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Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (LLE program) · checked 2026-10-21
Tennessee Electrician License Requirements
Tennessee splits electrical licensing by job size and place. Where a city or county has a codes office, its local license is required at any job size; local licensing uses journeyman and master classes that vary by jurisdiction. The state issues the Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) for work under $25,000 where the state Division of Fire Protection inspects, and a contractor license with the CE classification for projects of $25,000 or more. Contractor license, electrical (CE): the source states no minimum time, plus an exam.
- 1LLE · Limited Licensed Electrician time not stated
- 2CE · Contractor license, electrical (CE) time not stated
License levels in Tennessee
The Tennessee path has 2 steps on this page: Limited Licensed Electrician and Contractor license, electrical (CE).
| Level | Experience | Classroom | Time from start | Exam | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LLE Limited Licensed Electrician | none stated | — | time not stated | Yes (PSI) | License (two years) $50 |
| CE Contractor license, electrical (CE) | none stated | — | time not stated | Yes (PSI) | Not printed |
Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE)
Pass the LLE trade exam through PSI and send the passing score with the application. An LLE may not take work where the total electrical cost on a project is $25,000 or more and may not call itself a contractor. The LLE pages read list no experience requirement. Source: TN, LLE license process.
Contractor license, electrical (CE) (CE)
A state contractor license with the CE classification, required for projects of $25,000 or more. CE holders skip the local exam where there is a codes office but pay local fees and follow local permit rules. Contractor exams are given only by PSI. Source: TN, Who needs a Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) license?.
Exam
2 of the 2 levels listed here require an exam: Limited Licensed Electrician and Contractor license, electrical (CE). The source does not print a pass mark. Testing vendor named: PSI.
Fees
- Limited Licensed Electrician: license (two years) $50.
The LLE page lists the $50 two-year license fee but no exam fee; contractor license fees were not on the pages read.
When a license is needed: The state contractor license applies to projects of $25,000 or more, counting materials and labor; projects cannot be split into phases to stay under the threshold. (TN, Who needs a Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) license?)
Reciprocity
The Tennessee sources read for this trade name no reciprocity agreement and no route for out-of-state licensees.
Seen from the other side: Texas and Alabama list Tennessee among their partners on their own board pages (Texas, Alabama). Each state applies its own conditions, so read both pages.
How Tennessee compares
Tennessee's source states no minimum time for the contractor license, electrical (ce), so it is not ranked against the other states on this site.
Same trade elsewhere: California · Texas · Florida · Ohio · Georgia. All states side by side: Electrician license requirements by state.
Other trades in Tennessee
- Plumber: Contractor license, plumbing classification: the source states no minimum time, plus an exam.
- HVAC: Contractor license, HVAC (CMC or CMC-C classification): the source states no minimum time, plus an exam.
- General contractor: Contractor license, building classification (BC-A, BC, BC-B): the source states no minimum time, plus an exam.
All covered trades on one page: Tennessee trade licenses.
Background reading: From apprentice to master: how long each state takes · What the license fees add up to.
Questions
Who issues the electrician license in Tennessee?
Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (LLE program), Department of Commerce and Insurance. Tennessee splits electrical licensing by job size and place. Where a city or county has a codes office, its local license is required at any job size; local licensing uses journeyman and master classes that vary by jurisdiction. The state issues the Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) for work under $25,000 where the state Division of Fire Protection inspects, and a contractor license with the CE classification for projects of $25,000 or more.
How long does it take to qualify for the Contractor license, electrical (CE) in Tennessee?
The source read (TN, Who needs a Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) license?) states no minimum time for the Contractor license, electrical (CE). A state contractor license with the CE classification, required for projects of $25,000 or more. CE holders skip the local exam where there is a codes office but pay local fees and follow local permit rules. Contractor exams are given only by PSI.
Does Tennessee have electrician license reciprocity?
The Tennessee sources read name no reciprocity agreement for this trade.
What are the Tennessee electrician license fees?
Limited Licensed Electrician: license (two years) $50.
Sources and last checked
| What | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing authority | Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (LLE program), Department of Commerce and Insurance | 2026-10-21 |
| LLE requirements | TN, LLE license process | 2026-10-21 |
| CE requirements | TN, Who needs a Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) license? | 2026-10-21 |
| Law cited | Board for Licensing Contractors and Division of Fire Protection pages (statute not read) | 2026-10-21 |
This page summarises what the Tennessee source said on 2026-10-21. It is general information, not legal advice; the board's own page and the statute are the authority and can change. Confirm with Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (LLE program) before applying. The free official route is the board itself: its page, application forms and staff answer eligibility questions.