StateLicensed

HVAC Technician License Requirements in Florida

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
—
Upfront cost
$409
Exam
Certified Air Conditioning Contractor Trade Knowledge Exam (Class A or Class B), Contractor Business and Finance Exam
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Varies by chosen qualification pathway, ranging from a baccalaureate degree from an accredited 4-year college in a construction-related field to accredited college-level (including community/junior college) coursework combined with documented worker/foreman experience., pass a criminal background check. Per DBPR's official CILB 5-G application, applicants must submit electronic fingerprints for a criminal history background check, a credit report with a FICO-derived score (used to assess financial responsibility, required for active licenses), and disclosure of any criminal history, bankruptcies, liens, or prior license discipline. A minimum age is not specified in the official application materials reviewed. [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete the required training. Florida does not license individual HVAC technicians/journeymen separately; the state licenses Air Conditioning CONTRACTORS at the individual or business-qualifying level, and a person typically works under a licensed contractor's supervision until they qualify for and hold their own Certified (statewide) or Registered (local) contractor license. Per DBPR's official CILB 5-G application (Certified Class-A Air Conditioning Contractor as an Individual), applicants must satisfy one of six pathways: (1) a 4-year construction-related bachelor's degree plus 1 year of proven experience; (2) 1 year as foreman plus 3 years of accredited college-level courses; (3) 1 year worker + 1 year foreman + 2 years college courses; (4) 2 years worker + 1 year foreman + 1 year college courses; (5) 4 years as worker/foreman with at least 1 year as foreman; or (6) an 'Upgrade Method' from an active Class B license (1+ year held) or Class C license (4+ years held). One year of experience equals 2,000 hours. approvedProgramRequired is false because several of these pathways do not require a formal approved training program (pure work-experience routes exist). [1]

  3. 3

    Certified Air Conditioning Contractor Trade Knowledge Exam (Class A or Class B)

    Pass the Certified Air Conditioning Contractor Trade Knowledge Exam (Class A or Class B) (fee: $80). Class A trade exam: 130 questions, 7.5 hours testing time. Class B trade exam: 80 questions, approximately 5 hours testing time. All applicants for a Certified Class A or Class B Air Conditioning Contractor license must pass both this trade-knowledge exam and the separate Contractor Business and Finance Exam (also listed below). A one-time $135 registration fee to DBPR's exam-services contractor (Professional Testing, Inc.) covers registration for both exam sittings; total first-time exam cost is approximately $295. [2]

  4. 4

    Contractor Business and Finance Exam

    Pass the Contractor Business and Finance Exam (fee: $80). Required of all certified contractor applicants (all trades, including air conditioning), in addition to the trade-specific knowledge exam. [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) with the $249 application fee. [3]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) issues your Certified Class A Air Conditioning Contractor for Florida.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $249
License fee [3] None specified
Renewal fee [3] $205
Certified Air Conditioning Contractor Trade Knowledge Exam (Class A or Class B) [2] $80
Contractor Business and Finance Exam [2] $80
Professional Testing Inc. one-time exam registration fee (covers both exam sittings) [3] $135
Renewal with qualified business entity [3] $255

Per DBPR's official CILB 5-G application, the Certified Class A application fee is $249 if submitted May 1 (even year) through August 31 (odd year), or $149 if submitted September 1 (odd year) through April 30 (even year) -- recorded here as $249 with the lower off-cycle amount noted. No separate itemized 'license' fee is published beyond the application fee. Per DBPR's official Certified Contractors renewal notice (CC_Insert_Current.pdf), the active renewal fee is $205 ($255 if the license also qualifies a business), rising to $230/$280 for late renewal submitted after August 31, 2026.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years. 14 continuing education hours required per cycle.

Certified contractors (including Class A/B Air Conditioning) renew biennially on August 31 of even-numbered years. Per DBPR's official renewal notice, 14 hours of continuing education are required per renewal cycle, including at least 1 hour each of Workplace Safety, Workers' Compensation, Business Practices, Advanced Building Code Module, and Laws and Rules, with the remaining hours as general credits.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Per DBPR's Construction Industry FAQs, as of June 1, 2021, contractors licensed in a state that has entered into a reciprocity agreement with the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board can apply for licensure via reciprocity; the list of qualifying states is maintained by DBPR and is subject to change. No interstate licensure compact currently covers HVAC/air conditioning contractors.

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

Cost calculator

  • $249
  • $80
  • $80
Total$409

Frequently asked questions

Does Florida license individual HVAC technicians?

Not separately. Florida licenses Air Conditioning CONTRACTORS -- Certified (statewide) Class A or Class B, or Registered (local-jurisdiction) -- and individuals generally work under a licensed contractor's supervision until they qualify for and pass the exam for their own contractor license.

What's the difference between Class A and Class B in Florida?

A Certified Class A Air Conditioning Contractor can install, maintain, and repair heating and cooling systems of any size anywhere in the state. A Certified Class B contractor is limited to heating systems below 500,000 BTUs per unit and cooling systems under 25 tons, also statewide. A Registered (rather than Certified) license of either class limits work to a single local jurisdiction.

What exams does a Florida Class A or Class B applicant need to pass?

Both the trade-knowledge exam for the license class (Class A: 130 questions/7.5 hours; Class B: 80 questions/about 5 hours) and the separate Contractor Business and Finance Exam, both administered by Pearson VUE. A one-time $135 registration fee covers both exam sittings.

How often does a Florida Air Conditioning Contractor license need to be renewed, and what's required?

Every 2 years, on August 31 of even-numbered years, with 14 hours of continuing education per cycle (including specific mandatory hours in safety, workers' compensation, business practices, advanced building code, and laws/rules).

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

Possibly, if your state has a reciprocity agreement with Florida's Construction Industry Licensing Board (in effect since June 1, 2021); the list of qualifying states is maintained by DBPR and changes over time, so check current status directly with DBPR.

Sources

  1. [1] flrules.org/gateway/readRefFile.asp — accessed 2026-07-12
  2. [2] myfloridalicense.com/intentions2.asp — accessed 2026-07-12
  3. [3] www2.myfloridalicense.com/pro/cilb/documents/CC_Insert_Current.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
  4. [4] www2.myfloridalicense.com/construction-industry/faqs/ — accessed 2026-07-12