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How to become a plumber in Tennessee
Tennessee licenses plumbing work in two ways through the Board for Licensing Contractors: a contractor's license for projects of $25,000 or more, and a Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) license for work under $25,000 in municipalities that use the state Division of Fire Prevention for permits or inspections (general maintenance work under $500 is exempt). Other cities and counties may set their own licensing. Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in Tennessee earned a median $58,600 a year in May 2025 ($28.17 an hour).
Plumber licensing in Tennessee
The licensing authority is Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. The pages each row was read from are listed under the table, with the date each was read.
| License | What it takes | Experience | Exam | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) | Issued to individuals who pass the LLP trade exam; required for work under $25,000 a project in municipalities that use the state Division of Fire Prevention for permits or inspections. General maintenance work under $500 is exempt. Check first whether your local government accepts the LLP or has its own license. Initial application $75; renewal $50. | — | LLP trade exam (Prov) | $75 |
| Plumbing Contractor (projects of $25,000 or more) | Required before contracting, bidding or negotiating a price for projects of $25,000 or more as a prime contractor, certain subcontractors or a construction manager. The company's qualifying agent passes the Tennessee Business and Law exam and, for certain classifications, a trade exam. The plumbing (CMC-A) exam needs the Board's pre-approval, a $50 request fee. Published state fees: $50 pre-approval plus the $250 initial license fee, $300 in all; renewal $200. | — | Tennessee Business and Law exam and the plumbing CMC-A trade exam (Prov) | $300 |
Licensing sources: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: Limited Licensed Plumber (retrieved 2026-09-23) · Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: contractor license (retrieved 2026-09-23) · Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: exam information (retrieved 2026-09-23) · Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors: fees (retrieved 2026-09-23). Requirements change; confirm with Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors before you act.
The steps in order, with exams, fees and renewal → · Every fee here, itemised and totalled → · Compare time and cost across trades and states →
Common questions
Do you need a license to work as a plumber in Tennessee?
Tennessee licenses plumbing work in two ways through the Board for Licensing Contractors: a contractor's license for projects of $25,000 or more, and a Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) license for work under $25,000 in municipalities that use the state Division of Fire Prevention for permits or inspections (general maintenance work under $500 is exempt). Other cities and counties may set their own licensing.
What does it cost to get licensed as a plumber in Tennessee?
The published fees in the table above run from $75 to $300 depending on the tier. Read each tier's requirements for any exam or license-issue fee charged on top.
How long does it take to become a plumber in Tennessee?
It depends on which credential you need and the training and testing each step takes; the full path is in the table above.
How much do plumbers make in Tennessee?
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in Tennessee earned a median $58,600 a year in May 2025, $28.17 an hour. That median is 8% below the national figure of $63,800, and Tennessee ranks 41 of 51 by pay for this trade.
How much do apprentice plumbers make in Tennessee?
In fiscal 2023 (October 2022 to September 2023), among registered apprentices in Tennessee under the occupation titles the U.S. Department of Labor maps to plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters, 388 apprentices started, at a median $17.10 an hour across the 387 whose starting wage DOL counts. Those who completed that year were paid a median $32.74 an hour at completion (125 completers with an exit wage DOL counts). Wages are in that year's dollars.
What plumbers earn in Tennessee
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in Tennessee earned a median $58,600 a year in May 2025, $28.17 an hour. 9,270 people held the job, 2.8 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 8% below the national figure of $63,800, and Tennessee ranks 41 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in Tennessee
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $18.52 | $38,520 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $22.72 | $47,260 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $28.17 | $58,600 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $35.32 | $73,460 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $39.43 | $82,020 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $29.09 | $60,500 | The average. Pulled up by the top earners. |
Annual figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, BLS's full-time year. Overtime is inside the survey's earnings but not separated out.
Pay by metro area in Tennessee
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN employs the most plumbers of the 10 metro areas based in Tennessee that BLS publishes, 2,760, at a median $60,100 a year.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 2,760 | $60,100 | $42,650 | $83,670 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 1,920 | $58,690 | $37,530 | $82,020 |
| Knoxville, TN | 1,700 | $59,860 | $38,940 | $79,560 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 860 | $58,720 | $37,670 | $78,880 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | 290 | $59,360 | $38,210 | $77,370 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 280 | $58,930 | $37,980 | $110,660 |
| Jackson, TN | 260 | $52,620 | $37,460 | $76,470 |
| Johnson City, TN | 210 | $48,480 | $36,020 | $71,930 |
| Cleveland, TN | 80 | $55,130 | $36,830 | $73,510 |
| Morristown, TN | 70 | $53,780 | $36,330 | $73,940 |
Metropolitan statistical areas as BLS publishes them in the same May 2025 estimates. A metro that crosses a state line is listed only under its primary state, so part of a neighboring state's metro can sit outside this table. Areas outside any metro are not shown.
Tennessee against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | Virginia | $60,470 | 13,780 |
| 39 | Texas | $59,840 | 44,090 |
| 40 | Alabama | $58,670 | 6,950 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $58,600 | 9,270 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $57,970 | 6,050 |
| 43 | Georgia | $57,200 | 8,930 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $57,080 | 14,510 |
The complete ranking is on the Plumbers and pipefitters page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $58,600 | $63,800 |
| Median hourly | $28.17 | $30.67 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $38,520 | $44,150 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $82,020 | $108,420 |
| Employed | 9,270 | 465,840 |
Apprenticeships in Tennessee
U.S. Department of Labor records list 1,049 registered apprentices active in Tennessee in fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024) under the occupation titles DOL maps to plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters (SOC 47-2152). The file's fiscal 2024 records largely stop after February 2024. In fiscal 2023, the latest year the file holds in full, 388 apprentices started, at a median $17.10 an hour across the 387 whose starting wage DOL counts. Those who completed that year were paid a median $32.74 an hour at completion (125 completers with an exit wage DOL counts).
Find a registered program: DOL's Apprenticeship Finder → · What those wages come to at your hours a week → · Every state's count and wages for this trade →
Wages are DOL's own hourly figures in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Which wages DOL counts, which titles count and how the state is assigned are on the data page.
Other trades in Tennessee
Electricians ($61,090) · HVAC technicians ($55,490) · Welders ($48,040) · Truck drivers (CDL) ($58,620) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($83,660) · Elevator installers ($100,490) · Ironworkers ($56,750) · Sheet metal workers ($59,170) · Carpenters ($50,830) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($63,850) · Auto service technicians ($50,290) · Diesel mechanics ($59,190) · Heavy equipment operators ($52,000) · Machinists ($49,600)
See all 15 ranked by pay in Tennessee.
The pay and employment figures on this page are the May 2025 BLS estimates, apart from the apprenticeship figures, which are DOL's; the licensing detail is read from the pages listed in the licensing section, each with the date it was read. See how the numbers are built.