Rules checked 6 November 2026
Hiring a garage door contractor in Tennessee
The contractor who takes your call is independent of this site, so these checks are yours to make. Most come from Tennessee's own advice to homeowners.
Before you agree to anything
Ask for the business name and look it up
Check license status at Verify.tn.gov. The Tennessee Secretary of State's business search shows whether the company is registered with the state.
Ask your county clerk about its business license
A county business license is separate from a contractor license. The clerk's office can confirm it.
Ask for proof of insurance
Request copies of certificates with a current effective date, covering workers' compensation, damage and general liability.
Read reviews and complaints
Check more than one independent platform, including the Better Business Bureau. The Board for Licensing Contractors, (615) 741-8307, can give complaint history.
Get it in writing
The contract should list start and completion dates, payment terms, materials, labor, changes and warranty. Keep a copy.
Be careful with payment
Never pay cash or sign over an insurance check. The state's advice is not to pay more than one-third down, and not to let payments get ahead of the work.
Does the contractor need a license?
It depends on the job. A state contractor license is required for large projects. Most door work is smaller than that, and for smaller jobs the state's home improvement license applies only in counties that have adopted it. Williamson and Maury are not on the list, so that license may not apply to a door job here.
For a smaller job, ask your city or county building codes office whether a state or local license is needed. Permit rules can differ too. In Brentwood, a contractor applying for a permit has to show a state license.
Sources: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, home improvement license; Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, contractor license; City of Brentwood, permit requirements for contractors.
Warning signs
Reasonable to expect
- A business name, phone number and address you can look up.
- Time to read a written proposal before you sign it.
- The contractor getting any permit the job needs.
Reasons to slow down
- Pressure to decide quickly, or an offer that ends today.
- Door-to-door sellers with deep discounts.
- A request that you pull your own permits.
- A demand for cash or for the whole amount up front.
- No written contract.
If something goes wrong
Complaints about a contractor's license go to the Board for Licensing Contractors. Deceptive business practices go to the Attorney General's Division of Consumer Affairs, at tn.gov/consumer.
Source: Tennessee Attorney General and Department of Commerce and Insurance, home improvement tips.
Ready to talk to a contractor?
Call this number and say what the door is doing. The contractor who answers is independent of this site.