StateLicensed

HVAC Technician License Requirements in Delaware

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
—
Upfront cost
$173
Exam
Master HVACR Licensure Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners, Division of Professional Regulation (DPR)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Meet the eligibility requirements set by the issuing board. DPR's official Master HVACR licensure page does not publish a minimum age requirement. DPR's Criminal Background Check Center service-code page lists 23 regulated professions requiring a criminal background check as part of licensure, and HVACR/plumbing trades are not among them, so backgroundCheck is recorded as false; however, applicants for the Master HVACR license via examination or reciprocity from certain jurisdictions must still submit state/jurisdiction licensure verification and (for Master HVACR and restricted refrigeration/air conditioning) a copy of their CFC Universal Certification card. [5]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete the required training. Delaware does not set a fixed classroom-hour requirement for the Master HVACR license; it requires a documented number of years of supervised work experience instead. With a journeyman certificate (from a federally-approved HVACR apprenticeship program), applicants need a minimum of 2 years of supervised work experience under a master licensee after receiving the certificate. Without a journeyman certificate, applicants need a minimum of 7 years of supervised work experience under a master licensee. approvedProgramRequired is false because the 7-year experience-only pathway does not require completion of a formal apprenticeship program. A Master HVACR Restricted license (limited to one specialty: forced air/hydronic heating, commercial hoods, refrigeration, air conditioning, or gas piping) follows the same two experience pathways. [1]

  3. 3

    Master HVACR Licensure Examination

    Pass the Master HVACR Licensure Examination. In-person testing at ProV facilities in Wilmington, Newark, and Dover, DE, or online via Examroom; passing score is 70% Confirmed via DPR's official Examinations page: ProV Exam administers the standard Master HVACR licensure exam. A separate 'Apprenticeship By-Pass Exam' pathway is administered by Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Delaware for applicants seeking to waive certain apprenticeship documentation. Exam fee is not published on DPR's site (paid directly to the testing vendor); applicants who fail 3 times must reapply as a new applicant and wait 1 year before retesting. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners, Division of Professional Regulation (DPR) with the $173 application fee. [3]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners, Division of Professional Regulation (DPR) issues your Master HVACR License for Delaware.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $173
License fee [3] None specified
Renewal fee [3] None specified
Master HVACR Licensure Examination [2] None specified

Per DPR's Fee Schedule page, the application fee for both the Master HVACR and Master HVACR Restricted licenses is $173. No separate itemized 'license' fee is published beyond the application fee. The renewal fee amount is not published on the fee schedule -- DPR states licensees 'are notified of the amount of the renewal fee at the time of renewal' via DELPROS; a late renewal (submitted after the expiration date) adds a late fee equal to 50% of the renewal fee.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years. 5 continuing education hours required per cycle.

Plumbing/HVACR licenses expire October 31 of even-numbered years (2-year cycle). Per DPR's Continuing Education and Audit Information page, Delaware Master and Journeyman HVAC licensees must complete 5 hours of HVAC continuing education for all subsequent (steady-state) renewals; licensees whose license was issued partway through a licensure period may owe a prorated amount (0, 3, or 5 hours depending on issuance timing) for their first renewal only, per Board Rule Section 5.0.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Delaware offers reciprocity with specific documentation tiers: Connecticut and Maryland applicants need no experience documentation at all; applicants from Alabama, Arkansas, DC, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia must prove 7 years practicing as a Master; applicants from all other jurisdictions require individualized Board evaluation of that jurisdiction's licensing law/regulations. All reciprocity applicants must submit a copy of their CFC Universal Certification card and state licensure verification from every jurisdiction where they are or were licensed.

2 state-approved training providers in Delaware — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $173
Total$173

Frequently asked questions

What is Delaware's individual HVAC license called?

The Master HVACR license (or the specialty-limited Master HVACR Restricted license), issued by the Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners under the Division of Professional Regulation.

How much experience do I need for a Delaware Master HVACR license?

Two years of supervised work experience under a master licensee if you already hold a journeyman certificate from a federally-approved apprenticeship program, or seven years of supervised work experience under a master licensee if you do not.

Who administers the Delaware Master HVACR exam?

ProV Exam (ProV), at in-person testing sites in Wilmington, Newark, and Dover, or online through Examroom. A separate Apprenticeship By-Pass Exam is offered through Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Delaware. A minimum score of 70% is required to pass.

Does Delaware require continuing education to renew a Master HVACR license?

Yes, on the standard 2-year renewal cycle, Master and Journeyman HVAC licensees owe 5 continuing education hours per renewal (first-time renewals shortly after initial licensure may owe a prorated 0 or 3 hours instead).

Can I transfer my out-of-state HVAC license to Delaware?

Yes, through reciprocity. Connecticut and Maryland license holders need no additional experience documentation; applicants from 13 other listed states must prove 7 years practicing as a Master; all other jurisdictions go through individualized Board evaluation.

Sources

  1. [1] dpr.delaware.gov/boards/plumbers/hvacrlicensure/ — accessed 2026-07-12
  2. [2] dpr.delaware.gov/boards/plumbers/examinations/ — accessed 2026-07-12
  3. [3] dpr.delaware.gov/boards/plumbers/fees/ — accessed 2026-07-12
  4. [4] dpr.delaware.gov/boards/plumbers/continuing-education-and-audit-information/ — accessed 2026-07-12
  5. [5] dpr.delaware.gov/criminal-background-check/ — accessed 2026-07-12