Alabama · HVAC technician licensing · verified July 2026
Alabama HVAC technician license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, Alabama licenses HVAC and refrigeration work at the contractor level through the state Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors. Anyone engaging in HVAC or refrigeration installation, service, or repair (including duct cleaning and filter-changing businesses) must hold a board certification, obtained by passing a prelicensure exam after documenting 3,000 hours of supervised experience, a board Apprentice Certificate, or graduation from an approved curriculum. Certifications renew annually by December 31 with 4 hours of continuing education per year.
Do you need a license to work as an HVAC technician in Alabama?
Alabama licenses HVAC technicians statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
Alabama licenses at the contractor (business) level only, individual technicians/helpers work under a certified contractor and are not separately state-licensed, though EPA Section 608 refrigerant certification (federal) is still required for anyone handling refrigerants. Active contractors must post a $20,000 performance bond (amount confirmed in Rule 440-X-3-.04 as amended effective Oct. 15, 2024). Reciprocity requires a current license from a listed reciprocal board with an equivalent exam passed at 70%+ and a $220 processing fee. Caution: the board's older 'New License Application' page still shows superseded figures ($150 exam fee, $15,000 bond, $190/$95 renewals) that conflict with the current 'How to Get Licensed' page and 2024 rule; the current figures are used here. A 4% service fee applies to credit card payments.
What licenses does Alabama issue?
The Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors issues the credentials below for this trade. Boards often list further classes for specialties and business licenses; these are the ones this page covers.
Hours are what each class asks for on its own terms. Where a senior class shows fewer than a journeyman, the board is counting time served after the earlier license rather than from the start; the prerequisite column says which.
| License | On-the-job hours | Classroom hours | Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certified Heating & Air Conditioning Contractor | 3,000 | not published | Yes |
| Certified Refrigeration Contractor | 3,000 | not published | Yes |
Source: Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors (hacr.alabama.gov). Verified July 2026.
Certified Heating & Air Conditioning Contractor: At least 3,000 hours (18 months) of work experience under supervision of a licensed HACR contractor, OR a board-issued Apprentice Certificate with apprenticeship certificates for the previous two years, OR graduation from a board-approved curriculum.
Certified Refrigeration Contractor: Same as heating & air conditioning: 3,000 hours (18 months) under a licensed HACR contractor, board Apprentice Certificate, or approved curriculum graduation.
What exam does Alabama require?
Heating & Air Conditioning Contractors Examination (prelicensure). Administered by Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors. Exam fee $175.
Refrigeration Contractors Examination (prelicensure). Administered by Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors. Exam fee $175.
How much does an Alabama HVAC technician license cost?
One of the fees below is carried from an older edition of the board's rules and the board has since revised its schedule, so adding them up would give a figure we cannot stand behind. The items are listed as published, and the board's current schedule is the one that governs.
- Exam feeset per license class
- Initial license fee$220
- Renewal fee (recurring)$220
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: Annual; certification lapses if not renewed by December 31 each year (expires entirely if lapsed more than one year, requiring re-examination)
Continuing education: 4 continuing education hours per year for every contractor; up to 4 excess hours (8 completed in one year) may carry over one year
How does the apprenticeship route work?
The Board issues Apprentice Certificates; an applicant holding a board Apprentice Certificate qualifies to sit for the contractor exam by submitting copies of apprenticeship certificates for the previous two years in lieu of the 3,000-hour employer-affidavit proof.
Which states does Alabama have license reciprocity with?
Alabama appears in 11 published reciprocal licensing agreements for this trade, covering LA, MS, Mississippi, Nevada, OH, Ohio, SC, TN, TX, Tennessee, WV. Boards write these as agreements between two states rather than as a one-way list, and some publish the list while their counterpart does not, so this counts every agreement naming Alabama from either side. Recognition is never automatic: the board you apply to decides, and most require the original license to have been earned by examination and to be in good standing.
How does Alabama compare to neighboring states?
Requirements stop at the state line, which matters if you live near one or expect to move. Here is what the neighboring states ask of the same trade.
| State | Journeyman hours | Licensing model |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | not published | Statewide |
| Florida | not published | Statewide |
| Georgia | not published | Statewide |
| Mississippi | not published | Contractor level only |
| Tennessee | not published | Contractor level only |
Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.
Sources and verification
Every fact on this page traces to one of these
- How to Get Licensed - Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors
- New License Application - Alabama HACR Board
- Frequently Asked Questions - Alabama HACR Board
- Amended Rule 440-X-3-.04 Forms of Licensing (adopted Aug. 7, 2024)
Last verified July 2026. Found an error? Report it and it will be corrected and logged on the corrections page.
Other states with published requirements for this trade: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California.
Price the whole path with the license cost estimator, or weigh earning against paying for school with the apprenticeship comparison. Back to HVAC technicians overview.
Licensing requirements change between our verification sweeps. This page is informational only, so confirm current requirements with Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors before making decisions. Not legal advice.