Contractor Records
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How the records work in Nashville

We use public records to help you make a shortlist. They can show what a contractor has filed and where they have worked. They can't tell you whether someone will be right for your home.

Is a contractor licensed in Nashville?

42% of the 5,391 firms on the Nashville permit file match an active license in Tennessee contractor license information (verify.tn.gov). Our match can miss a firm that files under another name, so a missing match is a reason to check, not a finding.

How to check one firm

Ask the contractor for the license number and look it up at verify.tn.gov. How to check a contractor's license in Tennessee →

What the numbers mean

Typical cost

The middle value recorded on this contractor's matching permits. It's a permit value, not a quote or proof of the final price paid. Ask for a written estimate.

Permits in the last 12 months

Matching Davidson County permits in the most recent year of our data. It shows recent recorded activity here, not every job the company did.

Completion rate

For trades with enough closeout data, the share of permits at least a year old that reached completion in the permit record. A permit can stay open because of paperwork or timing, so this isn't a workmanship grade.

Years licensed

Years on a Tennessee license we could match to the company name. That's different from years in business, and name matching can miss a license.

About the ranking: The score combines how much of this exact work a contractor has on record, how often their older permits reached completion (where we can measure it), how well their usual job size matches your budget, how recently they've been active, and how much of their work is near you. A measure we can't calculate is left out rather than guessed, and a thin record pulls the score toward the middle. A contractor whose matched license has a problem is listed after everyone else. You set the weights with the sliders on every list.

Common questions

  • Where does the information come from?The work history comes from public Davidson County permit records. License details are matched against Tennessee contractor license information. The current site data covers September 2023 through September 2026, so it won't reflect a filing made after that snapshot.
  • If I don't see a permit, does that mean the contractor did something wrong?No. Some jobs don't require a permit, some are filed under a different business name, and work outside Davidson County isn't in this view. A blank record is a reason to ask questions, not an accusation.
  • Why does a company say “no state license matched”?We match names, and names aren't always consistent across records. It may be a data gap. Ask the contractor for their license number and check it yourself at Tennessee's license lookup.
  • Does a high score mean I should hire them?It means their public record looks like a match for the settings you chose. Before hiring, get references, confirm insurance and licensing, and agree on the scope and price in writing. The record can't replace that conversation.
  • Why don't some trades show completion rate?The permit data doesn't support that measure equally well for every type of work. We'd rather leave it out than give you a number that looks precise but isn't dependable.
  • How do I check if a contractor is licensed in Nashville?Ask the contractor for the license number and look it up at verify.tn.gov. How to check a contractor's license in Tennessee → 42% of the 5,391 firms on the Nashville permit file match an active license in Tennessee contractor license information (verify.tn.gov). Our match can miss a firm that files under another name, so a missing match is a reason to check, not a finding.

Compare Nashville contractors by project

Electrical

1,163firms
50,235permits

Plumbing

630firms
26,809permits

HVAC / Gas

939firms
29,714permits

Swimming Pool

321firms
895permits

Deck

305firms
773permits

Demolition

584firms
1,670permits

Garage

454firms
769permits

Backyard Unit (ADU)

256firms
407permits

Shed / Storage

242firms
452permits

New Home

2,252firms
10,208permits

Build your list All Nashville firms A–Z

Project guides: Electrical contractors · Plumbers · HVAC and gas contractors · Swimming pool builders · Deck builders · Demolition contractors · Garage builders · ADU and backyard unit builders · Shed and storage builders · New-home builders

The numbers: Nashville permit statistics · How long permits take in Nashville

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