How to Get an HVAC License in Texas: TDLR Registration, Certification and Contractor Classes

Who licenses HVAC technicians and contractors in Texas?

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) does, through its Air Conditioning and Refrigeration program. The program issues three credentials to people: a technician registration, a technician certification and a contractor license. Contractors "must have a TDLR license," and every ACR company must employ a licensed ACR contractor at each permanent location, per the TDLR program page. Because the license is statewide, a contractor licensed in El Paso can take work in Beaumont without a second state test.

Texas licensing sits on top of the federal rule, not instead of it. If you handle refrigerant, you also need EPA Section 608 certification, which TDLR doesn't issue. Our EPA 608 guide covers that test.

What are the Texas HVAC license types?

Think of it as three rungs. A registered technician is the entry rung for helpers. A certified technician has proven experience or training and passed an exam. The contractor license is what lets a business sell and perform air conditioning and refrigeration work.

What's the difference between a Class A and Class B ACR contractor?

Equipment size. Class A "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" (TDLR). Most residential and light commercial shops live comfortably inside Class B. If you want rooftop units on big-box stores or chilled-water plants, you need Class A. You can hold both; TDLR issues one document with two license numbers, tied to the same business and address.

Each contractor license also carries one endorsement: Environmental Air Conditioning, Commercial Refrigeration, or Process Cooling or Heating. The refrigeration and process endorsements are limited to coolers, freezers, ice machines and equipment that controls temperature and humidity, and a license may have only one endorsement (TDLR). Pick the one that matches the work you'll actually sell.

How do you get an HVAC contractor license in Texas, step by step?

1. 1

   Register as a technician before you touch a unit

   File online with TDLR and pay $20. You must be 16 and work under a licensed ACR contractor, and you can't advertise HVAC services on your own (TDLR).

2. 2

   Decide whether to certify

   Certification is optional for the contractor path but shortens it. With 24 months of supervised experience, or a 2,000-hour TDLR-approved program, apply for certification ($50) and take the PSI exam (TDLR). Program graduates must apply within 48 months of finishing.

3. 3

   Build your contractor experience

   You need 48 months of air conditioning and refrigeration work in the last 72, under a licensed contractor. Hold a certification for 12 months and the bar drops to 36 months in the last 48. Your supervisors fill in the Experience Verification Form; TDLR is explicit: "Do NOT complete this form yourself" (TDLR).

4. 4

   Apply, pick your class and endorsement, and pay $115

   You must be 18. TDLR reviews your experience and runs a criminal background check, which can take one to six weeks if your history needs review (TDLR).

5. 5

   Pass the PSI exam within a year

   After approval, PSI emails your eligibility notice. If you fail, you can schedule a retake with PSI 24–48 hours later and keep retaking until the application expires, one year after you filed (TDLR exam page).

6. 6

   File your insurance certificate and get licensed

   Once you pass, send a Certificate of Insurance showing your name and business name and meeting your class minimums (TDLR). Then renew every year: $65 and 8 hours of CE (TDLR).

What's on the Texas ACR exam?

PSI gives the exams. TDLR's exam page doesn't print the fee, the number of questions, the time limit, the passing score or whether references are allowed; all of that is in the PSI Candidate Information Bulletin linked from the TDLR exam page. Download the bulletin for your exact credential before you study, because the content outline and allowed references differ between the technician and contractor exams.

Do Texas cities require their own HVAC license?

Cities can't charge you an ACR registration fee. TDLR's FAQ cites Occupations Code §1302.304, which "prohibits any municipality from charging registration fees," while noting cities may still collect building permit fees (TDLR FAQ). So budget for permits and inspections in each city you work, and call the building department before your first job there. We haven't verified individual city permit rules for this page.

Can you transfer an HVAC license from another state to Texas?

Only two states have reciprocity: TDLR's FAQ says "Texas reciprocates with South Carolina and Georgia" (TDLR FAQ). From anywhere else, file the regular $115 contractor application with a copy of your current license, how you earned it and how long you've held it. TDLR then decides which Texas requirements, possibly including the exam, you still have to meet (TDLR out-of-state page).

What happens if your contractor license expires?

You must stop contracting the day it lapses. Renewing within 90 days costs 1.5 times the $65 fee; after 90 days and up to 18 months it's twice the fee; between 18 months and 3 years you also need executive director approval (TDLR). TDLR suggests starting your renewal 30–60 days early.

Starting your own HVAC company in Texas

The contractor license is the legal part. The business part is phones, scheduling, pricing and getting paid while you're on a roof in August.

• One licensed contractor per location: each permanent office needs a licensed ACR contractor on staff (TDLR).
• Insurance: carry the Class A or Class B minimums above for the whole license term (TDLR).
• Taxes: Texas treats repair and new construction differently for sales tax, and LLCs file franchise tax reports. See Texas contractor taxes and licensing.
• Business setup: entity, trucks, pricing and your first customers are in how to start an HVAC business.
• Pricing: our HVAC trade guide covers service-call pricing, maintenance agreements and seasonal demand.