Memphis Contractor License Requirements

State License First, Then Memphis Registration

Memphis does not issue its own contractor license. You need an active Tennessee state contractor license from the TDCI Board for Licensing Contractors before you can register to work in Memphis or Shelby County. The state license grants legal authority to bid and contract — local registration is required before you can pull permits and break ground within the city.

If you do not have your state license yet, start with our Tennessee contractor license requirements guide for the full application sequence.

Registering Through Develop 901

Memphis manages local licensing, zoning, and building permits through its Develop 901 Citizen Portal. This is where you register your state contractor credentials with the city, apply for building permits, and manage ongoing project documentation.

The registration process requires you to provide:

• Your active Tennessee state contractor license number, classification, and monetary limit
• Proof of general liability insurance meeting the Board's minimums for your license level
• Workers' compensation coverage documentation (or proof of exemption)
• Your business entity information matching your Secretary of State registration

The portal handles the registration intake digitally; use its current instructions for any supplemental filing or document requirements.

Shelby County Business License

Separate from the Develop 901 contractor registration, you need a local business license from the Shelby County Clerk to operate commercially within the county. The combined business license fee in Shelby County is $30.

If your annual gross receipts from work performed in Shelby County reach $100,000 or more, you also need to register for standard business tax with the Tennessee Department of Revenue for that location. Receipts under $100,000 can be reported under your primary place of domicile. For more on how this works, see our Tennessee contractor business tax guide.

Home Improvement License in Shelby County

Shelby County is one of nine Tennessee counties that requires a separate Home Improvement (HI) license for residential remodeling projects valued between $3,000 and $24,999. A standard state contractor license does not cover this range — you need the specific HI credential to legally perform smaller residential work in Shelby County.

The other counties with this requirement are Bradley, Davidson, Hamilton, Haywood, Knox, Marion, Robertson, and Rutherford. Our Tennessee home improvement contractor license guide covers the HI application process and the $10,000 surety bond requirement.

Permit Processing in Memphis

Once registered through Develop 901, you can apply for building permits for specific projects. The permitting office requires proof of your active state license with the appropriate classification and monetary limit for the project scope, along with current insurance certificates.

Processing times depend on the complexity of the project and the current review backlog. Residential permits typically move faster than commercial ones, but plan for review time — pulling a permit the same day you submit is not typical.

How Memphis Differs From Nashville

Nashville (Davidson County) has a notably heavier local registration process: a $40,000 Metropolitan Permit Bond, $300,000 minimum general liability requirement, and registration through Metro Nashville Codes. Memphis registration is handled through Develop 901; confirm any project-specific bond or other local requirements there.

If you work across both cities, you need separate registrations in each. For Nashville-specific requirements, see our Nashville contractor license requirements guide.

The Tennessee General Contractor License Guide covers both Nashville and Memphis local registration processes alongside the state licensing sequence, so you can plan the full setup for whichever markets you are targeting.

See more Tennessee guides →