Texas HVAC Contractor License Requirements (2026)

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) issues the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor License under the Texas Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor License Law (Tex. Occ. Code Chapter 1302). Texas issues two contractor classes — Class A (no equipment-size limit) and Class B (cooling systems of 25 tons or less and heating systems of 1.5 million BTU/hour or less) — each available with three endorsements: Environmental Air Conditioning, Commercial Refrigeration, and Process Cooling and Heating. Every contractor must additionally hold the federal EPA Section 608 Technician Certification for refrigerant handling.

Regulatory Body Profile

Licensing for this trade is governed by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), the agency that issues and regulates the credential under Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1302 (Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor License Law); 16 Tex. Admin. Code Chapter 75. TDLR licenses and regulates air conditioning and refrigeration contractors and technicians, adopts the International Mechanical Code by reference, investigates complaints, and may impose administrative penalties of up to $5,000 per day per violation.

Official portal: https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/acr/
Address: P.O. Box 12157, Austin, TX 78711-2157
Phone: (512) 463-6599 / (800) 803-9202

The Eligibility Audit

The applicant must be at least 18 years of age and possess a valid Social Security Number. No Texas residency requirement.

Good moral character

TDLR conducts a criminal background check on every applicant under Tex. Occ. Code Chapter 53. Convictions directly related to the practice of air conditioning and refrigeration may result in denial.

Background investigation

Mandatory criminal history check via the Texas Department of Public Safety. Applicants with prior convictions submit a Criminal History Questionnaire.

Experience and Education Standards

A minimum of 4 years of practical experience in air conditioning and refrigeration work under the supervision of a licensed Texas air conditioning and refrigeration contractor must be documented and verified. Unless the board publishes a different lookback period, applicants should keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records that support the claimed experience.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

Experience Verification Form (TDLR ACR-002) completed and signed by each supervising licensed contractor
W-2 statements, pay stubs, or 1099 records covering the supervised period
TDLR ACR Technician Certification (where applicable, may shorten the supervised work requirement to three years)

Education substitution

Holding a TDLR ACR Technician Certification for at least 12 months reduces the supervised practical experience requirement to 36 months within the past 48 months.

The Exam Syllabus

Testing is handled by PSI Services LLC (under contract to TDLR). The applicant has to pass each part listed here before the credential is granted:

Texas ACR Contractor Examination — Law and Trade — 80 questions, 180 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: Class A examination $75; Class B examination $60. Additional endorsement examinations are charged separately.

Retake policy: Failed examinations may be re-attempted by paying a new examination fee. All licensing requirements must be completed within one year of filing the TDLR application.

Bonding, Insurance & Financial Security

No license surety bond is mandated statewide here under the cited sources, though project-specific or public-works bonding obligations can still attach to a given job.

General liability

Class A: commercial general liability of at least $300,000 per occurrence and $600,000 aggregate, with $300,000 products and completed operations coverage. Class B: commercial general liability of at least $100,000 per occurrence and $200,000 aggregate, with $100,000 products and completed operations coverage. TDLR must be named as a certificate holder.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is not mandated by TDLR but is required by most general contractors operating commercial sites in Texas.

Schedule of Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$115
Examination	$75
Initial license	No separate state fee
Renewal (every year)	$115

Renewal and Continuing Obligations

The Texas Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor License (Class A or Class B) runs on a year renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $115. Texas ACR Contractor licenses renew annually on the anniversary of original issuance. Insurance must remain in force continuously; a lapse in coverage is a separate enforcement violation.

Continuing education: Eight hours of TDLR-approved continuing education each renewal cycle, including code updates and refrigerant safety.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Out-of-State Reciprocity

For this classification, Texas does not recognize the NASCLA Accredited Examination.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
Arkansas	Trade exam waived	Bilateral TDLR–Arkansas reciprocity for active ACR contractors.
Georgia	Trade exam waived	Bilateral TDLR–Georgia reciprocity for active ACR contractors in good standing.
New Mexico	Trade exam waived	Bilateral TDLR–New Mexico reciprocity for active ACR contractors.

TDLR maintains an active list of bilateral ACR reciprocity partners on its Out-of-State Applicants page. NASCLA does not administer an HVAC examination.

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

The Application Roadmap

Determine the desired license class and endorsement. Class A authorizes work on equipment of any size; Class B caps at 25 tons cooling / 1.5 million BTU/hour heating. Choose the Environmental Air Conditioning, Commercial Refrigeration, and/or Process Cooling and Heating endorsements that match the intended scope of work.
Document supervised experience. Accumulate 48 months of supervised practical experience in the past 72 months — or 36 months in the past 48 months if combined with at least 12 months of TDLR ACR Technician Certification.
Complete the Experience Verification Form. Each supervising licensed ACR contractor must complete and sign TDLR form ACR-002. Applicant-completed forms are rejected.
Submit the ACR Contractor License application. Mail the completed application with the $115 application fee to TDLR.
Pass the Criminal History Questionnaire (if applicable). Applicants with prior convictions submit the questionnaire and supporting documentation. Review takes one to six weeks.
Schedule and sit for the PSI examination. After TDLR approval, schedule the Class A or Class B exam at a PSI test center in Texas. Score 70% or higher to pass.
Submit the Certificate of Insurance. After passing the exam, file the commercial general liability certificate with TDLR named as certificate holder. The license cannot issue until insurance is on file.
Hold federal EPA 608 Technician Certification. Anyone who maintains, services, repairs, or disposes of equipment that could release refrigerants must hold a current EPA Section 608 certification (Type I, II, III, or Universal). This is enforced under the Clean Air Act independently of TDLR.
Receive the wallet card and wall certificate. TDLR issues the ACR Contractor license valid for one year from the date of issuance.

Pre-Application Checklist

Ahead of submission to TDLR, confirm every item on this short list:

☐ Completed ACR Contractor License Application (Form ACR-002) with $115 fee
☐ Experience Verification Form documenting 48 months of supervised practical experience (or 36 months with technician certification)
☐ Criminal History Questionnaire (if any prior conviction other than minor traffic)
☐ Certificate of Insurance — Class A: $300,000/$600,000 GL; Class B: $100,000/$200,000 GL — with TDLR as certificate holder
☐ Current EPA Section 608 Technician Certification card for the qualifier

Where Applications Stall

The following pitfalls summarize the issues most likely to delay, return, or derail a Texas HVAC Technician application based on the published board instructions and source materials cited on this page.

Choosing the wrong license class

A Class B contractor who installs a 30-ton commercial rooftop unit is operating outside the scope of the license, which is grounds for administrative penalty even if the work is otherwise compliant. Estimate the largest equipment likely to be installed and select Class A if the answer is over 25 tons.

Insurance lapse

TDLR receives automatic notification when an insurance certificate lapses. The license is administratively suspended on the lapse date and cannot be reactivated until a new certificate is on file.

Missing endorsements

A contractor with only the Environmental Air Conditioning endorsement cannot legally service walk-in coolers or process cooling equipment. Add the Commercial Refrigeration and Process Cooling and Heating endorsements (with their associated exams) before bidding work outside environmental air conditioning.

Forgetting EPA 608 enforcement

A TDLR ACR license without EPA Section 608 certification on file for the technician handling refrigerants is a federal Clean Air Act violation. EPA enforcement is independent of TDLR and can result in significant per-violation fines.

Self-completed experience verification forms

TDLR rejects any Experience Verification Form that appears to have been completed by the applicant rather than the supervising contractor. The form must be signed in ink by each supervisor.

Recommended Study Materials

The following references are cited by the regulator, used in the application process, or commonly used to prepare for the trade scope. Listed for reader convenience; CLR receives no compensation for these recommendations.

International Mechanical Code (IMC), edition adopted by TDLR — International Code Council. Primary technical reference for the ACR contractor examination. Adopted by reference in 16 TAC §75.100.
16 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 75 (Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors) — Texas Secretary of State. TDLR rules governing ACR licensing — heavily tested on the law portion.
ACCA Manual J, Manual D, and Manual S — Air Conditioning Contractors of America. Industry-standard load calculation, duct design, and equipment selection references.
Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1302 — Texas Legislature. Statutory basis for Texas ACR licensing.

Other Texas Trade Licenses

For a different Texas credential, see these companion guides published by CLR:

Common Questions

What is the difference between Texas ACR Class A and Class B?

Class A authorizes work on air conditioning and refrigeration equipment of any size, with no equipment limit. Class B is limited to cooling systems of 25 tons or less and heating systems of 1.5 million BTU/hour or less. Class A carries a higher general liability insurance minimum ($300,000/$600,000 versus $100,000/$200,000) and a higher exam fee.

What are the insurance minimums for a Texas HVAC contractor?

Class A contractors must carry commercial general liability of at least $300,000 per occurrence and $600,000 aggregate, with $300,000 products and completed operations coverage. Class B contractors must carry $100,000 per occurrence and $200,000 aggregate, with $100,000 products and completed operations coverage. TDLR must be named as a certificate holder.

How much experience does Texas require for an HVAC contractor license?

TDLR requires 48 months of supervised practical air conditioning and refrigeration experience within the past 72 months, or 36 months within the past 48 months if combined with at least 12 months of TDLR ACR Technician Certification.

Do I need EPA 608 in addition to the TDLR ACR license?

Yes. The EPA Section 608 Technician Certification is a federal requirement under the Clean Air Act for any technician who handles refrigerants. It is enforced independently of the TDLR license and is required for every individual who services refrigerant-containing equipment.

How often does the Texas ACR contractor license renew?

Annually. Renewal is $115 and requires eight hours of TDLR-approved continuing education.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-05-18 · Next scheduled review 2026-08-16