Menu
Home>Levelset Community>Legal Help>Do I needcontractors license along with his business license or is the business license enough to file a mechanic s lien

Do I needcontractors license along with his business license or is the business license enough to file a mechanic s lien

Tennessee

In the state of Tennessee does the contractor have to have a contractors license along with a business license in order to to file a mechanic s lien

1 reply

Jun 7, 2021

Per the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors that sets the rules in the state, both general contractors and subcontractors may be required to hold a contractor's license depending on the size of the project. There are 6 different licenses a contractor in Tennessee may hold. In regards to the business question, all contractors must pass the Tennessee "Business & Law" exam in order to file a license application. There is not a "Business license" listed in the requirements to file a mechanics lien. However, some contractors may also need to pass a "Trade" exam, depending on the type of classification. 

Finally, Tennessee law states that parties entitled to mechanics lien protection depend on the project type. For all projects except the 1 to 4 unit residential owner-occupied buildings, the lien rights are expansive; contractors, subcontractors, laborers, equipment, and material suppliers to any tier, surveyors, architects, and engineers all have lien rights. If the contractor fits in any of these categories they likely have mechanic lien rights. 

0 people found this helpful
Helpful