- You must install a system under the supervision of someone the department designates.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Every year. Permits expire December 31 and are not transferable.
Do you need a state license in Tennessee?
Tennessee licenses septic system work at the state level through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Water Resources. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Steps to get licensed in Tennessee
- Contact your local Environmental Field Office about testing.
- Pass the written test with 70 percent and do a supervised installation.
- File the installer permit application and pay the fee.
- Renew before December 31 each year.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. You must install a system under the supervision of someone the department designates.
The license to apply for. Conventional Subsurface Sewage Disposal Systems Installer Permit (plus alternative system permits).
Tennessee septic installer exams
Trade exam. A written exam, passed with 70 percent. Talk to your local Environmental Field Office about test dates.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in Tennessee
We could not confirm the current fee schedule on an official page. Check with the board before you budget: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Water Resources.
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Every year. Permits expire December 31 and are not transferable.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
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 septic installation 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 Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Water Resources and the official pages below, checked October 9, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.