StateLicensed

HVAC Technician License Requirements in Idaho

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
576 hrs
Upfront cost
$260
Exam
HVAC Journeyman Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 3 years
Issuing board
Idaho Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Board, Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Meet the eligibility requirements set by the issuing board. No minimum age or fingerprint/criminal background check is listed on the HVAC Journeyman application; the application requires a Social Security Number (per Idaho Code §73-122, for child support enforcement compliance) rather than a background check. minAge is null because the application form does not state one. [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 576 hours of training (including 8000 clinical hours). Idaho offers two journeyman pathways. (1) Idaho Apprenticeship School Pathway: complete 576 hours of instruction at a board-approved HVAC apprenticeship program (e.g. College of Southern Idaho, College of Western Idaho, Idaho State University, various JATCs) while holding an active HVAC Apprentice registration, plus 8,000 hours of supervised HVAC installation work — the applicant may sit the exam after the 576 instructional hours but the license isn't issued until the 8,000 work hours are also verified. (2) Work Experience Pathway (no school required): 16,000 hours of supervised HVAC installation work alone. Both pathways require passing the journeyman exam. approvedProgramRequired is recorded false because the school-based pathway is not mandatory — the pure work-experience pathway is a valid alternative. [1]

  3. 3

    HVAC Journeyman Examination

    Pass the HVAC Journeyman Examination (fee: $75). Open-book, computer-based exam scheduled by phone and proctored in person at DOPL's Boise, Coeur d'Alene, or Blackfoot regional offices; a 3% non-refundable surcharge applies to credit/debit card payment. Non-refundable $75 fee. Applicant must first submit and be approved on a journeyman application before scheduling; the applicant then has 1 year from the application date to schedule and pass the exam. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Idaho Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Board, Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) with the $35 application fee. [3]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Idaho Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Board, Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) issues your HVAC Journeyman License for Idaho.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $35
License fee [3] $150
Renewal fee [3] $75
HVAC Journeyman Examination [2] $75
Journeyman reinstatement fee [3] $150
HVAC Apprentice license fee (1-year term) [3] $10
HVAC Contractor license fee (3-year term) [3] $225
HVAC Contractor renewal fee (3-year term) [3] $150

Figures are from DOPL's current HVAC Board fee table. $35 is the non-refundable processing/application fee charged for any initial HVAC application. The $150 journeyman license fee and $75 renewal fee both run on the 3-year journeyman license term. Fetched via a Wayback Machine snapshot dated 2026-05-13 because dopl.idaho.gov blocks automated fetches; sourceUrl is the live agency page.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 3 years.

HVAC Journeyman licenses run on a 3-year term ($75 renewal fee, $150 reinstatement fee if lapsed). Idaho's own Licenses FAQ states there are no continuing-education (CEU) requirements for HVAC, unlike electrical, plumbing, or manufactured-housing licenses which do have CE mandates — verified via archive snapshot 2023-12-03 (dbs.idaho.gov, the agency's former domain before its Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses/DOPL rebrand).

Reciprocity

No reciprocity or endorsement route was found.

The HVAC Journeyman Application Instructions only list the Idaho Apprenticeship School Pathway and the Work Experience Pathway — no reciprocity/endorsement pathway for out-of-state HVAC licensees is offered. A general (non-HVAC-specific) DOPL licensing FAQ mentions reciprocal agreements exist for some trades via a 'Reciprocal Information document,' but no HVAC-specific reciprocity document could be located, so this is recorded as unavailable rather than assumed.

1 state-approved training provider in Idaho — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $35
  • $150
  • $75
Total$260

Frequently asked questions

Does Idaho require a separate license for HVAC apprentices, journeymen, and contractors?

Yes. Idaho licenses HVAC work in tiers: HVAC Apprentice, HVAC Journeyman, and HVAC Contractor (plus parallel Specialty tiers for hearth, waste oil, fuel gas piping, and LP gas limited heating). The journeyman license is the base credential for someone who personally performs or supervises HVAC installation, improvement, extension, alteration, or repair work.

What are the two ways to qualify for an HVAC Journeyman license?

Either complete 576 hours at a board-approved HVAC apprenticeship school plus 8,000 hours of supervised installation work while registered as an apprentice, or complete 16,000 hours of supervised HVAC installation work with no formal schooling. Both pathways require passing the journeyman exam.

Does Idaho have continuing education requirements for HVAC license renewal?

No. Unlike Idaho's electrical, plumbing, and manufactured-housing licenses, HVAC licenses currently have no continuing-education (CEU) requirement.

How much does the HVAC Journeyman exam cost and who administers it?

The exam costs $75 (non-refundable) and is administered directly by DOPL — it is an open-book, computer-based exam proctored in person at DOPL's Boise, Coeur d'Alene, or Blackfoot offices, not outsourced to a vendor like Prometric or PSI.

How long does a Journeyman license last before renewal?

The HVAC Journeyman license runs on a 3-year term, with a $75 renewal fee (or $150 to reinstate a lapsed license).

Sources

  1. [1] dopl.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/HVAC-Journeyman-Application_Fillable.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
  2. [2] dopl.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/HVAC-Exam-Bulletin-July-2023.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
  3. [3] dopl.idaho.gov/hvac/ — accessed 2026-07-12