Louisiana to Florida: master HVAC technician license reciprocity

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.

State contractor license (not a master license). Under La. R.S. 37:2150.1(16) a mechanical contractor is anyone contracting for air conditioning, refrigeration, heating, plumbing, ventilation, boiler or piping work of $10,000 or more, and the LSLBC issues the commercial license to that person or business with a Mechanical classification (or the 6.1 Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work and Refrigeration subclassification) qualified by a designated qualifying party. Applicants file the online application with a financial statement (required of all applicants), Secretary of State registration for any business entity including out-of-state companies, the online Business and Law course/exam, and the PSI trade exam for the classification (PSI has administered all LSLBC trade exams since August 5, 2025); statutory fee caps are $50 per examination, $100 license and $100 renewal, plus a surcharge of up to $400 that the board may assess on a contractor not domiciled in Louisiana. Reciprocity for the state license: R.S. 37:2153(F)(5) directs the board to waive the trade portion of the exam for an applicant licensed in a comparable classification in another state on written certification that the applicant passed that classification's exam and is in good standing, and the Executive Director's October 23, 2024 letter extends this to any state: a classification exam passed in any other state 'with no waivers, exemptions, or grandfathering in effect' is accepted for the equivalent Louisiana classification, and all previous state-to-state agreements were declared null and void. The applicant has the origin board complete the Reciprocity Request form (license status, disciplinary history, and the name, exam developer, date and score of each person who passed the trade exam) and uploads it with the application; the exam/administrative fee is still charged, and the business law requirement 'shall not be waived'. Once licensed, R.S. 37:2156.1(I) exempts the contractor and its employees from any parish or city examination or certification.

New Orleans. The Class 'A' Master Mechanical Contractor License covers air conditioning and refrigeration (and, separately, gasfitters): the applicant submits a passing ICC Official Results Report for exam G29 Master Mechanical, obtained from ICC directly or through state testing with the LSLBC, plus certificates of general liability insurance of at least $500,000 and workers' compensation naming the City as certificate holder, a photo and ID; the license costs $110 per year active or $25 inactive, with a $10 per month delinquent fee, renews from 90 days before the holder's birthday, and only one Class 'A' holder is allowed per company. The city page states no experience requirement and no reciprocity.

Jefferson Parish. A parish trade contractor license ($200 new) is issued to a license holder/qualifying party for mechanical work and lists the state license, occupational license, sales tax registration, liability insurance and workers' compensation on its checklist; air conditioning and heating equipment may be installed or replaced only under a filing by a parish-licensed mechanical contractor.

Shreveport. Requires city contractor registration for anyone performing HVAC work and the state license for work over $10,000; master testing is referred to the ICC or the LSLBC.

Baton Rouge and Lafayette. No official page describing a master mechanic license was located for East Baton Rouge Parish or Lafayette Consolidated Government.

Out-of-state holders. A master HVAC contractor from another state who wants to contract in Louisiana applies for the LSLBC commercial license with the Mechanical classification and, if the origin license was earned by a trade exam, requests the trade-exam waiver by reciprocity; the Business and Law course and financial statement are still required. City licenses such as New Orleans Class 'A' can then be obtained on the ICC G29 exam or LSLBC testing.