Electrician License Requirements in Tennessee
- Training hours
- —
- Upfront cost
- $50
- Exam
- LLE Trade Examination
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- Issuing board
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce & Insurance)
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Meet the eligibility requirements set by the issuing board. The Board's LLE license-issuance page lists only Photo ID and Social Security Number plus passing the PSI trade exam as requirements — it does not state a minimum age or a formal criminal-background-check step for the LLE tier. T.C.A. § 62-6-102(d) and § 68-102-150 govern eligibility but a specific age floor could not be confirmed from the Board's public pages during this research pass. [2]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete the required training. Tennessee's LLE license is issued to individuals who pass the LLE trade exam (per T.C.A. § 62-6-102(d) and § 68-102-150) — the Board's LLE License Process page does not publish a fixed pre-exam training-hour or apprenticeship requirement, unlike some states' journeyman tiers. IMPORTANT CAVEAT: the LLE is a STATE-level license, but it is only required/usable in municipalities that use the Division of Fire Prevention (State Fire Marshal) for electrical permits and inspections, and only for projects under $25,000. Larger self-administering jurisdictions (e.g. Nashville/Davidson, Memphis/Shelby, Knoxville/Knox, Chattanooga/Hamilton) run their own local codes offices and require a separate local journeyman/master electrician license instead of, or in addition to, the LLE — always check with the local government first. Tennessee restructured this section of tn.gov and retired the page previously cited; the citation above is its current location. [1]
- 3
LLE Trade Examination
Pass the LLE Trade Examination. The Board's LLE License Process page confirms the trade exam is administered through PSI and links to the LLE Exam Candidate Information Bulletin and PSI's online exam registration, but the fee amount is set by PSI's bulletin, which could not be independently retrieved (test-takers.psiexams.com content not accessible during this research pass) — left null rather than citing a third-party estimate. Tennessee restructured this section of tn.gov and retired the page previously cited; the citation above is its current location. [1]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce & Insurance) with the $50 application fee. [2]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce & Insurance) issues your Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) for Tennessee.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [2] | $50 |
| License fee [2] | None specified |
| Renewal fee [2] | $50 |
| LLE Trade Examination [1] | None specified |
| Reinstatement after license expired 90+ days (renewal fee + late penalty) [2] | $80 |
Per the Board's official LLE license-issuance page, the initial application fee is $50 (covers issuance — no separate license fee is itemized, so license is null). Per the Board's LLE Renewal Tips page, on-time renewal is $50; if the license lapses 90+ days, reinstatement requires an $80 total ($50 renewal fee + $30 late penalty fee) and may require retaking the LLE exam.
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 2 years.
The LLE license renews on a two-year cycle (the Board's LLE Renewal Tips page instructs renewing 30 days before expiration, and treats anything past the expiration date as requiring late fees / reinstatement). The Board's public LLE pages do not list a continuing-education requirement for renewal, unlike some other Tennessee-regulated trades. (Source page verified via Wayback Machine snapshot dated 2025-09-02; tn.gov blocks non-browser clients.) Tennessee restructured this section of tn.gov and retired the page previously cited; the citation above is its current location.
Reciprocity
No reciprocity or endorsement route was found.
No LLE reciprocity/endorsement pathway is described on the Board's LLE pages — applicants qualify by passing the PSI trade exam. There is no interstate compact for electricians. Because the LLE only applies in state-fire-marshal-administered municipalities, an out-of-state electrician working in a self-administering city (Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, etc.) would instead need to check that city's own local reciprocity rules, which are outside the Board's LLE program. Tennessee restructured this section of tn.gov and retired the page previously cited; the citation above is its current location.
11 state-approved training providers in Tennessee — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $50
Frequently asked questions
Does Tennessee have a single statewide journeyman electrician license?
Not exactly. Tennessee's state-level individual credential is the Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE), but it only applies in municipalities that use the state Division of Fire Prevention for electrical permits/inspections, and only for projects under $25,000. Large jurisdictions like Nashville/Davidson, Memphis/Shelby, Knoxville/Knox, and Chattanooga/Hamilton run their own local codes offices and require a separate local journeyman/master license instead.
How do I know if I need the LLE license or a local license?
Check with your local government's Codes Enforcement office. If the city/county accepts the state LLE for permits and inspections, you need the LLE; if it runs its own electrical licensing, you need that local journeyman/master license instead.
Who administers the LLE trade exam and what does it require?
PSI Services LLC, under contract with the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. Applicants provide photo ID and a Social Security number and must pass the PSI trade exam; see the LLE Exam Candidate Information Bulletin for exam details.
How much does the Tennessee LLE license cost?
The initial application fee is $50. On-time renewal (every two years) is also $50; if the license lapses 90 or more days, reinstatement costs $80 ($50 renewal fee plus a $30 late penalty) and may require retaking the exam.
Does Tennessee require continuing education to renew an LLE license?
The Board's public LLE renewal pages do not list a continuing-education requirement for LLE renewal.
Sources
- [1] tn.gov/commerce/regboards/contractors/license/get/lle.html — accessed 2026-07-27
- [2] tn.gov/commerce/regboards/contractors/license/get/lle.html — accessed 2026-07-11