Minnesota to Delaware: master HVAC technician license reciprocity
Minnesota does not issue a statewide master HVAC technician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Delaware'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.
Master license by reciprocity from a state not on the Board's published lists
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
A master-level HVAC licensee from a state, U.S. territory or jurisdiction that the Board has not yet classified applies by reciprocity in DELPROS; no Delaware examination is required on this path. The applicant must submit a copy of the origin jurisdiction's HVACR licensure law and regulations so the Board can decide whether its standards are substantially similar to Delaware's (24 DE Admin. Code 1800 § 3.2). If they are, 24 Del. C. § 1823(a) requires the Board to grant the license; if they are not, § 1823(b) requires proof of at least seven years of practice after master licensure, documented with Verification of Employment forms, W-2s or Schedule C. Every applicant pays the $173 application fee, has licensure verification sent directly to the Board from each jurisdiction where they hold or have held a license, uploads a CFC (EPA 608) certification card, and attests to the good-conduct requirements of § 1821(a)(4)-(7); the application must be completed within six months and is reviewed at the next Board meeting. Holders of only a municipal license (Pennsylvania, for example) cannot use reciprocity and must apply by examination: journeyman certificate plus 2 years under a master, or 7 years plus the By-Pass exam, then the ProV Master HVACR exam ($100, 100 questions, 4 hours, open book, 70%). A business that has just lost its only master may also obtain a 100-day temporary license ($40) for an owner or employee who is applying and sits for the next exam.
The Board's page does not say how long the substantial-similarity evaluation of an unlisted state takes or list the criteria it applies; regulation 3.2 says only that the applicant must demonstrate equivalent standards and supply the state's laws. Experience under an out-of-state master counts on the examination path because § 1821(a)(1) and regulation 3.1.2 accept supervision by 'an individual holding a similar level of licensure in another state'. Delaware publishes no separate business, law or code exam for masters and no insurance or bond requirement for the individual license.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your Minnesota license must be active and in good standing.
- You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.
- You must have held your Minnesota license for at least 7 years.Required only if the Board finds the origin jurisdiction's standards not substantially similar: at least 7 years of practice after master licensure (24 Del. C. § 1823(b)).
- Origin jurisdiction's HVACR licensure law and regulations submitted for the Board's substantial-similarity evaluation (24 DE Admin. Code 1800 § 3.2)
What you'll do to get licensed in Delaware
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($173). Master HVACR (or Master Restricted HVACR) application fee, non-refundable, paid in DELPROS.
- 2Other. State/jurisdiction licensure verification sent directly to the Board office from each state or jurisdiction where the applicant currently holds or has ever held a license (a business license covering employees does not need verification).
- 3Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Type I/II/III/Universal) to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire. Delaware requires a copy of the CFC certification card with every Master HVACR, Master HVACR Restricted-Refrigeration and Master HVACR Restricted-Air Conditioning application (24 Del. C. § 1821(a)(3); 24 DE Admin. Code 1800 § 3.1.3).
- 4Other. Verification of Employment forms (or W-2s, employer affidavits or Schedule C with an explanation) covering at least 7 years of practice as a licensed master, needed if the Board finds the origin standards not substantially similar.
Published fees on this path total $173, 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.
- Other
How Delaware licenses master HVAC technicians
Delaware master HVAC technician · “Master HVACR”
Statewide license
Delaware issues a person-held Master HVACR license through the Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners in the Division of Professional Regulation (the electrical trade is regulated by a separate board). A Master HVACR licensee may design, install, service and alter heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, ventilation and process systems including gas piping; a Master HVACR Restricted license covers one specialty (forced-air heating with ventilation and gas piping, hydronic heating with gas piping, commercial hood systems, refrigeration, air conditioning, or gas piping). Employees work under a master's supervision without their own license. A new master needs a journeyman certificate from a federally-registered apprenticeship plus 2 years under a master, or 7 years under a master plus the ABC Delaware Apprenticeship By-Pass exam, then passes the ProV-administered Master HVACR exam (100 questions, 4 hours, open book, 70%, $100) and pays the $173 application fee; a CFC (EPA 608) card is required. Out-of-state masters are licensed by reciprocity without a Delaware exam under 24 Del. C. § 1823: the Board has published that Connecticut and Maryland standards are substantially similar (no experience proof) and that fourteen other jurisdictions are not (7 years of licensed practice required); all other states are evaluated case by case. Licenses renew biennially with 5 hours of continuing education from 2026.
Why Minnesota has nothing to transfer
Minnesota master HVAC technician
Licensed by cities and counties
Minnesota issues no master HVAC, master refrigeration or HVAC contractor license. The only statewide requirement is the $25,000 mechanical contractor bond that a business files with the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) under Minn. Stat. 326B.197 ($100 filing fee, valid two years) before contracting for gas, heating, ventilation, cooling, air conditioning, fuel burning or refrigeration work; DLI states that there is no state license for mechanical contractors or their employees and that cities may require licensure or a competency card. The master-level credential therefore exists only at the city level: Minneapolis issues Master Warm Air Ventilation and Master Refrigeration Certificates of Competency (four years of experience and education plus an ICC exam) and requires a master card holder behind each HVAC Class A or Refrigeration Systems Installer contractor license; Saint Paul issues Master Warm Air, Ventilation and Refrigeration competency cards and requires one for each Warm Air/Ventilation business trade license; Rochester licenses individual HVAC Master Installers after a city certificate of competency; Bloomington licenses mechanical contractors on a Minneapolis or Saint Paul card or its own test. An out-of-state master HVAC or mechanical contractor license has no state-level recognition and none of these cities publish a path that accepts it; Minneapolis and Saint Paul recognize each other's master cards. Federal EPA Section 608 certification is separately required of anyone handling refrigerants.
How local licensing works in Minnesota
How local licensing works. Minnesota has no state mechanical or HVAC license and no state HVAC board. Under Minn. Stat. 326B.197 a business contracting for gas, heating, ventilation, cooling, air conditioning, fuel burning or refrigeration work files a $25,000 bond with DLI ($100 biennial filing fee); the bond is 'in lieu of all other bonds to any political subdivision' but does not replace city licenses, and DLI tells contractors they 'must comply with local licensing requirements'. Whether an individual must hold a master-level card depends on the city.
Minneapolis. Contractor licenses (HVAC Class A for installing, repairing or cleaning HVAC systems, HVAC Class B for cleaning only, Refrigeration Systems Installer, Gas Fitter) are issued by Business Licenses and Consumer Services and require the State of Minnesota $25,000 bond; the responsible person holds a Master Certificate of Competency under Minneapolis Code Chapter 278. Master Warm Air Ventilation and Master Refrigeration cards require four years (1,600 hours per year) of on-the-job experience and four years (576 hours) of trade-related education, eligibility approval by the Building Official (no fee), the ICC exam at Pearson VUE (80 questions, 75% to pass, $115; the refrigeration master exam is open book with a 3-hour limit) and a $30 card fee per trade. A Saint Paul card is accepted by reciprocity for $30 per trade. Master competency exams for Warm Air/Ventilation are given in January and July; reciprocal master cards are issued on a current Minneapolis card for $24 per trade.
Rochester. An HVAC Contractor license ($125 per year) requires a full-time licensed HVAC Master Installer; the Master Installer license ($60 per year) is issued to the individual after a City of Rochester certificate of competency ($25 per area of competency).
Bloomington. Mechanical contractor licenses (HVAC, gas installer, hot water/steam, oil burner, refrigeration) require a Minneapolis or Saint Paul Certificate of Competency or passing Bloomington's $35 open-book mechanical test on the 2020 Minnesota Mechanical and Fuel Gas Code, plus the DLI bond and a Minnesota tax ID.
Duluth. No city mechanical license; permits are issued to DLI-bonded mechanical contractors.
Out-of-state holders. No Minnesota city reviewed here publishes reciprocity or endorsement for another state's master HVAC or mechanical contractor license. A master arriving from another state can contract statewide by filing the DLI bond, and in Minneapolis, Saint Paul or Rochester must additionally document four years of experience and education and pass that city's master exam (a Minneapolis card then reciprocates to Saint Paul and is accepted in Bloomington).
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Delaware master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Minnesota?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
- How long do I need to have held my Minnesota license?
- At least 7 years before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Delaware master HVAC technician license from Minnesota?
- Published fees on this path total $173, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Minnesota work hours count in Delaware?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Delaware's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Delaware to Minnesota?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Delaware to Minnesota, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- 24 DE Admin. Code 1800 - Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners (regulations) · 24 DE Admin. Code 1800 §§ 2.0, 5.0 · Delaware Registrar of Regulations · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- 24 Del. C. ch. 18, subch. I - Board of Plumbing, HVACR Examiners: objectives and definitions · 24 Del. C. § 1802 · Delaware General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026
- 24 Del. C. ch. 18, subch. III - License: Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration · 24 Del. C. §§ 1820, 1821, 1823, 1825 · Delaware General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- Delaware Board of Electrical Examiners - Home · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026
- Delaware DPR - Plumbing and HVACR Examinations (ProV and Apprenticeship By-Pass exam) · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Delaware DPR - Plumbing and HVACR Frequently Asked Questions · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Faq · verified September 23, 2026
- Delaware DPR - Board of Electrical Examiners fee schedule · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Delaware DPR - Master HVACR and Master HVACR Restricted Licensure (examination and reciprocity) · 24 Del. C. §§ 1821, 1823 · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Delaware DPR - Temporary Plumber or HVACR License (loss of sole license holder) · 24 Del. C. § 1831 · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- Prov, Inc. - Delaware Division of Professional Regulation Candidate Information Bulletin (22.03.09) · Prov, Inc. for the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- 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
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.