Florida HVAC License: Air Conditioning Class A, Class B and Mechanical

Florida does not issue a license called "HVAC." Heating and air-conditioning contractors are licensed by the Construction Industry Licensing Board in one of three Division II categories: Class A air-conditioning, Class B air-conditioning, or mechanical. (A fourth, Class C, is closed to new applicants.) The right choice depends on equipment size and whether you want to do piping and gas work beyond comfort cooling and heating.

The three licenses compared

All definitions are in F.S. 489.105(3).

What Class A and Class B both include

Both air-conditioning definitions allow the contractor to:

• replace, disconnect or reconnect power wiring on the line or load side of the dedicated existing electrical disconnect switch on single phase systems
• repair or replace power wiring, disconnects, breakers or fuses for dedicated HVAC circuits, using a circuit breaker lock
• install, disconnect and reconnect low voltage HVAC control wiring
• install a condensate drain to an existing safe waste or other approved disposal, but not a direct connection to a sanitary system
• perform incidental excavation and duct cleaning or equipment sanitizing that requires partial disassembly

Both definitions exclude gas fuel lines within buildings (other than appliance changeouts), potable water lines, sanitary sewer lines, swimming pool piping and filters, and electrical power wiring outside the dedicated-circuit work above. Testing and evaluating systems is within both scopes, though the statute says no license is mandatory for that work alone.

Class B limits in practice

Class B covers the bulk of residential and light commercial work, but the limit applies per system: 25 tons of cooling and 500,000 Btu of heating. Chillers, large rooftop systems and central plants above that size require Class A or mechanical.

Class C

F.S. 489.105(3)(h) limits Class C to servicing, and only people who held a valid Class C license on October 1, 1988 may keep it. There is no Class C exam for new applicants.

Certified vs registered

A certified A/C or mechanical contractor can work anywhere in Florida (F.S. 489.105(8)). A registered contractor has met local competency requirements and may contract only in that jurisdiction (F.S. 489.105(10)). Other contractors must subcontract air-conditioning and mechanical work unless they hold the trade license (F.S. 489.113(3)).

Eligibility

All three use F.S. 489.111(2): 18 or older, good moral character, and one of these experience paths in the category:

• 4 years as a skilled worker or foreman, including at least 1 year as a foreman
• a combination of foreman experience, skilled worker experience and college credit (1 to 3 years of credit)
• a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering (the appropriate degree for Class A, Class B and mechanical under Rule 61G4-15.001(4)(b)) plus 1 year of proven experience

One year is 2,000 person-hours.

Upgrades between classes

F.S. 489.111(2)(c)5 shortens the path for current license holders who pass the higher exam:

A licensed contractor adding a category does not retake Business and Finance, per PTI's 2026 instructions.

Financial responsibility and insurance

• Credit report with no unsatisfied judgments or liens, and a FICO-derived score of 660+, or a Board-approved 14-hour financial responsibility course (Rule 61G4-15.006).
• Workers' compensation, public liability and property damage insurance affidavit (F.S. 489.115(5)); minimum $100,000 liability and $25,000 property damage for air-conditioning and mechanical contractors (Rule 61G4-15.003).
• Fingerprints (F.S. 489.115(9)); 14 hours of continuing education per renewal (F.S. 489.115(4)(b)).

Exams required

You take Business and Finance plus one trade exam. All are computer-based at Pearson VUE and require 70%. The Class A and B outlines use the same nine content areas with slightly different weights; the mechanical outline adds areas for mechanical systems, mechanical equipment and excavating. See the HVAC exam guide for the full weights.

Exam volume

From Pearson VUE exam performance reports for the Florida DBPR construction exams:

References (titles only)

The 2026 Class A and Class B reference lists are the same: Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Troubleshooting Handbook; OSHA 29 CFR 1926; Contractors Manual; Pipefitters Handbook; NFPA 90A, 90B and 96; SMACNA Fibrous Glass Duct Construction Standards, HVAC Duct Construction Standards (Metal and Flexible), and Energy Systems Analysis and Management; Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology; the Trane Ductulator; Energy Efficient Building Construction in Florida; and the Florida Building Code, Mechanical and Energy Conservation volumes.

The mechanical list adds NFPA 99 (Health Care Facilities, selected chapters) and the Florida Building Code, Fuel Gas.

Fees

Step by step

1. Choose Class B, Class A or mechanical based on the systems you install now and plan to install.
2. Document 4 years of experience (or a qualifying combination) in that category, including a foreman year.
3. Register with PTI and pay $135; schedule with Pearson VUE once approved.
4. Prepare the bound references. The two SMACNA duct standards may be brought as bound PDFs.
5. Pass Business and Finance and the trade exam within four years of your first scheduled exam.
6. Apply to DBPR with credit, insurance and fingerprints.

FAQ

What is the difference between a Class A and Class B HVAC license in Florida?

Size. Class B is limited to 25 tons of cooling and 500,000 Btu of heating in any one system. Class A is unlimited and also lists boiler, unfired pressure vessel, and pressure and process piping work.

Do I need a mechanical license or a Class A license?

Choose mechanical if you want to run gas lines inside buildings, medical gas, standpipes, lift stations or fuel tank piping. For heating and cooling systems alone, Class A covers the same equipment without a size limit.

How long does it take to get an HVAC license in Florida?

At least 4 years of experience on the standard path. A certified Class B contractor can move to Class A after 1 year in the Class B license and passing the Class A exam.

Can a Class B contractor do electrical work?

Only the work listed in the definition: power wiring at the dedicated existing disconnect on single phase systems, dedicated HVAC circuit breakers and fuses with a breaker lock, and low voltage control wiring. Other electrical work requires an electrical contractor.

Is the Florida HVAC exam open book?

Yes. Bring the approved references, bound, with only permanent tabs.

Prepare for Business and Finance

The trade exam is only half of the license. Every A/C and mechanical candidate also takes the 120-question Business and Finance exam. Our Florida Business and Finance Exam Prep includes 90 days of original practice questions with explanations. See also construction lien law for the notice rules that apply to HVAC replacements.