Partial Requirements

Mold licensing
in Tennessee.

Research last verified 2026-06. Confirm current requirements directly with the state before beginning work.

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Inspection and assessment

Not required

No state license required — mold assessment is completely unregulated.

01Tennessee does not regulate mold inspectors, assessors, or air quality testers.
02Anyone may legally perform mold inspections and air quality sampling statewide — no course, exam, or credential required.
03No state agency issues or requires a license for mold inspection or air quality testing.
04Voluntary certifications (IICRC, ACAC, NORMI) are recommended to build credibility.

Regulating body: None — unregulated

Mold remediation

Threshold-based

Contractor license required based on project dollar value.

When it applies

Projects $3,000–$24,999 (in 9 counties) or $25,000+ (statewide)

01Projects under $3,000: No license required anywhere in Tennessee.
02Projects $3,000–$24,999 in 9 specific counties: Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) license required. Those counties are: Davidson (Nashville), Knox (Knoxville), Shelby (Memphis), Hamilton (Chattanooga), Madison, Sumner, Montgomery, Rutherford, and Williamson.
03Projects $25,000 and over statewide: Specialty or Environmental Specialty contractor license required from the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI).
04HIC license: $250 fee, no exam, $10,000 surety bond, $100,000 general liability insurance required.
05Specialty/Environmental contractor license: Business and Law (B&L) exam required ($195, open book, 73% to pass); CPA-reviewed financial statement; GL insurance scaled to license limit.
06IICRC AMRT or ACAC CMR satisfies the training evidence requirement for the specialty contractor license.
07Most mold remediation jobs ($3,000–$15,000) fall in the Home Improvement Contractor tier.

License type: TN Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) / Environmental Specialty Contractor
Estimated cost: $250 (HIC) · varies by specialty contractor limit
Exam: Required

Regulating body: Tennessee TDCI Board for Licensing Contractors

Open official source

Lab pathway

Air sampling and third-party analysis

No license required

Mold assessment and air sampling are completely unregulated in Tennessee — the third-party lab model operates freely.

01Tennessee has no licensing, certification, or registration requirement for mold assessment, inspection, or air quality sampling.
02Collecting spore trap samples and sending them to an AIHA-accredited third-party lab for analysis requires no state credential.
03Only mold remediation at certain project dollar thresholds requires contractor licensing — and only in specific counties for the $3K–$25K range.
04The Spore Trap collection → AIHA-accredited lab analysis → report rendering pathway is fully permitted without any Tennessee state credential.
05This applies statewide — there are no county or city-level assessment licensing requirements in Tennessee.

This summary addresses the spore-trap collection, accredited third-party lab analysis, and report-rendering model for Tennessee. Verify the current interpretation with the responsible state authority or qualified counsel.

Before accepting work

Additional notes

01HIC licensing only applies in 9 Tennessee counties: Davidson, Knox, Shelby, Hamilton, Madison, Sumner, Montgomery, Rutherford, and Williamson.
02Most mold remediation contractors already carry the Home Improvement License — it is a low bar ($250 fee, no exam, bond + insurance).

After you verify the rule

Keep the requirements visible as the job moves.

Mold Inspector can organize scheduling, field documentation, reports, quotes, and invoices. It does not replace required training, licensing, sampling protocols, legal review, or professional judgment.

See the workflow

Always verify directly with Tennessee. Requirements may have changed since 2026-06. Confirm the current rule with the responsible regulatory body before beginning mold-related work. This page is a research starting point, not legal advice.