HVAC Contractor License Requirements by State (2026)

Who licenses HVAC contractors in 12 big HVAC states, what the license is called, and what we could confirm from each state agency's own website. Every fact links to the official source.

Before you bid your first job under your own name, you need to know who licenses HVAC contractors where you work, what the license is called, and what it takes to get it. That answer is different in every state. Some states run a dedicated HVAC board. Others fold HVAC into a general contractor license. A few leave it to cities and counties. This guide covers 12 of the biggest HVAC states and sticks to what each state's licensing agency publishes on its own website.

Read this first: rules change, and this is not legal advice. Licensing requirements, exam providers, insurance minimums, and fees change, sometimes every year. City and county rules can add to state rules. Use this guide to find the right agency and the right questions, then confirm every requirement directly with that agency before you apply, bid, or pull a permit.

How we built this. We checked each state agency's website in September 2026 with a single request per site. Where the agency's page loaded, we list what it says and link to it. Where the site blocked the request or we couldn't find the details on an official page, we say so and link you to the agency instead of guessing. We don't list application or exam fees; check the agency for current fees.

The short list

Federal: EPA Section 608 certification

Separate from any state or local contractor license, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency runs technician certification for people who work with refrigerants under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act. Every state below still expects you to follow federal refrigerant rules, and some state applications ask for proof of certification. Check EPA's Section 608 pages for which certification type fits the equipment you work on, and how to get tested. Source: U.S. EPA, Section 608 of the Clean Air Act

If you're also switching over to A2L refrigerants, see our A2L refrigerant transition guide.

Texas

Agency: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). License: Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor License, Class A or Class B.

• Scope. TDLR says "the Class A license allows you to work on any size unit." Class B covers cooling systems of 25 tons and under and heating systems of 1.5 million BTUs/hour and under.
• Experience. Either 48 months of practical experience under the supervision of a licensed air conditioning and refrigeration contractor within the past 72 months, or 12 months holding a technician certification plus 36 months of supervised experience within the past 48 months. TDLR lists exceptions for certain degrees, military training, and industrial process work.
• Exam. You must pass the licensing exam and finish the whole application process within one year of filing the application.
• Insurance. Class A: $300,000 per occurrence and $600,000 aggregate for property damage and bodily injury, plus $300,000 for products and completed operations. Class B: $100,000 per occurrence and $200,000 aggregate, plus $100,000 for products and completed operations.
• Age. "You must be at least 18 years old to apply."

Source: TDLR, Apply for an Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor License

Florida

Agency: Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Construction Industry Licensing Board. License: Air conditioning contractor (see the agency for current classes).

The agency's site blocked our request, so we aren't listing experience, exam, or insurance details here. See the agency site for current requirements. Agency: DBPR, Construction Industry

California

Agency: Contractors State License Board (CSLB). License: C-20 Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning.

• Scope. CSLB defines a C-20 contractor as one who "fabricates, installs, maintains, services and repairs warm-air heating systems and water heating heat pumps, complete with warm-air appliances; ventilating systems complete with blowers and plenum chambers; air-conditioning systems complete with air-conditioning unit; and the ducts, registers, flues, humidity and thermostatic controls and air filters in connection with any of these systems." The classification also covers systems that use solar energy.
• Experience, exams, and bond. The C-20 classification page doesn't list these. See CSLB's applicant pages for current experience, exam, and bond requirements.

Source: CSLB, C-20 Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning

Georgia

Agency: Georgia Secretary of State, Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Conditioned Air Contractors. License: Conditioned Air Contractor.

The agency's site blocked our request, so we aren't listing the license classes, experience, exam, or course requirements here. See the agency's how-to guide. Agency: Georgia Secretary of State, How to Guide: Conditioned Air Contractor

North Carolina

Agency: State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating, and Fire Sprinkler Contractors. License: Heating Group No. 1, Heating Group No. 2, and Heating Group No. 3. The board's license definitions explain which systems each group covers.

• Experience. Applicants need "2 years (4,000 hours) on-site full-time experience in the installation, maintenance, service, or repair of plumbing or heating systems related to the category for which license is sought." Up to half (2,000 hours) can be academic or technical training directly related to the field.
• Exam. Exams are given daily at seven testing centers around the state, and must be taken within 90 days of being notified that your application was approved.
• Insurance and bond. The applicant information page doesn't address these. Ask the board.

Source: NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating, and Fire Sprinkler Contractors, Applicant Information

Arizona

Agency: Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC). License: Air conditioning and refrigeration classifications (see the agency for current classifications).

The agency's site blocked our request, so we aren't listing experience, exam, or bond requirements here. See the ROC's classification requirements page. Agency: Arizona ROC, License Classification Requirements

New York

Licensing: We did not find a single statewide HVAC contractor license on an official New York State page. Contractor licensing and permits are handled locally, so the rules depend on the city or county where you work. New York City, for example, has its own permit and certification rules through the Department of Buildings and the Fire Department.

Call the building department in each city or county you plan to work in and ask what license, registration, and permits HVAC work requires there. Agency: NYC Department of Buildings

Pennsylvania

Licensing: Pennsylvania runs a home improvement contractor registration through the Office of Attorney General. It is a registration, not an HVAC trade license. Cities and counties may have their own HVAC licensing and permit rules.

The Attorney General's site blocked our request, so we aren't listing the registration threshold or insurance minimums here. See the agency site. Agency: PA Office of Attorney General, Home Improvement Contractor Registration

Ohio

Agency: Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB), part of the Ohio Department of Commerce. License: HVAC contractor.

The contractor requirements page we tried returned "not found," so we aren't listing eligibility, exam, insurance, or continuing education requirements here. Also ask your local building department whether it requires a state license for residential work. See the agency site. Agency: Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board

Illinois

Licensing: We did not find a statewide HVAC contractor license on an official Illinois page. HVAC contractor licensing and permits are handled by cities and counties, so check with the building department in each place you plan to work.

Virginia

Agency: Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), Board for Contractors. License: A contractor license with an HVAC specialty.

• How the license is built. DPOR says "Contractor licenses consist of two parts: the class of license (A, B, or C), which determines the monetary value of contracts/projects that may be performed, and the classification/specialty, which determines what type of work is allowed." See DPOR for the dollar limits for each class.
• Pre-license education. "In order to become licensed as a Contractor (Class A, Class B, or Class C), applicants must complete eight hours of pre-license education."
• Exams. Class A and Class B applicants must pass exams, administered by PSI.
• Tradesman license. DPOR also licenses individual HVAC tradesmen through its Tradesmen Program. Check that program's page for how a tradesman license ties into an HVAC contractor license.

Source: DPOR, Board for Contractors

Tennessee

Agency: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Department of Commerce and Insurance. License: Contractor's license with an HVAC classification.

The agency's site blocked our request, so we aren't listing the project value that triggers a license, exams, or financial requirements here. Also ask your city or county about smaller jobs. See the agency site. Agency: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Contractor

What to ask your state (and city) before you apply

• Which license class covers the work I plan to do (residential, commercial, size limits)?
• How many years of experience do I need, and who can verify it?
• Which exams do I need (trade, business and law), and who gives them?
• What insurance, bond, or financial statement is required, and in what amounts?
• Do I also need a city or county license or registration, and a permit for each job?
• Does the license go to me personally, to the business, or to a qualifying agent?
• What continuing education do I need to renew?

Get the answers in writing or from the agency's published rules.

Related guides

• How to Start an HVAC Business: licensing, entity setup, insurance, and first marketing in order.
• HVAC Contractor Insurance: What Coverage You Need: the liability, workers' comp, and bond coverage most licensing boards ask about.
• From HVAC Tech to Shop Owner: the personal side of going out on your own, including when to get licensed.

Ask owners licensed in your state

Agency websites list the rules, not how long the process really took or which exam prep helped. Ask owners who've been through it in the Growth Room Discord.

Sources

• Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Apply for an Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor License
• California Contractors State License Board, C-20 Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning
• North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating, and Fire Sprinkler Contractors, Applicant Information
• Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation, Board for Contractors
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Section 608 of the Clean Air Act

Agency sites to check directly (our request was blocked or the page wasn't found):

• Florida DBPR, Construction Industry
• Georgia Secretary of State, How to Guide: Conditioned Air Contractor
• Arizona Registrar of Contractors, License Classification Requirements
• Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Home Improvement Contractor Registration
• Ohio Department of Commerce, Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board
• Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Contractor
• NYC Department of Buildings, Home