Texas HVAC (ACR Contractor) License Requirements
Texas licenses HVAC contracting through TDLR’s Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (ACR) program — no bond required, but insurance, hours, and annual continuing education all are.
- Quick facts
- Class A vs. Class B, and the endorsements
- Steps to get licensed
- Renewal and continuing education
- Reciprocity
- FAQ
Quick facts
| Regulator | Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (ACR) program |
|---|---|
| License | ACR Contractor License, Class A (no equipment-size limit) or Class B (cooling capacity up to 25 tons, heating up to 1.5 million BTU/hr) |
| Endorsements | Environmental Air Conditioning, Commercial Refrigeration, and Process Cooling and Heating — added to a base Class A or Class B license depending on the work you do |
| Experience required | 48 months of supervised experience within the past 72 months, or 36 months of supervised experience within the past 48 months plus 12 months holding a Technician certification |
| Bond | None required. TDLR instead requires commercial general liability insurance — $300,000 per occurrence / $600,000 aggregate for Class A, $100,000 per occurrence / $200,000 aggregate for Class B |
| Application fee | $115 |
| Renewal fee | $65 per year |
| Renewal cycle | Annual |
| Continuing education | 8 hours per year, including 1 mandatory hour covering Texas ACR law and rules |
Class A vs. Class B, and the endorsements
Texas doesn’t issue a single, undifferentiated HVAC contractor license. A Class A ACR Contractor License has no limit on the size of equipment you can work on. A Class B ACR Contractor License is capped at 25 tons of cooling capacity and 1.5 million BTU/hr of heating capacity — enough for most residential and light commercial work, but not large commercial or industrial systems. On top of either base class, three separate endorsements are available depending on the specific work you do: Environmental Air Conditioning, Commercial Refrigeration, and Process Cooling and Heating. There’s also a lower-tier Technician Registration/Certification, which doesn’t require an exam and doesn’t authorize you to operate as a contractor on your own — it’s a stepping stone toward the Class B or Class A contractor license, and time spent holding it can count toward your experience requirement.
Steps to get licensed
- Determine which class (A or B) and endorsements match your work.
- Accumulate the required experience — 48 months supervised in the past 72 months, or 36 months supervised plus 12 months as a certified Technician.
- Secure the required commercial general liability insurance ($300K/$600K for Class A, $100K/$200K for Class B).
- Submit your application and $115 fee to TDLR.
- Once licensed, complete 8 hours of continuing education annually (including 1 hour on Texas ACR law and rules) and pay the $65 annual renewal fee to keep your license active.
Renewal and continuing education
ACR Contractor licenses renew annually for $65, and TDLR requires 8 hours of continuing education each year to renew, with at least 1 of those hours specifically covering Texas ACR law and administrative rules (Occupations Code Chapter 1302 and 16 TAC Chapter 75). This is an ongoing annual obligation, not a one-time requirement — missing it can affect your ability to renew on time.
Reciprocity
TDLR’s ACR reciprocity is limited to two states, and each mapping is narrow rather than a blanket transfer. An unrestricted Georgia Class II Conditioned Air license can reciprocate to a Texas Class A Environmental Air Conditioning license only — not the full, unrestricted Class A. South Carolina has several license-to-license mappings available, but South Carolina’s heating-only licenses are specifically excluded. In both cases, you generally need at least 1 year holding the out-of-state license, a letter of good standing from that state’s board, and you still pay the standard $115 application fee. If you’re coming from a state other than Georgia or South Carolina, there’s no reciprocity path — you apply through the standard experience and licensing process.
Do I need a bond to get an ACR contractor license in Texas?
No. TDLR doesn’t require a surety bond for ACR contractors — instead, you need commercial general liability insurance, with minimum coverage amounts that depend on whether you hold a Class A or Class B license.
What’s the difference between Class A and Class B?
Class A has no limit on equipment size. Class B is capped at 25 tons of cooling capacity and 1.5 million BTU/hr of heating capacity — sufficient for most residential and light commercial jobs, but not for larger commercial or industrial systems.
Can I use my out-of-state HVAC license in Texas?
Only if it’s from Georgia or South Carolina, and only for the specific license mappings TDLR’s reciprocity page lists — it’s not a blanket transfer even from those two states. Applicants from any other state go through Texas’s standard experience and licensing process.
Does my Texas ACR license cover handling refrigerant?
No. The ACR contractor license authorizes you to operate an HVAC contracting business in Texas, but handling refrigerant requires the separate federal EPA Section 608 certification, which applies nationwide and isn’t administered by TDLR.