How to get an electrician license in Tennessee

Exam administrator correction: exams are administered by Prov effective July 1, 2026 (previously PSI; PSI continued already-scheduled exams through September 2026). LLEs may not advertise as 'contractor.'

License levels in Tennessee

• Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE, projects under $25,000)
• Electrical Contractor ('CE' classification, $25,000 and above, under the contractor license)

Tennessee electrician licensing at a glance

Common questions

Do you need a license to work as an electrician in Tennessee?

Exam administrator correction: exams are administered by Prov effective July 1, 2026 (previously PSI; PSI continued already-scheduled exams through September 2026). LLEs may not advertise as 'contractor.'

What electrician license levels does Tennessee have?

The levels are Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE, projects under $25,000), Electrical Contractor ('CE' classification, $25,000 and above, under the contractor license).

How do you get licensed as an electrician in Tennessee?

LLE: valid photo ID and SSN, pass the electrical trade exam, submit the online LLE application ($50). Work at or above $25,000 requires the full contractor license with the electrical (CE) classification (which adds financial statement and business/law exam requirements).

Does Tennessee have electrician license reciprocity?

Tennessee's two electrical credentials answer differently. For the Electrical Contractor (CE) classification, the Board for Licensing Contractors publishes a trade examination waiver, which it labels reciprocity, with participating states: Alabama (residential, general, electrical, HVAC), Arkansas (residential, commercial building), Louisiana (residential, commercial, electrical, mechanical), Mississippi (residential, commercial, electrical, mechanical), North Carolina (residential, commercial building and electrical), Ohio (electrical, plumbing, HVAC), South Carolina (commercial building, electrical, HVAC, plumbing), West Virginia (residential, commercial, industrial building, electrical, mechanical, masonry), and the NASCLA national commercial and electrical exams. A contractor may request a Tennessee trade exam waiver if licensed in a participating state and that state verifies a comparable examination; the waiver covers the trade exam only and the Tennessee Business and Law exam is still required for every classification except restricted residential. Disciplinary action, open complaints or felony convictions disqualify. For the Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE), the credential for projects under $25,000, there is no reciprocity at all: the Board states there are no out-of-state reciprocal exam-waiver agreements for the LLE and no state reciprocal agreements, so out-of-state electricians and contractors must obtain a Tennessee license and sit the LLE exam. The contractor trade-exam waiver expressly cannot be used for LLE, home improvement or limited licensed plumber applications.

Related

Sources: www.tn.gov, www.tn.gov, www.tn.gov, www.tn.gov. Always confirm current requirements with the issuing authority.