Arkansas HVAC License Requirements (2026)

The Arkansas HVACR Licensing Board licenses HVACR contractors statewide under Ark. Code Ann. § 17-33-101 et seq. Class A authorizes HVACR work without BTUH or horsepower limits. Class B is limited to air-conditioning systems of no more than 25 tons cooling per unit, heating input of no more than 1,000,000 BTUH per unit, and refrigeration systems of 15 horsepower or less per unit. A first-time applicant with no licensing background must present satisfactory evidence of at least two years of experience as an HVACR contractor or employee of one. Apprenticeship, education, and training are not prerequisite conditions; Board-approved HVACR education can be substituted for experience. The designated Class A/B license holder is responsible for HVACR work and for required employee registrations. Federal EPA Section 608 remains separately necessary for covered refrigerant work.

Regulatory Body

This license is issued and enforced by Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing — HVACR Licensing Board (Arkansas HVACR Board) pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. §§ 17-33-101 to 17-33-305. Licenses and regulates HVACR contractors and registrants, administers the board rules, examinations, continuing education, and inspection program.

Official portal: https://labor.arkansas.gov/labor/code-enforcement/hvac-r/
Address: 900 West Capitol Avenue, Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: See current Board contact information

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Check the current application for identification and tax-number requirements. The Board’s current rules do not list Arkansas residency as a standard condition. Out-of-state licensure is handled under the Board’s current examination, temporary-license, automatic-licensure, or future reciprocity provisions.

Good moral character

Applicants must meet the qualifications and criminal-history standards in the current Board rules. The Board may inquire about convictions but the rules say criminal background checks are not required.

Background investigation

Criminal background checks are not required under 17 CAR § 261-104; this corrects the former blanket background-check claim.

Experience and Education

The applicant must document and verify at least 2 years of For an applicant with no licensing background, the Board requires satisfactory evidence of at least two years’ experience as an HVACR contractor or employee of an HVACR contractor. The current rules do not impose the former separate 4,000-hour Class B and 8,000-hour Class A schedule. The Board may substitute Board-approved HVACR education for experience, supported by transcripts.. Keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records to support the claim, as the board can request proof for any period within its lookback window.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

Records, affidavits, or other bona fide evidence from current/former employers or persons able to attest to the applicant’s HVACR work background
Educational transcripts if requesting a Board-approved education-for-experience substitution
For out-of-state applicants, current license evidence and the jurisdiction’s verification, disciplinary, examination, and mechanical-code information

Education substitution

The Board may substitute Board-approved HVACR-related education for experience when transcripts are provided. Conversely, apprenticeship, education, and training are not prerequisites or conditions for licensure.

Exam Requirements

The examination requirement has not been established in this record. Confirm it with the authority before applying. Provider or process notes: Arkansas HVACR Licensing Board-approved examination process

Examination fee: The current Board rule sets a $100 fee for each Class A, B, D, or E examination. Use the Board’s current application and exam instructions to confirm the applicable examination.

Retake policy: The current rules reviewed do not support the former PSI $80 fee or a universal 30-day retake rule. Follow the Board’s current examination notice and any temporary-license deadline.

Insurance and Bonds

The cited materials impose no contractor license bond for this credential. Bear in mind that specific contracts, permits, or public works can still require their own bonds.

General liability

Class A, B, D, and E license holders must maintain liability insurance for work performed or be covered under an employer policy. Minimum coverage is $250,000 for an individual licensee or $250,000 per licensed employee under an employer policy.

Workers' compensation

Workers’ compensation obligations are separate from the HVACR license. Confirm applicable coverage before employing workers.

Additional financial requirements

The HVACR Board’s individual Class A/B rules do not list a financial-statement requirement. A separate Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board company classification may have different requirements.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application	No separate amount recorded; confirm in the fee guidance
Examination	$100
Initial license	$150
Renewal (every year)	$150

To turn these board fees into a realistic year-one budget — bond premium, liability insurance, and exam prep included — open the cost calculator preloaded for Arkansas hvac.

Renewal and Continuing Education

Expect to renew the Arkansas HVACR Class A and Class B Contractor License every year. Renewal currently costs $150. Class A annual fee is $200; Class B annual fee is $150. Confirm the current expiration date and renewal notice with the Board.

Continuing education: No HVACR license renews without at least eight hours of Board-approved continuing education during the current International Mechanical Code cycle. Complete the hours before the final year of the cycle; failure suspends the class-holder license until the Board receives verifiable completion.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Arkansas HVAC License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity

Arkansas does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

The Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing currently says the HVACR Board has no reciprocal licensing agreements with other state boards. Its rules permit future reciprocity and set conditions for a substantially similar license, but applicants should not assume an exam waiver today. Certain qualifying service members, veterans, and spouses have an automatic-licensure pathway.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares published HVAC license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

HVAC Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare Arkansas's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

Louisiana HVAC License Requirements — Louisiana Mechanical or HVACR Contractor (LSLBC)
Mississippi HVAC License Requirements — Mississippi HVAC Contractor License
Missouri HVAC License Requirements — Missouri HVAC Contractor — City and County Licensing
Oklahoma HVAC License Requirements — Oklahoma Mechanical HVAC/R Journeyman and Contractor License
Tennessee HVAC License Requirements — Tennessee CMC-C HVAC, Refrigeration and Gas Piping Contractor License
Texas HVAC License Requirements — Texas Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor License (Class A or Class B)

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Choose Class A or Class B. Class A is unlimited. Class B is limited to 25 tons cooling and 1,000,000 BTUH heating per unit and 15 horsepower refrigeration per unit.
Document at least two years of experience. A first-time applicant with no licensing background needs two years as an HVACR contractor or employee. Use records, affidavits, or bona fide employer evidence.
Use education credit if applicable. Board-approved HVACR education may substitute for experience when transcripts are submitted. It is not otherwise a mandatory prerequisite.
Apply and schedule the Board-approved exam. Submit the notarized Board application. The current rule lists $100 per Class A/B examination; the former PSI test details were unsupported.
Maintain required liability insurance. Before performing work, maintain $250,000 individual coverage or qualifying employer coverage of $250,000 per licensed employee.
Operate through the designated license holder. A Class A/B holder designated for a business is responsible for the HVACR work and for employee registrations required by the rules.
Renew and complete code-cycle CE. Licenses are annual; complete at least eight hours of Board-approved continuing education during the current International Mechanical Code cycle before renewal.

Application Checklist

The most critical documents or confirmations the applicant should have in hand before filing with Arkansas HVACR Board:

Class A or Class B scope selected
At least two years of documented HVACR experience for an unlicensed applicant
Records, affidavits, or employer evidence; transcripts for any education substitution
Notarized Board application and $100 examination fee
$250,000 liability coverage or qualifying employer policy
Board-approved examination completed
Eight Board-approved CE hours during the current IMC cycle and annual license fee

Common Filing Mistakes

Based on the board's own instructions and the sources cited here, the problems below are what most often stall a Arkansas HVAC application.

Using the old Class A/B experience split

The current rule requires at least two years for a first-time applicant with no licensing background; it does not state separate 4,000/8,000-hour class thresholds.

Misstating Class B’s limits

The current Class B heating limit is 1,000,000 BTUH per unit, not 500,000 BTUH; refrigeration is limited to 15 horsepower per unit.

Expecting state reciprocity

The Department says no state-board HVACR reciprocal agreements are currently in place.

Underinsuring the license holder

The rule requires $250,000 individual coverage or $250,000 per licensed employee under an employer policy.

Treating CE as annual

Eight hours are required per current IMC cycle, before its final year—not a blanket eight-hour annual requirement.

Study and Reference Materials

The references below are either cited by the board, used during the application, or standard preparation for the trade. They are listed purely for convenience — CLR earns no commission on any of them.

Arkansas HVACR Licensing Board rules — Code of Arkansas Rules. Use the current Class A/B scope, application, insurance, fees, reciprocity, and CE rules.
Current International Mechanical Code cycle materials — International Code Council / Board-approved CE providers. The Board’s continuing education rule specifically ties the eight-hour requirement to the current IMC cycle.
Arkansas HVAC/R statutes — Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing. Primary statutory framework for the Board and licensed HVACR work.

Other Arkansas Trade Licenses

CLR covers other Arkansas trades as well — the published guides below may be more relevant:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Arkansas HVACR Class A and Class B?

Class A is unlimited. Class B allows air conditioning up to 25 tons cooling per unit, heating up to 1,000,000 BTUH input per unit, and refrigeration up to 15 horsepower per unit.

How much experience does Arkansas require for Class A or Class B?

For applicants with no licensing background, the Board requires at least two years of HVACR contractor or employee experience. The current rule does not prescribe the former separate Class A/Class B 8,000- and 4,000-hour thresholds.

Does Arkansas reciprocate HVACR licenses?

No current reciprocal agreements are listed by the Department of Labor and Licensing. The rules authorize future reciprocity, but do not rely on a named-state exam waiver without direct Board confirmation.

What liability insurance is required?

Class A/B/D/E holders must carry $250,000 coverage individually, or be covered by an employer policy with $250,000 per licensed employee.

How often does an Arkansas HVACR license renew?

Class A and B licenses have annual fees. At least eight Board-approved CE hours are required per current International Mechanical Code cycle before renewal—not eight hours every year.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-09-04 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-03

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Corrections and presentation updates

2026-09-30: Corrected examination detection when format details are unpublished and updated the summary layout and requirements score. Source-check dates are unchanged.
2026-09-08: Shared template updated to distinguish unspecified eligibility requirements, retain cost qualifications, and use consistent headings. Source-check dates are unchanged by presentation updates.
2026-09-21: Local-only guides now use a compliance-focused structure and terminology instead of implying a statewide license application. Source-check dates are unchanged by this presentation update.