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If you plan to enter a skilled trade in Tennessee, you’ll need to obtain a suitable license from the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance Board for Licensing Contractors. If you’re interested in a range of services, such as HVAC, plumbing, and refrigeration, a mechanical contractors license might be right for you. 

What types of work can you perform with this license, and what are the requirements to obtain it?

What Does a Mechanical Contractor Do?

Licensed mechanical contractors are permitted to perform a broad range of services, including activities related to:

• Plumbing
• Process piping
• HVAC (including solar HVAC and system insulation)
• Refrigeration
• Sprinklers and fire protection
• Boilers
• Fuel gas piping
• Temperature controls
• Insulation
• Pollution control
• Pneumatic tube systems

Before you can obtain a license, however, you’ll have to meet specified state requirements.

Requirements to Become a Mechanical Contractor

To obtain a mechanical contractors license, you must submit a completed, signed, and notarized application package, along with the following documents:

• Letter of reference proving work/trade experience
• CPA/PA-prepared financial statements
• Proof of general liability insurance
• Proof of workers’ compensation insurance

You will also have to pass a state trade exam to prove competency in your field, along with the Business Law exam to show your knowledge of business and labor.

State Exams

The Full Mechanical Contractor exam includes 120 questions covering a range of topics, such as:

• Electrical knowledge, motors, and controls
• Piping, refrigeration, hydronic, steam, and process
• Heating and cooling principles and theory
• Heating and cooling equipment and components
• Refrigerants and refrigeration
• Fuel and LP gas
• Combustion air, chimneys, flues, and vents
• Ducts, ventilation, and exhaust
• Plumbing
• Load calculation
• Safety, fire, and smoke protection
• Fire sprinklers

This is a timed, open-book test that you’ll have 320 minutes to complete. You must answer at least 88 questions correctly to pass. 

The Business Law exam is also an open-book test, consisting of 50 questions on topics like:

• Licensing requirements
• Estimating and bidding
• Business organization and financial management
• Tax laws
• Labor laws
• Project management and lien law
• Contracts
• Risk management
• Environmental and safety

You will have 140 minutes to complete this exam, and you must answer a minimum of 37 questions correctly to pass.

Getting Your Preparations Underway

The key to passing your tests on the first try is to find a reputable, state-approved exam prep program. You need a program designed for working professionals, with convenient, 24/7 online access that works with your schedule and facilitates self-paced learning.

Courses created by industry experts and educators ensure that you have access to the practical knowledge needed to pass exams and excel in your chosen career. The right exam prep program will include any needed math/calculations, guides highlighting key concepts, and quizzes to reinforce critical concepts. It will also provide test simulation and strategies to help you focus and remain calm.

If you’re ready to take the next step in your career by applying for a mechanical contractor license in Tennessee, contact RocketCert today to sign up for effective exam prep.