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HVAC License Requirements by State and Province (Verified, With Sources)

By Dale Morgan · Updated 2026-10-17 · Every fact links to its official source.

HVAC is one of the hardest trades to research online. The work might be licensed as "HVAC", "mechanical", "refrigeration" or "air conditioning" depending on where you are, and some places license the business while others license the technician. It's easy to end up reading rules that don't apply to you.

This guide sorts that out jurisdiction by jurisdiction. The explanations are ours. Every requirement comes from a fact our editor verified on an official page, with its source link, so you can see exactly what the board itself says.

chart iconCoverage at a glance

Only facts our editor checked word-for-word against an official page are counted. A blank cell means not yet verified, not not required.

JurisdictionVerified factsExam infoFees infoReciprocity infoPage
Arizona11verified verifiedverified verifiedverified verifiedview
California7verified verifiedverified verified— not yetview
North Carolina7verified verifiedverified verifiedverified verifiedview
Ontario6verified verifiedverified verifiedverified verifiedview
Quebec6verified verifiedverified verified— not yetview
Ohio5verified verified— not yet— not yetview
Texas5verified verifiedverified verified— not yetview
Georgia4verified verifiedverified verified— not yetview
Nevada4verified verified— not yetverified verifiedview
Alabama3verified verified— not yet— not yetview
British Columbia3verified verified— not yetverified verifiedview
Delaware3verified verified— not yetverified verifiedview
Maine3verified verifiedverified verified— not yetview
Manitoba3verified verified— not yet— not yetview
New Brunswick3— not yet— not yetverified verifiedview
Prince Edward Island3verified verified— not yetverified verifiedview
Yukon3— not yetverified verified— not yetview
Arkansas2verified verified— not yetverified verifiedview
Maryland2— not yet— not yet— not yetview
Michigan2verified verified— not yet— not yetview
New Jersey2verified verifiedverified verified— not yetview
Northwest Territories2verified verified— not yet— not yetview
Nunavut2— not yet— not yet— not yetview
Florida1— not yet— not yet— not yetview
Louisiana1— not yet— not yet— not yetview
Minnesota1— not yet— not yet— not yetview
Oklahoma1— not yet— not yet— not yetview
South Carolina1— not yet— not yet— not yetview
West Virginia1— not yet— not yet— not yetview
Wisconsin1— not yet— not yet— not yetview

Keep one thing separate in your head: federal EPA Section 608 refrigerant certification is a different credential from state or provincial HVAC licensing. Having one does not give you the other, and this page covers only the state and provincial side.

As you read each section, check the scope label first so you know whether the rule is about a contractor business, an individual technician or a local requirement. Then look at the exam and experience facts, which usually determine how long the path will take.

chart iconThe licensing path at a glance

Typical path to a HVAC license1Find thelicensing authority2Log supervisedexperience3Pass theexam4Apply andpay fees5Renew and keepup CE
Typical path to a HVAC license. A general outline only; the order and requirements differ by jurisdiction — see the verified facts below.

section iconComparing the numbers

The charts below compare only like-for-like values: the same kind of fee or the same experience measure, each quoted from an official page. Read the scope note on each source, because a contractor fee and an individual license fee are not the same thing.

Experience hours by jurisdiction — individual licenses (verified values only)Maryland6,000West Virginia2,000Maryland1,875Manitoba1,800
Experience hours by jurisdiction — individual licenses (verified values only) (hours). Each bar is a single number quoted on an official page and reviewed by our editor; amounts are for the license type named in the scope note below and are not totals. Jurisdictions without a verified value are left out rather than estimated.

Chart sources (experience hours):

Application fee by jurisdiction — contractor licenses (verified values only)California$450New Jersey$100
Application fee by jurisdiction — contractor licenses (verified values only) (USD). Each bar is a single number quoted on an official page and reviewed by our editor; amounts are for the license type named in the scope note below and are not totals. Jurisdictions without a verified value are left out rather than estimated.

Chart sources (application fee):

pin iconUnited States

Arizona

Here is what the official Arizona pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Arizona hvac license requirements page.

Licensing authority

License levels

Experience / hours

Exam

Fees

Renewal

Reciprocity & endorsement

Local (city/county) licensing

California

Here is what the official California pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our California hvac license requirements page.

Licensing authority

Is a state/provincial license required?

Experience / hours

Education & training

Exam

Fees

Renewal

North Carolina

Here is what the official North Carolina pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our North Carolina hvac license requirements page.

Licensing authority

Experience / hours

Exam

Fees

Renewal

Continuing education

Reciprocity & endorsement

Ohio

Here is what the official Ohio pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Ohio hvac license requirements page.

License levels

Exam

Continuing education

Other notes

Texas

Here is what the official Texas pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Texas hvac license requirements page.

Is a state/provincial license required?

Experience / hours

Exam

Fees

Continuing education

Georgia

Here is what the official Georgia pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Georgia hvac license requirements page.

License levels

Exam

Fees

Renewal

Nevada

Here is what the official Nevada pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Nevada hvac license requirements page.

Exam

Reciprocity & endorsement

Other notes

Alabama

Here is what the official Alabama pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Alabama hvac license requirements page.

Exam

Renewal

Continuing education

Delaware

Here is what the official Delaware pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Delaware hvac license requirements page.

License levels

Exam

Reciprocity & endorsement

Maine

Here is what the official Maine pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Maine hvac license requirements page.

License levels

Exam

Fees

Arkansas

Here is what the official Arkansas pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Arkansas hvac license requirements page.

Exam

Reciprocity & endorsement

Maryland

Here is what the official Maryland pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Maryland hvac license requirements page.

Experience / hours

Michigan

Here is what the official Michigan pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Michigan hvac license requirements page.

Experience / hours

Exam

New Jersey

Here is what the official New Jersey pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our New Jersey hvac license requirements page.

Exam

Fees

Florida

Here is what the official Florida pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Florida hvac license requirements page.

License levels

Louisiana

Here is what the official Louisiana pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Louisiana hvac license requirements page.

Is a state/provincial license required?

Minnesota

Here is what the official Minnesota pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Minnesota hvac license requirements page.

Other notes

Oklahoma

Here is what the official Oklahoma pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Oklahoma hvac license requirements page.

Continuing education

South Carolina

Here is what the official South Carolina pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our South Carolina hvac license requirements page.

Is a state/provincial license required?

West Virginia

Here is what the official West Virginia pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our West Virginia hvac license requirements page.

Experience / hours

Wisconsin

Here is what the official Wisconsin pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Wisconsin hvac license requirements page.

Continuing education

pin iconCanada

Ontario

Here is what the official Ontario pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Ontario hvac license requirements page.

Licensing authority

Is a state/provincial license required?

Experience / hours

Exam

Fees

Reciprocity & endorsement

Quebec

Here is what the official Quebec pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Quebec hvac license requirements page.

Licensing authority

License levels

Experience / hours

Exam

Fees

Renewal

British Columbia

Here is what the official British Columbia pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our British Columbia hvac license requirements page.

Is a state/provincial license required?

Exam

Reciprocity & endorsement

Manitoba

Here is what the official Manitoba pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Manitoba hvac license requirements page.

Is a state/provincial license required?

Experience / hours

Exam

New Brunswick

Here is what the official New Brunswick pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our New Brunswick hvac license requirements page.

License levels

Education & training

Reciprocity & endorsement

Prince Edward Island

Here is what the official Prince Edward Island pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Prince Edward Island hvac license requirements page.

License levels

Exam

Reciprocity & endorsement

Yukon

Here is what the official Yukon pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Yukon hvac license requirements page.

License levels

Fees

Other notes

Northwest Territories

Here is what the official Northwest Territories pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Northwest Territories hvac license requirements page.

Education & training

Exam

Nunavut

Here is what the official Nunavut pages we checked actually say. Each point is quoted from our reviewed record with its source; for the full picture, including anything still pending review, see our Nunavut hvac license requirements page.

License levels

Education & training

pin iconStates and provinces not covered yet

If your jurisdiction is not listed above, we have not verified its hvac rules yet. Use the HVAC hub to find the official board link — we don't publish guesses.

steps iconHow to use this guide

help iconFAQ

What does Arizona require for an HVAC license?

Phoenix Journeyman: an exam from an approved testing organization is required before applying. (City-level rule (Phoenix, AZ)) — source: Journeyman and Apprentice Licensing | City of Phoenix, verified 2026-10-17

What does California require for an HVAC license?

CSLB: applicants must pass a trade exam and/or a business and law exam, given by an approved testing vendor (exam fees paid to the vendor). (Contractor license (C-20 HVAC, CSLB)) — source: Apply for a Sole Owner license, verified 2026-10-17

What does North Carolina require for an HVAC license?

Exams are computer-based and administered by PSI. (Contractor license (NC Plumbing, Heating & Fire Sprinkler board)) — source: FAQ - North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating, and Fire Sprinkler Contractors, verified 2026-10-17

What does Ontario require for an HVAC license?

Certifying exam; on passing, Skilled Trades Ontario issues a Certificate of Qualification. (Individual worker certificate) — source: Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems Mechanic - Skilled Trades Ontario, verified 2026-10-17

What does Quebec require for an HVAC license?

CCQ qualification exam: usually 50–70 multiple-choice questions, maximum 3 hours; apprentices may sit after completing at least 85% of the apprenticeship. (Individual worker certificate (CCQ, applies to all construction trades)) — source: Examen de qualification, verified 2026-10-17

What does Ohio require for an HVAC license?

Contractors must pass the PSI licensing examination before receiving a license. (Contractor license (Ohio OCILB, commercial)) — source: oh_ocilb_home.pdf, verified 2026-10-17