Important LLP licensing fact: a Tennessee Limited Licensed Plumber is not considered a contractor merely because the license is regulated by the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. The LLP holder may not advertise or represent themselves as a plumbing contractor unless they separately hold the appropriate Tennessee contractor license.
The Limited Licensed Plumber license is Tennessee's state-level limited plumbing credential for qualifying smaller projects. It is issued to an individual rather than to a contracting company.
The license generally applies when plumbing work costs less than $25,000 per project and the municipality uses the Tennessee Division of Fire Prevention for plumbing permits or inspections.
Covered plumbing work can involve piping, fixtures, and appliances inside residential or commercial buildings for supplying water, gas, or other liquids and for disposing of wastewater or sewage.
Tennessee specifically warns applicants that local jurisdictions can have their own plumbing licensing, permit, inspection, testing, fee, and experience requirements. Always check the jurisdiction before beginning work.
Official exam: LLP - Limited Licensed Plumber Theory.
Provider: Prov.
Questions: 40.
Time: 120 minutes / 2 hours.
Passing score: 73 percent.
Format: open book and computer based.
Exam fee: $53 per attempt.
Initial state license fee: $75.
Renewal fee: $50.
Business and Law exam: not part of the LLP licensing path.
The Tennessee LLP Prov Online Practice Questions help candidates practice plumbing code, drainage, venting, water distribution, plumbing calculations, isometrics, fixtures, and practical plumbing concepts.
The LLP path is simpler than a full Tennessee contractor-license path, but the exam, experience, state application, and local rules still matter.
| Step | Authority / Requirement | What to Verify |
|---|---|---|
| License Type | Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors | LLP is the correct license for your project size and local jurisdiction |
| Experience | Tennessee LLP application | Document at least one year of plumbing experience using accepted proof |
| Identification | Tennessee Board | Photo identification and Social Security number |
| Trade Exam | Prov | LLP Limited Licensed Plumber Theory, 40 questions, 120 minutes, 73% passing |
| Business & Law | Not required for LLP | Do not confuse the LLP path with a Tennessee contractor-license application |
| State Application | CORE / Tennessee Board | Complete the Initial Limited Licensed Plumber application |
| Initial Fee | Tennessee Board | Current initial LLP fee is $75 |
| Local Approval | City / County / Codes Office | Local license, permit, inspection, testing, and experience requirements before beginning work |
Tennessee moved newly scheduled trade examinations to Prov beginning July 1, 2026. The current LLP examination information below reflects the live Prov program and current Tennessee LLP pages.
| Verified Point | Authority | Current Result |
|---|---|---|
| License type | Tennessee Board | Individual Limited Licensed Plumber credential |
| Project limit | Tennessee Board | Qualifying plumbing work under $25,000 per project |
| Where LLP applies | Tennessee Board | Municipalities using the Division of Fire Prevention for plumbing permits or inspections |
| Maintenance exemption | Tennessee Board | General maintenance work under $500 is exempt from the state LLP license requirement |
| Exam provider | Tennessee Board / Prov | Prov |
| LLP examination | Current Prov listing | 40 questions, 120 minutes, open book |
| Passing standard | Prov | 73% |
| Exam fee | Prov | $53 per attempt |
| Initial LLP fee | Tennessee Board | $75 |
| Renewal fee | Tennessee Board | $50 |
| Renewal grace period | Tennessee Board | 3 months with a current $10 per month late fee |
Local-rule warning: the state LLP credential does not automatically override a municipality or county's own plumbing requirements. A local jurisdiction may require its own license, test, experience standard, permit, inspection, or fee.
The current Prov LLP examination contains 40 questions across 10 subject areas.
Drain, Waste, and Vent Systems is the largest category with 10 questions. That is one-quarter of the entire examination.
Isometrics is the second-largest area with 7 questions. These questions can require you to visualize how drainage, waste, vent, and fixture piping fit together.
Code Requirements, Water Supply and Distribution, and Fuel Gas Systems contain 4 questions each. General Knowledge contains 3.
Plumbing Math, Water Heaters, Fixtures and Fittings, and OSHA Safety contain 2 questions each.
This exam is small enough that every question matters. With only 40 questions, dropping a few points because you ignored a "small" two-question category can become an expensive lesson in arithmetic.
Study by the Prov question weighting and by reference. The exam gives you about three minutes per question, but plumbing math and isometric problems can use more time than a simple code lookup.
Drain, Waste, and Vent Systems: review sanitary drainage, drainage fittings, traps, cleanouts, vents, pipe sizing, materials, slopes, connections, and IPC navigation.
Isometrics: practice reading and visualizing three-dimensional plumbing layouts, fixture connections, drain lines, vent lines, branches, stacks, and piping relationships.
Water Supply and Distribution: review water piping, sizing concepts, materials, valves, pressure, backflow concepts, and distribution layouts.
Code Requirements: learn IPC definitions, chapter organization, tables, exceptions, materials, testing, and common index terms.
Fuel Gas: review gas piping, sizing, materials, appliance connections, combustion air, venting, and system safety.
Plumbing Math: practice measurements, fractions, decimals, offsets, grade, area, volume, angles, conversions, and pipe-related calculations.
The Tennessee Limited Licensed Plumber Highlighted & Tabbed Book Package helps organize plumbing code, trade mathematics, practical plumbing, fuel gas, and safety study materials.
A strong LLP strategy begins by recognizing what kind of plumbing problem is in front of you. A drainage question, water-distribution question, math problem, fuel-gas question, and isometric drawing often need different tools.
Tennessee LLP exam-prep illustration for drainage, waste and vent systems, isometrics, water supply, plumbing math, fuel gas, and safety.
Move from confirming that the LLP applies to documenting experience, preparing for Prov, passing the exam, submitting the state application, and checking local requirements.
Check the municipality or county first. The Tennessee LLP is used where the state LLP framework applies, but local governments may have their own plumbing licensing rules.
The LLP covers qualifying plumbing work costing less than $25,000 per project. Larger qualifying projects can require a Tennessee contractor-level plumbing classification.
Prepare proof of at least one year of plumbing experience in the format accepted by the current Tennessee LLP application.
Study the 2021 International Plumbing Code, Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters, and Plumbing Basics for Contractors. Use additional fuel-gas and OSHA material for broader study.
Give the most time to DWV, isometrics, plumbing code, water supply, and fuel gas, then close the gaps in every smaller category.
Prepare for 40 questions, 120 minutes, open-book testing, and a 73 percent passing score.
Apply through CORE, provide the required identification, experience, and exam information, and pay the current $75 initial license fee.
Your state LLP does not erase local requirements. Confirm permits, inspections, local licensing, fees, and any additional testing or experience requirements.
The current Prov LLP outline assigns all 40 questions across these 10 subject areas.
Study priority: Drain, Waste, and Vent Systems plus Isometrics combine for 17 of the 40 questions. Add Code Requirements, Water Supply and Distribution, and Fuel Gas Systems, and those five subjects account for 29 of 40 questions, or more than 70 percent of the exam.
Separate Prov's current authorized LLP exam-room references from additional books that are useful for study. Do not assume every book in a preparation package is automatically permitted at the testing station.
| Reference | Primary Study Use | 2026 Status |
|---|---|---|
| International Plumbing Code, 2021 | Plumbing definitions, fixtures, water supply, sanitary drainage, vents, traps, materials, water heaters, indirect waste, and code navigation | Current Prov LLP authorized exam reference |
| Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters, 8th Edition | Measurements, fractions, decimals, geometry, offsets, grade, formulas, areas, volumes, and practical trade calculations | Current Prov LLP authorized exam reference |
| Plumbing Basics for Contractors, 4th Edition, 2021 | Practical plumbing knowledge, piping, fixtures, drainage, venting, water systems, installation concepts, and general trade knowledge | Current Prov LLP authorized exam reference |
| International Fuel Gas Code, 2021 | Fuel-gas piping, sizing, materials, appliances, combustion air, venting, chimneys, and gas-system preparation | Additional study reference in current 1 Exam Prep LLP packages; verify exam-room authorization before testing |
| Code of Federal Regulations - 29 CFR Part 1926 | Construction safety, PPE, ladders, excavation, scaffolds, tools, electrical hazards, and jobsite safety | Additional study reference in current 1 Exam Prep LLP packages; verify exam-room authorization before testing |
Reference warning: the International Fuel Gas Code and OSHA reference can be valuable for studying Fuel Gas Systems and OSHA Safety, but Prov's current primary LLP exam-room list identifies the International Plumbing Code, Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters, and Plumbing Basics for Contractors. Always use the current Prov list when deciding what enters the testing room.
Current Prov book rules: authorized references may be highlighted and may use permanent tabs. Moveable tabs and Post-it notes are not permitted, and candidates may not mark their references during testing. Check the current provider instructions before your appointment.
The Tennessee LLP covers qualifying plumbing work inside residential or commercial buildings when the state limited-plumber framework applies and the total project is less than $25,000.
The plumbing scope can include construction, alteration, repair, improvement, movement, demolition, installation, or furnishing labor for piping, fixtures, and appliances used to supply gas, water, or other liquids, or to dispose of wastewater or sewage.
Tennessee's LLP framework does not automatically extend to plumbing work outside residential or commercial buildings, such as certain utility connections or irrigation-system work.
The state also identifies general maintenance work under $500 as exempt from the LLP license requirement. That does not necessarily remove local permit or other legal requirements.
Most important scope rule: LLP is for qualifying projects under $25,000. If your plumbing project reaches the Tennessee contractor threshold, you may need a contractor-level plumbing classification such as CMC-A Plumbing and Gas Piping or Full Mechanical CMC instead.
The project amount and scope determine whether a limited plumbing credential or contractor-level classification makes sense.
| License / Classification | Main Scope | Project Level | Important Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| LLP | Limited Licensed Plumber | Qualifying plumbing work under $25,000 | Individual limited license; holder is not considered a Tennessee contractor based on LLP alone |
| CMC-A | Plumbing and Gas Piping Contractor | Contractor-level projects subject to assigned monetary limit | Requires contractor licensing process and Board pre-approval before the trade exam |
| CMC | Full Mechanical Contractor | Broader contractor-level mechanical work subject to monetary limit | Includes plumbing plus HVAC, refrigeration, process piping, fire protection, boilers, controls, and other mechanical categories |
| Local Plumbing License | Varies by city or county | Local rules control | A jurisdiction may impose separate or stricter license, test, experience, permit, or inspection requirements |
No contractor financial package: the LLP is not the same as a Tennessee contractor license. The standard contractor financial statement, monetary-limit calculation, contractor Business and Law exam, and Qualifying Agent structure do not form part of the ordinary LLP licensing path.
Build plumbing knowledge and reference speed together, with extra practice on DWV and isometric drawings.
The LLP exam is shorter than many Tennessee trade exams, but that does not make it a free pass. With only 40 questions, each mistake represents a meaningful piece of your score.
Drain, Waste, and Vent Systems accounts for one-quarter of the exam. Candidates who are weak on drainage, venting, traps, fittings, or code navigation can lose points quickly.
Isometrics can also surprise candidates. Reading about a vent system is one thing. Following it through a drawing while the clock is moving is another.
The two-hour time limit gives you about three minutes per question. That is enough time when you know which reference to use, but not enough time to learn the IPC from page one while sitting at the testing center.
The best preparation combines real plumbing knowledge, code familiarity, math practice, isometric practice, and quick reference navigation.
Pacing tip: 40 questions in 120 minutes gives you an average of 3 minutes per question. Answer straightforward code and trade questions efficiently so you have extra time available for isometrics, math, and more involved code searches.
Want focused practice? The Tennessee LLP Prov Online Practice Questions provide three months of online reference-based plumbing practice.
Need broader support? The All-Inclusive Tennessee LLP Package combines exam preparation, references, application support, and business-setup services.
This Tennessee-specific 1 Exam Prep image is directly related to the Limited Licensed Plumber examination.
• Tennessee LLP individual plumbing license
• 40-question current Prov examination
• 120-minute / 2-hour testing period
• 73% passing score
• Open-book computer examination
• Drain, Waste, and Vent Systems
• Plumbing isometrics and trade mathematics
• Water supply, fixtures, water heaters, and fuel gas
• Qualifying plumbing projects under $25,000 where the LLP framework applies
Know the plumbing and know the books. The LLP exam is short enough that every point counts. A strong candidate can recognize the subject, choose the correct reference, find the rule, work the problem, and keep moving.
Tennessee LLP Licensing
LLP Exam Basics
Exam Topics
References and Open-Book Rules
Application and Renewal
1 Exam Prep
Watch this directly related 1 Exam Prep video focused on the Tennessee Limited Licensed Plumber exam. Use it to reinforce plumbing exam strategy, reference navigation, code preparation, and the Tennessee LLP licensing path.
Study tip: watch the video with your plumbing references nearby. When drainage, venting, water distribution, math, isometrics, fixtures, or code navigation comes up, practice locating that subject in the reference you would use during the real exam.
Combine current Tennessee Board and Prov information with structured 1 Exam Prep courses, practice questions, plumbing references, rental packages, and licensing support.
Build faster plumbing-code navigation, stronger drain, waste, and vent knowledge, better isometric-reading skills, confidence with water distribution, fixtures, water heaters, plumbing math, fuel gas, OSHA safety, and Tennessee's Limited Licensed Plumber licensing process.
Questions? Call 877-775-9400
or email sales@1examprep.com