Moving to Connecticut as a journeyman HVAC technician: every state's rule
Connecticut has reciprocity agreements with 0 states. Everyone else follows its standard out-of-state path: endorsement.
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.
Every origin state
| State | Mechanism | Note | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Alaska | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Arizona | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Arkansas | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| California | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Colorado | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Delaware | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| District of Columbia | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Florida | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Georgia | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Hawaii | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Idaho | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Illinois | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Indiana | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Iowa | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Kansas | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Kentucky | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Louisiana | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Maine | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Maryland | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Massachusetts | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Michigan | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Minnesota | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Mississippi | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Missouri | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Montana | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Nebraska | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Nevada | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| New Hampshire | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| New Jersey | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| New Mexico | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| New York | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| North Carolina | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| North Dakota | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Ohio | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Oklahoma | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Oregon | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Pennsylvania | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Rhode Island | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| South Carolina | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| South Dakota | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Tennessee | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Texas | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Utah | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Vermont | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Virginia | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Washington | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| West Virginia | Endorsement | 2026-09-15 | |
| Wisconsin | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Wyoming | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
Getting licensed in Connecticut from scratch
No license yet, or nothing that transfers? This is how Connecticut issues a journeyman HVAC technician license to a first-time applicant.
S-2 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Journeyperson by examination
Connecticut issues the S-2 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Journeyperson license to applicants 18 or older who complete a heating and cooling apprenticeship registered with the Connecticut Department of Labor and then pass the S-2 exam. The apprenticeship consists of 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and 576 classroom hours in the courses DCP lists in its Exhibit A, taken over four years. Applicants trained elsewhere may instead prove the same classroom and on-the-job hours under DCP's equivalent experience and training path. Once DCP approves the application, the candidate schedules the open-book S-2 exam with PSI; journeypersons take no separate business or law exam.
Apply online at elicense.ct.gov or by mail on the paper Journeyperson application; apprenticeship graduates include the original Letter of Apprenticeship Completion issued by the Department of Labor. State law requires apprentices to apply for the licensure exam within 30 days of completing the program. The S-2 exam has 70 questions in 3 hours, is offered in English or Spanish, and draws on the 2015, 2018 and 2021 International Mechanical Code, NFPA 54 (2012), NFPA 31 and OSHA construction standards. Exam eligibility lasts one year from DCP's approval, and retakes are allowed during that year at the same fee. After passing, send the passing score report and the initial license fee to DCP. Narrower journeyperson classes follow the same route with fewer hours, for example the D-2 Limited Warm Air, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Journeyperson (4,000 on-the-job and 432 classroom hours) and the B-2 Limited Gas and Oil Burner Journeyperson (2,000 and 288). Connecticut does not make EPA Section 608 certification a condition of the license, but federal law requires it for anyone who handles refrigerants. DCP does not publish an application processing time.
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Exam given by
- PSI
- Exam format
- Open book
- Passing score
- 70%
- Renewal
- Every year
Who can apply
- Complete a registered apprenticeship (4 years): Completion of a heating and cooling (S-2) apprenticeship registered with the Connecticut Department of Labor.8,000 hours of on-the-job training plus 576 classroom hours in the Exhibit A courses (CGS 20-334a(a)(2)).
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Eighth-grade education or its equivalent (CGS 20-333)
Other ways to qualify
Each of these replaces the requirements above. You only need one.
Equivalent experience and training: 576 classroom hours plus 8,000 hours
An applicant who did not complete a Connecticut apprenticeship may prove 576 classroom hours whose curriculum matches DCP's Exhibit A courses and 8,000 hours of on-the-job training. Classroom hours are shown by transcripts, degrees or diplomas, and on-the-job hours by notarized letters from employers giving dates of employment and a detailed description of the work; payroll records, W-2s and tax returns are not accepted. Continuing education and manufacturer certificates do not count, and work experience cannot replace classroom hours. An out-of-state apprenticeship completion certificate may be submitted with its hour records.
- Complete at least 576 hours of classroom or related instruction.
- You must document at least 8,000 hours of qualifying work experience.
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Eighth-grade education or its equivalent (CGS 20-333)
Military training with a Department of Labor recommendation for review
Members of the armed forces or National Guard, and veterans within two years of discharge, may ask the Connecticut Department of Labor's apprenticeship office to evaluate their military training. If the Department finds it equivalent to the heating and cooling apprenticeship, it issues a recommendation for review, which lets the applicant sit the S-2 exam without an apprenticeship and waives the application and initial license fees. If the training is only partly equivalent, the credited hours are deducted from the apprenticeship instead.
- Holds a Connecticut Department of Labor recommendation for review (CGS 31-22u) finding military training equivalent to the heating and cooling apprenticeship
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Eighth-grade education or its equivalent (CGS 20-333)
Steps to get licensed
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($90). Journeyperson application fee, non-refundable (CGS 20-333); waived for applicants presenting a recommendation for review.
- 2Other. Disclose any felony conviction on the application and attach a Criminal Conviction Worksheet; DCP may deny the license or issue it under a consent order with conditions (CGS 20-333(c)).
- 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.
- 4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($59). PSI examination fee per attempt, including retakes; not refundable or transferable.
- 5License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($120). Initial license fee paid to DCP after passing the exam (CGS 20-335); waived for applicants presenting a recommendation for review.
Published fees on this path total $269, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
Keeping it active
Every year and a $120 renewal fee.
Connecticut's continuing education statute (CGS 20-334d) covers electricians and plumbers, and DCP's continuing education page does not list heating, piping and cooling licenses.
All heating, cooling and sheet metal work licenses expire August 31 each year.
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
Sources for this section
- Connecticut General Statutes § 31-22u - Military training evaluation · CGS § 31-22u · Connecticut General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 393 - Occupational Licensing (Electrical, Plumbing and Piping, Heating, Cooling...) · CGS §§ 20-330, 20-333, 20-333a, 20-334a, 20-335 · Connecticut General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- Connecticut DCP - Heating, Cooling and Sheet Metal Work Licenses (application paths, fees, renewal) · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Connecticut DCP - Heating Journeyperson: Equivalent Experience and Training · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Connecticut DCP - Exhibit A: Required Courses for Heating, Cooling and Sheet Metal License Types · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- Connecticut DCP - Occupational Trade Journeyperson License Application (OCC-JRNY-APP) · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- Connecticut DCP - Continuing Education for Occupational and Professional Licenses · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- 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 · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies §§ 20-332-5, 20-332-8, 20-332-10a (heating, piping and cooling licenses; application for examination; issuance) · Regs. Conn. State Agencies §§ 20-332-5, 20-332-8, 20-332-10a · Connecticut Secretary of the State (eRegulations) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026