with project limits: $100K/$500K/$1M
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Plumber requirements in Tennessee verified against Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (under TN Department of Commerce and Insurance), April 2026.
Accessed 2026-03-24
Accessed 2026-03-06