Colorado to Wisconsin: master HVAC technician license reciprocity
Colorado does not issue a statewide master HVAC technician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Wisconsin'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.
Out-of-state HVAC contractor or master (all states; no Wisconsin reciprocity)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
Wisconsin has no reciprocity or endorsement path for HVAC credentials from any state; an applicant licensed elsewhere applies for the HVAC Qualifier certification exactly as a new candidate. Out-of-state experience counts: Form 3122 accepts at least 1,000 hours per year for four years of experience supervising or performing the design, installation, servicing or maintenance of HVAC systems wherever it was earned, documented on the Form 3122T experience table with witness signatures, or four years of HVAC-related education, or a combination. The applicant applies in the LicensE portal, pays the $15 application fee and exam fee, is made eligible to test, and must pass the open-book DSPS HVAC Qualifier exam (70% passing score, 4-hour seat time, $95 at Pearson VUE) before paying the $60 certification fee. Wisconsin has no separate law or business exam for the qualifier. A business that will contract for HVAC work must also hold the HVAC Contractor registration ($15 application plus $160 registration fee), which requires no exam.
SPS 305 Table 305.02 lists a $25 examination fee, while DSPS's Pearson VUE schedule lists $95 payable to Pearson VUE for the 4-hour HVAC Qualifier exam; DSPS's trades exam page says exams at Pearson centers carry a marginally higher fee than DSPS-administered sittings. Both figures are recorded. DSPS lists a 4-year renewal cycle for the qualifier; SPS 305 Table 305.07 still shows 2 years.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- You must document at least 4,000 hours of qualifying work experience.At least 1,000 hours per year for at least 4 years of experience in supervising or performing the design, installation, servicing or maintenance of HVAC systems or equipment; four years of HVAC-related schooling, or a combination of experience and education, is accepted instead (SPS 305.71(3)).
What you'll do to get licensed in Wisconsin
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($15). HVAC Qualifier application fee (SPS 305 Table 305.02), paid in LicensE.
- 2Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($25). HVAC Qualifier examination fee under SPS 305 Table 305.02 (DSPS-administered sitting).
- 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($95). Total candidate fee payable to Pearson VUE for the 4-hour computer-based HVAC Qualifier exam (DSPS 2024 trade exam fee schedule).
- 4Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Wisconsin HVAC Qualifier examination (open book, 70% to pass, 4 hours; references limited to SPS 320-325/341/345, SMACNA, ASHRAE Fundamentals, NFPA 54, IBC, IECC, IMC, IFGC and IEBC with Wisconsin amendments).
- 5License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($60). HVAC Qualifier certification fee after passing the exam (SPS 305 Table 305.02); renewal $100 every 4 years.
- 6Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Type I/II/III/Universal) to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire. SPS 305.70 notes the federal requirement; it is not a DSPS prerequisite for the qualifier exam.
- 7Business license. Obtain a business license ($175) (if applicable). HVAC Contractor registration for the business that contracts for HVAC work ($15 application fee plus $160 registration fee; renewal $40 every 4 years); no exam.
Published fees on this path total $195, 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.
- Exam fee · $25
- Exam fee · $95
- Trade exam
- Other
Business registration
If you plan to contract in your own name, budget for a business license or entity registration on top of the trade license.
- Business license · $175 · if applicable
How Wisconsin licenses master HVAC technicians
Wisconsin master HVAC technician · “HVAC Qualifier”
Statewide license
Issued by Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS), Division of Industry Services
Wisconsin's highest person-held HVAC credential is the HVAC Qualifier certification issued by DSPS under Wis. Stat. 101.178(3) and SPS 305.71, which this file treats as the master level. It is issued to an individual who documents at least 1,000 hours per year for four years of experience supervising or performing the design, installation, servicing or maintenance of HVAC systems (or four years of HVAC-related schooling, or a combination) and passes the open-book DSPS exam (70% to pass, 4 hours, $95 at Pearson VUE); the credential is renewed every four years for $100 with no continuing education. Certification is voluntary: the mandatory credential is the business-level HVAC Contractor registration, but a business that employs a qualifier is a 'certified HVAC business' that no city or village may require to obtain a local certification, license or other approval. DSPS publishes no reciprocity agreements and no licensure-by-endorsement route for HVAC qualifiers; the experience requirement is not restricted to Wisconsin, so out-of-state work counts toward eligibility, but every applicant takes the Wisconsin exam. Federal EPA Section 608 certification is separately required to handle refrigerants.
Why Colorado has nothing to transfer
Colorado master HVAC technician
Licensed by cities and counties
Colorado issues no state master HVAC, mechanical or contractor license; the state licenses only electricians and plumbers, and mechanical licensing is left entirely to cities, counties and regional building departments. The master-level credential is therefore a local supervisor certificate or mechanical contractor license. Denver issues person-held Heating and Ventilating Class A and Class B and Refrigeration Class A and Class B supervisor certificates (6 to 8 years of experience plus the ICC F29 Master Mechanical or F32 Residential Mechanical exam, $60 for three years) and then licenses the mechanical contractor that employs the certificate holder ($250 for three years). The Pikes Peak Regional Building Department licenses Mechanical Contractors in classes H-A commercial, H-B residential and H-C specialty classes on the ICC W29 Master Mechanical, W32 Residential Mechanical or N33 Master Gas Pipe Fitter exams ($100 per license plus a $50 application fee). Neither jurisdiction recognizes out-of-state licenses: Denver does not reciprocate certificates from other counties or states and PPRBD accepts no out-of-state exams, so an arriving master HVAC contractor documents experience locally and passes the ICC exam required by each jurisdiction where they will pull permits.
How local licensing works in Colorado
How local licensing works. With no state mechanical license, each Colorado jurisdiction licenses mechanical contractors under its own code, nearly always on ICC National Standard exams (Pearson VUE, $100 each). PPRBD's notice says that 'often, contractors who work in several areas must pass an exam in each jurisdiction,' although many jurisdictions honor the same ICC certificate.
Denver. Licensing is a two-step process. First the individual obtains a supervisor certificate: Heating and Ventilating Class A (commercial and residential heating, ventilation and cooling up to 50 tons; 8 years of experience, 4 as a journeyman and 4 in design or supervision; ICC #F29 National Standard Master Mechanical), Heating and Ventilating Class B residential only (6 years; ICC #F32 National Standard Residential Mechanical), Heating, Ventilating, A/C residential only (6 years each in heating/ventilation and refrigeration; ICC #F32; refrigeration up to 5 tons), Refrigeration Class A (8 years; ICC #F29) or Refrigeration Class B residential only (6 years; ICC #F32). Experience is documented with notarized letters from employers or clients for projects completed within the last 10 years, and the ICC pass letter is due within 90 days of approval. Supervisor certificates cost $60 and renew every 3 years. Second, the business applies for a mechanical contractor license ($250, 3 years), which must be held by or employ a certificate holder. Denver 'does not accept or reciprocate contractor licenses and/or certificates from other counties or states.'
Colorado Springs and El Paso County (PPRBD). Mechanical Contractor licenses: H-A Mechanical Commercial (ICC W29 Master Mechanical), H-B Mechanical Residential (ICC W32 Residential Mechanical), H-C1 Gas Piping (ICC N33 Master Gas Pipe Fitter), H-C2 Commercial Refrigeration, H-C3 Residential Maintenance/Repair and H-C4 Residential Remodeling, each with a $100 license fee, plus a $50 application fee, references documenting relevant experience, a liability insurance certificate naming PPRBD (minimums in RBC201.7) and a name-based judicial record check; the Licensing Committee and Board of Review act on each application monthly. PPRBD accepts ICC National Standardized or ICC Colorado Standard exams passed on or after January 1, 2016 and 'no out-of-state exams will be accepted.'
Other jurisdictions. Only Denver and PPRBD were verified for this entry; other Colorado cities and counties license mechanical contractors under similar ICC-based ordinances and should be checked individually.
Out-of-state holders. No Colorado jurisdiction checked publishes reciprocity or endorsement for another state's master HVAC or mechanical contractor license. The practical route is to pass the ICC National Standard Master Mechanical (or Residential Mechanical) exam once and apply in each jurisdiction, each of which separately verifies experience.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Wisconsin master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Colorado?
- Yes. Wisconsin requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Wisconsin master HVAC technician license from Colorado?
- Published fees on this path total $195, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Colorado work hours count in Wisconsin?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Wisconsin's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Wisconsin to Colorado?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Wisconsin to Colorado, the mechanism is not applicable.
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, 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.
- DSPS Form 3122 - HVAC Qualifier Certification Application Information (Rev. 1/8/2024) · Wis. Admin. Code SPS 305.71 · Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services · Form · verified September 15, 2026Eligibility for the exam: (a) at least 1,000 hours per year for at least 4 years of experience supervising or performing the design, installation, servicing or maintenance of HVAC systems or equipment, documented on Form 3122T with witness signatures; (b) at least 4 years of attendance in a school of mechanical engineering or an accredited college, technical, vocational or apprenticeship HVAC program; or (c) any combination of four years. Applicants apply and pay in LicensE, are made eligible to test after review, and pay another exam fee after a failure. The form has no category for licensure by reciprocity or endorsement and does not restrict experience to Wisconsin. Read with pdftotext after download.
- Wisconsin DSPS - HVAC Contractor (registration program page) · Wis. Admin. Code SPS 305.70 · Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026'No person, entity or business may engage or offer to engage in installing or servicing heating, ventilating or air conditioning equipment unless the person, entity or business holds a registration issued by the Department as a registered HVAC Contractor' (Form 3121). Exemptions: servicing equipment in property the applicant owns, work in an owner-occupied dwelling, and the electrical or plumbing work associated with HVAC. The registration has no exam or experience requirement and no reciprocity provision.
- Wisconsin DSPS - HVAC Qualifier Exam Information · Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026'The exam is open book, and the passing score is 70%.' Allowed references are limited to nine items: SPS 320-325, 341 and 345 with printed notes in one binder, the 2020 SMACNA duct manual, 2013 ASHRAE Fundamentals, 2021 NFPA 54 (gas piping), the 2021 IBC, IECC, IMC, IFGC and IEBC with Wisconsin amendments. HVAC code changes took effect October 1, 2025. No exam waiver for out-of-state credentials is mentioned.
- Wisconsin DSPS - HVAC Qualifier (program page) · Wis. Admin. Code SPS 305.71; Wis. Stat. 101.178(3)(c) · Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026States that 'an individual may obtain ... an HVAC Qualifier certification from the Department relative to the business of installing or servicing heating, ventilating or air conditioning equipment' and that a business using a qualifier is a certified HVAC business that 'may not be required to obtain a local certification, license, or other approval'. Applications go through the LicensE portal (Form 3122). Exams taken on or after May 16, 2018 include the current Commercial Building Code. The page says nothing about reciprocity or out-of-state credentials.
- DSPS - Trades Renewal Dates and Fees · Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services · Other · verified September 15, 2026HVAC Qualifier: 4-year credential renewing from date of issuance, renewal fee $100, no CE, reinstatement $200. HVAC Contractor: 4-year registration from date of issuance, renewal $40, reinstatement $200. (SPS 305 Table 305.07 still lists a 2-year term for these credentials; DSPS's current schedule is used here.) Read with pdftotext after download.
- DSPS - Pearson VUE Computer-Based Trade Exam Fee Schedule (2024) · Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services · Other · verified September 15, 2026HVAC Qualifier exam: 4 hours seat time, total candidate fee payable to Pearson VUE $95.00. Read with pdftotext after download.
- Wis. Admin. Code ch. SPS 305 - Licenses, Certifications and Registrations (Register August 2025) · SPS 305.02 Table 305.02; SPS 305.70; SPS 305.71 · Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Table 305.02: HVAC Contractor registration $15 application fee and $160 registration fee; HVAC Qualifier certification $15 application fee, $25 examination fee, $60 certification fee. SPS 305.70: HVAC contractor registration is mandatory for any person, entity or business installing or servicing HVAC equipment and is applied for by the owner, partner or chief executive; a note reminds that federal Section 608 technician certification is required for refrigerant work. SPS 305.71: an individual may obtain an HVAC qualifier certification by meeting the 4-year experience/education standard, passing the exam under SPS 305.09 and paying the certification fee; a business that uses a qualifier is a 'certified HVAC business' that cannot be required to obtain local approval. The chapter contains no reciprocity or credential-by-endorsement provision for HVAC. Read with pdftotext after download.
- Wis. Stat. 101.178 - Heating, ventilating and air conditioning contractors (registration and certification) · Wis. Stat. 101.178(2), (3) · Wisconsin State Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Sub. (2): 'No person may engage in the business of installing or servicing heating, ventilating or air conditioning equipment unless the person registers with the department.' Sub. (3) directs DSPS to establish a voluntary certification program whose applicants must pass a department examination, and bars political subdivisions from requiring their own certification or approval of state-certified HVAC businesses except for local requirements that predate November 1, 1993 (with grandfathering of existing contractors). No reciprocity provision.
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.