LicensebyState

Wyoming to Massachusetts: journeyman HVAC technician license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 15, 2026· 13 sources

Wyoming does not issue a statewide journeyman HVAC technician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Massachusetts'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.

Refrigeration Technician by examination with out-of-state license and experience credit (all states)

Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.

An HVAC or refrigeration technician licensed in any other state applies to OPSI for the Refrigeration Technician examination through the MyLicenseOne portal, submitting a copy of the out-of-state refrigeration technician, master technician or equivalent license together with employer documentation showing work experience and certifications equivalent to the Massachusetts prerequisites (6,000 hours plus 250 schooling hours, or the other combinations allowed until November 9, 2026). The form lets the applicant certify that all experience was obtained outside Massachusetts in place of holding a Massachusetts apprentice license, and 528 CMR 11.07(1) lets the applicant petition the Bureau in writing to accept the out-of-state license, including the experience and education obtained for it, as substantially equivalent; approval requires a majority vote of the Bureau, which may grant the request in whole or in part or deny it, and gives no credit for work done in a jurisdiction that does not license the trade. Every applicant also submits a high-school diploma or GED, a copy of a Universal EPA Section 608 certification, a 2x2 photo and the $75 non-refundable fee. Because the Bureau has no reciprocity agreement with any state, the Massachusetts exam is never waived; applicants are told of their eligibility about four to eight weeks after receipt, test first come first served, and must score 70% or better. The license renews for $50.

528 CMR 11.07(1) conditions licensure without examination on a reciprocity agreement with the origin jurisdiction; no such agreement is published on any Bureau page or in 528 CMR, so every state is treated the same. The Refrigeration Technician how-to page and application list only the $75 application fee; whether a separate exam fee or an initial license fee is charged after passing was not confirmed from an official page (M.G.L. c. 146, § 85 leaves fees to the commissioner of administration). The ten-ton threshold means technicians working only on smaller residential and light-commercial systems need no Massachusetts license at all, but EPA Section 608 still applies. The 42-day timeline reflects the published four-to-eight-week notification window.

At a glance

Trade exam
Required
Law / code exam
Not required
Out-of-state hours
Count toward eligibility
Typical processing
About 42 days

What you must already have

  • Your Wyoming license must be active and in good standing.
  • You must document at least 6,000 hours of qualifying work experience.6,000 work hours plus 250 hours of schooling (or 4,000 plus 500, or 2,000 plus 1,000) for applications filed before November 9, 2026; a 450-hour approved course plus 6,000 hours afterwards. Out-of-state hours are documented by the employer and accepted only if the Bureau finds them substantially equivalent (528 CMR 11.07).
  • High-school diploma or equivalency certificate
  • Approval by a majority vote of the Bureau of Pipefitters, Refrigeration Technicians and Sprinkler Fitters that the out-of-state credentials are substantially equivalent

What you'll do to get licensed in Massachusetts

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($75). Non-refundable Refrigeration Technician application fee (Valor Act reductions for active military, spouses and veterans).
  2. 2Other. Copy of the out-of-state license, employer documentation of work hours and certifications, copy of the high-school diploma or GED, and a 2x2 passport-style photo, filed through MyLicenseOne.
  3. 3Other. EPA Section 608 Universal technician certification to handle refrigerants (copy required with the application under 528 CMR 11.03; federal, does not expire).
  4. 4Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Massachusetts Refrigeration Technician examination administered by OPSI; 70% or better required; a failing candidate must reapply.

Published fees on this path total $75, 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
  • Trade exam

How Massachusetts licenses journeyman HVAC technicians

Massachusetts journeyman HVAC technician · “Refrigeration Technician (Journeyman Refrigeration Technician)”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 11 sources

Issued by Bureau of Pipefitters, Refrigeration Technicians and Sprinkler Fitters (Massachusetts Office of Public Safety and Inspections, Division of Occupational Licensure)

Massachusetts has no general HVAC license. The state credential that functions as the journeyman-level HVAC license is the Refrigeration Technician license (called 'journeyman refrigeration technician' in M.G.L. c. 146, § 81), issued by the Bureau of Pipefitters, Refrigeration Technicians and Sprinkler Fitters within the Office of Public Safety and Inspections (OPSI); it is required of anyone who performs refrigeration work on systems of ten tons or more in the aggregate, which covers commercial air conditioning and refrigeration. Heating-side work is licensed separately as pipefitting (OPSI) and oil burner service (Department of Fire Services), and residential systems under ten tons require no state refrigeration license beyond federal EPA Section 608 certification. A new technician needs a high-school diploma, an EPA Section 608 Universal certification, and either 6,000 hours as a licensed Massachusetts refrigeration apprentice plus 250 hours of approved schooling (rising to a 450-hour course plus 6,000 hours for applications filed on or after November 9, 2026), then must pass the OPSI-administered exam at 70%. The application fee is $75 and the license renews for $50. Under 528 CMR 11.07 a technician licensed in another state may petition the Bureau to treat that license, with its experience and education, as substantially equivalent, but every applicant must pass the Massachusetts exam unless a reciprocity agreement exists, and the Bureau publishes none.

Moving to MassachusettsLeaving Massachusetts

Why Wyoming has nothing to transfer

Wyoming journeyman HVAC technician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 15, 2026· 12 sources

Wyoming has no statewide HVAC, refrigeration or mechanical license at any level; the only state trade-licensing program is the Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety's electrician program, whose closest credential is the LM-H Limited Technician license for the electrical wiring of HVAC systems. Licensing of HVAC journeymen exists only where a city ordinance creates it. Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie and Gillette each license HVAC/mechanical journeymen (and apprentices) individually, all built on the ICC National Standard mechanical exams (Casper names G31-N/G29-N) and four years of documented apprentice-level experience, while Rock Springs only registers contractors with proof of insurance and licenses no individuals. None of these cities publishes reciprocity with other states' HVAC licenses: Casper's and Gillette's reciprocity provisions apply only to other Wyoming jurisdictions, Cheyenne's Board may grant reciprocity 'as the Board determines appropriate' and treats even in-state licenses case by case, and Laramie's building official may issue a certificate without examination to the holder of a certificate from any other governmental agency whose exam is judged at least equal. In practice an out-of-state journeyman brings their ICC mechanical exam certificate (or takes it through Pearson VUE) and applies in each city where they will work. EPA Section 608 certification is federal and required everywhere refrigerants are handled; Cheyenne and Gillette require it expressly for refrigeration licenses.

How local licensing works in Wyoming

How local licensing works. Wyoming licenses electricians at the state level but not HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal or plumbing workers, so HVAC licensing is entirely a matter of city ordinance and varies by city. The state's reciprocity statute cited by the cities covers only licenses from other Wyoming jurisdictions.

Cheyenne. The Contractor Licensing Board licenses HVAC and refrigeration contractors (Class C1, tested) and requires every employee on an HVAC or refrigeration job site to hold a master, journeyman or apprentice license. A journeyman must document 4 years/8,000 hours as a licensed apprentice (or certified equivalent training) with third-party verification and pass a current ICC, NICET or NASCLA exam from the Board's list (paid to the testing agency); a residential plumbing/mechanical journeyman needs 2 years/4,000 hours. Fees: $50 application plus $30 initial, $15 renewal; apprentices $25 + $25. Refrigeration applicants must submit EPA Type II, III or Universal certification. A 30-day temporary work authorization is available to trade employees registered for the exam. Reciprocity (3.3.2): the Board may grant reciprocity with other jurisdictions as it determines appropriate and may accept a test exceeding the published exams from someone holding a current equivalent license elsewhere, but no partner list is published.

Casper. The Community Development Department issues Mechanical Journeyman licenses ($25 new, $15 renewal) to applicants who show completion of a federally recognized mechanical apprenticeship or the equivalent of four years in a Casper-licensed mechanical shop and proof of passing ICC G31-N, G29-N or equivalent; applications with notarized experience affidavits and exam proof go to the Chief Building Official, and the fee and insurance follow approval. Reciprocal licenses ($50/$25) exist only for holders of a current license from another Wyoming jurisdiction with comparable testing.

Laramie. Code Administration issues journeyman, master and apprentice certificates of qualification in mechanical, refrigeration and gas service; a mechanical journeyman needs 4 years as an apprentice (refrigeration and gas service 3) and passes the building official's exam (ICC-based, 2024 cycle; $5 application fee per exam). In lieu of the exam the building official may issue a certificate to anyone presenting a valid certificate from any other governmental agency whose exam the board of examiners considers at least equal, which is the only city provision that can reach an out-of-state license. Applications are filed through the Civic Access portal.

Gillette. Class D HVAC contractors must employ a Master of Record, and all master, journeyman and apprentice HVAC technicians are licensed individually by the Building Inspection Division. A Journeyman HVAC Mechanical license requires four years of approved experience and passing ICC exam results ($25 annual); apprentices need thirty days with a Gillette-licensed HVAC contractor ($5). Journeyman refrigeration technicians additionally need ESCO/EPA 608 certification. Since July 1, 2024 the Board of Examiners grants fee-free reciprocity only to active licenses from other Wyoming local governments; proof of the ICC mechanical exam satisfies all testing.

Rock Springs. Contractors register with the Building Inspection Office ($125, certificate of insurance); no individual HVAC licenses or exams exist.

Out-of-state holders. No Wyoming city publishes a reciprocity or endorsement path for another state's HVAC journeyman license. The portable credential is the ICC National Standard mechanical exam (Journeyman G31-N or Master G29-N), which Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie and Gillette all accept; an out-of-state journeyman who already holds an ICC certificate can generally apply directly, and one who tested on a state-specific exam should expect to take the ICC exam or, in Laramie, ask the board of examiners to treat the origin exam as equal.

Moving to WyomingLeaving Wyoming

Common questions

Do I have to take the Massachusetts journeyman HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Wyoming?
Yes. Massachusetts requires the trade exam on this path.
What does it cost to get a Massachusetts journeyman HVAC technician license from Wyoming?
Published fees on this path total $75, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Wyoming work hours count in Massachusetts?
Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Massachusetts's eligibility requirements.
How long does the application take?
The board's published or typical processing time is about 42 days.
Does it work the other way, from Massachusetts to Wyoming?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Massachusetts to Wyoming, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

  1. 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.
  2. 528 CMR 11.00 - Prerequisites for Examinations for Pipefitters, Refrigeration Technicians and Sprinkler Fitters (Mass. Register #1534, 11/08/2024) · 528 CMR 11.03, 11.07 · Massachusetts Bureau of Pipefitters, Refrigeration Technicians and Sprinkler Fitters · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 202611.03: no person shall work in refrigeration unless licensed under M.G.L. c. 146, § 85. Journeyman Refrigeration Technician: high-school graduate or equivalent; for applications received before November 9, 2026, one of three combinations (250 hours of study plus 6,000 apprentice work hours; 500 plus 4,000; 1,000 plus 2,000); for applications on or after November 9, 2026, 'a formal 450 hour course of study in a refrigeration education course approved by the Bureau' plus a minimum of 6,000 clock hours as a validly licensed Refrigeration Apprentice; all must hold 'an EPA Section 608 Universal certification'; employers verify hours; candidates must answer 70% or more of the exam questions correctly. Master Refrigeration Technician/Contractor: 2,000 hours of work experience as a Massachusetts Journeyman Refrigeration Technician and 100 hours of Bureau-approved education; 70% on the exam; contractors must display license numbers on vehicles and invoices. 11.07(1) Credentials from outside Massachusetts: an applicant holding a similar license in another state or country 'may submit to the Bureau a written request petitioning that such license, including experience or education obtained for said license, be considered for approval as being substantially equivalent to the experience and education requirements required in Massachusetts'; the Bureau may grant the request in whole or part or deny it, and without special approval gives no credit for work in unlicensed jurisdictions or licenses from jurisdictions without formal education requirements. Verbatim: 'Unless Massachusetts has a reciprocity agreement with the relevant jurisdiction authorizing licensure without examination, all applicants will be required to pass the relevant examination for the license being sought.' 11.07(4): no work-experience credit for any period without a valid Bureau license. Opened on 2026-09-15 through the r.jina.ai proxy.
  3. Mass.gov - Apply for an Oil Burner Technician or Apprentice Certificate (Department of Fire Services) · 527 CMR 1.00 · Massachusetts Department of Fire Services · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026The Oil Burner Technician certificate, issued by the Department of Fire Services (not OPSI), permits the holder to 'service, install and repair oil burners that burn fuel oil and associated equipment'; $75 new / $50 renewal; apprentice $40 / $20; written exam required for the technician certificate. Cited only to show the adjacent heating-side license; it is not an HVAC license. Opened on 2026-09-15 through the r.jina.ai proxy.
  4. MGL Chapter 146, Section 81 - Definitions (pipefitters, refrigeration technicians, sprinkler fitters) · M.G.L. c. 146, § 81 · Massachusetts General Court · Statute · verified September 15, 2026'Journeyman refrigeration technician': any person who has completed an apprenticeship training program satisfactory to the bureau and has passed a refrigeration technician's examination. 'Master refrigeration technician': a person having a regular place of business who, alone or with master or journeyman refrigeration technicians or apprentices in his employ, performs refrigeration work. Refrigeration work covered by the chapter is the installation, repair, replacement or maintenance of any refrigerant-containing part of a refrigerant system of ten-ton capacity or greater. 'Refrigeration apprentice': a registered person at least 18 working under a master or journeyman. The statute does not use the title 'refrigeration contractor'; that is the Bureau's name for the master license.
  5. MGL Chapter 146, Section 84 - Licenses required · M.G.L. c. 146, § 84 · Massachusetts General Court · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Verbatim: no person shall 'work as a refrigeration technician ... unless that person is lawfully licensed under section 85 or section 85A.' Contains no reciprocity or exam-waiver language.
  6. MGL Chapter 146, Section 85 - Applications for licenses; fees; expiration · M.G.L. c. 146, § 85 · Massachusetts General Court · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Applications are filed with the Office of Public Safety and Inspections of the Division of Occupational Licensure on its form; fees are set annually by the commissioner of administration (no amounts in the statute); licenses are valid statewide, non-transferable, and expire on a birth-date cycle; a license expired for more than one year requires re-examination. No licensure-without-examination provision for refrigeration.
  7. MGL Chapter 146, Section 86 - Classification and limitation of refrigeration licenses · M.G.L. c. 146, § 86 · Massachusetts General Court · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Verbatim: 'A license for a refrigeration technician, refrigeration contractor or a refrigeration trainee shall be classified and limited as to the maximum size of the refrigerating system with which the applicant is familiar in installing or servicing ... provided, however, that any person may make application for and, if found to be qualified, receive a license to engage in the installation and servicing of all sizes of refrigerating systems.'
  8. Mass.gov - Apply for a Journeyman Pipefitter License · Massachusetts Office of Public Safety and Inspections · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026The pipefitter license (the credential for hydronic heating and steam piping) requires 6,000 hours as a licensed apprentice under a Massachusetts Master Pipefitter or 450 hours of approved instruction, a $75 non-refundable fee and an exam; out-of-state applicants document equivalent experience and certification, supply a certificate of good standing if available, and need majority approval of the Bureau. Cited only to show the adjacent trade license; it is not an HVAC license. Opened on 2026-09-15 through the r.jina.ai proxy.
  9. Mass.gov - Apply for a Refrigeration Technician License · Massachusetts Office of Public Safety and Inspections · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Verbatim: 'This license is required for anyone who performs refrigeration work having a capacity over 10 tons in the aggregate.' Eligibility: not less than 6,000 hours in Massachusetts as a licensed OPSI Refrigeration Apprentice under a Massachusetts Refrigeration Contractor, or not less than 450 hours of study at an approved school; OR a copy of a refrigeration technician's, master technician's or equivalent license from another jurisdiction with employer documentation showing work experience and certifications equivalent to the Massachusetts prerequisites, subject to approval by a majority vote of the Bureau. All applicants: high-school diploma or equivalent, a copy of a Universal CFC certification, and a 2x2 photo. Non-refundable $75 application fee; Valor Act reductions for military. Applications are filed through the MyLicenseOne portal; applicants are notified about 4 to 8 weeks after receipt; exams are first come, first served; scores post on the OPSI website within about a week; a failing candidate must reapply. No exam fee or post-exam license fee is shown. Opened on 2026-09-15 through the r.jina.ai proxy.
  10. Mass.gov - Bureau of Pipefitters, Refrigeration Technicians, and Sprinkler Fitters · Massachusetts Office of Public Safety and Inspections, Division of Occupational Licensure · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026The Bureau 'is responsible for examining qualified candidates for licensure as pipefitters, refrigeration technicians, and sprinkler fitters', investigates incidents and prosecutes violations; it sits within the Office of Public Safety and Inspections (OPSI) of the Division of Occupational Licensure. Links to the apply/renew page. No general HVAC license is listed anywhere on the Bureau's pages. Opened on 2026-09-15 through the r.jina.ai text-extraction proxy; mass.gov refuses direct requests from automated clients.
  11. Mass.gov - Apply for or Renew a Pipefitters, Refrigeration Technician or Sprinkler Fitters License · Massachusetts Office of Public Safety and Inspections · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Lists the Bureau's licenses: Apprentice Refrigeration, Refrigeration Technician and Refrigeration Contractor; Apprentice, Journeyman and Master Pipefitter; and the sprinkler fitter licenses, each with its how-to page. Shows no fee amounts. Opened on 2026-09-15 through the r.jina.ai proxy.
  12. Massachusetts OPSI - Refrigeration Technician Application (form) · Massachusetts Office of Public Safety and Inspections · Form · verified September 15, 2026Three prerequisite combinations for applications filed before the 450-hour rule takes effect: 6,000 work hours plus 250 school hours (100 refrigeration theory, 150 Massachusetts Electrical Code); 4,000 hours plus 500 school hours; or 2,000 hours plus 1,000 school hours, all schooling from an OPSI-approved school and all work documented by the employer. The form lets an applicant certify 'I do not have a Massachusetts Refrigeration Apprentice License because all of my work experience was obtained solely outside of Massachusetts', and states that an applicant with documentation that equivalent requirements were met in another jurisdiction 'MAY be forwarded to the Bureau of Pipefitters, Refrigeration Technicians and Sprinkler Fitters who may allow the candidate to sit for examination.' Requires a copy of the Universal CFC certification and a high-school diploma or GED; $75 non-refundable processing fee. Opened on 2026-09-15 through the r.jina.ai proxy.
  13. Mass.gov - Renew your Pipefitter, Refrigeration Technician, or Sprinkler Fitter License · Massachusetts Office of Public Safety and Inspections · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Renewal fees: apprentice $20, journeyman/technician $50, master/contractor $75; renewal notices are sent 60 days before expiration; apprentices are limited to two renewals unless approved. No continuing-education requirement is stated. Opened on 2026-09-15 through the r.jina.ai proxy.

Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.

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