Moving to North Carolina as a journeyman HVAC technician: every state's rule
North Carolina has reciprocity agreements with 0 states. Everyone else follows its standard out-of-state path: endorsement.
North Carolina journeyman HVAC technician · “Heating Technician (Group 1, 2 or 3; Class I or II)”
Statewide license
Issued by North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors
North Carolina has no license called 'journeyman HVAC'. The closest state-issued, person-held credential below contractor level is the Heating Technician license from the State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors: an individual who has passed the 4-hour technical examination for Heating Group 1 (hydronic), Group 2 (forced air over 15 tons) or Group 3 (forced air 15 tons or less), Class I (any building) or Class II (single-family dwellings), but not the business and law examination. A technician license is not a contracting license and is not required to work for a living: any W-2 employee of a licensed heating contractor may perform work under the contractor's license, so the technician license mainly lets its holder be listed as a sub-licensee to help supervise work, or qualify a state, local-government or private-school maintenance department. Eligibility is 3,000 hours of hands-on installation, maintenance, service or repair experience (up to half from technical education), a $150 exam fee, a nationwide criminal background report and Social Security verification. The Board publishes no reciprocity for any state at this level; an out-of-state journeyman documents their hours on the Board's employment-history form and takes the technical exam. Refrigeration (commercial, industrial, transport and service, but not comfort cooling) is licensed separately by the State Board of Refrigeration Contractors, which licenses only contractors and has no technician-level credential. EPA Section 608 certification is required federally to handle 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 | Experience credit | 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 |
| Connecticut | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Delaware | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| District of Columbia | Experience credit | 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 | Experience credit | 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 | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Kansas | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Kentucky | Experience credit | 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 | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Massachusetts | Experience credit | 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 | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| New York | No credit | no state license to transfer | 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 | Experience credit | 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 | Experience credit | 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 | Experience credit | 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 | explicit agreement | 2026-09-15 |
| Washington | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| West Virginia | Endorsement | explicit agreement | 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 North Carolina from scratch
No license yet, or nothing that transfers? This is how North Carolina issues a journeyman HVAC technician license to a first-time applicant.
Heating Technician license by examination
North Carolina issues the Heating Technician license to an individual who documents hands-on experience in the heating group sought and passes the Board's technician examination. A Class I technician (any building) needs 3,000 hours of full-time experience installing, maintaining, servicing or repairing heating systems in that group; the hours may be earned in any state, whether or not a license was required for the work, and up to half may come from trade-related courses at a college, community college or technical institute. Once the Board approves the application, the candidate schedules the computer-based, open-book exam with PSI within a 90-day authorization window. The exam covers the technical subject and the Board's laws and rules, but not the business and project management material on the contractor exam, and a score of 70 is required. A technician license is not a contracting license: the holder works as a W-2 employee listed as a sub-licensee under a licensed heating contractor, or for a state or local government agency or private school.
Heating Group 1 covers steam and hot-water comfort heating, Group 2 forced-air systems with more than 15 tons of cooling, and Group 3 forced-air systems of 15 tons or less. Class II technician licenses in Groups 1 and 3 are limited to single-family detached dwellings and require 2,500 hours under 21 NCAC 50 .0306(i), although the Board's 2026 technician packet lists 3,000 hours for any technician exam. Each group is a separate application and exam; the heating technician exam runs 4 hours. Candidates bring their own copies of the books on the Board's Book Reference List (North Carolina State Building Code volumes, ACCA manuals, the Board's Laws & Rules book and a duct calculator), unmarked except for highlighting and permanent commercial tabs. A candidate who fails must wait 90 days and file a Re-Examination application with the exam fee, and may retake only the failed portion within six months. After passing, the License Activation Form and fee are due within 45 days or the exam must be retaken. Military experience (documented with a DD-214 and supervisor statements) and registered apprenticeship hours count toward the same experience requirement. The Board lists average application processing of about six weeks. EPA Section 608 certification is a federal requirement for handling refrigerants, not a Board licensing prerequisite.
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Required
- Exam given by
- PSI
- Exam format
- Open book
- Passing score
- 70%
- Typical processing
- About 42 days
- Renewal
- Every year
- Continuing education
- None required
Who can apply
- You must document at least 3,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Full-time hands-on experience in installation, maintenance, service or repair of heating systems in the group sought (about 18 months); up to 50% may be trade-related coursework in a college, community college or technical-institute certificate, diploma or degree program. Class II requires 2,500 hours.
- An applicant convicted of a crime involving fraud or moral turpitude cannot be considered until at least one year after completing the sentence, other than unsupervised probation
Steps to get licensed
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($75). Application fee portion of the $150 per-exam fee paid to the Board with the application; non-refundable (21 NCAC 50 .1101).
- 2Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($75). Examination fee portion of the $150 per-exam fee paid to the Board; non-refundable. A retake requires a Re-Examination application and the exam fee again..
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Heating Technician (Group 1, 2 or 3; Class I or II) technical examination, computer-based at PSI test centers: 4 hours, open book with the references on the Board's Book Reference List; 70 to pass.
- 4Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Board laws and rules part of the technician examination, based on the Board's Laws & Rules book (G.S. Chapter 87, Article 2 and 21 NCAC 50); technicians do not take the business and project management part.
- 5Background check. Complete a background check. Nationwide criminal background report ordered from Disahealthcare (DISA CB CastleBranch, package code ST46) at the applicant's cost, with a printed copy attached to the application; any criminal charges, convictions, probation or parole must be explained on a separate sheet.
- 6Other. Notarized experience verification: Form 1-B from each North Carolina licensee you worked under, or Form 1-C employment history for work elsewhere or self-employment, with W-2s, 1099s or tax returns.
- 7Other. Form SSA-89 Social Security Number verification; the Board cannot issue a license to anyone whose SSN cannot be verified.
- 8License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($75). Annual license fee for a heating technician listed under a licensed heating contractor, paid with the License Activation Form within 45 days of passing; $150 for a technician who qualifies a state or local government agency or private educational institution.
Published fees on this path total $225, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
Keeping it active
Every year with no continuing education required and a $75 renewal fee.
The Board eliminated mandatory continuing education at the end of 2012, and none is required to renew. Courses the Board orders in a disciplinary case are separate.
All licenses expire December 31 and the renewal period opens about October 1. A $25 late fee is added if the license is not renewed during January, and a license not renewed within three years of expiring can be restored only by passing the exam again. The annual fee is $150 for a technician who qualifies a state or local government agency or private educational institution.
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.
- Exam fee · $75
- Trade exam
- Law / code exam
Sources for this section
- 21 NCAC 50 - State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors (rules) · 21 NCAC 50 .0301, .0305, .0306, .1101, .1102 · North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- N.C.G.S. 87-21 - Definitions; contractors licensed by Board; examination; posting license · N.C.G.S. 87-21(a), (b), (g) · North Carolina General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- N.C.G.S. 87-22 - Fees; expiration and renewal of licenses · N.C.G.S. 87-22 · North Carolina General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- N.C.G.S. 87-22.1 - Application and examination fee · N.C.G.S. 87-22.1 · North Carolina General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors - Applicant Information · North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Exam Reference Book List and Requirements (effective July 1, 2025) · North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors - Education · North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Exam Information 2026 - exam durations · North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors - FAQ · North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors · Faq · verified September 23, 2026
- License Activation Form (valid through 9/30/2026) · North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- License Definitions - Technician (2025 v1) · North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors - License Renewal · North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Application Packet for Persons Qualifying for Plumbing, Heating or Fuel Piping Technician License (Tech App 2026-06) · North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors · Form · verified September 23, 2026