West Virginia to Idaho: journeyman HVAC technician license reciprocity
Idaho has no reciprocity agreement with West Virginia. A West Virginia journeyman HVAC technician applies by endorsement.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Universal licensure for out-of-state HVAC journeymen (all states)
The board reviews your out-of-state credentials case by case. Some exam is usually still required, often only a law or code exam.
Idaho has no HVAC reciprocity agreements, so every out-of-state journeyman is handled the same way. Under Idaho Code 67-9409 the HVAC board must license a person who holds a current, valid and unrestricted HVAC license in another state and demonstrates competency, using the standard application, fees and background checks, and it may require the applicant to take all or part of the Idaho journeyman exam; the board's own rules and the HVAC Journeyman application do not yet describe a separate universal-licensure procedure, so in practice the applicant files the $35 journeyman application, documents supervised HVAC installation hours on Work Verification Forms (out-of-state hours count toward the 16,000-hour work-experience pathway) and passes the PSI journeyman exam ($75) within one year. The board may compare the scope of the origin license to Idaho's and issue a limited license pending additional training.
The HVAC FAQ answers 'No' to whether Idaho has a reciprocal licensing agreement. The board's published materials do not say whether any part of the exam is waived for universal-licensure applicants, and the journeyman application requires the exam on both listed pathways; contact DOPL at (208) 334-3233 before applying. The Work Verification Form asks for the supervising journeyman's Idaho license number, so out-of-state employers should attach equivalent documentation.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your West Virginia license must be active and in good standing.
- You must document at least 16,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Work-experience pathway: 16,000 hours of supervised HVAC installation work; alternatively 8,000 hours plus 576 hours of board-approved instruction (IDAPA 24.39.70.100.02)
What you'll do to get licensed in Idaho
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($35). HVAC Journeyman application processing fee (non-refundable).
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Idaho HVAC Journeyman examination administered by PSI (one year from application to pass).
- 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($75). PSI examination fee.
- 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($150). Journeyman license fee (3-year term; renewal $75, reinstatement $150).
- 5Other. Hold EPA Section 608 technician certification to handle refrigerant; federal law requires it, but it is not a condition of this state license (if applicable).
Published fees on this path total $260, 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 · $75
- Other · if applicable
How Idaho licenses journeyman HVAC technicians
Idaho journeyman HVAC technician · “HVAC Journeyman”
Statewide license
Idaho issues a statewide HVAC Journeyman certificate of competency through the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Board at the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL); a journeyman works in the employ and under the direction of a licensed HVAC contractor. A new applicant pays a $35 application fee and qualifies either by completing 576 hours of instruction at a board-approved apprenticeship program plus 8,000 hours of supervised installation work while registered as an Idaho apprentice, or by documenting 16,000 hours of supervised HVAC installation work, and in both cases must pass the PSI-administered journeyman exam ($75) within a year of applying; the license costs $150 and renews for $75 every three years. DOPL also issues Specialty Journeyman and Limited Heating Specialty Journeyman certificates for hearth appliances, oil furnaces and gas piping. The HVAC board's FAQ states that Idaho has no reciprocal licensing agreement for HVAC. An out-of-state journeyman can instead use Idaho's universal licensure statute (Idaho Code 67-9409), under which the board must license a person holding a current, unrestricted license elsewhere who demonstrates competency, but may still require the Idaho exam; the HVAC application form itself offers no endorsement box, so applicants should contact DOPL before filing. EPA Section 608 certification is required nationwide to handle refrigerants.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Idaho journeyman HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in West Virginia?
- Yes. Idaho requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Idaho journeyman HVAC technician license from West Virginia?
- Published fees on this path total $260, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my West Virginia work hours count in Idaho?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Idaho's eligibility requirements.
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, 2026
- Idaho Code 54-5009 - Classification of Competency (HVAC apprentice, journeyman, contractor, specialty contractor) · Idaho Code § 54-5009 · Idaho State Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026
- Idaho Code sec. 67-9409 - Occupational Licensing Reform Act: universal licensure · Idaho Code secs. 67-9403, 67-9409, 67-9414 · Idaho State Legislature · Statute · verified September 17, 2026
- Idaho DOPL - Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Board (program home and fees) · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Idaho DOPL - HVAC Board FAQs · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · Faq · verified September 23, 2026
- Idaho DOPL - HVAC Journeyman Application and Instructions (rev. July 1, 2023) · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- Idaho DOPL - HVAC Program Information and Exams · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- IDAPA 24.39.70 - Rules Governing Installation of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Systems · IDAPA 24.39.70.100 · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.