Illinois to Massachusetts: master HVAC technician license reciprocity
Illinois does not issue a statewide master 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 Contractor by examination with out-of-state license credit (all states)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
A master HVAC technician or HVAC/refrigeration contractor licensed in any other state applies to OPSI for the Refrigeration Contractor examination online through the My License portal or by mail. The Massachusetts prerequisites are 2,000 hours held and used under a Massachusetts Refrigeration Technician license plus 100 hours of post-apprenticeship refrigeration training at an approved school; the application form lets the applicant instead certify 'I held and used a refrigeration license in another jurisdiction for not less than 2000 hours' and that the 100 hours of additional training were taken at an institution in another jurisdiction, with employer and school documentation, and states that such an application may be forwarded to the Bureau, which may allow the candidate to sit for the examination. Under 528 CMR 11.07(1) the Bureau decides whether the out-of-state license and its underlying experience and education are substantially equivalent and may grant partial credit or deny the petition. The applicant also submits proof of age (18+) and a 2x2 photo with the $150 non-refundable fee, is notified about four to eight weeks after receipt, and must pass the contractor exam at 70% (a failing candidate reapplies). The exam is not waived for any state because the Bureau has no reciprocity agreement; the license renews for $75.
528 CMR 11.03 states the master prerequisite as 2,000 hours 'as a Massachusetts Journeyman Refrigeration Technician', while the Bureau's own contractor application accepts 2,000 hours under a refrigeration license from another jurisdiction if the Bureau agrees; the form governs in practice but the outcome is at the Bureau's discretion. The Bureau's published materials do not say whether it may instead require the applicant to obtain the Massachusetts Refrigeration Technician license first. No separate business or law examination is published for this license. The contractor how-to page and form list only the $150 application fee; no separate exam fee or initial license fee is published.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your Illinois license must be active and in good standing.
- You must document at least 2,000 hours of qualifying work experience.2,000 hours held and used under a refrigeration technician-level license, documented by the employer; out-of-state hours are subject to the Bureau's substantial-equivalence review (528 CMR 11.07).
- 100 hours of additional (post-apprenticeship) refrigeration training from an approved school, or an equivalent course at an institution in another jurisdiction, documented by the school
- At least 18 years of age; Bureau approval to sit for the examination on out-of-state credentials
What you'll do to get licensed in Massachusetts
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($150). Non-refundable Refrigeration Contractor application fee, payable to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Valor Act reductions for military).
- 2Other. Employer documentation of the 2,000 hours, school documentation of the 100-hour training, proof of age and a 2x2 passport-style photo (or RMV photo release).
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Massachusetts Refrigeration Contractor (Master Refrigeration Technician) examination administered by OPSI; 70% or better required; a failing candidate must reapply.
- 4Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Universal) to handle refrigerants; required of every Massachusetts refrigeration technician under 528 CMR 11.03 and federal law; does not expire.
Published fees on this path total $150, 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
- Other
How Massachusetts licenses master HVAC technicians
Massachusetts master HVAC technician · “Refrigeration Contractor (Master Refrigeration Technician)”
Statewide license
Massachusetts' highest personal HVAC-type credential is the Refrigeration Contractor license, which M.G.L. c. 146, § 81 calls the 'master refrigeration technician' and 528 CMR 11.03 the 'Master Refrigeration Technician/Contractor'. It is issued by the Bureau of Pipefitters, Refrigeration Technicians and Sprinkler Fitters (OPSI) to an individual who has held and used a Massachusetts Refrigeration Technician license for at least 2,000 hours and completed 100 hours of additional Bureau-approved refrigeration training; it allows the holder to establish a refrigeration business and employ licensed technicians and apprentices, and the license number must appear on vehicles and invoices. The applicant pays a $150 non-refundable application fee and must pass the OPSI contractor exam at 70%; the license renews for $75. There is no general HVAC or mechanical contractor license in Massachusetts; hydronic heating contractors hold a Master Pipefitter license and oil-burner firms are certified by the Department of Fire Services. The contractor application lets an out-of-state applicant substitute 2,000 hours under a refrigeration license held in another jurisdiction and 100 hours of training taken elsewhere, subject to the Bureau agreeing to let the candidate sit the exam; the exam itself is never waived because the Bureau has no reciprocity agreements.
Why Illinois has nothing to transfer
Illinois master HVAC technician
Licensed by cities and counties
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.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Massachusetts master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Illinois?
- Yes. Massachusetts requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Massachusetts master HVAC technician license from Illinois?
- Published fees on this path total $150, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Illinois work hours count in Massachusetts?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Massachusetts's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Massachusetts to Illinois?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Massachusetts 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, 2026
- 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 23, 2026
- 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, 2026
- MGL Chapter 146, Section 81 - Definitions (pipefitters, refrigeration technicians, sprinkler fitters) · M.G.L. c. 146, § 81 · Massachusetts General Court · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- MGL Chapter 146, Section 85 - Applications for licenses; fees; expiration · M.G.L. c. 146, § 85 · Massachusetts General Court · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- MGL Chapter 146, Section 86 - Classification and limitation of refrigeration licenses · M.G.L. c. 146, § 86 · Massachusetts General Court · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- Mass.gov - Apply for a Refrigeration Contractor License · Massachusetts Office of Public Safety and Inspections · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- 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, 2026
- 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, 2026
- Massachusetts OPSI - Refrigeration Contractor Application (form) · Massachusetts Office of Public Safety and Inspections · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- Mass.gov - Renew your Pipefitter, Refrigeration Technician, or Sprinkler Fitter License · Massachusetts Office of Public Safety and Inspections · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.