Louisiana to Michigan: master HVAC technician license reciprocity
Louisiana does not issue a statewide master HVAC technician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Michigan'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 or mechanical contractor (all states; Michigan has no reciprocity)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
Michigan has no reciprocity agreement with any state and no endorsement route; LARA's Out-of-State License Verification form states that Michigan 'does not reciprocate with any other state for licensing' and that the applicant is 'required to take and pass an examination'. An out-of-state licensee files the standard Application for Mechanical Contractor Examination & Licensing with the $300 fee, selects the classifications wanted, and documents 3 years or 6,000 hours of experience in each classification with statements signed under penalty of perjury by each present or former mechanical contractor employer; applicants with out-of-state experience must be approved by LARA before PSI will let them schedule. The applicant then passes each classification exam at PSI within one year of eligibility (HVAC Equipment: 150 questions, open book, 3 hours, $100; other classifications: 55 questions, 60 minutes, $50; 75% to pass, unlimited retakes within the year). There is no separate law or business exam, but every exam includes questions on the Skilled Trades Regulation Act and the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act. The license runs on a 3-year cycle expiring August 31 and the fee is prorated for mid-cycle applicants.
Whether experience documented by an out-of-state employer that is not a Michigan 'contractor of record' is accepted as the 'equivalent experience acceptable to the board' under MCL 339.5807(1)(a) is decided by LARA case by case; the out-of-state form only says such applicants must be approved to sit. Exam fees listed are per classification; an applicant seeking several classifications pays each.
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 6,000 hours of qualifying work experience.3 years or 6,000 hours of experience in each work classification applied for, verified by perjury statements from each employing contractor (MCL 339.5807(1)(a)); a completed 2-year HVAC program is credited up to 1 year or 2,000 hours.
- Good moral character and the general requirements of Article 2 of the Skilled Trades Regulation Act (MCL 339.5807(1)).
What you'll do to get licensed in Michigan
- 1License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($300). Mechanical contractor application and license fee for the 3-year cycle ($100 per year under MCL 339.5813, prorated for mid-cycle applicants; waived for eligible veterans); additional classifications $300/$200/$100 by cycle year.
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. PSI Michigan Mechanical Contractor examination for each classification sought (HVAC Equipment: 150 questions, open book, 3 hours; Refrigeration, Ductwork, Hydronic and specialty exams: 55 questions, 60 minutes, open book; heating and refrigeration/air conditioning service exams: 55 questions, closed book); 75% to pass.
- 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($100). PSI exam fee for the HVAC Equipment (includes ductwork and gas piping) classification; non-refundable, valid one year.
- 4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($50). PSI exam fee for each other classification (hydronic, ductwork, refrigeration, limited/unlimited heating service, limited/unlimited refrigeration and air conditioning service, fire suppression, specialty).
- 5Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Type I/II/III/Universal) to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire. LARA's mechanical pages are silent on it; it is a federal requirement, not a Michigan licensing prerequisite.
Published fees on this path total $450, 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
- Exam fee · $100
- Exam fee · $50
- Other
How Michigan licenses master HVAC technicians
Michigan master HVAC technician · “Mechanical Contractor (classified: HVAC Equipment, Refrigeration, Ductwork, Heating/Refrigeration Service, etc.)”
Statewide license
Michigan's HVAC credential is the Mechanical Contractor license issued by LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes under Article 8 of the Skilled Trades Regulation Act (2016 PA 407). Although called a contractor license, it is issued to an individual who qualifies by examination, so this file treats it as the master level: a business performs mechanical work by designating a licensed individual as its contractor of record (MCL 339.5809, 339.5815). The license is classified; an HVAC business typically holds HVAC Equipment (which includes ductwork and gas piping), Refrigeration and the heating and refrigeration/air conditioning service classifications. For each classification the applicant documents 3 years or 6,000 hours of experience with statements signed under penalty of perjury by each employing contractor of record (a 2-year HVAC program may be credited up to 1 year or 2,000 hours), is approved by LARA, and passes the PSI exam for that classification (75% to pass; the HVAC Equipment exam is 150 questions, open book, 3 hours, $100; other classification exams are 55 questions, 60 minutes, $50). The license fee is $300 for the 3-year cycle ($100 per year, prorated), licenses expire August 31 every third year, and municipalities may not impose their own licensing (MCL 339.5811). Michigan has no reciprocity with any state and no licensure by endorsement: LARA's out-of-state form states that Michigan 'does not reciprocate with any other state for licensing' and that out-of-state applicants must be approved to sit for the examination, so an out-of-state HVAC or mechanical contractor's experience counts toward eligibility but the Michigan exams must be passed. Federal EPA Section 608 certification is separately required to handle refrigerants.
Why Louisiana has nothing to transfer
Louisiana master HVAC technician
Licensed by cities and counties
Louisiana does not issue a statewide master HVAC or master mechanic license. The state-level credential for HVAC work is the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) commercial license in the Mechanical classification (major classification 6, or subclassification 6.1 Heat, Air Conditioning, Ventilation, Duct Work and Refrigeration), mandatory for any mechanical project of $10,000 or more; it is a contractor license issued to the business (or a sole proprietor) and qualified by a natural person, the qualifying party, who passed the trade exam through PSI, so it is treated here as a business license rather than a person-held master credential. Master mechanic licenses exist only at the local level: New Orleans issues a Class 'A' Master Mechanical Contractor License ($110 per year) to an applicant who passed the ICC G29 Master Mechanical exam directly or through LSLBC state testing, carries $500,000 of general liability insurance, and is the only Class 'A' holder for the company; Jefferson Parish issues a $200 parish trade contractor license built on the state license. For the state contractor license the LSLBC waives the trade exam for any applicant who passed a comparable classification exam in any other state without waivers, exemptions or grandfathering, with no partner-state list since October 23, 2024, but the Business and Law course/exam, the financial statement and the other licensing requirements are never waived. No parish or city page reviewed publishes reciprocity for out-of-state master licenses. Federal EPA Section 608 certification applies to anyone who handles refrigerants.
How local licensing works in Louisiana
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.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Michigan master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Louisiana?
- Yes. Michigan requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Michigan master HVAC technician license from Louisiana?
- Published fees on this path total $450, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Louisiana work hours count in Michigan?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Michigan's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Michigan to Louisiana?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Michigan to Louisiana, 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.
- City of Detroit BSEED - Mechanical Inspection Team (contractor registration) · City of Detroit · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026'Applicant must have a current and valid State of Michigan issued Mechanical License/Mechanical Contractors License before he/she can apply for Renewal/Registration with the City of Detroit.' Detroit registers state-licensed mechanical contractors for permitting (notarized application, same-day in person) and issues no license of its own and no worker-level credential.
- Michigan LARA - Application for Mechanical Contractor Examination & Licensing · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · Form · verified September 15, 2026Application/license fee $300 (non-refundable; waived for eligible veterans); adding a classification costs $300, $200 or $100 depending on the year of the 3-year cycle; the exam fee is paid separately to PSI. Requires 'a minimum of 3 years or 6,000 hours of experience in the work classification', documented by statements signed under penalty of perjury from each contractor employer describing the work (BTU ratings, venting and duct systems, fuels, refrigerants); a completed 2-year HVAC program may be credited up to 1 year or 2,000 hours. The applicant is an individual ('legal name must match government issued identification'). The form has no out-of-state or reciprocity section. Read through the r.jina.ai text proxy because michigan.gov returned 403.
- Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes - Mechanical Examination, Licensing/Registration & Application Information · Skilled Trades Regulation Act, 2016 PA 407, Article 8 · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Lists the mechanical contractor work classifications (hydronic heating and cooling and process piping; HVAC equipment; ductwork; refrigeration; limited and unlimited heating service; limited and unlimited refrigeration and air conditioning service; fire suppression; specialty licenses for solar heating and cooling, solid fuel and vented decorative gas appliances, LP distribution piping, fuel gas piping, fuel gas piping and venting). 'Must have a minimum of 3 years experience in each of the work classifications applied for' and 'take and pass an examination for each work classification desired'; exams are given by PSI at centers across Michigan and all exam fees are paid to PSI. The page contains no journeyman or registration credential and no reciprocity statement. michigan.gov returned 403 to the fetcher; the page was read through the r.jina.ai text proxy.
- Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes - Out-of-State License Verification form · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · Form · verified September 15, 2026Generic Bureau of Construction Codes form used for all skilled trades: 'The State of Michigan does not reciprocate with any other state for licensing. Therefore, you are required to take and pass an examination to receive a license in the State of Michigan.' and 'All applicants with out-of-state experience must be approved to sit for examination.' Read through the r.jina.ai text proxy because michigan.gov returned 403.
- Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes - PSI Examinations · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Mechanical contractor candidates must be approved by LARA before testing: 'Once your application has been reviewed and you've been approved to test, your information is sent to PSI', who contacts the candidate within 10 business days to pay and schedule. Links the Mechanical Contractor Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI bulletin 5423). Read through the r.jina.ai text proxy because michigan.gov returned 403.
- Skilled Trades Regulation Act, 2016 PA 407, Article 8 - Mechanical Contractors (MCL 339.5801-339.5819) · MCL 339.5807, 339.5809, 339.5811, 339.5813, 339.5815 · Michigan Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026339.5807(1): exam eligibility requires good moral character and 3 years or 6,000 hours of experience in the classification, shown by perjury statements from each contractor-of-record employer; military experience counts; a 2-year HVAC program is credited up to 1 year/2,000 hours. 339.5807(2): the ten classifications. 339.5809: no one may perform regulated mechanical work unless the person (if an individual) or an employee holds a mechanical contractor's license; a business designates a licensed individual as contractor of record. 339.5811: 'A municipality shall not establish or maintain local licensing requirements for the work classifications.' 339.5813: each classification exam fee is $100 or less; the license fee is $100 per year, licenses expire August 31 every third year and are prorated; lapsed licensees who renew within 3 years are not re-examined. 339.5815: 90 days to replace a departed contractor of record. Nothing in Article 8 provides for reciprocity or licensure by endorsement. Read with pdftotext after download.
- PSI - Michigan Mechanical Contractor Candidate Information Bulletin · PSI Services LLC for Michigan LARA · Other · verified September 15, 2026Exam fees: HVAC Equipment (includes ductwork and gas piping) $100; every other classification (hydronic, ductwork, refrigeration, limited/unlimited heating service, limited/unlimited refrigeration and air conditioning service, fire suppression, specialty) $50; fees are non-refundable and valid one year. HVAC Equipment exam: 150 questions, open book, 3 hours, 75% to pass; the other classification exams are 55 questions in 60 minutes (service classifications closed book), 75% to pass. All exams include questions on 2016 PA 407 and 1972 PA 230. Candidates must be approved by LARA first and must pass within one year of eligibility (unlimited retakes in that year). Read with pdftotext after download.
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.