HVAC contractors with an HVAC mechanical license are in demand no matter where you are, but HVAC contractors' license requirements can vary by state. We put together this guide to getting an HVAC contractor license to help you keep them all straight. Of course, you'll want to make sure that in addition to checking all relevant HVAC license requirements, you've also made sure you have an HVAC contractors insurance policy as well.
We’ve got all the information you need to figure out how to get an HVAC technician license in this handy state-by-state list. Continue reading to learn the HVAC requirements in your state so you can begin the process of becoming a licensed and insured HVAC technician and thrive in your livelihood.
Alabama
HVAC contractors must be licensed in Alabama by the Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors. You will need to take an exam for which you must be qualified. You must have held an apprenticeship certificate which was issued by the board for the previous two years or you must show transcripts showing graduation from an approved course.
Alternatively, you must show proof of at least 3,000 hours (18 months) of work experience under a licensed contractor. Once you have passed the exam, you will need to apply for active certification which includes a fee and a $15,000 performance bond.
Alaska
Alaska requires HVAC contractors to be licensed. You will first need a Mechanical Administrator license, or a Mechanical Administrator must work for you. There are multiple types of Mechanical Administrator licenses available that are HVAC-related and the license you hold will be important in determining the mechanical contracting work you can perform.
Heating, cooling and process piping (HCPP)
Requires journeyman experience or management experience in four of the previous six years; or a degree in mechanical engineering plus one year as a journeyman pipe fitter or a field engineer; or professional mechanical engineer registration plus mechanical contracting management experience for one of the previous three years.
Mechanical systems temperature control
Residential HVAC
Requires journeyman experience for two of the previous four years.
Residential plumbing and hydronic heating
Requires journeyman experience for two of the previous four years.
Unlimited HVAC/sheet metal
Requires journeyman experience for four of the previous six years; or a degree in mechanical engineering plus journeyman experience or field engineering experience for one of the previous three years; or professional mechanical engineering registration plus mechanical contracting management experience for one of the previous three years.
Unlimited refrigeration
Requires journeyman experience for two of the previous four years; or proof of graduation from an accredited course or trade school.
You are required to take and pass a multiple-choice exam which costs $125. Once you hold a license (cost: $250), you will need to register as a Mechanical Contractor (cost: $50), which includes a business license, a $10,000 surety bond, proof of liability insurance and proof of workers’ compensation insurance.
Arizona
To work in Arizona as an HVAC contractor, you will need to be licensed with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors. In order to qualify for a license, you will need to show four years of experience in the HVAC specialty you are applying for a license in; or have two years of experience plus graduation from a course or apprenticeship.
You must pass the trade and business management exam, be registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission or the Arizona Secretary of State, show proof of workers’ compensation insurance, and get a cash bond.
Arkansas
HVAC contractors in Arkansas must hold a license issued by the Arkansas Department of Health, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Licensing Board. There are five classes of licenses.
You will need to be pre-approved to take the exam, showing two years of experience as a HVAC contractor or employee of a contractor. HVAC business licenses must be renewed every year.
California
California requires its HVAC contractors who complete jobs exceeding $500 to be licensed by the Department of Consumer Affairs Contractors State License Board.
You must pass both a trade exam and a business and law exam. To qualify to take the exam, you must have at least four years of experience in the previous 10 years. You must have a $15,000 bond and proof of workers’ compensation insurance.
Learn more about HVAC license and insurance requirements in California.
Colorado
Colorado does not require licensing for HVAC contractors, but it is possible to become certified. Local licensing may be required.
Connecticut
As a HVAC contractor, you’ll need a license to work in Connecticut. To qualify for a journeyman’s license, you will need to have completed a registered apprenticeship program or the equivalent. You will need to pass an exam and pay an application fee.
For a contractor license, you need to show you have two years as a licensed journeyman. You need to pass a contractors exam, as well as a business and law exam. The license must be renewed annually.
Delaware
Delaware requires HVAC contractors to hold a license. There are two license types which determine the type of work you are permitted to do. Master HVACR Restricted is able to provide work in one specialty area. To provide service in more than one specialty area, you must hold a Master HVACR license.
As part of your application, you must supply proof of a journeyman’s certificate and at least two years of experience under a master contractor, or at least seven years of work experience under a master contractor.
District of Columbia
To meet District of Columbia as a HVAC license requirements, you will need to be licensed by the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades. To become licensed as a journeyman or master contractor, you will need to pay an application fee and pass the written exam. The licensed must be renewed every two years.
Florida
To work in Florida, you will need a HVAC license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. A Class A or Class B license allows you to work anywhere in the state, or you can become a registered contractor to work within a specific locality.
Applicants must pass both a trade exam and a business and finances exam. Depending on the type of license you’re applying for, you may need to meet certain education and experience requirements as well.
Learn more about HVAC license requirements in Florida.
Georgia
Georgia requires HVAC contractors to have a license from the Division of Conditioned Air Contractors of the Construction Industry Licensing Board in order to work in the state. There are two categories of licenses: Class I, which is restricted, and Class II, which is unrestricted.
Class I applicants must have four years of experience, while Class II applicants must have five years of experience. Both licenses require passing an exam with a score of 70% or higher. A $10,000 cash or surety bond is required in the county where you are planning to work.
Learn more about HVAC license and insurance requirements in Georgia.
Hawaii
To work as a HVAC contractor in Hawaii, you must be licensed by the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. You will need to pass a business and law, as well as a trade exam. To qualify, you must have four years of experience out of the previous ten years in full-time supervisory work as a journeyman, foreman, supervisor, or contractor in the specialty field you are applying to be licensed for.
You must show proof of workers’ compensation insurance, liability insurance ($100,000 per person, $300,000 per occurrence and $50,000 property damage).
Idaho
The state of Idaho requires all people who work in the HVAC industry to be licensed, including apprentices, journeymen and contractors. There are two classes of HVAC contractor licenses — contractor and specialty contractor — and both are awarded by the Idaho Division of Building Safety.
To qualify to take the exam, you must show proof of at least 24 months of experience as a HVAC journeyman or, for the special contractor license, 24 months in that specialty. A $2,000 compliance bond is required.
Illinois
There is no licensing requirement on a state level in Illinois; however, there are HVAC license requirements on the local level. It is important to check the licensing requirements in the jurisdiction in which you plan to work.
Indiana
Indiana has no HVAC licensing requirements on the state level, but there are many local governments that do have requirements. Make sure to check the requirements of the county or city in which you plan to work.
Iowa
The state of Iowa requires all levels of HVAC workers to be licensed. HVAC contractors must be licensed by the Iowa Department of Public Health, Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board.
To become a licensed contractor you must hold a HVAC master level technician license or employ at least one person with that license. You must show a permanent place of business and proof of being properly insured with a bond.
Kansas
The state of Kansas does not require HVAC contractors to hold a license in order to work; however, there may be requirements on the local level so it’s important to check with the local jurisdiction in which you plan to work.
Kentucky
HVAC contractors must be licensed by the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction in order to work in Kentucky. To be eligible for a license, applicants must have held a valid Kentucky Journeyman Mechanic license for at least two years, and must have been under the direct supervision of a Master HVAC contractor.
You will need to pass a trade exam, as well as a business and law exam, and must have general liability insurance of at least $500,000. Eight hours of continuing education is required to renew the license.
Louisiana
In order to work in the state of Louisiana, HVAC contractors require a license from the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors. A commercial license is required for any project exceeding $50,000 in value, including labor and materials.
You will need to pass a trade exam either in the subspecialty you play to work in or for a Mechanical Work Contractor license which covers all subspecialties. You also need to pass a business and law exam.
Maine
There are no HVAC contractor licensing requirements on the state level in Maine; however, it is important to check the local requirements before you begin any work.
Maryland
HVAC contractors are required to be licensed by the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, Board of Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors, in the state of Maryland. To qualify to take the exam, you will need to have been licensed as a Journeyman HVAC technician for three years and must have worked under the supervision of a licensed Master HVAC Contractor.
There are three different licenses - Master HVACR Contractor, Master Restricted HAVCR Contractor and Limited HVACR Contractor - and you must pass the exam for the specific license you require. You must show proof of business insurance in Maryland, including general liability insurance and property damage insurance.
Massachusetts
A general HVAC contractor in Massachusetts does not need a state license unless they work specifically in refrigeration. Any refrigeration contractor who works with more than 10 tons of refrigeration must be licensed.
To become licensed, you will need to pass an exam and show that you have had at least 2,000 hours of work experience as a licensed refrigeration technician. Educational experience is required as well, with coursework requirements starting at 250 hours depending on the total number of work hours completed.
Learn more about HVAC license and insurance requirements in Massachusetts.
Michigan
To work as a HVAC contractor in the state of Michigan, you will need to be licensed as a mechanical contractor by the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes, Mechanical Division. The licensing is very specialized and you’ll need to choose the classification you want to work in.
There are also specialty licenses. You will need to pass an exam and to be eligible to write it, you must show at least three years of experience in every work classification you want to receive a license for.
Minnesota
While there are no state licensing requirements for HVAC contractors in Minnesota, they are required (as mechanical contractors) to file a $25,000 surety bond with the Department of Labor and Industry. There may be local licensing requirements.
Mississippi
HVAC contractors in the state of Mississippi require a license from the Mississippi State Board of Contractors in order to work. Applicants must pass a trade exam, as well as a law and business management exam.
In addition, you will need to show details of any HVAC experience, show proof of general liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance, and submit a financial statement.
Missouri
HVAC contractors do not require a license on the state level in order to work in Missouri. However, there may be local requirements so make sure to check county or city requirements before you begin work.
Montana
As an HVAC contractor who does not plan to hire employees, there is no license requirement, but you will have to register with the Department of Labor and Industry. If you plan to hire employees, you will need a general construction contractor license.
There is no testing or experience required. You will need proof of workers’ compensation insurance.
Nebraska
There is no state-level licensing for HVAC contractors in Nebraska; however, there may be licensing requirements on a local level so it’s important to check these before you start working.
As a contractor working in the state, you will need to be registered with the Nebraska Department of Labor and if you have employees you must show proof of workers’ compensation.
Nevada
HVAC contractors require a state license to work in Nevada. There are numerous subspecialties that fall under Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractor and you’ll need to apply for each one. To be eligible to apply for a license, you must show at least four years out of the past ten of experience as a journeyman, foreman, contractor or supervising employee.
Relevant education from an accredited school can be used to fulfill up to three years of the experience requirement. You will need to pass a trade exam, as well as a Construction Management Survey exam which includes business management skills questions. You must pass a background check and submit current financial statements.
New Hampshire
There is no state licensing requirement for HVAC contractors in New Hampshire, but it important to check for any project permit requirements before you start work on any large projects.
New Jersey
New Jersey requires HVAC contractors to be licensed by the New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors.
To apply for a license as a Master HVAC Contractor, you will need to demonstrate a combination of work and educational experience. In addition, you must show proof of general liability insurance in New Jersey and post a $3,000 surety bond.
Learn more about HVAC license and insurance requirements in New Jersey.
New Mexico
To work as an HVAC contractor in New Mexico you will need a state license from the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department. To be eligible to apply for a license, you’ll need to show proof of two to four years of experience, depending on the classification you’re applying for.
You’ll need to pass a trade exam, as well as a business and law exam, and must submit a bond. You need to complete five hours of continuing education to renew your license.
New York
There is no state licensing requirement for HVAC technicians in New York. However, there are local requirements and you must check the local regulations before you begin work.
North Carolina
As an HVAC contractor, you must have a state license to work in North Carolina. Depending on the type of work you do, you’ll need either a refrigeration contractor license or a heating and cooling contractor license.
To be eligible for either license, you must show 4,000 hours of work experience, though completion of an academic or technical training course may be substituted for up to half that amount. You’ll also need to pass a licensing exam.
Learn more about HVAC license and insurance requirements in North Carolina.
North Dakota
A HVAC contractor working on any projects worth $4,000 or more require a state license from the North Dakota Secretary of State. For a state license, you need to apply and show proof of business insurance in North Dakota, including workers’ compensation insurance and general liability insurance. There are more licensing requirements on the local level and you need to check these in the jurisdiction you play to work in.
Ohio
To work as a HVAC contractor in the state of Ohio you will need to be licensed by the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board. To be eligible to write the exam, you must show five years of experience as a HVAC technician and must show proof of liability insurance.
Oklahoma
A HVAC contractor must be licensed by the state to work in Oklahoma. Licenses are awarded by the Oklahoma Construction Industries Board and fall under the umbrella of Mechanical Contractor licenses. There are multiple categories of licenses available.
To be eligible to sit the exam, you must show proof of at least four years of experience in HVAC, or show a combination or educational hours plus years of experience. The number of hours of experience required varies depending on the type of education you received.
You will also need proof of business liability insurance in Oklahoma and a $5,000 surety bond.
Oregon
HVAC contractors in Oregon require a state license to work. There are two license types - Limited Maintenance Specialty Contractor - HVAC/R License and Commercial and Residential Contractor License - both of which are issued by the Oregon Construction Contractors Board.
The limited license does not require an exam, but you will need to show four years of experience in installation and have completed recognized training in HVAC/R. The CCB license requires you to complete 16 hours of education and sit an exam.
You also need to show proof of general liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance.
Pennsylvania
You do not need any state licensing to work as a HVAC contractor in Pennsylvania, although there are some city licensing requirements so make sure to check these before you begin working.
Rhode Island
There are multiple categories and classes of state licenses that a HVAC contractor must have in order to be able to work in Rhode Island. These include:
Refrigeration Master Class I (Unlimited)
To qualify, you must have held a refrigeration journeyperson I license for one year or a refrigeration master II license for one year.
Refrigeration Master Class II (Limited)
To qualify, you must have held a refrigeration journeyperson II license for at least three years.
South Carolina
To work as a residential HVAC contractor in South Carolina, you must hold a state license issued by the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. To qualify, you will need to have at least one year of HVAC experience under the direct supervision of a Master Heating and Air contractor or a licensed HVAC contractor.
You will also need to pass an exam and pay a bond. If you hold a Master Heating and Air License from the South Carolina Municipal Association or you’re a S.C. Mechanical Contractor for HVAC, you are not required to take the exam.
South Dakota
HVAC contractors do not require a state license to work in South Dakota, although there are licensing requirements at the city level so make sure to check the regulations of the city where you plan to work.
Tennessee
An HVAC contractor in Tennessee must have a state license before bidding on projects costing $25,000 or more. You will be awarded a Tennessee Mechanical HVAC Refrigeration Contractor License from the Board for Licensing Contractors.
To receive a license you will need to pass the trade exam, as well as the business and law exam. You must also show proof of liability insurance.
Texas
To work as an HVAC contractor in Texas, you will need a state license issued by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
To qualify for a license, you must have at least four years of practical experience under the supervision of a licensed HVAC technician in the past six years. You must pass an exam and show proof of business insurance in Texas.
Texas also offers licenses for registered and certified HVAC technicians.
Learn more about HVAC license requirements in Texas.
Utah
HVAC contractors in Utah require a state license from the Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. There are a number of subclasses under the HVAC contractor license, depending on the type of work you plan to do.
To be eligible for a license, you must show proof of four years of full-time work experience in the past ten years, and you must pass a trade exam, as well as a business and law exam. You must also show proof of liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance.
To renew your license, you will need to complete six hours of continuing education.
Vermont
There is no state HVAC license requirements to work as an HVAC contractor in Vermont; however it is important to check the local requirements before you begin working in the state.
Virginia
To work as an HVAC contractor in Virginia, you must have a state license from the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. All applicants must complete an eight-hour pre-licensing course and pass a trade exam and law exam. Depending on the value of the work you plan to do, you can select one of three classes of contractor licenses (A, B or C).
The requirements for each license type include:
- Class A: Show five years of work experience and $45,000 net worth
- Class B: Show three years of work experience and $15,000 net worth
- Class C: Show two years of work experience
Learn more about HVAC license and insurance requirements in Virginia.
Washington
HVAC contractors require a state license to work in Washington. The license is awarded by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. To be eligible for a HVAC mechanical license, you need to have a HVAC certificate from an accredited school and you’ll need to pass an exam.
West Virginia
The state of West Virginia requires all HVAC contractors to hold a state air conditioning license issued by the West Virginia Department of Commerce Division of Labor. To be eligible for a license, you must pass the trade exam, as well as the business and law exam. You must also show proof of workers’ compensation insurance.
Wisconsin
Certification in Wisconsin is not mandatory, but becoming certified as a HVAC Qualifier may help your business, and it will cover the requirements of local jurisdictions. If you qualify, you will be licensed by the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services.
To be licensed, you will need to pass an exam and must have at least 1,000 hours of experience per year for four years, or at least four years in a mechanical engineering school or accredited college, or a total number of four years with a combination of education and experience.
Wyoming
There no state HVAC license requirements for contractors in Wyoming. However, make sure to check the local requirements before you begin working in the state.
This information has been provided as a service. It is correct and up-to-date to the best of our knowledge; however, it is in no way intended to offer legal advice and you must always consult with local authorities before you make any business decisions. Regulations and requirements may change at any time.
This information has been provided as a service. It is correct and up-to-date to the best of our knowledge; however, it is in no way intended to offer legal advice and you must always consult with local authorities before you make any business decisions. Regulations and requirements may change at any time.
