Ohio to Connecticut: journeyman HVAC technician license reciprocity
Ohio does not issue a statewide journeyman HVAC technician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Connecticut's standard path for out-of-state applicants.
Your origin state does not issue a statewide license at this level, so there is no license to transfer. The destination's standard out-of-state path is shown; expect to meet it in full.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Journeyperson by equivalent out-of-state license (all states)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
An HVAC technician licensed in any other state applies under DCP's 'Heating Journeyperson - Equivalent Out of State License' path. DCP reviews one out-of-state license for equivalency: it must have required the same number of classroom hours (576 for the S-2), an equivalent classroom curriculum matching DCP's Exhibit A courses, and the same on-the-job training hours (8,000 for the S-2) as the Connecticut license applied for; the limited D-2 class needs 4,000 OJT and 432 classroom hours and the B-2 needs 2,000 and 288. The applicant submits a copy of the license, an official license verification, the laws and regulations that set the requirements met to obtain it, and the scope of work for that license; only one license will be reviewed and the $90 application fee is non-refundable. If the license is found equivalent, DCP approves the applicant to sit the S-2 exam with PSI ($59 per portion, eligibility valid one year), and the license is issued after passing on payment of the $120 initial license fee. The out-of-state license does not waive the Connecticut exam because Connecticut has no reciprocal agreements. If the license cannot be shown equivalent, the applicant must instead document 576 classroom hours and 8,000 OJT hours with transcripts and notarized employer letters under the equivalent experience and training path.
DCP's out-of-state license page does not itself restate that the exam is required; the exam requirement follows from the Heating, Cooling and Sheet Metal Work Licenses page (every individual applicant must take an exam), CGS 20-334a(a)(2) (competency shown by the state licensure examination) and the PSI bulletin (the State determines eligibility, then the candidate tests). CGS 20-333a permits licensure without examination only where the other state reciprocates for Connecticut licensees, and DCP states no such agreements exist. Many states issue a single HVAC or refrigeration license rather than a heating-piping-cooling license with a 576-hour curriculum, so an applicant may be found equivalent only to a limited class such as the D-2. Neither DCP page mentions EPA Section 608; it is a federal requirement that applies regardless. Typical processing time is not published.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your Ohio license must be active and in good standing.
- The out-of-state license must be equivalent: it required the same classroom hours (576 for the S-2; 432 for the D-2; 288 for the B-2), an equivalent curriculum matching Exhibit A, and the same OJT hours (8,000 S-2; 4,000 D-2; 2,000 B-2) as the Connecticut class applied forOnly one out-of-state license is reviewed for equivalency.
- You must document at least 8,000 hours of qualifying work experience.On-the-job training hours required for the S-2; demonstrated through the equivalent out-of-state license or, failing that, through notarized employer letters under the experience and training path.
What you'll do to get licensed in Connecticut
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($90). Journeyperson application fee, non-refundable (CGS 20-333).
- 2Other. Copy of the out-of-state license, official license verification, the laws/regulations listing the requirements met to obtain it, and the scope of work for that license.
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. S-2 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Journeyperson exam administered by PSI: 70 questions, 3 hours, 70% to pass, open book (D-2: 60 questions, 2 hours; B-2: 40 questions, 1.5 hours).
- 4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($59). PSI examination fee per portion, not refundable or transferable (same fee for retakes).
- 5License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($120). Initial license fee for a journeyperson license after passing the exam (CGS 20-335); renews annually for $120, expiring August 31.
- 6Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Type I/II/III/Universal) to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire.
Published fees on this path total $269, 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.
- Trade exam
- Exam fee · $59
- Other
How Connecticut licenses journeyman HVAC technicians
Connecticut journeyman HVAC technician · “S-2 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Journeyperson”
Statewide license
Connecticut licenses HVAC work statewide through the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) as 'heating, piping and cooling' work; the journeyman-level credential is the S-2 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Journeyperson, which covers all heating, piping and cooling work defined in CGS 20-330 while employed by a licensed contractor. Narrower journeyperson classes exist for technicians whose experience is limited to part of the trade, chiefly the D-2 Limited Warm Air, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Journeyperson (no oil burner servicing) and the B-2 Limited Gas and Oil Burner Journeyperson, plus D-4 cooling-only, G-2 gas piping and S-10 light heating-cooling classes. A new S-2 applicant qualifies through a Connecticut apprenticeship, through equivalent experience and training (8,000 on-the-job hours and 576 classroom hours), or by holding an equivalent out-of-state license, and in every path must pass the PSI-administered S-2 exam (70 questions, 3 hours, 70%, open book). DCP states that Connecticut does not have reciprocal agreements with any other jurisdiction, even though CGS 20-333a would allow the Commissioner to waive the exam for licensees of states that reciprocate. The application fee is $90, the exam is $59 per portion and the initial license fee is $120; licenses expire every August 31 and renew for $120. EPA Section 608 refrigerant certification is a separate federal requirement for anyone handling refrigerants.
Why Ohio has nothing to transfer
Ohio journeyman HVAC technician
Licensed by cities and counties
Issued by No state authority; Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board licenses contractors only
Ohio does not issue a journeyman HVAC, HVAC technician or refrigeration mechanic license. The Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) licenses individual HVAC contractors and refrigeration contractors for commercial work, and R.C. 4740.01 defines everyone else on the job as a 'tradesperson' employed by a contractor, with no state license or card. Where a personal journeyman credential exists it comes from a city ordinance: Toledo examines and licenses HVAC and Refrigeration Journeymen through its Division of Building Inspection and registers 'traveler' journeymen from other jurisdictions, while Cincinnati and Hamilton only register contractors (a 'Master Registration' in Hamilton) and license no individual technicians. An out-of-state journeyman HVAC license therefore has no state-level recognition in Ohio; it is useful only as proof of experience where a city requires it, or as one of the documents OCILB accepts (an active journeyman's card) toward the five-year tradesperson requirement for the state contractor exam. Anyone who handles refrigerants must still hold federal EPA Section 608 technician certification, which is required in every state but is not an Ohio license.
How local licensing works in Ohio
How local licensing works. Ohio's contractor licensing statute (R.C. Chapter 4740) covers only the individual HVAC and refrigeration contractor licenses issued by OCILB and does not license tradespersons; any journeyman or technician requirement is local. Most large cities require only that HVAC work be done by or under a state-licensed contractor who has registered with the city.
Toledo. The Division of Building Inspection issues an HVAC Journeyman license after an examination ($100 exam fee) to applicants who prove graduation from an apprentice program with 5,600 hours of work experience and 576 hours of schooling, or who hold a journeyman certificate earned by testing in another city jurisdiction; a Traveler Journeyman registration ($100) is available with the same documentation, and apprentices register for $25 (state-program indenture papers attached). Applications are notarized, include an employment history and three references, and are approved by the Board of Control. Toledo also issues Refrigeration journeyman and apprentice licenses and Mechanical contractor licenses; all renew by December 31 each year.
Cincinnati. Contractors performing work in the city must hold an annual contractor registration under Municipal Code Chapter 1106 ($131.25 including surcharges); registration of state-licensed contractors runs until the state license expires. Cincinnati does not license journeyman or technician-level HVAC workers.
Hamilton. A Master Registration is required to obtain HVAC permits and covers the registrant's registered employees; no journeyman registration or exam is described.
Out-of-state holders. None of the pages reviewed publish a reciprocity path for another state's journeyman or technician license. Toledo's application does accept a journeyman certificate obtained by testing in another city jurisdiction as a qualification to sit for its exam or register as a traveler journeyman.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Connecticut journeyman HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Ohio?
- Yes. Connecticut requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Connecticut journeyman HVAC technician license from Ohio?
- Published fees on this path total $269, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Ohio work hours count in Connecticut?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Connecticut's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Connecticut to Ohio?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Connecticut to Ohio, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 393 - Occupational Licensing (Electrical, Plumbing and Piping, Heating, Cooling...) · CGS §§ 20-333, 20-333a, 20-334a, 20-335 · Connecticut General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026§20-333: non-refundable application fee of $90 for limited licenses and journeyman-type licenses under 20-334a(a)(2)-(3) and $150 for unlimited contractor licenses under 20-334a(a)(1); competency is shown by examination. §20-333a Reciprocity: the Commissioner may grant a license without examination to a currently practicing, competent person holding a similar license from another state with substantially similar or higher requirements, but only if that state grants the same privilege to Connecticut licensees; DCP reports no such agreements exist. §20-334a(a)(1)(A): an unlimited contractor's license may be issued to a person who served as a journeyman in the trade for at least two years 'and, if such service as a journeyman was outside this state, has furnished evidence satisfactory to the appropriate state board or the department that such service is comparable to similar service in this state', and has passed the examination; (a)(2)(A): an unlimited journeyman's license requires a bona fide apprenticeship including not less than four years' experience and passing the state licensure examination. §20-335: initial license fee $150 for a contractor's license and $120 for any other license; licenses expire annually; renewal $150 contractor / $120 other. The page returned a TLS certificate error to the fetch tool on 2026-09-15 and was downloaded directly with curl to read the section text.
- Connecticut DCP - Heating, Cooling and Sheet Metal Work Licenses (application paths, fees, renewal) · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Landing page for the heating, piping and cooling trades. Lists the three contractor paths (2+ years as a journeyperson, equivalent experience and training, equivalent out-of-state license) and the three journeyperson paths (Connecticut apprenticeship completion, equivalent experience and training, equivalent out-of-state license). Application fee: contractor $150, journeyperson $90, non-refundable; renewal contractor $150, journeyperson $120; licenses expire annually on August 31. States that DCP licenses individuals only, that every individual applicant must take an exam with separate fees due to the exam vendor, that the department does not pre-approve applications, and, verbatim, 'Connecticut does not have reciprocal agreements with any other jurisdiction.'
- Connecticut DCP - Heating Journeyperson: Equivalent Experience and Training · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Fallback path when an out-of-state license is not found equivalent. Same hour table as the out-of-state page (S-2 8,000 OJT / 576 classroom, D-2 4,000/432, B-2 2,000/288). Accepted proof: transcripts, degrees and diplomas matching the Exhibit A courses, notarized employer letters with dates and detailed work descriptions, and out-of-state apprenticeship completion certificates with hours. Not accepted: continuing-education or manufacturer certificates, non-equivalent classes, payroll records, W-2s, tax returns or letters that are not notarized. Both the classroom hours and the OJT hours must be proven.
- Connecticut DCP - Heating Journeyperson: Equivalent Out of State License · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Defines an equivalent out-of-state license as one that required the same number of classroom hours, an equivalent classroom curriculum and the same on-the-job training hours as the Connecticut license applied for. Table: S-2 8,000 OJT hours and 576 classroom hours; S-4 8,000/576; S-8 8,000/576; S-10 6,000/576; D-2 4,000/432; D-4 4,000/396; B-2 2,000/288; B-4 4,000/360; G-2 1,000 OJT. Required documents: copy of the out-of-state license, license verification, the laws and regulations showing the requirements met to obtain it, and the scope of work. Verbatim: 'DO NOT SUBMIT DOCUMENTS FOR MORE THAN ONE OUT OF STATE LICENSE. ONLY ONE LICENSE WILL BE REVIEWED FOR EQUIVALENCY.' and 'APPLICATION FEES ARE NONREFUNDABLE.' The page itself does not restate the exam requirement.
- Connecticut DCP - Heating, Piping, Cooling and Sheet Metal Work Examining Board · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Twelve-member board (contractors, journeypersons and public members) that advises DCP on licensing and examination of heating, piping, cooling and sheet metal contractors and journeypersons under CGS 20-330 et seq.
- Connecticut DCP - Heating, Piping and Cooling License Types and Scope of Work · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026S-1 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Contractor: all heating, piping and cooling work as defined in CGS 20-330. S-2 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Journeyperson: same scope, working for a licensed contractor. Also defines the limited classes: D-1/D-2 Limited Warm Air, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (no oil burner servicing), D-3/D-4 Limited Cooling, B-1/B-2 Limited Gas and Oil Burner (domestic and light commercial, up to 5 gal/hr or 500,000 BTU), B-3/B-4, G-1/G-2 gas piping, S-3/S-4, S-7/S-8, S-9/S-10 (heating and cooling up to 35 tons in buildings of 3 stories or less), PP-1/PP-2 and OE-2.
- Connecticut DCP Occupational Licensing - Heating, Piping and Cooling Trades Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI, updated 2/4/2026) · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection / PSI Services LLC · Other · verified September 15, 2026Eligibility for examination is determined by the State (DCP approves the application, then PSI schedules); eligibility is valid for one year from State approval. Fee: $59 per examination portion, not refundable or transferable. S-1 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Contractor: 80 questions, 3 hours, 70%, open book. S-2 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Journeyperson: 70 questions, 3 hours, 70%, open book. D-1: 70 questions, 3 hours; D-2: 60 questions, 2 hours; B-1: 50 questions, 2 hours; B-2: 40 questions, 1.5 hours; all 70%, open book. Business and Law (all contractors): 50 questions, 2 hours, 70%, open book, based on the NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, Connecticut 6th edition. References include the 2015, 2018 and 2021 International Codes, NFPA 54 (2012), NFPA 31 (2006/2011) and NFPA 58 (2014). The PDF was opened on 2026-09-15 through a text-extraction proxy because the direct fetch returned unreadable binary content.
- 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.
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.