HVAC Technician License Requirements in Oregon
- Training hours
- 16 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $460
- Exam
- Oregon Contractor Exam (laws, rules and business practices)
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- Issuing board
- Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB)
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Be at least 18 years old, pass a criminal background check. Requirements apply to the Responsible Managing Individual (RMI) of the licensed business: at least 18 years old, complete the 16-hour pre-license training, pass the Oregon contractor exam, and complete a background check after the application is submitted. The business itself must also carry a CCB surety bond and general liability insurance (for example, $20,000 bond / $300,000 liability coverage for a Residential Specialty Contractor endorsement; higher amounts apply to commercial endorsements). [1]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 16 hours of training at a state-approved program. Oregon does not license individual HVAC technicians; heating and air conditioning work is licensed at the contractor/business level through the CCB. The Responsible Managing Individual (RMI) for the business must complete 16 hours of pre-license training (covering Oregon construction law and business practices, based on the NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management) from a CCB-approved provider, then pass the Oregon contractor exam. There is no fixed statewide classroom/on-the-job hour requirement for HVAC trade skill itself (unlike Oregon's electrician licensing) -- the CCB evaluates the business's relevant trade experience case-by-case. A supplemental Limited Maintenance Specialty Contractor HVAC/R (LHR) registration is also available through the Building Codes Division for HVAC/R maintenance-only work, layered on top of an active CCB license; it requires no additional exam or published hour minimum, only an active CCB license and a qualifying signing supervisor. [1]
- 3
Oregon Contractor Exam (laws, rules and business practices)
Pass the Oregon Contractor Exam (laws, rules and business practices) (fee: $60). 80 multiple-choice questions, open-book (NASCLA Contractors Guide reference manual), 3-hour time limit, 70% (56/80) passing score Required of the Responsible Managing Individual (RMI) after completing the 16-hour pre-license training. Oregon does not administer a separate HVAC trade-skill exam at the state level -- this single law/business exam is the only state test for the CCB specialty contractor license. The Limited Maintenance Specialty Contractor HVAC/R (LHR) endorsement requires no exam. [1]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) with the $400 application fee. Typical processing time: Electronic applications: up to four to six weeks; paper applications: six to eight weeks. [1]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) issues your CCB Specialty Contractor License (Residential or Commercial, heating/air conditioning scope) for Oregon.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [1] | $400 |
| License fee [1] | None specified |
| Renewal fee [1] | $400 |
| Oregon Contractor Exam (laws, rules and business practices) [1] | $60 |
| Oregon Contractor Exam fee (paid to PSI) [1] | $60 |
| Limited Maintenance Specialty Contractor HVAC/R (LHR) fee [1] | $75 |
Oregon licenses the HVAC contracting business, not an individual technician. The $400 initial application fee (increased from $325 effective 7/1/2025) itself issues the two-year CCB license -- there is no separate license-issuance fee beyond the application, so 'license' is recorded as null to avoid double-counting. Renewal is every two years at $400. The LHR endorsement (a supplemental HVAC/R maintenance registration layered on an active CCB license) has its own $75 fee, three-year renewal cycle.
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 2 years.
CCB does not require continuing-education hours to renew this specialty contractor endorsement; renewal is by fee payment ($400 every two years) and maintaining an active surety bond and general liability insurance. The related LHR endorsement renews every three years and is exempt from continuing education.
Reciprocity
No reciprocity or endorsement route was found.
No formal license-reciprocity or endorsement pathway is published on the CCB licensing page for HVAC-scope specialty contractors -- out-of-state contractors must complete Oregon's standard licensing process. The one exception: applicants who have already passed the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors may skip the 16-hour pre-license training, but they must still pass Oregon's own contractor exam on Oregon law and business practices.
1 state-approved training provider in Oregon — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $400
- $60
Frequently asked questions
Does Oregon license individual HVAC technicians?
No. Oregon does not issue an individual HVAC/journeyman technician license the way it does for electricians. HVAC work is licensed at the contractor/business level through the Construction Contractors Board (CCB); the business's Responsible Managing Individual (RMI) completes the training and exam on the business's behalf.
What training does the RMI need?
16 hours of CCB-approved pre-license training covering Oregon construction law, lien law, and business practices, based on the NASCLA Contractors Guide, followed by the Oregon contractor exam.
What does the exam cover and cost?
An 80-question, open-book, multiple-choice exam on Oregon law and business practices (not HVAC trade skill), administered by PSI. It costs $60, takes up to 3 hours, and requires a 70% passing score.
How much does it cost to get licensed and how often do I renew?
$400 for the initial application, which issues a two-year license; renewal is also $400 every two years. A separate, narrower Limited Maintenance Specialty Contractor HVAC/R (LHR) registration costs $75 and renews every three years with no exam.
Can an out-of-state HVAC contractor transfer their license to Oregon?
There's no dedicated reciprocity pathway -- applicants generally go through Oregon's standard 16-hour training and exam process, though holders of the NASCLA commercial exam can skip the 16-hour training and go straight to Oregon's law/business exam.
Sources
- [1] oregon.gov/ccb/pages/ccb%20license.aspx — accessed 2026-07-11