Electrician license
Tennessee electrician license
Tennessee has no statewide journeyman electrician license. The Board for Licensing Contractors licenses electrical contractors (classification CE) for projects of $25,000 or more and issues the Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) license for smaller jobs where the state does the inspections. Journeyman and master electrician licenses are issued locally, for example by Metro Nashville. This page covers Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) and Electrical Contractor (CE classification). Local licensing in Nashville (Metro Nashville and Davidson County) is covered below.
Licenses at a glance
| License | Experience | Exam | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) | Not set in hours | 40 questions, 2017 NEC | $50 initial; $50 to renew |
| Electrical Contractor (CE classification) | Not set in hours | 100 questions, 2017 NEC | $250 initial license fee; $200 to renew |
How to get each Tennessee license
Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE)
Requirements. Pass the LLE trade exam and apply online with photo ID and Social Security number. The LLE covers electrical work under $25,000 per project, and is only required where the municipality uses the state Division of Fire Prevention for permits or inspections.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | Prov |
|---|---|
| Code edition | 2017 NEC |
| Questions | 40 questions |
| Time | 120 minutes (2 hours) |
| Passing score | 73% |
| Code book | Open book: the bulletin lists the 2017 NEC among the permitted references. |
| Exam fee | $53, paid to Prov |
| Official bulletin | Prov, Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors Candidate Information Bulletin (TN Contractor CIB 2026.11.11) |
Fees. $50 initial; $50 to renew.
Sources: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE); Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Fees; Prov, Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors Candidate Information Bulletin (last revised November 11, 2026).
Electrical Contractor (CE classification)
Requirements. Required to bid or contract electrical work of $25,000 or more. The company's qualifying agent passes the Tennessee Business and Law exam and the CE electrical trade exam, and the company files a CPA-reviewed or audited financial statement (or, since July 1, 2026, a surety bond) that sets its monetary limit.
Exam. Required.
| Testing company | Prov (since July 1, 2026; previously PSI) |
|---|---|
| Code edition | 2017 NEC |
| Questions | 100 questions |
| Time | 300 minutes (5 hours) |
| Passing score | 73% |
| Code book | Open book: 2017 NEC, Ugly's, OSHA 1926 and the American Electricians' Handbook are permitted. |
| Exam fee | $53 to Prov for the trade exam; the business and law exam is another $53 |
| Official bulletin | Prov, Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors Candidate Information Bulletin (TN Contractor CIB 2026.11.11) |
Fees. $250 initial license fee; $200 to renew.
Candidates may take the NASCLA electrical contractor exam (110 questions, 270 minutes, 75%, 2023 NEC, $100) in place of the state CE trade exam.
Through December 31, 2026 candidates may still use the references the former vendor (PSI) recommended; from January 1, 2027 only Prov's listed books are allowed.
Sources: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, How to get a license: Contractor; Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Fees; Prov, Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors Candidate Information Bulletin (last revised November 11, 2026).
Local electrician licenses in Tennessee
Nashville (Metro Nashville and Davidson County): Journeyman Electrician; also Master Electrician
Metro Nashville licenses journeyman electricians who completed an electrical construction apprenticeship or are regularly employed as journeymen under an electrical contractor or master electrician. A master electrician needs six years of experience. Issued by Metropolitan Department of Codes and Building Safety. Official page.
Source: Metro Nashville Codes, Application for Examination (Metro Electrical Exam Application 2022).
Practice for the exam
Free practice. The journeyman electrician practice test with 2026 and 2023 NEC versions has 30 questions on code and calculations, scored by subject, with no account. It is general NEC practice, not built from the Tennessee exam outline.
How to apply
Schedule the required exams with Prov, then apply online through the state's online licensing portal. Exam results are typically valid for two years. Apply on the official site.
Sources: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE); Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, How to get a license: Contractor.
Renewal and continuing education
| Renewal | Contractor licenses renew every two years, through the state's online licensing account, which opens renewal 90 days before expiration. Contractors have a 12-month grace period; LLE holders have 3 months. |
|---|---|
| Continuing education | The Board requires 8 hours of continuing education only for residential contractor classifications (BC-A, BC-A/R, BC-A/B-sm). It lists no continuing education for the electrical (CE) classification or the LLE. |
Sources: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Renewal, Reinstatement and Other Resources; Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Residential Continuing Education Provider List.
Reciprocity with other states
No reciprocity: a license from another state cannot be used in Tennessee. The Board does waive the trade exam for contractors actively licensed in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia for electrical work; the waiver does not apply to the LLE.
Source: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, How to get a license: Contractor.
Look up a Tennessee electrician license
To check that an electrician or contractor is licensed, use the official Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance Verify public search.
Good to know
Metro Nashville's journeyman electrical exam is given by Prov on the 2020 NEC: 70 questions, 210 minutes, 70% to pass, open book, $80.
The state contractor and LLE trade exams still reference the 2017 NEC, while the NASCLA alternative uses the 2023 NEC.
Sources: Prov, Metropolitan Department of Codes and Building Safety Candidate Information Bulletin (TN CIB 2026.11.11); Prov, Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors Candidate Information Bulletin (last revised November 11, 2026).
Common questions
Who issues electrician licenses in Tennessee?
Tennessee has no statewide journeyman electrician license. The Board for Licensing Contractors licenses electrical contractors (classification CE) for projects of $25,000 or more and issues the Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) license for smaller jobs where the state does the inspections. Journeyman and master electrician licenses are issued locally, for example by Metro Nashville.
Does Tennessee accept electrician licenses from other states?
No reciprocity: a license from another state cannot be used in Tennessee. The Board does waive the trade exam for contractors actively licensed in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and West Virginia for electrical work; the waiver does not apply to the LLE.
How often does a Tennessee electrician license renew?
Contractor licenses renew every two years, through the state's online licensing account, which opens renewal 90 days before expiration. Contractors have a 12-month grace period; LLE holders have 3 months. Continuing education: The Board requires 8 hours of continuing education only for residential contractor classifications (BC-A, BC-A/R, BC-A/B-sm). It lists no continuing education for the electrical (CE) classification or the LLE.
How do I look up an electrician license in Tennessee?
Use the official Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance Verify public search at https://search.cloud.commerce.tn.gov/
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from Tennessee's own licensing board, statute or rule, or the testing company the board names. Where a fact could not be confirmed from one of them, the page says to check with the board. Rules and fees change: confirm with the board before you apply.
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, opened November 11, 2026
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, How to get a license: Contractor, opened November 11, 2026
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE), opened November 11, 2026
- Prov, Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors Candidate Information Bulletin (last revised November 11, 2026), opened November 11, 2026
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Fees, opened November 11, 2026
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Renewal, Reinstatement and Other Resources, opened November 11, 2026
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Residential Continuing Education Provider List, opened November 11, 2026
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Verify public search, opened November 11, 2026
- Metro Nashville Codes, Application for Examination (Metro Electrical Exam Application 2022), opened November 11, 2026
- Prov, Metropolitan Department of Codes and Building Safety Candidate Information Bulletin (TN CIB 2026.11.11), opened November 11, 2026
Electrician license requirements in every state · How to become an electrician · Journeyman electrician license · Master electrician license
Last verified November 11, 2026.