Delaware to Maryland: journeyman HVAC technician license reciprocity
Maryland has a reciprocity agreement with Delaware: a Delaware journeyman HVAC technician can get a Maryland license without retaking the trade exam.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Reciprocal agreement with Delaware (journeyman)
A signed state-to-state agreement. The trade exam is waived; you apply, prove your history, and pay the fee.
The Board of HVACR Contractors lists Delaware as one of its two reciprocal-agreement states, and its reciprocity application is written for masters and journeymen 'reciprocating from Virginia [or] Delaware'. A Delaware journeyman-level HVACR licensee who holds an active license in good standing, holds a license equivalent to Maryland's journeyman license, and became licensed after meeting requirements at least equivalent to Maryland's (including the years of experience) is licensed without taking the Maryland journeyman exam. File the two-page reciprocity application by email with a copy of the Delaware license and an original letter of verification from the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation; the form states that no fee is required with the application, and the Board's fee schedule lists $25 for the journeyman license.
Delaware's Board of Plumbing, HVACR Examiners issues only master HVACR and master HVACR restricted licenses (24 Del. C. §1820 exempts journeymen working under a master), so there is no Delaware state journeyman license to reciprocate; a Delaware apprenticeship 'journeyman certificate' is a training credential, not a license, and its acceptance under this agreement was not confirmed from an official Maryland page.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Agreement
- Active
What you must already have
- Your Delaware license must be active and in good standing.
- Origin license is equivalent to the Maryland license applied for
- Became licensed in the origin state after meeting requirements at least equivalent to Maryland's, including the years of work experience required by Maryland law (Bus. Reg. §9A-305(b))
- You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.
What you'll do to get licensed in Maryland
- 1Other. Reciprocity Application for Maryland HVACR License (Journeyman box, reciprocating from Delaware) with a copy of the current Delaware license, emailed to the Board.
- 2Other. Original letter of verification (good standing) from the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation.
- 3License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($25). Journeyman license fee per the Board's July 1, 2025 fee schedule (journeyman restricted $25 per area); the reciprocity form itself carries no application fee.
- 4Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Type I/II/III/Universal) to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire. The Maryland Board's pages do not list it as a licensing prerequisite, but it applies to every technician who services refrigerant-containing equipment.
Published fees on this path total $25, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
What you'll need to buy or arrange
Exam preparation
Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.
- Other
How Maryland licenses journeyman HVAC technicians
Maryland journeyman HVAC technician · “HVACR Journeyman”
Statewide license
Maryland issues a statewide HVACR Journeyman license through the Board of Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors in the Department of Labor, a different board from the State Board of Electricians. Everyone who provides or assists in providing heating, ventilation, air-conditioning or refrigeration services in Maryland must hold a Board license (apprentice, journeyman, journeyman restricted, limited, master restricted or master); the journeyman license authorizes HVACR work under the direction and control of a licensed contractor, and a journeyman restricted license covers a single area (forced air, hydronic, ventilation, air conditioning or refrigeration). A new journeyman must have held a Maryland apprentice license for at least 4 years with at least 6,000 hours of training under a licensed contractor and pass the PSI-administered journeyman exam with 70% ($150 exam fee, $25 license fee); graduates of a Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council program are licensed without the exam. The Board has reciprocal agreements only with Delaware and Virginia, under which a qualifying journeyman is licensed without the Maryland exam. Licenses run to October 1 of odd-numbered years and renew for 2-year terms; Anne Arundel and Prince George's Counties also require a county HVACR license.
Why Delaware has nothing to transfer
Delaware journeyman HVAC technician
No individual license at this level
Delaware does not issue a journeyman or journeyperson HVACR license. The Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners issues only Master Plumber, Master HVACR and Master HVACR Restricted licenses, and 24 Del. C. § 1820(c)(1) lets 'an apprentice, journeyman, mechanic or other person' provide HVACR services without a license while working under the supervision of a master HVACR licensee who is their employer or a full-time employee of the same business. An out-of-state journeyman license therefore has nothing to transfer to in Delaware and is neither required nor recognized for employment; technicians who service refrigerant-containing equipment still need federal EPA Section 608 certification. Delaware's own 'journeyman certificate' is a certificate of completion from a federally-registered HVACR apprenticeship program, which is an experience credential used toward the master license rather than a license: with it, 2 years of post-apprenticeship work under a master (in Delaware or under a similar-level licensee in another state) qualifies an applicant for the Master HVACR exam, and without it 7 years of supervised experience plus the Apprenticeship By-Pass exam are required. Out-of-state journeyman experience gained under a licensed master counts toward those requirements.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Maryland journeyman HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Delaware?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path under the agreement with Delaware.
- What does it cost to get a Maryland journeyman HVAC technician license from Delaware?
- Published fees on this path total $25, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Does it work the other way, from Maryland to Delaware?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Maryland to Delaware, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- EPA Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements · 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F (Clean Air Act §608) · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · Other · verified September 15, 2026Federal requirement in every state: technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants into the atmosphere must be certified (Type I small appliances, Type II high-pressure, Type III low-pressure, Universal). Apprentices under direct supervision are exempt. Certification does not expire; the core exam must be proctored for Universal certification. State HVAC boards commonly require it before licensure, but it is not itself a state license.
- Md. Code, Business Regulation §9A-101 - Definitions (HVACR licenses) · Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §9A-101 · Maryland General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Defines the journeyman license (HVACR services under the direction and control of a licensed contractor), journeyman restricted, master, master restricted, limited and apprentice licenses; 'licensed contractor' means a master, master restricted or limited licensee, not a journeyman or apprentice.
- Md. Code, Business Regulation §9A-301 - License required · Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §9A-301 · Maryland General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026An individual shall be licensed by the Board before providing or assisting in providing heating, ventilation, air-conditioning or refrigeration services in the State.
- Md. Code, Business Regulation §9A-302 - Qualifications of applicants · Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §9A-302 · Maryland General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026(b) master: regularly and principally employed providing HVACR services under a journeyman, journeyman restricted, limited or master restricted license for at least 3 years under the direction and control of a master contractor, 1,875 hours in the year before application, and pass the Board exam. (e) journeyman: held an apprentice license at least 4 years and completed at least 6,000 hours of training under a licensed contractor, and pass the exam. (g) the Board may credit up to 3 years of formal study, may credit up to 6 years of HVACR work experience that fails to meet those requirements if it provided comparable experience and the failure was not the applicant's fault, and shall credit up to 3 years for teaching HVACR courses.
- Md. Code, Business Regulation §9A-305 - Waiver of examination for out-of-state licensees (reciprocity) · Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §9A-305 · Maryland General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026On a majority vote of its authorized membership the Board may waive the examination for an individual licensed in another state as a journeyman, journeyman restricted, master, master restricted or limited HVACR contractor, if the applicant pays the application fee, meets the qualifications otherwise required, holds an active license in good standing, holds an equivalent license, and became licensed after meeting requirements at least equivalent to Maryland's including the years of work experience under §9A-302(b), (c) and (d); and only if the other state waives its exam for Maryland licensees to a similar extent.
- Md. Code, Business Regulation §9A-306 - Licenses without examination (apprenticeship graduates) · Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §9A-306(e) · Maryland General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026(e) the Board shall issue a journeyman license without examination to an individual who completed an HVACR apprenticeship program approved by the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council (journeyman restricted for a single-area program); (g) all other journeyman applicants since January 1, 1995 must be examined.
- Md. Code, Business Regulation §9A-309 - Term and renewal of licenses · Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §9A-309 · Maryland General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Licenses expire on the first October 1 in an odd-numbered year after issuance and renew for 2-year terms; contractor licensees must submit proof of insurance at renewal; inactive status is available.
- Maryland HVACR Board - Apply for an Original License (license categories) · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Describes each category: master (all areas), master restricted (one or more areas), limited contractor (maintain and repair only), journeyman (HVACR services under the direction and control of a licensed contractor), journeyman restricted, and apprentice (no prerequisites). Offers an 'Original Journey and Journey Restricted WITHOUT Exam' application for graduates of a Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council program with a Department of Labor certificate of completion, and separate post-exam applications for journey and master/master restricted/limited licenses.
- Maryland Board of Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors (HVACR) - Home · Md. Code, Bus. Reg. Title 9A; COMAR 09.15 · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026States that the Board licenses and regulates individuals who provide commercial and residential HVACR services under Business Regulation Article 9A and COMAR 09.15, adopts codes, investigates complaints and may impose civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation.
- Maryland HVACR Board - County Licenses and Permits · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Anne Arundel and Prince George's Counties also require a county HVACR license in addition to the Maryland HVACR license; other counties and cities may require local plumbing, gasfitting and electrical permits and may enforce their own mechanical codes.
- Maryland HVACR Board - Licensing Frequently Asked Questions · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Faq · verified September 15, 2026FAQ 6: every contractor who provides HVACR services in Maryland must hold a Board license regardless of any other state's license, even without a Maryland office. FAQ 9: HVACR licensees of other states may apply through reciprocity without sitting for the Maryland exam only where the other state and the Board have an agreement; 'The Board currently has reciprocal agreements with Delaware and Virginia.' Also: exam applications are processed by PSI, the exam fee must accompany the application, a failed exam may be retaken after 30 days (60 days for later attempts) with a new fee, and passing candidates register the license with the Department.
- Maryland HVACR Board - Fees (COMAR fee schedule effective July 1, 2025) · COMAR 09.15.01.03 · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Nonrefundable fees as of July 1, 2025: Master $94.50; Master Restricted $31.50 for each area licensed (capped at three areas); Limited $94.50; Journeyman $25.00; Journeyman Restricted $25.00 for each area; Apprentice $12.00; Inspector $56.00; Letter of Good Standing $25; Inactive license $31.50. The page lists no separate application, reciprocity or renewal fee.
- Maryland HVACR Board - Licensing Requirements (master, master restricted, limited, journeyman) · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Master: licensed as a journeyman and regularly and principally employed providing all areas of HVACR services for at least 3 years under a HVACR master, 1,875 hours in the year before applying, 70% on the master exam, currently holds a journeyman or higher license; insurance if contracting. Master restricted and limited (2 years, 1,000 hours) listed likewise. Journeyman: licensed as an apprentice for at least 4 years with at least 6,000 hours of training under a licensed HVACR contractor, 70% on the journeyman exam, currently holds an apprentice license.
- Maryland HVACR Board - Apply for a Reciprocal License · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Reciprocal licensing is permitted only where the other state and the Maryland HVACR Board have entered into a reciprocal agreement and the individual meets the qualifications of Maryland's HVACR law, holds an active license in good standing in the other state, holds a license equivalent to the Maryland license, and became licensed there after meeting requirements at least equivalent to Maryland's, including the years of work experience. 'The Board currently has reciprocal agreements with Delaware and Virginia.' Links the reciprocity application for masters, master restricted, journey and journey restricted licensees of Delaware or Virginia.
- Maryland HVACR Board - Reciprocity Application for Maryland HVACR License (Word form) · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Form · verified September 15, 2026Two-page form headed 'NO FEE REQUIRED WITH THIS APPLICATION'. Applicant checks Master or Journeyman and 'Reciprocating from Virginia / Delaware', attaches a copy of the license, answers age, conviction and discipline questions, and must attach an original letter of verification from the Virginia Board for Contractors or the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation. Signed application and documents are emailed to [email protected].
- Maryland State Board of HVACR Contractors - Qualification Information Bulletin (PSI, updated 9/1/2024) · Maryland Department of Labor / PSI Services LLC · Other · verified September 15, 2026Exam fees: Master Contractor $150, Limited Contractor $150, Journeyman $150, each Master Restricted or Journeyman Restricted specialty $50; fees valid for one attempt and 90 days. Master HVACR Contractor exam: 100 questions, 70% to pass, 240 minutes; restricted exams 40-50 questions, 90-120 minutes; all open book (2012 International Mechanical Code, Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, ACCA Manual J, 29 CFR 1926, ACCA Ductulator). Repeats the $300,000/$100,000 insurance requirement. Its journeyman eligibility text (apprentice license 3 years with 1,875 hours, or an approved apprenticeship, or 3 years of qualifying experience on Board approval) predates the current statutory 4-year/6,000-hour standard on the Board's requirements page.
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.