Do you need a license to work as a handyman in Fentress County, TN?

Q: Do you need a license to work as a handyman in Fentress County, TN?

Tennessee's small-job figure is $25,000. The exact wording below decides whether a job fits. Local license: Fentress County Business Tax License or Minimal Activity License (gross <= $100,000), $15, County Clerk, 101 Main St South, Jamestown (931-879-8014), for businesses located in the county; official site fentresscountytn.gov. Drop the City of Fentress license.

Handyman License Requirements in Fentress County, TN

By Ray Duke, Founder of Bulletproof Handyman · Tennessee rules checked November 2, 2026 · Fentress County local rules checked November 2, 2026

Local license: Fentress County Business Tax License or Minimal Activity License (gross <= $100,000), $15, County Clerk, 101 Main St South, Jamestown (931-879-8014), for businesses located in the county; official site fentresscountytn.gov. Drop the City of Fentress license.

Fentress County requirements

Source link: fentresscountytn.gov · fentresscountytn.gov · secure.tncountyclerk.com · checked November 2, 2026

County business license

Depends

Name: Fentress County Business Tax License / Minimal Activity License
Applies when: CONDITIONAL
Office: Fentress County Clerk, 101 Main St South, Jamestown TN 38556, 931-879-8014
Fee: $15

"The license fee will be $15 if your business is located within Fentress County in order to obtain your business license or minimal activity license. ... A minimal activity business license is any business that has a gross income of $100,000 or less each year."

Source: fentresscountytn.gov · checked November 2, 2026

Local contractor or handyman license

Our check could not confirm this from an official page, so we don't state it. Ask the city or county office.

The Tennessee rule

Regulator: Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance - Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (contractors, home improvement contractors, limited licensed electricians (LLE), limited licensed plumbers (LLP)); Division of Fire Prevention (state electrical permits/inspections where used)

$25,000

Tennessee job-size figure

Contractor license required prior to contracting/bidding 'projects $25,000 or more' (i.e., under $25,000 = no state contractor license; $25,000 is NOT exempt). Masonry: $100,000 or more. Home Improvement license (in the 9 adopting counties only): residential remodeling 'from $3,000 to $24,999' / '$3,000 to less than $25,000'. Outside those counties, residential work under $25,000 needs no state general license. Subcontractors bidding to a contractor (not owner) for painting, drywall, carpentry, landscaping need no contractor license; electrical, mechanical, plumbing, HVAC, roofing subs need one over $25,000.

What counts toward it: labor+materials (Board: home improvement range is 'total cost or contract, including materials and labor'; LLP projects 'including materials and labor'; contractor monetary limit/permit value includes cost of land and profit for BC-A/r)

"A Home Improvement license is required for residential remodeling projects from $3,000 to $24,999; however, this only applies to the counties adopting the law. Currently, this applies to the following counties: Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, Rutherford, and Shelby."

Source: tn.gov · tn.gov · tn.gov · checked November 2, 2026

State registration

Home Improvement license (adopting counties): $10,000 surety bond (or cash/property bond or irrevocable letter of credit), general liability and workers' compensation insurance, photo ID/SSN, SOS registration if an entity, remodeling experience; initial application fee $250. Contractor license: Business & Law exam (+ trade exam for certain classifications), CPA-reviewed/audited financial statement (or, from July 1, 2026, surety bond of at least 50% of requested monetary limit), GL and workers' comp proof. LLE: trade exam, $50 application fee.

Source: tn.gov · checked November 2, 2026

Insurance and bond

Contractor: GL and workers' comp proof required; 'Bonding is not required to obtain a contractor's license' except new optional surety bond (>=50% of requested monetary limit) in lieu of financial statement from July 1, 2026.

Source: tn.gov · tn.gov · checked November 2, 2026

What to do, in order

Read the Tennessee rule and confirm with Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance - Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (contractors, home improvement contractors, limited licensed electricians (LLE), limited licensed plumbers (LLP)); Division of Fire Prevention (state electrical permits/inspections where used).
Line up the Fentress County items listed on this page.
Get your insurance and rate in place before the first paid job.

Nearby places

Rules change. This page shows what official sources said on the dates above. It is not legal advice.