HVAC
rankings by state.
Use the figures to narrow your reading, then check the state’s license level, pathway and qualifications. A low issuance fee does not establish the cheapest overall route to licensure.
Lowest license fee
Ranked only by the recorded license issuance fee. Application, exam, training and other costs are not included. This is not a ranking of total cost to qualify.
20 of 51 jurisdictions ranked. Equal values share a rank; the next rank skips tied places. Calculations use unrounded values. Source scope may differ between states.
| 1 | Ohio | $25.00Source and scopeTwenty-five dollars for issuance of any license;Official source Last verified Oct 24, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | West Virginia | $75.00Source and scopeAn initial or renewal applicant for an HVAC technician license shall pay a $75 annual license fee: Provided, That no license fee shall be charged if the applicant is licensed as an HVAC contractor pursuant to W. Va. Code §30-42-1 et seq.Official source Last verified Oct 25, 2026 |
| 3 | Maryland | $94.50 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $100.00Source and scopeThe basic fee for an initial license or for renewal of a license in any other classification shall be $50.00 per year, or $100.00 for two years.Official source Last verified Oct 24, 2026 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $110.00 |
| 6 | Wisconsin | $160.00 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $198.00Source and scopeService, equipment installation, or piping license application processing and licensing: Initial, renewal, or reinstatement after expiration of license | 2 years | $198Official source Last verified Oct 24, 2026 |
| 8 | Alaska | $200.00 |
| 8 | Arkansas | $200.00Source and scopeThe license fee for the Class A contractor shall be two hundred dollars ($200) per year.Official source Last verified Oct 24, 2026 |
| 8 | California | $200.00Source and scopeInitial license fee of $200 for a sole owner is due after the qualifier passes the exam(s).Official source Last verified Oct 24, 2026 |
| 8 | Maine | $200.00 |
| 12 | Alabama | $220.00Source and scopeInitial certification fee for ACTIVE heating and air conditioning license $220.00Official source Last verified Oct 24, 2026 |
| 12 | South Carolina | $220.00 |
| 14 | Idaho | $225.00Source and scopeThe applicant must also pay a $225 license fee prior to receiving a license.Official source Last verified Oct 25, 2026 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $240.00Source and scopeContractor Master Refrigeration CMR 20.2 $75 $240Official source Last verified Oct 24, 2026 |
| 16 | Michigan | $300.00Source and scopeINITIAL Mechanical Contractor License/Classification $300.00Official source Last verified Oct 25, 2026 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | $300.00Source and scopeMechanical Contractor $330.00 (License Fee $300.00 + Application Fee $30.00 = total $330.00)Official source Last verified Oct 24, 2026 |
| 18 | Arizona | $380.00Source and scope4. SPECIALTY DUAL LICENSE CONTRACTING Class CR $100 $380 $380Official source Last verified Oct 24, 2026 |
| 19 | Oregon | $400.00 |
| 20 | Nevada | $600.00Source and scopeIf your license is approved the license fee is $600 for a two year license.Official source Last verified Oct 25, 2026 |
31 jurisdictions not ranked for this measure
Not verified yet, stale, or not a single comparable number. A missing rank does not mean no requirement. Use each state page’s official source to check.
Fewest required hours
Ranked only where the required-hours field is a single verified number. Conditional text and alternative pathways are excluded. Hours are not elapsed time to licensure.
2 of 51 jurisdictions ranked. Equal values share a rank; the next rank skips tied places. Calculations use unrounded values. Source scope may differ between states.
| 1 | Oregon | 16 hoursSource and scopeComplete at least 16 hours of pre-license training from an approved pre-license education provider and pass the Oregon exam.Official source Last verified Oct 25, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | West Virginia | 2,000 hoursSource and scopeHVAC Technician means a person with at least 2,000 hours of HVAC-related work, training, and experienceOfficial source Last verified Oct 25, 2026 |
49 jurisdictions not ranked for this measure
Not verified yet, stale, or not a single comparable number. A missing rank does not mean no requirement. Use each state page’s official source to check.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Fastest time to get licensed
Requires a verified total time-to-license figure in days for the cited pathway. Training hours, experience requirements and agency processing estimates cannot establish that total.
Not verified yet
The current records do not establish total time to get licensed. No fastest state is named.
Read the verified state requirements and official sources51 jurisdictions not ranked for this measure
Not verified yet, stale, or not a single comparable number. A missing rank does not mean no requirement. Use each state page’s official source to check.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Renewal cost per year
Calculated as the verified renewal fee divided by its verified renewal period in years. This is an annualized fee, not an annual bill; CE and other costs are not included. An initial fee or initial license term is never substituted.
Not verified yet
A separate renewal fee and its matching renewal period are needed. Initial license fees cannot fill that gap.
Read the verified state requirements and official sources51 jurisdictions not ranked for this measure
Not verified yet, stale, or not a single comparable number. A missing rank does not mean no requirement. Use each state page’s official source to check.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Read before you choose a route
Last verified Oct 25, 2026.
Official sources (21)
- https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/chapter-4101:16-2
- https://labor.wv.gov/media/23/download?inline
- https://www.labor.maryland.gov/license/hvacr/hvacraff.shtml
- https://www.srca.nm.gov/parts/title14/14.005.0005.html
- https://dlcp.dc.gov/page/board-industrial-trades-0
- https://dsps.wi.gov/credentialing/credential-fees-and-renewal-dates/
- https://gc.nh.gov/rules/state_agencies/plc1000.html
- https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/Portals/5/pub/mec4903.pdf
- https://codeofarrules.arkansas.gov/Rules/Rule?chapterID=236&levelType=section&partID=1083§ionID=48278&subChapterID=293&subPartID=7400&titleID=17
- https://www.cslb.ca.gov/contractors/applicants/Apply_for_a_Sole_Owner_License/default.aspx
- https://www1.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/maine-fuel-board/licensing/individual-licenses
- https://hacr.alabama.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Law-Rules-and-Regulations-10-17-2024.pdf
- https://www.llr.sc.gov/res/reshvac.aspx
- https://dopl.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/HVAC-Contractor-Application_Fillable.pdf
- https://dlt.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur571/files/2025-07/Mechanical%20Trade%20App%201.pdf
- https://www.michigan.gov/lara/-/media/Project/Websites/lara/bcc-media/Licensing/Mechanical/MECHANICAL-APP.pdf
- https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/cib/documents/your-industry/mechanical-industry/mechanical_application_with_approved_schools_for_website_11-15-22.pdf
- https://apps.azsos.gov/public_services/Title_04/4-09.pdf
- https://www.oregon.gov/ccb/pages/ccb%20license.aspx
- https://nscb.nv.gov/resources/faq-central/
- https://labor.wv.gov/licensing/hvac-technician-certification
Not legal or tax advice. Confirm with the official agency before filing.