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Tennessee Plumbing License Renewal: Deadlines, Fees and CE

The Limited Licensed Plumber (Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors) renews every 2 years and has a renewal fee of about $50. The Mechanical Contractor - Plumbing & Gas Piping (Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors) renews every 2 years and has a renewal fee of about $200. Fees change, so check the official site for the exact amount.

Full rule details
Verified dataLast checked Oct 17, 2026, next review due July 2027

Informational: verify with the issuing board.

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Limited Licensed Plumber

LLP · State license · Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors

Remind me before this expires
Renew on the official siteBoard phone: (615) 741-2241
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Continuing education
Not required
Deadline rule
Expires every two years on the last day of the month the license was issued (Rule 0680-04-.05). The rule asks that renewal be filed at least 30 days before expiration; the renewal option appears in CORE within 90 days of expiration.
Show fees, grace period, bond and insurance
Grace period
3 months after expiration.

Fees, approximate

Renewal fee
About $50
Late fee
About $10 per month late renewal penalty, up to 3 months.
Reinstatement
Expired 3 months or more: new application and initial requirements; initial/reinstatement fee about $75.

Fees change. Check the official site for the exact amount.

Why approximate?

Boards change fees often and some charge extra processing fees. We show a recent amount so you can plan.

Bond
Not required
Insurance
Not required
Reciprocity
Licenses from other states are not accepted, and Tennessee's trade exam waiver agreements apply only to Board contractor licenses, not to this license.
Notes

Required only for plumbers working in a municipality that uses the Division of Fire Prevention for permits or inspections, and covers work under $25,000 per project. General maintenance work under $500 is exempt. Rule 0680-04-.05 describes a 10% per month late penalty capped at twice the renewal fee and a 90-day late window; the Board's current fee and renewal pages list $10 per month for up to 3 months.

Confidence: HighConfirmed from official rule textLast checked Oct 17, 2026
Sources (4)

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Mechanical Contractor - Plumbing & Gas Piping

CMC-A · State license · Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors

Remind me before this expires
Renew on the official siteBoard phone: (615) 741-2241
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Continuing education
Not required
Deadline rule
Biennial. Renewal option appears in CORE within 90 days of expiration; board asks that renewals be submitted at least 30 days before the expiration date (exact expiration date is printed on each license and is not fixed to a calendar date on the board's pages).
Show fees, grace period, bond and insurance
Grace period
12 months after expiration to renew late; contracting while expired is not permitted.

Fees, approximate

Renewal fee
About $200
Late fee
About $20 per month late renewal penalty, up to 12 months (on top of about $200 renewal).
Reinstatement
Expired 12 months or more: must submit a new application and meet all initial licensure requirements; initial/reinstatement fee about $250.

Fees change. Check the official site for the exact amount.

Why approximate?

Boards change fees often and some charge extra processing fees. We show a recent amount so you can plan.

Bond
Not required
Insurance
General liability insurance is required based on the monetary limit: at least $100,000 for limits up to $500,000, at least $500,000 for limits of $500,001 to $1,500,000, and at least $1,000,000 for limits above $1,500,000 (Rule 0680-06-.02). Workers' compensation coverage or an exemption registration is also required. Renewal also needs a financial statement (CPA-compiled if the limit is above $1.5 million, a self-prepared balance sheet if below) and, for corporations and LLCs, proof of active status with the Secretary of State. From July 1, 2026 a Board-approved Contractors' Surety Bond of at least 50% of the requested monetary limit may be used instead of a CPA-reviewed or audited financial statement.
Reciprocity
Tennessee does not accept other states' licenses, but has a trade exam waiver agreement for Board contractor classifications with Alabama (general, electrical, residential, HVAC), Arkansas (commercial/residential building), Louisiana (residential, commercial, electrical, mechanical), Mississippi (residential, commercial, electrical, mechanical unlimited), North Carolina (residential/commercial building, electrical), Ohio (electrical, plumbing, HVAC), South Carolina (commercial only) and West Virginia (building, electrical, mechanical, masonry). The other state completes the License Verification form. The NASCLA National Commercial exam is also accepted. The Business and Law exam is still required.
Notes

CMC-A plumbing and gas piping (exam needed; CMC-B process piping, CMC-J fuel gas piping have no exam). $25,000+ threshold.

Confidence: HighConfirmed from official rule textLast checked Oct 17, 2026
Sources (5)

How to renew

  1. 1Check your Limited Licensed Plumber deadline: Expires every two years on the last day of the month the license was issued (Rule 0680-04-.05). The rule asks that renewal be filed at least 30 days before expiration; the renewal option appears in CORE within 90 days of expiration.
  2. 2Renew online at https://access.cloud.commerce.tn.gov/portal/public
  3. 3Pay the renewal fee on the official site. Expect about $50, but fees change.
  4. 4If you miss the deadline: About $10 per month late renewal penalty, up to 3 months.
  5. 5Check your Mechanical Contractor - Plumbing & Gas Piping deadline: Biennial. Renewal option appears in CORE within 90 days of expiration; board asks that renewals be submitted at least 30 days before the expiration date (exact expiration date is printed on each license and is not fixed to a calendar date on the board's pages).
  6. 6Confirm your insurance meet the board requirements and are not expiring.
  7. 7Pay the renewal fee on the official site. Expect about $200, but fees change.
  8. 8If you miss the deadline: About $20 per month late renewal penalty, up to 12 months (on top of about $200 renewal).

Tennessee Plumbing renewal questions

Answers come from the records above. Informational: verify with the issuing board.

When does a Tennessee plumbing license expire?

Limited Licensed Plumber: renews every 2 years. Expires every two years on the last day of the month the license was issued (Rule 0680-04-.05). The rule asks that renewal be filed at least 30 days before expiration; the renewal option appears in CORE within 90 days of expiration. Mechanical Contractor - Plumbing & Gas Piping: renews every 2 years. Biennial. Renewal option appears in CORE within 90 days of expiration; board asks that renewals be submitted at least 30 days before the expiration date (exact expiration date is printed on each license and is not fixed to a calendar date on the board's pages). Check with Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors before you rely on it.

How many CE hours does a Tennessee plumbing license need?

Limited Licensed Plumber: no CE required. Mechanical Contractor - Plumbing & Gas Piping: no CE required. Check with Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors before you rely on it.

Is there a grace period for a Tennessee plumbing license?

3 months after expiration. Check with Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors before you rely on it.

How much does it cost to renew a Tennessee plumbing license?

Limited Licensed Plumber: About $50. Fees change. Check the official site for the exact amount.

What happens if a Tennessee plumbing license expires?

About $10 per month late renewal penalty, up to 3 months. Fees change. Check the official site for the exact amount.

Does Tennessee accept plumbing licenses from other states?

Licenses from other states are not accepted, and Tennessee's trade exam waiver agreements apply only to Board contractor licenses, not to this license. Check with Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors before you rely on it.

Sources

Spot something out of date?

Informational only. Check it with the issuing board. Licensing rules, deadlines and CE requirements change, fee amounts are approximate, and this page can be out of date. It is not legal advice, and we are not affiliated with any state board. Read the disclaimer.

This information is here to help you plan, not to replace the board. Fee amounts are approximate and may be out of date. Deadlines and continuing education rules change too, sometimes without much notice. Always confirm with your licensing board and its official site before you rely on a date or an amount. This is not legal advice.

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