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

Yes. Maryland requires the trade exam on this path.

What does it cost to get a Maryland master HVAC technician license from Minnesota?

Published fees on this path total $244.50, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my Minnesota work hours count in Maryland?

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

Does it work the other way, from Maryland to Minnesota?

Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Maryland to Minnesota, the mechanism is not applicable.

Minnesota to Maryland: master HVAC technician license reciprocity

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

Minnesota does not issue a statewide master HVAC technician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Maryland'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 master without a reciprocal agreement

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

A master or contractor-level HVAC licensee from a state other than Delaware or Virginia must qualify for an original Maryland master license by examination; the Board's FAQ says reciprocal licensing is available only where an agreement exists. Bus. Reg. §9A-302(b) frames the 3-year requirement as employment under a Maryland journeyman-or-higher license under a master contractor, but §9A-302(g) lets the Board credit up to 6 years of HVACR work experience that does not meet that pattern when it provided comparable experience, and up to 3 years of formal study, so documented out-of-state experience can be submitted to PSI (which reviews eligibility for the Board) toward the master exam. The applicant passes the 100-question open-book master exam with 70% ($150), registers the license, pays the $94.50 license fee, and files a certificate of insurance ($300,000 general liability, $100,000 property damage) if they will contract work. Bus. Reg. §9A-305 authorizes the Board, by majority vote, to waive the exam for a licensee of any state that waives its exam for Maryland licensees to a similar extent, but the Board has published that waiver only for Delaware and Virginia. There is no separate law or business exam.

Whether PSI accepts out-of-state journeyman-level experience toward the 3-year master requirement without a Maryland journeyman license was not confirmed from an official page; the PSI bulletin says an applicant who does not meet the standard master criteria may instead sit for a Master Restricted exam with 6 years of qualifying experience. The Board's fee page lists no separate application fee.

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 3 years of qualifying work experience.At least 3 years of active experience regularly and principally providing HVACR services under a journeyman-or-higher license under the direction and control of a master HVACR contractor, with at least 1,875 hours in the year before application (Bus. Reg. §9A-302(b)); the Board may credit up to 6 years of comparable work experience and up to 3 years of formal study under §9A-302(g).

What you'll do to get licensed in Maryland

1Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Maryland Master HVACR Contractor examination administered by PSI: 100 questions, 70% to pass, 240 minutes, open book (2012 International Mechanical Code, Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, ACCA Manual J, 29 CFR 1926, ACCA Ductulator).
2Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($150). PSI examination fee for the Master Contractor exam, valid for one attempt (Master Restricted specialties $50 each); a failed exam may be retaken after 30 days with a new fee.
3License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($94.50). Master license fee, nonrefundable, effective July 1, 2025 (master restricted $31.50 per area licensed, capped at three areas; limited $94.50).
4Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Certificate of insurance if the licensee will sign or approve HVACR contracts: general liability at least $300,000 and property damage at least $100,000 (combined at least $400,000), State Board of HVACR Contractors named as certificate holder (Bus. Reg. §9A-402).
5Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Type I/II/III/Universal) to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire. The Maryland Board's pages do not list it as a licensing prerequisite, but it applies to every technician who services refrigerant-containing equipment.

Published fees on this path total $244.50, 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 · $150
Other

Liability insurance

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

Insurance

How Maryland licenses master HVAC technicians

Maryland master HVAC technician · “Master HVACR Contractor”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 11 sources

Issued by Maryland Board of Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors (Department of Labor)

Maryland's highest person-held HVACR credential is the Master HVACR Contractor license issued by the Board of Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors; it authorizes installation and maintenance in all areas of HVACR work and is the license under which HVACR contracting is done. The Board also issues Master Restricted (one or more areas: forced air, hydronic, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration) and Limited Contractor (maintenance and repair only) licenses. A new master must have been licensed as a journeyman (or journeyman restricted, limited or master restricted) and regularly and principally employed providing HVACR services under a master for at least 3 years, with 1,875 hours in the year before applying, and pass the PSI master exam (100 questions, 70%, 240 minutes, open book, $150); the license fee is $94.50. A master, master restricted or limited licensee who signs or approves HVACR contracts must carry $300,000 general liability and $100,000 property damage insurance with the Board as certificate holder. The Board reciprocates only with Delaware and Virginia; licensees of those states who qualify are licensed without the Maryland exam.

Moving to Maryland Leaving Maryland

Why Minnesota has nothing to transfer

Minnesota master HVAC technician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 15, 2026· 15 sources

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. The city's contractor license fee is published on a fee page that could not be opened during verification.

Saint Paul. A Warm Air or Ventilation Business Trade License ($188 per year, expiring December 1) requires a current Saint Paul Master Warm Air and/or Ventilation Certificate of Competency or a current Minneapolis master card, the $25,000 DLI mechanical bond, a $500,000 certificate of insurance naming the city and workers' compensation proof; Refrigeration, Gas Burner, Oil Burner and Steam Fitting licenses follow the same pattern. 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).

Moving to Minnesota Leaving Minnesota

Common questions

Do I have to take the Maryland master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Minnesota?: Yes. Maryland requires the trade exam on this path.
What does it cost to get a Maryland master HVAC technician license from Minnesota?: Published fees on this path total $244.50, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Minnesota work hours count in Maryland?: Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Maryland's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from Maryland to Minnesota?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Maryland to Minnesota, 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.
Md. Code, Business Regulation §9A-101 - Definitions (HVACR licenses) · Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §9A-101 · Maryland General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Defines the journeyman license (HVACR services under the direction and control of a licensed contractor), journeyman restricted, master, master restricted, limited and apprentice licenses; 'licensed contractor' means a master, master restricted or limited licensee, not a journeyman or apprentice.
Md. Code, Business Regulation §9A-302 - Qualifications of applicants · Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §9A-302 · Maryland General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026(b) master: regularly and principally employed providing HVACR services under a journeyman, journeyman restricted, limited or master restricted license for at least 3 years under the direction and control of a master contractor, 1,875 hours in the year before application, and pass the Board exam. (e) journeyman: held an apprentice license at least 4 years and completed at least 6,000 hours of training under a licensed contractor, and pass the exam. (g) the Board may credit up to 3 years of formal study, may credit up to 6 years of HVACR work experience that fails to meet those requirements if it provided comparable experience and the failure was not the applicant's fault, and shall credit up to 3 years for teaching HVACR courses.
Md. Code, Business Regulation §9A-305 - Waiver of examination for out-of-state licensees (reciprocity) · Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §9A-305 · Maryland General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026On a majority vote of its authorized membership the Board may waive the examination for an individual licensed in another state as a journeyman, journeyman restricted, master, master restricted or limited HVACR contractor, if the applicant pays the application fee, meets the qualifications otherwise required, holds an active license in good standing, holds an equivalent license, and became licensed after meeting requirements at least equivalent to Maryland's including the years of work experience under §9A-302(b), (c) and (d); and only if the other state waives its exam for Maryland licensees to a similar extent.
Md. Code, Business Regulation §9A-309 - Term and renewal of licenses · Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §9A-309 · Maryland General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Licenses expire on the first October 1 in an odd-numbered year after issuance and renew for 2-year terms; contractor licensees must submit proof of insurance at renewal; inactive status is available.
Md. Code, Business Regulation §9A-402 - Insurance requirement for contractor licensees · Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §9A-402 · Maryland General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026A master, master restricted or limited licensee may not contract to provide HVACR services unless covered by at least $300,000 general liability and $100,000 property damage insurance (the employer's policy may cover the licensee); journeymen and apprentices employed by a licensee need no separate insurance; the Board may not issue a license to an applicant subject to the requirement without proof of insurance.
Maryland HVACR Board - Apply for an Original License (license categories) · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Describes each category: master (all areas), master restricted (one or more areas), limited contractor (maintain and repair only), journeyman (HVACR services under the direction and control of a licensed contractor), journeyman restricted, and apprentice (no prerequisites). Offers an 'Original Journey and Journey Restricted WITHOUT Exam' application for graduates of a Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council program with a Department of Labor certificate of completion, and separate post-exam applications for journey and master/master restricted/limited licenses.
Maryland Board of Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors (HVACR) - Home · Md. Code, Bus. Reg. Title 9A; COMAR 09.15 · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026States that the Board licenses and regulates individuals who provide commercial and residential HVACR services under Business Regulation Article 9A and COMAR 09.15, adopts codes, investigates complaints and may impose civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation.
Maryland HVACR Board - Taking the Exams · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Before applying for a Journeyman, Restricted Journeyman, Master or Restricted Master license you must pass the PSI examination; PSI provides all testing for the Board at centers in Baltimore, College Park, Hagerstown, Lanham and Salisbury; applicants apply to PSI with proof of eligibility and should read the Candidate Information Bulletin. Links the reciprocal license page and the journeyman-without-examination route.
Maryland HVACR Board - Licensing Frequently Asked Questions · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Faq · verified September 15, 2026FAQ 6: every contractor who provides HVACR services in Maryland must hold a Board license regardless of any other state's license, even without a Maryland office. FAQ 9: HVACR licensees of other states may apply through reciprocity without sitting for the Maryland exam only where the other state and the Board have an agreement; 'The Board currently has reciprocal agreements with Delaware and Virginia.' Also: exam applications are processed by PSI, the exam fee must accompany the application, a failed exam may be retaken after 30 days (60 days for later attempts) with a new fee, and passing candidates register the license with the Department.
Maryland HVACR Board - Fees (COMAR fee schedule effective July 1, 2025) · COMAR 09.15.01.03 · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Nonrefundable fees as of July 1, 2025: Master $94.50; Master Restricted $31.50 for each area licensed (capped at three areas); Limited $94.50; Journeyman $25.00; Journeyman Restricted $25.00 for each area; Apprentice $12.00; Inspector $56.00; Letter of Good Standing $25; Inactive license $31.50. The page lists no separate application, reciprocity or renewal fee.
Maryland HVACR Board - Insurance Requirements · Md. Code, Bus. Reg. §9A-402 · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Master, master restricted and limited contractor applicants who sign or approve HVACR contracts must carry general liability insurance of at least $300,000 and property damage liability of at least $100,000 (combined at least $400,000), with the licensee's name, policy number and expiration on the certificate and the State Board of HVACR Contractors named as certificate holder. Contracting without the insurance is a misdemeanor.
Maryland HVACR Board - Licensing Requirements (master, master restricted, limited, journeyman) · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Master: licensed as a journeyman and regularly and principally employed providing all areas of HVACR services for at least 3 years under a HVACR master, 1,875 hours in the year before applying, 70% on the master exam, currently holds a journeyman or higher license; insurance if contracting. Master restricted and limited (2 years, 1,000 hours) listed likewise. Journeyman: licensed as an apprentice for at least 4 years with at least 6,000 hours of training under a licensed HVACR contractor, 70% on the journeyman exam, currently holds an apprentice license.
Maryland HVACR Board - Apply for a Reciprocal License · Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Reciprocal licensing is permitted only where the other state and the Maryland HVACR Board have entered into a reciprocal agreement and the individual meets the qualifications of Maryland's HVACR law, holds an active license in good standing in the other state, holds a license equivalent to the Maryland license, and became licensed there after meeting requirements at least equivalent to Maryland's, including the years of work experience. 'The Board currently has reciprocal agreements with Delaware and Virginia.' Links the reciprocity application for masters, master restricted, journey and journey restricted licensees of Delaware or Virginia.
Maryland State Board of HVACR Contractors - Qualification Information Bulletin (PSI, updated 9/1/2024) · Maryland Department of Labor / PSI Services LLC · Other · verified September 15, 2026Exam fees: Master Contractor $150, Limited Contractor $150, Journeyman $150, each Master Restricted or Journeyman Restricted specialty $50; fees valid for one attempt and 90 days. Master HVACR Contractor exam: 100 questions, 70% to pass, 240 minutes; restricted exams 40-50 questions, 90-120 minutes; all open book (2012 International Mechanical Code, Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, ACCA Manual J, 29 CFR 1926, ACCA Ductulator). Repeats the $300,000/$100,000 insurance requirement. Its journeyman eligibility text (apprentice license 3 years with 1,875 hours, or an approved apprenticeship, or 3 years of qualifying experience on Board approval) predates the current statutory 4-year/6,000-hour standard on the Board's requirements page.

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

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