- Prime contracts of $25,000 or more. In Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford and Shelby counties, home jobs of $3,000 to $24,999 need a home improvement license.
- Plan for a business and law exam.
- Home improvement license: a $10,000 surety bond or other financial security.
Do you need a state license in Tennessee?
Tennessee licenses some landscaping work at the state level and leaves the rest alone. Which side of that line a job falls on decides whether you need the state license.
Prime contracts of $25,000 or more. In Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford and Shelby counties, home jobs of $3,000 to $24,999 need a home improvement license.
Tennessee license types for landscaping work
Tennessee splits the work into 2 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| BC-29 Landscaping | Landscaping work on prime contracts of $25,000 or more |
| Home Improvement license | Home remodeling jobs of $3,000 to $24,999 in the counties that adopted the law |
Steps to get licensed in Tennessee
- Check the job size and county to see which license you need.
- For the contractor license, pass the Business and Law exam and apply with the BC-29 classification.
- For the home improvement license, get a $10,000 bond and insurance, then apply online and pay $250.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
The license to apply for. Contractor license, BC-29 Landscaping; Home Improvement license in some counties.
Tennessee landscaping exams
Trade exam. No trade exam for BC-29, but the Business and Law exam and experience are still required.
Business and law exam. Business and Law exam.
What it costs in Tennessee
The board lists one fee for this license. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Home Improvement license, initial application | $250 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. Home improvement licensees need general liability and workers' compensation.
Bond. Home improvement license: a $10,000 surety bond or other financial security.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Good to know in Tennessee
- The home improvement law names landscaping among the covered work.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for a landscaper near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors and the official pages below, checked October 9, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how landscaping companies run on Koira.