Texas contractor licensing
Do You Need a License for HVAC Work in Texas?
Yes. Texas requires a Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor license (Class A or Class B) from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) for HVAC work, and that state license comes first. 35 of the 37 Texas cities and counties here require a local license or registration for it, and 2 do not. Local fees run from free in Abilene to free in Waco. 37 of the 37 places we could rate score 52, and Waco rates hardest at 52.
The Texas state layer for HVAC work
| License | Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor license (Class A or Class B) |
|---|---|
| Board | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) |
| Fee | $115 (application, license valid 1 year) |
| Exam | TX Environmental Air A; TX Environmental Air B; TX Commercial Refrigeration A; TX Commercial Refrigeration B. Given by PSI. Exam fee $74. $74 for Class A exams, $60 for Class B exams. |
| Experience | 48 months in the past 72 months (or 36 months plus 12 months as a certified technician). |
| Insurance | Class A: $300,000 per occurrence, $600,000 aggregate, $300,000 products/completed operations. Class B: $100,000 / $200,000 / $100,000. |
| Background check | Required |
| Continuing education | 8 hours. |
HVAC contracting requires a TDLR ACR Contractor license. Class B covers cooling systems of 25 tons and under and heating systems of 1.5 million BTU/hour and under; Class A covers any size. Experience is 48 months of supervised work in the past 72 months, or 36 months plus a technician certification held 12 months. Licenses are valid one year and need 8 hours of continuing education. TDLR runs a criminal history check. A city may not charge a registration fee to a TDLR-licensed ACR contractor for work in the city; building permit fees are allowed (Occupations Code 1302.304).
Cities commonly require ACR contractors to register their TDLR license locally before pulling mechanical permits.
Checked October 18, 2026 against TDLR ACR Contractor license; TDLR ACR exams; PSI candidate bulletin, Texas ACR exams; TDLR ACR continuing education; Texas Occupations Code 1302.304.
Exams for HVAC work in Texas
| Texas ACR Contractor, Environmental Air Class A | PSI, for TDLR | $74 | Open book | 120 scored, plus 5 unscored | 230 minutes, plus 10 for unscored items | 70% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas ACR Contractor, Environmental Air Class B | PSI, for TDLR | $60 | Open book | 100 scored, plus 5 unscored | 170 minutes, plus 10 for unscored items | 70% | |
| Texas ACR Contractor, Commercial Refrigeration Class A | PSI, for TDLR | $74 | Open book | 120 scored, plus 5 unscored | 230 minutes, plus 10 for unscored items | 70% | |
| Texas ACR Contractor, Commercial Refrigeration Class B | PSI, for TDLR | $60 | Open book | 100 scored, plus 5 unscored | 170 minutes, plus 10 for unscored items | 70% |
Tap a column to sort. Each exam name opens the provider's bulletin or exam page. A blank cell is a fact not confirmed from the provider, and the linked bulletin has the full rules.
- Study references for Texas ACR Contractor, Environmental Air Class A are the 2024 International Mechanical Code, Uniform Mechanical Code and International Fuel Gas Code (from September 1, 2026); Texas ACR law and rules (Occupations Code 1302, 16 TAC 75); Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning; ACCA Manuals D, J and S; and the other references in the bulletin.
- Study references for Texas ACR Contractor, Environmental Air Class B are the 2024 International Mechanical Code, Uniform Mechanical Code and International Fuel Gas Code (from September 1, 2026); Texas ACR law and rules (Occupations Code 1302, 16 TAC 75); Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning; ACCA Manuals D, J and S; and the other references in the bulletin.
- Study references for Texas ACR Contractor, Commercial Refrigeration Class A are the 2024 International Mechanical Code, Uniform Mechanical Code and International Fuel Gas Code (from September 1, 2026); Texas ACR law and rules (Occupations Code 1302, 16 TAC 75); Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning; and the other references in the bulletin.
- Study references for Texas ACR Contractor, Commercial Refrigeration Class B are the 2024 International Mechanical Code, Uniform Mechanical Code and International Fuel Gas Code (from September 1, 2026); Texas ACR law and rules (Occupations Code 1302, 16 TAC 75); Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning; and the other references in the bulletin.
Checked October 18, 2026 against PSI TDLR Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors Candidate Information Bulletin, updated July 9, 2026.
HVAC rules in each Texas city and county
Difficulty adds the Texas state layer to each local rule. The easiest and hardest cities page compares every trade.
| Abilene | Hard · 52 | Mechanical contractor registration | Free |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amarillo | Hard or harder · 52+ | City HVAC | |
| Austin | Hard or harder · 52+ | Trade contractor | |
| Brownsville | Hard · 52 | Mechanical | Free |
| Cedar Park | Hard · 52 | Contractor registration | Free |
| College Station | Hard or harder · 52+ | Mechanical contractor registration | |
| Converse | Hard or harder · 52+ | Contractor Registration | |
| Corpus Christi | Hard or harder · 52+ | Mechanical Contractor registration | |
| Dallas | Hard or harder · 52+ | Mechanical contractor registration | |
| Denton | Hard or harder · 52+ | HVAC contractor registration | |
| El Paso | Hard · 52 | Mechanical contractor registration | Free |
| Fort Worth | Hard · 52 | Mechanical registration | Free |
| Garland | Hard · 52 | State HVAC Contractor registration | Free |
| Georgetown | Hard · 52 | Contractor registration in My Government Online, under the Mechanical Contractor category | Free |
| Grand Prairie | Hard or harder · 52+ | Mechanical Contractor Registration | |
| Houston | Hard or harder · 52+ | Registration of the state Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor license | |
| Killeen | Hard or harder · 52+ | City of Killeen general construction registration plus state TDLR ACR license | |
| Kyle | Hard or harder · 52+ | Contractor registration with the Building Inspection Department | |
| Laredo | Hard or harder · 52+ | Mechanical Contractor registration | |
| Leander | Hard · 52 | Contractor registration form on file with Building Permits and Inspections | Free |
| Leon Valley | Hard · 52 | Contractor registration | Free |
| Lockhart | Hard or harder · 52+ | Subcontractor registration | |
| Lubbock | Hard · 52 | Mechanical contractor registration | Free |
| McKinney | Hard · 52 | Mechanical license registration | Free |
| New Braunfels | Hard or harder · 52+ | Subcontractor registration | |
| Odessa | Hard · 52 | Mechanical contractor registration | Free |
| Pflugerville | Hard or harder · 52+ | State license listed on the permit application | |
| Plano | Hard or harder · 52+ | Mechanical contractor registration | |
| Round Rock | Hard · 52 | Building Inspection contractor registration | Free |
| San Antonio | Hard or harder · 52+ | State Mechanical License Registration | |
| San Marcos | Hard or harder · 52+ | Contractor's License / Registration, Mechanical category | |
| Schertz | Hard · 52 | Mechanical Contractor registration | Free |
| Seguin | Hard · 52 | Mechanical registration | Free |
| Unincorporated Bexar County | Hard or harder · 52+ | Not required | |
| Unincorporated Comal County | Hard or harder · 52+ | Not required | |
| Universal City | Hard · 52 | Contractor registration | Free |
| Waco | Hard · 52 | Mechanical contractor registration | Free |
Tap a column to sort. Blank cells mean the city does not publish that fact. Checked October 18, 2026.
We also checked 25 more Texas cities and counties whose offices publish too little online for a full page yet.
What a HVAC work job needs in each city
Licensing is half of it. This is how each city handles the permit for HVAC work, from its own pages.
- Abilene. Mechanical permits are pulled by a registered TDLR ACR contractor.
- Amarillo. Mechanical permits ($68 stand-alone) are pulled by a TDLR ACR contractor licensed with the City.
- Austin. HVAC replacements use the residential change-out permit ($74.05 first system) activated by a registered ACR contractor.
- Brownsville. Mechanical permits are pulled by a TDLR ACR contractor registered with the City.
- Cedar Park. Heating and air conditioning equipment needs a permit by a registered, TDLR-licensed contractor.
- College Station. Mechanical permits are obtained only by a licensed ACR contractor registered with the City.
- Converse. Most heating and air conditioning work needs a mechanical permit by a registered contractor.
- Corpus Christi. Mechanical permits are pulled by a TDLR ACR contractor registered with the City.
- Dallas. Mechanical permits are pulled by a TDLR ACR contractor registered with the City.
- Denton. Mechanical permits are pulled by a TDLR ACR contractor registered with the City.
- El Paso. Mechanical permits are pulled by a TDLR ACR contractor registered with the City.
- Fort Worth. Mechanical permits are pulled by a TDLR ACR contractor registered with the City.
- Garland. Mechanical permits are pulled by a TDLR ACR contractor registered with the City.
- Georgetown. HVAC work needs a mechanical permit by a city-registered mechanical contractor.
- Grand Prairie. Mechanical permits are pulled by a TDLR ACR contractor registered with the City.
- Houston. HVAC permits are bought by a TDLR Class A or B contractor registered with the City.
- Killeen. Mechanical permits are pulled by a TDLR ACR contractor registered in MGO.
- Kyle. Most HVAC repairs and all new or replacement equipment need a permit pulled before work by a contractor registered with the city and licensed by TDLR.
- Laredo. Mechanical permits must be obtained by a licensed professional registered with the City.
- Leander. Mechanical work needs a permit by a registered, state-licensed contractor.
- Leon Valley. Mechanical work needs a trade permit by a registered contractor.
- Lockhart. Mechanical work always needs a separate mechanical permit by a registered contractor.
- Lubbock. Mechanical permits are pulled by a TDLR ACR contractor registered with the City.
- McKinney. Mechanical permits are pulled by a registered ACR contractor through CSS.
- New Braunfels. HVAC work needs a stand-alone mechanical permit filed by a city-registered mechanical contractor.
- Odessa. Mechanical permits are pulled by a registered TDLR ACR contractor.
- Pflugerville. HVAC replacements and repairs need a mechanical permit; the city publishes a Manual J/S/D unit replacement reference.
- Plano. Mechanical permits are pulled by a TDLR ACR contractor registered with the City.
- Round Rock. HVAC work that is not part of a larger project uses a standalone mechanical permit by a registered, TDLR-licensed contractor.
- San Antonio. HVAC installs and replacements need a city mechanical permit pulled by a TDLR ACR contractor registered with the city.
- San Marcos. HVAC work needs a trade permit by a city-registered mechanical contractor.
- Schertz. Mechanical repair or replacement needs a $60 mechanical permit by a registered mechanical contractor.
- Seguin. Mechanical work needs a permit by a city-registered mechanical contractor.
- Unincorporated Bexar County. No county mechanical permit was found for single-family homes; state TDLR licensing still applies.
- Unincorporated Comal County. No county mechanical permit is listed; TDLR licensing applies.
- Universal City. Mechanical work needs a permit by a registered mechanical contractor.
- Waco. Mechanical permits are pulled by a registered TDLR ACR contractor.
How to get licensed for HVAC work in Texas
- Hold a TDLR Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor license (Class A or B).
- Check the city or county where the work is for local registration and permit rules.
Rules and fees change, and this is not legal advice. Confirm with the city where the work is before you apply or bid.