Texas HVAC license requirements at a glance
- Issued by
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
- License required
- Yes, technicians register; contractors must hold an ACR license
- Experience
- 4 years practical experience
- Exam
- Texas ACR Contractor Exam (PSI)
- State fees
- $115 application fee plus exam costs
- Renewal
- Every 1 year
- Avg. TX HVAC salary
- $61,230/yr (2025)
- Federal
- EPA Section 608 required
How do you get an HVAC license in Texas?
- Register with TDLR as an ACR technician (no exam required, about $20) and start working under a licensed contractor
- Accumulate 48 months of practical experience under a licensed ACR contractor within the previous 72 months
- Obtain EPA Section 608 certification for refrigerant handling (federal requirement)
- Pass the TDLR ACR contractor exam for your class (A: unlimited tonnage; B: up to 25 tons cooling / 1.5M BTU heating)
- Apply for your Class A or B license ($115) and secure the required insurance
What license tiers does Texas offer?
Texas runs a two-tier system by design: ACR technician registration (about $20, no exam) is the immediate entry tier, and the ACR contractor license (Class A unlimited, Class B up to 25 tons cooling / 1.5M BTU heating) is the destination tier after 48 months. There is no restricted middle license, your technician registration is your working credential the entire way.
What is the Texas HVAC exam like?
The ACR contractor exam is administered by PSI, is open-book with the mechanical code and reference materials, and differs by class only in equipment scope, Class A and B candidates face similar formats. TDLR publishes the current candidate information bulletin with exact fees and passing scores; check it the week you schedule.
How much does an HVAC license cost in Texas?
About $135 in state costs to reach contractor status: roughly $20 for technician registration and a $115 license application, plus exam fees. The 48 months of required experience are paid work, so most Texas techs reach their ACR license with almost no training debt.
How long does it take to become an HVAC tech in Texas?
The clock is the 4 years of practical experience, paid full-time work under a licensed contractor. Technicians can register and start working immediately; reaching full ACR contractor status takes 48 months of practical experience under a licensed contractor.
Is HVAC a good career in Texas?
Texas average from state wage data (2025 estimate). National median from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2023). Verify current figures with BLS.
What does it take to start your own HVAC business in Texas?
Texas ACR contractors must carry insurance meeting TDLR's minimums for their license class and keep it current, lapsed insurance suspends the license automatically. There's no state bond requirement for ACR contractors, which keeps Texas one of the cheaper states to hang your own shingle.
What most guides get wrong about Texas
Texas is one of the fastest states to start earning in, technician registration is about $20 with no exam. The long game is the 48-month clock toward your own contractor license; start it on day one by making sure your employer is properly licensed.
Texas HVAC license: frequently asked questions
Do HVAC technicians need a license in Texas?
Technicians need to register with TDLR (about $20, no exam) and work under a licensed ACR contractor. The full contractor license, required to pull permits and run your own jobs, takes 48 months of experience plus an exam.
What is the difference between Class A and Class B in Texas?
Class A has no equipment size limit. Class B caps you at 25 tons of cooling and 1.5 million BTU of heating, fine for most residential work. The exam and experience requirements are otherwise similar, so many techs go straight for Class A.
How much do HVAC contractors make in Texas?
Employed technicians average around $61,000 statewide, with metro areas like Austin and Dallas running higher. Licensed contractors running their own operations commonly clear six figures, which is why the 48-month experience requirement is worth completing.
Does Texas accept HVAC licenses from other states?
Texas has limited reciprocity. TDLR evaluates out-of-state experience case by case, and verified experience under another state's licensed contractor generally counts toward the 48-month requirement.
HVAC licensing in every state
Blue states are live. Orange is this page. Gray states are publishing weekly.