Do I have to take the Florida master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Illinois?

Yes. Florida requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.

How long do I need to have held my Illinois license?

At least 10 years before applying.

What does it cost to get a Florida master HVAC technician license from Illinois?

Published fees on this path total $765, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my Illinois work hours count in Florida?

Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Florida's eligibility requirements.

How long does the application take?

The board's published or typical processing time is about 90 days.

Does it work the other way, from Florida to Illinois?

Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Florida to Illinois, the mechanism is not applicable.

Illinois to Florida: master HVAC technician license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 15, 2026· 12 sources

Illinois does not issue a statewide master HVAC technician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Florida'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.

Certification by endorsement (all states) or by examination

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

An HVAC contractor licensed in any other state applies on Form CILB 10 ($350) under one of three options: Option A, having passed a substantially equivalent state, regional or national exam, with the official score report and an Examination Evaluation Questionnaire completed by the origin exam provider plus proof of Florida's experience requirement; Option B, holding a license whose issuance criteria were substantially equivalent, with the license, the origin statutes and rules, and the questionnaire; or Option C, having held a valid, current same-or-similar contracting license for at least 10 years, active now or within the last 2 years, with a verification of licensure and the origin rules defining the license (the 2-hour Florida Building Code course applies only to Division I and roofing applicants, not to air-conditioning). The Board decides whether the Florida exam is waived; its own form warns that comparisons of state-specific tests are 'very stringent and rarely approved', so most applicants instead register with Professional Testing ($135) and pass the Business and Finance and Class A or Class B Air Conditioning Trade Knowledge exams through Pearson VUE ($80 each), then apply for certification. Every applicant must meet s. 489.111 experience (four years as a worker or foreman with at least one year as a foreman, or a construction-related degree plus one year, or the college-credit combinations; experience earned in another state counts), submit electronic fingerprints, a FICO-derived credit report with public-records statement (a score under 660 requires a 14-hour financial responsibility course), proof of satisfied liens and judgments, and carry $100,000 public liability / $25,000 property damage insurance and workers' compensation or an exemption. The initial certification fee is $200 ($100 in the second year of a biennium) and renewal is $200 per biennium. NASCLA exam endorsement is not available for air-conditioning categories.

The exams are waived only if the Board accepts the equivalence questionnaire (Options A/B) or under the 10-year provision (Option C). Rule 61G4-12.009 (2017) states a $335 application-and-examination fee and a $40 post-exam processing fee, while the 2026 Professional Testing package collects $135 at registration plus $80 per part; both are recorded here and the current DBPR licensure application fee after passing was not confirmed from a page opened on this date. The typical timeline is an estimate; DBPR publishes no processing time. Class C certification is closed to new applicants. EPA Section 608 certification is not mentioned on the CILB pages but is required by federal law for anyone servicing refrigerant-containing equipment.

At a glance

Trade exam: Required
Law / code exam: Required
Out-of-state hours: Count toward eligibility
Typical processing: About 90 days

What you must already have

Experience under s. 489.111(2)(c): 4 years as a worker or foreman with at least 1 year as a foreman, or a 4-year construction-related degree plus 1 year, or 1 year as a foreman plus 3 years of college credits (and the listed combinations); out-of-state employment counts and is documented with employer history
You must have passed a licensing exam in Illinois that the destination considers comparable.
You must have held your Illinois license for at least 10 years.Option C only: same or similar license held at least 10 years and active now or within the last 2 years; waives the exams
Your Illinois license must be active and in good standing.

What you'll do to get licensed in Florida

1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($350). Form CILB 10 Certification by Endorsement application fee (Options A, B or C).
2Application fee. Pay the application fee ($135). Professional Testing, Inc. examination registration fee, charged each time any exam part is registered, if applying by examination instead.
3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Florida Class A (or Class B) Air Conditioning Trade Knowledge examination, computer-based through Pearson VUE, open book; waived only if the Board accepts the origin exam as equivalent or under the 10-year provision.
4Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Florida Business and Finance examination (Pearson VUE), waived on the same conditions.
5Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($80). Pearson VUE administration fee per exam part (Business and Finance $80, Trade Knowledge $80).
6License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($200). Initial certification fee under Rule 61G4-12.009 ($100 if remitted in the second year of the biennium); biennial renewal $200.
7Background check. Complete a background check. Electronic fingerprints for the criminal history check required by s. 489.115.
8Other. FICO-derived credit report with a public-records statement (personal, and business if qualifying a business); a score below 660 requires a Board-approved 14-hour financial responsibility course.
9Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Public liability $100,000 and property damage $25,000 insurance for air-conditioning categories, plus workers' compensation coverage or exemption.
10Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Type I/II/III/Universal) to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire; not listed on the CILB pages but required by federal law.

Published fees on this path total $765, 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
Law / code exam
Exam fee · $80
Other

Liability insurance

Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.

Insurance

How Florida licenses master HVAC technicians

Florida master HVAC technician · “Certified Class A Air-Conditioning Contractor (CAC)”

State license plus local requirements

Verified September 15, 2026· 10 sources

Issued by Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (Department of Business and Professional Regulation)

Florida has no license called 'master HVAC'. The highest person-held HVAC credential is the certificate of competency as a Certified Class A Air-Conditioning Contractor (license prefix CAC), issued by the Construction Industry Licensing Board within DBPR to an individual who meets the experience requirement of s. 489.111 (typically four years as a worker or foreman with at least one year as a foreman, or a degree plus one year) and passes the two-part Florida exam (Business and Finance, and Class A Air Conditioning Trade Knowledge) through Professional Testing and Pearson VUE; a Class B certificate is limited to 25 tons of cooling and 500,000 Btu of heating per system, and the Certified Mechanical Contractor (CMC) covers the same systems plus piping. The certificate belongs to the person, who may then qualify a business, and is valid statewide. Alongside it, counties and municipalities examine and certify their own air-conditioning and mechanical contractors (Miami-Dade's Air Conditioning Contractor Unlimited/Limited, Broward's Class A and Class B Air Conditioning and Mechanical Contractor), whose holders register with DBPR as Registered Air-Conditioning Contractors (RA) and may work only in the jurisdictions that issued the local card, which is why this level is marked Hybrid. Florida's only contractor reciprocity agreements (Louisiana, North Carolina and Mississippi, since June 1, 2021) cover General, Building and Residential licenses and not air conditioning, and the Board publishes no list of out-of-state air-conditioning exams found equivalent. Out-of-state HVAC contractors are handled by endorsement under s. 489.115(3): the Board may waive the Florida exam if the origin exam or licensing criteria are found substantially equivalent through an Examination Evaluation Questionnaire (a route the Board's own form calls 'very stringent and rarely approved'), or waives it for a contractor who has held the same or similar license for at least 10 years; everyone else takes the Florida exams. Endorsement costs $350; examination candidates pay $135 to register plus $80 per exam part, and the initial certificate is $200 with $200 biennial renewal. EPA Section 608 certification is a separate federal requirement.

How local licensing works in Florida

Local contractor cards and state registration. Under s. 489.105(10), a registered contractor is one who registered with DBPR after 'fulfilling the competency requirements in the jurisdiction for which the registration is issued' and 'may contract only in such jurisdictions'; the Board's FAQ says registration requires a copy of the local contractor's license and allows practice only in that county or city and any adjoining jurisdictions that accept it, while certified contractors work anywhere in Florida. The registration application fee is $100 and the initial registration $200 under Rule 61G4-12.009. Miami-Dade's Construction Trades Qualifying Board examines Air Conditioning Contractors (Limited, up to 15 tons, and Unlimited), Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors, Heating Contractors and Mechanical Contractors; Broward County's Central Examining Boards certify Mechanical, Class A Air Conditioning, Class B Air Conditioning (25 tons) and Sheet Metal Contractors after 4 years of practical experience, trade and Business & Law exams, and a $450 application fee (since January 1, 2025). Neither county page describes accepting an out-of-state HVAC contractor license toward a local card, and Miami-Dade reciprocates its cards only with Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Moving to Florida Leaving Florida

Why Illinois has nothing to transfer

Illinois master HVAC technician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 15, 2026· 9 sources

Illinois does not issue a statewide master HVAC or mechanical contractor license and has no state mechanical board; the master-level credential exists only at the municipal level under names that vary by city. Springfield issues a Mechanical License to individuals who document 5 years (residential) or 7 years (commercial) of practical mechanical experience and pass the ICC National Standard Master Mechanical exam (G29); Peoria licenses HVAC contractors on an ICC contractor certificate from the 2018 code cycle or newer ($150 a year); Aurora and Elgin accept the ICC Master Mechanical certification or, in Elgin, a license from any Illinois city that gives a written exam; unincorporated Cook County registers HVAC contractors for a fee with $1,000,000 in liability insurance; and Chicago has no mechanical license at all, requiring a general contractor license to pull permits. None of these jurisdictions publishes a reciprocity or endorsement path for another state's master HVAC license; Springfield's only grandfather clause is limited to licenses issued before October 2007. A master HVAC contractor arriving from another state should expect to pass the ICC Master Mechanical exam once and then license or register separately in each municipality where they will work. EPA Section 608 certification applies to anyone handling refrigerants.

How local licensing works in Illinois

How local licensing works. Illinois has no state HVAC license. Each municipality licenses or registers mechanical contractors under its own ordinance; the ICC National Standard Master Mechanical exam (G29, formerly W29; residential W32) is the common denominator among testing cities.

Chicago. No HVAC or mechanical contractor license. Contractors obtain a General Contractor license from the Department of Buildings in Class A (unlimited project value, $3,500), B ($1,800), C ($1,300), D ($900) or E (projects up to $500,000, $300), each valid one year, with commercial general liability insurance from $1 million per occurrence (Class E) to $5 million (Class A) and a financial solvency statement, administered through Continental Testing Services; no trade exam.

Springfield. The Building and Zoning Department issues a person-held Mechanical License: Residential requires 5 years of practical experience in all types of mechanical work approved by the Mechanical Commission and proof of passing the ICC Master Mechanical Exam G29; Commercial requires 7 years and the same exam. Mechanical contractors also register with the city. A contractor licensed in another Illinois or out-of-state municipality with reciprocal testing may substitute that test only if the license was issued before 10/7/2007 (10/10/2007 in the earlier memo) and never lapsed; all others pass the ICC exam. Passing the exam does not itself guarantee a license.

Peoria. HVAC contractors must be licensed or registered ($150 non-refundable, calendar year) with an ICC contractor test certificate from the 2018 or newer code cycle; holders of current Normal or Pekin licenses register without retesting. Only the licensed contractor may pull permits and must attend inspections.

Aurora. Accepts a current ICC Master Mechanical certification (N29) in lieu of municipal testing; requires a certificate of insurance naming the City of Aurora as primary and non-contributory additional insured; registration through Development Services.

Elgin. Requires a mechanical contractor's license from any Illinois city that gives a written examination, or proof of passing the ICC Master Mechanical G29 exam, plus a $20,000 license and permit bond; the license is not required when an Illinois-licensed architect or engineer seals the plans and accepts responsibility.

Unincorporated Cook County. HVAC contractors register as 'all other trades' with the Department of Building and Zoning: $150 initial and $75 annual per trade, $1,000,000 general liability insurance naming the department; no exam.

Not verified. Naperville's contractor registration page was blocked when opened for this entry; Rockford publishes only electrical registration rules.

Out-of-state holders. None of these jurisdictions publishes reciprocity or endorsement for another state's master HVAC or mechanical license. The practical route is to pass the ICC National Standard Master Mechanical exam (accepted by Springfield, Peoria, Aurora and Elgin), then license or register in each municipality where work will be performed, and obtain a Chicago general contractor license for work in Chicago.

Moving to Illinois Leaving Illinois

Common questions

Do I have to take the Florida master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Illinois?: Yes. Florida requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
How long do I need to have held my Illinois license?: At least 10 years before applying.
What does it cost to get a Florida master HVAC technician license from Illinois?: Published fees on this path total $765, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Illinois work hours count in Florida?: Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Florida's eligibility requirements.
How long does the application take?: The board's published or typical processing time is about 90 days.
Does it work the other way, from Florida to Illinois?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Florida to Illinois, 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.
Broward County Building Code Division - Contractor Licensing packet (journeyman and mechanical contractor certificate of competency instructions) · Broward County Code of Ordinances, Chapter 9 - Contractors · Broward County Public Works and Environmental Services, Building Code Division · Form · verified September 15, 2026Text extracted from the PDF. 'Mechanical Journeyman: must have at least three years of experience in the mechanical field (includes mechanical, insulation or sheet metal)', proven by a notarized affidavit from the licensed employer and the last 3 years of W-2s; journeyman certifications do not require the Business & Law exam; the exam (GITS or ProV) needs 75% for the Mechanical exam; processing fee 'Mechanical $225'; the application offers 'New License' or 'License by Reciprocity' with Mechanical Journeyman, Insulation Journeyman and Sheet Metal Journeyman classifications. Fee notice effective January 1, 2025: contractor application or renewal $450, journeyman application $225, journeyman renewal $120, letter of reciprocity $50. Mechanical contractor categories (Mechanical Contractor, Class A Air Conditioning, Class B Air Conditioning 'Limited to 25 tons', Sheet Metal) require 4 years of practical experience and trade plus Business & Law exams.
DBPR - Construction Industry FAQs · Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation · Faq · verified September 15, 2026Reciprocity: 'As of June 1, 2021, contractors licensed in a state that has entered into a reciprocity agreement with the Florida Construction Licensing Board can apply via reciprocity' (links Reciprocity-06.pdf and Form CILB 32). Endorsement: an applicant may show 'successful completion of a licensing examination that is substantially equivalent to the Florida examination', NASCLA holders use Form CILB 10 only for Division I licenses, and a contractor licensed for at least 10 years may endorse; only 'Division I and roofing endorsement/reciprocity applicants must complete a 2 hour course on the Florida Building Code'. Certification requires the Florida exam, proof of financial stability and 'four years of field experience in the category of licensure', one year supervisory. Registration requires a copy of the local contractor's license and limits practice to that jurisdiction. Class progression: Class C holders may sit for Class B after 3 years or Class A after 4 years of active certification; Class B holders may 'take the Class A examination after one year of active certification'. The FAQ says nothing about journeyman licenses and lists only ancillary fees (reactivation $250, inactive status $50, certificate of licensure $25, business qualification $50 at renewal).
DBPR - Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) home page · Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Lists the air-conditioning categories: Class A Air-Conditioning Contractor (CA/RA) 'whose services are unlimited', Class B (CA/RA) 'limited to 25 tons of cooling and 500,000 BTU of heating in any one system', Class C (servicing only; only for those registered or certified before October 1, 1988) and Mechanical Contractor (CM/RM). Explains that certified contractors hold 'a certificate of competency issued by the department' (license prefix C) while registered contractors registered after qualifying locally (prefix R). Lists the Class A and Class B application forms (examination, individual license, business qualification, endorsement). The page contains no journeyman license and no fee amounts.
CILB Reciprocity list (states with reciprocal licensing agreements) · Fla. Stat. § 489.115(3)(c) · Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board · Agreement Document · verified September 15, 2026Text extracted from the PDF: 'The CILB currently has reciprocal licensing agreements with the following states: Louisiana - General, Building, and Residential licenses. North Carolina - General, Building, and Residential licenses. Mississippi - General, Building, and Residential licenses.' plus a note that the NASCLA General Contractors exam (2009 forward) is substantially similar to the Division 1 trade exams. No air-conditioning, mechanical or HVAC license is covered by any agreement, and the CILB publishes no list of out-of-state air-conditioning exams found equivalent (unlike the Electrical Contractors' Licensing Board).
Form DBPR CILB 10 - Application for Certification by Endorsement (Eff. June 2024) · Fla. Stat. § 489.115(3); Rule 61-35.010, F.A.C. · Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation · Form · verified September 15, 2026Text extracted from the PDF. Three options: Option A (passed a substantially equivalent national, regional, state or territorial exam; requires the official score report and an Examination Evaluation Questionnaire completed by the origin exam provider, plus Section IV experience), Option B (origin license criteria substantially equivalent; requires a copy of the license, the statutes and rules in effect at licensure, and the questionnaire) and Option C (held a valid, current license 'for at least 10 years before the date of the application', active now or within the last 2 years, 'same or similar' license type; requires a verification of licensure showing 10 years and any discipline, the statutes and rules defining the license type, and a 2-hour Florida Building Code course only for General, Building, Residential and Roofing applicants). The form warns that 'endorsement application requirements relying on a comparison of a state specific test are very stringent and rarely approved by the Construction Industry Licensing Board.' NASCLA endorsement is only for General, Building and Residential. Fee $350; electronic fingerprints; FICO-derived credit report with public-records statement (a score below 660 requires a Board-approved 14-hour financial responsibility course); proof of satisfied liens/judgments; business credit report if qualifying a business. Insurance minimums: 'All other categories - $100,000 public liability; $25,000 property damage' plus workers' compensation or exemption. Class A Air-Conditioning, Class B Air-Conditioning and Mechanical are selectable license categories. Section IV experience options: 4-year construction-related degree plus 1 year; 1 year foreman plus 3 years college credits; 1 year worker, 1 year foreman, 2 years credits; 2 years worker, 1 year foreman, 1 year credits; or 'Four years experience as a worker or foreman of which at least one year must have been as a foreman', with military alternatives.
DBPR Bureau of Education & Testing - Florida State Construction Examination Registration Instructions and Application 2026 (Professional Testing, Inc.) · Rule 61G4-16, F.A.C. · Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation / Professional Testing, Inc. · Form · verified September 15, 2026Text extracted from the PDF (revised 05/12/2026). Division 2 categories include Class A Air Conditioning, Class B Air Conditioning and Mechanical; 'Division 2 exams have two parts: Business and Finance and Trade Knowledge', computer-based through Pearson VUE, open book, multiple choice. Fees: '$135 MANDATORY registration fee payable to Professional Testing' for each registration, '$80 fee for B&F' and '$80 fee for TK' payable to Pearson VUE. Candidates must meet the CILB experience requirements separately and 'apply to the Florida DBPR/Bureau of Education and Testing to obtain a license as a certified contractor' after passing. The passing score is not stated in the extracted text.
Miami-Dade County - Mechanical Licenses · Miami-Dade County Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Lists county journeyman certificates including 'Journeyman Air Conditioning and Journeyman Room Air Conditioning', Journeyman General Mechanical, Journeyman Heating, Journeyman Refrigeration, Journeyman Warm Air Heating and Journeyman Sheet Metal, and the contractor categories Air Conditioning Contractor (Limited, up to 15 tons), Air Conditioning Contractor (Unlimited), Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractor, Heating Contractor, Mechanical Contractor and Warm Air Heating Contractor. A journeyman needs 'three years' proven experience in the trade or craft, or education equivalent thereto, or a combination thereof, but not more than one-half of such experience may be education equivalent', must pass an exam, 'may only work in the employ of a contractor holding a certificate of competency in the field in which the journeyman is certified', one journeyman is required for every three trainees on a job site, and journeymen must earn continuing education each certificate term. No fees or reciprocity on this page.
Rule 61G4-12.009, F.A.C. - Fees (Construction Industry Licensing Board) · Rule 61G4-12.009, F.A.C. (eff. 10/30/2017) · Florida Department of State, Florida Administrative Code · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Rule text opened through the rule's 'View Rule' Word document: application and examination fee for certification $335 (nonrefundable), the applicant also pays the vendor $80 'for each test administered' and the Department $40 for processing after passing; re-test $135; application fee for registration $100; initial certification or registration fee $200 ($100 when remitted in the second year of a biennium); biennial renewal $200 ($50 inactive); business organization certification $50; transfer $50; reactivation $100; application for certification of a registered contractor under s. 489.118 $100. The 2026 Professional Testing exam package collects $135 rather than $335 at registration, so the rule's $335 figure may be outdated.
Florida Statutes s. 489.105 - Definitions (Part I, Construction Contracting) · Fla. Stat. § 489.105(3)(f)-(i), (8), (10) · Florida Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026(3)(f) 'Class A air-conditioning contractor' is unlimited in installing, maintaining, repairing, fabricating, altering, extending or designing central air-conditioning, refrigeration, heating and ventilating systems; (3)(g) 'Class B air-conditioning contractor' is 'limited to 25 tons of cooling and 500,000 Btu of heating in any one system'; (3)(h) 'Class C air-conditioning contractor' is limited to servicing; (3)(i) 'Mechanical contractor' is unlimited and adds piping and related work. (8) A certified contractor 'possesses a certificate of competency issued by the department' and may contract anywhere in the state; (10) a registered contractor registered 'pursuant to fulfilling the competency requirements in the jurisdiction for which the registration is issued' and 'may contract only in such jurisdictions'. The section does not define 'journeyman'.
Florida Statutes s. 489.111 - Licensure by examination · Fla. Stat. § 489.111(2)(c), (4) · Florida Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026(2)(c) sets the experience/education options for certification: a 4-year degree in engineering, architecture or building construction plus 1 year of experience, 'at least 4 years of active experience as a worker who has learned the trade by serving an apprenticeship', or 1 year as a foreman plus 3 years of college credits (and combinations). (4) An active certified Class C air-conditioning contractor may receive a Class B license after 3 years or a Class A after 4 years of proven experience, and 'An active certified air-conditioning Class B contractor is eligible to receive a certified air-conditioning Class A contractor license' after 1 year.
Florida Statutes s. 489.115 - Certification and registration; endorsement; reciprocity · Fla. Stat. § 489.115(3)(a)-(d) · Florida Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Subsection (3): the board shall certify by endorsement an applicant who (a) meets the certification requirements, passed a substantially equivalent national, regional, state or territorial exam and satisfied s. 489.111; (b) holds a valid license from another state whose issuance criteria were substantially equivalent; (c) holds a valid, current license from a state that 'has entered into a reciprocal agreement with the board'; or (d) 'Has held a valid, current license to practice contracting issued by another state or territory of the United States for at least 10 years before the date of application and is applying for the same or similar license in this state', applied while active or within 2 years after; only 'Division I contractors and roofing contractors must complete a 2-hour course on the Florida Building Code'. Subsections (5)-(9) cover insurance, credit report, criminal history and fingerprints. History line ends with s. 66, ch. 2020-160.

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

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