Storm contractor rules in Tennessee: licence suspension, the US$25,000 licence line and tree trimmers

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. The wider picture is on the storm contractor rules page. The first four rows are releases and a board page. The last two rows are the text of the executive orders themselves, which the Secretary of State publishes.

The sources in one table

Source and date	What it says
Governor, January 22, 2026	The Governor issued a State of Emergency for all 95 counties ahead of a winter storm and named Executive Order 110. The release as read does not mention contractor licensing
Attorney General, February 4, 2026	Contractors doing most storm-related repair work, such as tree trimmers, are typically required to hold a contractor's licence. The Governor suspended licensing requirements until March 7, 2026 for storm damage cleanup, while requiring "sufficient experience and knowledge in the field"
Commerce and Insurance, May 18, 2026	A contractor's licence is required before bidding or price negotiations when the total project cost is US$25,000 or more. Below US$25,000 the local government's codes office is the place to check for a local licence
Board for Licensing Contractors page	The board regulates contractors, home improvement contractors and limited licensed electricians and plumbers under Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 6
Executive Order 110, January 22, 2026	Paragraph 4 suspends sections 62-6-102(4)(A)(i), 62-6-103(a)(1) and 62-6-502 of the Tennessee Code and related rules for persons engaging solely in storm damage cleanup, provided the person has "sufficient experience and knowledge in the field" to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. Paragraph 5 declares an abnormal economic disruption under section 47-18-5103 and prohibits charging a price grossly in excess of the price generally charged for the same or similar goods or services. The order named February 5, 2026 as its end
Executive Order 111, January 27, 2026	Amends Order 110 by adding a paragraph 7 on emergency contracting by the Commissioner of Transportation, including debris removal. Says paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 stay in effect until 11:59 p.m. Central Time on March 7, 2026, and that paragraph 5 stays in effect until 11:59 p.m. Central Time on February 5, 2026

The licence suspension

The Attorney General's alert says the Governor suspended licensing requirements for those doing storm damage cleanup until March 7, 2026, after the ice storms. It says the suspension still requires sufficient experience and knowledge, that a licence can still be checked at the state's free verification site, and that the Governor's orders do not provide contractors or other professionals with the appropriate insurance. It tells owners to ask for proof that the business is insured and that the policy covers tree services whether or not the contractor is licensed.

The Governor's January 22 release announces the emergency and does not carry a licensing paragraph. The suspension is in the order text. Paragraph 4 of Executive Order 110 names the licensing sections and limits the suspension to persons engaging solely in storm damage cleanup who have sufficient experience and knowledge. Executive Order 111 moved the end date of that paragraph from February 5, 2026 to March 7, 2026, which matches the date in the Attorney General's alert.

The price paragraph is different. Order 111 left paragraph 5, the price rule, ending on February 5, 2026, while the licence suspension ended on March 7, 2026. The orders also suspend weight, height and hours-of-service limits for relief vehicles and say nothing about insurance for tree services, which fits the Attorney General's remark that the orders do not provide it.

The licence line outside a storm

The Commerce and Insurance release of May 18, 2026, issued for Contractor Fraud Awareness Week, refers to rebuilding after Winter Storm Fern. It says a licence is required before bidding or price negotiations when the total cost of the project is US$25,000 or more, and for smaller work points to the local government's building codes office. It says that in 2025 the board received 858 complaints and took disciplinary action totalling US$634,036 in civil penalties from 214 of them. It names the free verification database for checking licence status. The release does not say which licence classification a tree service falls under.

The board page adds that from July 1, 2026 contractors may use a surety bond of at least 50% of the monetary limit requested as an alternative to a CPA-reviewed or audited financial statement.

Red flags the Attorney General lists

The alert lists door-to-door sales, high-pressure tactics, a demand for full payment up front, cash-only payment and a refusal to put terms in writing. For scams it adds unsolicited texts or calls, firms claiming to be tied to an insurer or government agency, claims that insurance will pay everything, and salespeople who only show where to sign on a tablet. It notes that some cities and counties offer free brush pick-up. The scam warnings from other offices are on the page about storm tree scams.