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10 states · each from the state source · checked 2026-10-20
HVAC license requirements by state
Who issues the heating and cooling credential, the levels, the hours and years, the exam, the fees and the reciprocity partners, read from each state's licensing board page or statute. The shortest stated path to the top credential here is New Hampshire at 1 year; the longest is Georgia at 5 years.
- 1States covered 10
- 2Shortest stated path New Hampshire, 1 year
- 3Longest stated path Georgia, 5 years
- 4Name partner states 0 of 10
All 10 states compared
| State | Top credential | Time to top | Classroom | Exam | Partners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | S-1 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Contractor | 2 years after the prior level | — | Yes | review |
| Massachusetts | RT Refrigeration Technician | 3 years | 450 h | Yes | review |
| New Hampshire | FGST Fuel Gas Service Technician | 1 year | 140 h | Yes | review |
| California | C-20 C-20 Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Contractor | 4 years | — | Yes | — |
| Texas | A ACR Contractor, Class A | 4 years | — | Yes | — |
| Florida | CAC-A Class A Air-Conditioning Contractor | 4 years | — | Yes | — |
| Ohio | HVAC HVAC Contractor (commercial) | 5 years | — | Yes | — |
| Georgia | CR2 Conditioned Air Contractor Class II (Non-restricted) | 5 years | — | Yes | — |
| North Carolina | H-1 Heating Group No. 1 | up to 2 years | — | Yes | — |
| Michigan | MC Mechanical Contractor (per classification) | 3 years | — | Yes | — |
What the numbers show
8 of the 10 states state a minimum time to their top hvac credential. New Hampshire is shortest at 1 year and Georgia longest at 5 years. The most common hour count written into the sources is 1,000 hours, which appears 2 times. 10 of 10 require an exam for at least one level.
No state here names reciprocity partners for this trade on the pages read; some review out-of-state licenses case by case.
New England on this page: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire. Large states: California, Texas, Florida, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan.
Published fees
Only some sources print dollar amounts. Where they do, the chart sums the application, exam and license fees listed for the highest level that shows any.
How to read a state page
Each state page lists the levels in order, the experience each one needs (as hours or years, and whether the time counts from the start of the trade or from the previous license), classroom hours, the exam, the fees the source prints, and reciprocity. Where a source gives hours, the page converts them to full-time years at 2,000 hours a year, the convention Georgia's licensing board prints on its form. Nothing is filled in from other sites: if a board page does not print a fee, the state page says so.
Guides: how long each state takes · how the exams work · reciprocity. Other trades: Electrician · Plumber · General contractor.
General information from the state sources on 2026-10-20, not legal advice. The board is the authority; confirm before applying.