How to become an HVAC technician in Tennessee

The path in Tennessee, step by step

Tennessee licenses some HVAC work at the state level and leaves the rest to cities or to no one. A state contractor license is needed for HVAC work of $25,000 or more, whether you are the prime contractor or a subcontractor. Below that the state contractor license does not apply.

1. Pick your classification (CMC-C for HVAC) and decide what monetary limit you need.
2. Have your qualifying agent pass the HVAC trade exam and the Business and Law exam through Prov.
3. Get a CPA reviewed or audited financial statement, or a contractor surety bond of at least half your limit.
4. Line up general liability insurance at the required minimum and workers comp or an exemption.
5. Get a reference letter from a past client, employer or code official.
6. Apply online through the state portal and pay the $250 fee.

The full license guide, with every fee and form: HVAC license in Tennessee.

Finding an apprenticeship in Tennessee

Tennessee runs Registered Apprenticeship through its own State Apprenticeship Agency, recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor to register and oversee programs there. Its staff are state employees, and it may use the federal paperwork or forms of its own. Apprenticeship.gov lists the Tennessee State Apprenticeship Agency as the contact.

Either way, a registered program means paid work with a mentor, raises as you progress, classroom instruction and a credential recognized in every state. Search open spots in the Apprenticeship Job Finder.

Across the country. Some technicians train through an apprenticeship, which usually lasts several years. Each year mixes paid on-the-job training with some classroom work on safety, blueprint reading, and heating and cooling systems.

License levels and exams in Tennessee

The license to aim for: Contractor license, CMC-C (HVAC, refrigeration and gas piping).

Trade exam. Yes. CMC-C requires a trade exam. Starting July 1, 2026 the exams are given by Prov. The full CMC exam needs board pre-approval first.

Business exam. Yes. Every contractor applicant takes the open-book Tennessee Business and Law exam.

Keeping it. Renewal costs $200 and needs a financial statement or balance sheet, a general liability insurance certificate and workers comp proof or exemption registration. There is a 12-month grace period with a $20 monthly late fee.

Coming from another state. Tennessee waives the trade exam (not the Business and Law exam) for HVAC contractors licensed in Alabama, Ohio and South Carolina, and for mechanical contractors licensed in Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia.

What the Tennessee license costs

The fees the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Board for Licensing Contractors lists. Exam fees from a testing company, insurance and any bond come on top.

What HVAC technicians earn in Tennessee

The median HVAC technician in Tennessee earned $26.68 an hour in May 2025, 45th of 51 states, with 9,740 on payrolls. The national median was $29.33.

At the bottom of the range, a quarter of HVAC technicians in Tennessee earned under $22.59 an hour and a tenth under $18.53. At the top, a quarter earned over $31.53 and a tenth over $39.23.

Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: HVAC technician salary in Tennessee.

Jobs ahead in Tennessee

Tennessee's labor market office projects jobs for HVAC technicians growing from 10,340 in 2022 to 11,350 in 2032, a change of 9.8%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 1,000 openings a year.

Jobs are projected to grow 9.8% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 5.5% projected nationally, ranking 25th of the 50 states in the file.

These are the state's own long-term projections, published together on Projections Central for the occupation group heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers.

Starting your own HVAC technician business in Tennessee

To contract on your own in Tennessee, the license is the Contractor license, CMC-C (HVAC, refrigeration and gas piping).

Insurance. General liability and workers comp (or a valid exemption) are required. Minimum general liability is $100,000 for a monetary limit up to $500,000, $500,000 for a limit of $500,001 to $1,500,000, and $1,000,000 above that.

Bond. You show financial strength with a CPA reviewed or audited financial statement less than 12 months old. Starting July 1, 2026 you can instead post a contractor surety bond of at least 50% of the monetary limit you ask for.

Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the Tennessee median of $26.68 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $117.44 per billable hour. Try your own in the HVAC technician labor rate calculator.

The full checklist is in how to start an HVAC business. The free Koira Office plan gives you a website on a Koira address, estimates customers sign with a deposit, invoices with card payments and your day's jobs in one place, with no per-person fee. See the plans.