Mississippi to Alabama: master HVAC technician license reciprocity
Alabama has a reciprocity agreement with Mississippi: a Mississippi master HVAC technician can get a Alabama license without retaking the trade exam.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Reciprocal agreement with Mississippi (HVAC/refrigeration contractor)
A signed state-to-state agreement. The trade exam is waived; you apply, prove your history, and pay the fee.
The Board lists the Mississippi State Board of Contractors as a reciprocal board. A Mississippi licensee who passed an equivalent exam with a score of at least 70% and holds a current and valid license applies by mail or email (reciprocal applications cannot be filed online) with the notarized reciprocity package: form AL-1 marked 'Reciprocal', AL-2 business information, VL-1 Verification of License completed by the Mississippi board showing the license title, issue and expiration dates, exam type, score, date and disciplinary history, and the VL-2 affidavit; Mississippi must also send a letter of good standing and a copy of its rules directly to the Alabama Board. The processing fee is $220, a $20,000 performance bond in the business name is required for active status, and an entity formed outside Alabama registers as a foreign corporation first. No Alabama trade exam and no business and law exam is required, but rule 440-X-3-.04(2) requires no previous or pending disciplinary action, and §34-31-29(d) makes all certification fees payable.
The Board's older New License Application page states a waiting period of at least one year of Mississippi licensure; the current How to Get Licensed page lists no waiting period. Form VL-2 asks how many years the applicant has been licensed. Confirm the waiting period with the Board before filing.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Agreement
- Active
What you must already have
- Your Mississippi license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
- Your Mississippi 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 Mississippi license for at least 1 year.Waiting period stated on the Board's older New License Application page only; not repeated on the current How to Get Licensed page.
What you'll do to get licensed in Alabama
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($220). Reciprocity processing fee (equals the active certification fee), non-refundable; inactive status $110.
- 2Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($20,000). Performance bond of $20,000 in the business name naming the Board as obligee (form BF-1), required for active status.
- 3Other. Notarized forms AL-1, AL-2, VL-1 (completed by the Mississippi board) and VL-2 affidavit, copy of the license, proof of citizenship, and a letter of good standing plus a copy of Mississippi's rules sent directly by that board to the Alabama Board.
- 4Business license. Obtain a business license (if applicable). Foreign corporation registration with the Alabama Secretary of State ($150) if the business entity was formed outside Alabama.
- 5Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Type I/II/III/Universal) to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire.
Published fees on this path total $220, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
What you'll need to buy or arrange
Surety bond
A license or contractor bond is bought from a surety, not the state. Price is a small percentage of the bond amount and depends on your credit.
- Surety bond · $20,000
Business registration
If you plan to contract in your own name, budget for a business license or entity registration on top of the trade license.
- Business license · if applicable
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 Alabama licenses master HVAC technicians
Alabama master HVAC technician · “Certified Heating and Air Conditioning Contractor (or Certified Refrigeration Contractor)”
Statewide license
Issued by Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors
Alabama's HVAC credential is the Certified Heating and Air Conditioning Contractor certification (with a parallel Certified Refrigeration Contractor certification for commercial refrigeration) issued by the Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors. It is treated here as the master level because it is earned personally by examination: under rule 440-X-3-.04 an individual must satisfy every requirement, and when a partnership, corporation or LLC is certified the certificate is issued in the name of the person in responsible charge together with the business name. A new applicant must show 3,000 hours of work experience (the exam application asks for notarized employer affidavits covering at least two years within the past five years, with W-2 forms) or graduation from an approved HVAC or refrigeration curriculum, then pass the open-book Prov exam ($175; 115 questions, 70% to pass). Active certification costs $220 per year and requires a business name and a $20,000 performance bond; inactive status is $110 with no bond; four hours of continuing education are required each year after the first, and renewal is due by December 31. The Board accepts licenses by reciprocity from Mississippi, Tennessee, Ohio, South Carolina (Residential Building Commission or Contractor's Board), Texas, West Virginia and Louisiana when the applicant passed an equivalent exam with at least 70%; there is no business and law exam, and §34-31-28(d) prohibits counties and municipalities from requiring further local testing of certified contractors.
Why Mississippi has nothing to transfer
Mississippi master HVAC technician
Licensed by cities and counties
Mississippi does not issue a personal master HVAC license. The state-level HVAC credential is the Mississippi State Board of Contractors (MSBOC) contractor license: commercial 'Heat, Ventilation, A/C - HVAC' under the Mechanical classification (required on commercial jobs over $50,000; application and renewal $400, $300,000/$600,000 liability insurance, CPA-reviewed financial statement) or Residential HVAC (required for residential work over $10,000 in remodeling or $50,000 new construction; application $50, renewal $100). The license is issued to the business through a Certificate of Responsibility with a named qualifying party who passes the open-book PSI HVAC (or Residential HVAC) trade exam and the mandatory Mississippi Law and Business Management exam, so a master HVAC mechanic who only wants to work for an employer has nothing to transfer to at the state level; the personal master credential exists only in cities such as Southaven (Master Mechanical, $100, which itself requires an active MSBOC license, a $10,000 bond and liability insurance) and Gulfport (Mechanical/HVAC contractor license issued to the qualifying party, $100). MSBOC waives its HVAC trade exam, for $50 per exam, for qualifying parties who have held a license for at least one year with the Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors, the Alabama General Contractors Board, the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors, the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (HVAC or Refrigeration), the South Carolina Residential Builders Commission (Residential HVAC) or the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, provided the license was obtained by that board's exam and there has been no disciplinary action in the period stated in each agreement; the Business and Law exam is never waived. EPA Section 608 certification is a separate federal requirement.
How local licensing works in Mississippi
State contractor license (business). MSBOC issues commercial and residential contractor licenses to companies through a Certificate of Responsibility. The commercial HVAC classification ('Heat, Ventilation, A/C - HVAC', with Ductwork, Refrigeration and Boiler specialties) requires the PSI open-book HVAC trade exam and the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam taken by the qualifying party (owner, officer or responsible managing employee), a $400 application fee ($400 annual renewal, $100 per additional classification), general liability insurance of $300,000 per occurrence / $600,000 aggregate naming MSBOC, and a CPA-reviewed financial statement showing net worth of $50,000 for a major classification or $20,000 for a specialty. Residential HVAC and Residential Mechanical (HVAC plus plumbing) licenses require the Residential HVAC (and Plumbing) exam and the Law and Business exam, a $50 application fee ($100 per additional classification, $100 renewal), proof of liability insurance with no minimum, three reference letters and documented experience in the classification.
MSBOC exam waivers for out-of-state qualifying parties. Reciprocity waives the trade exam only ($50 per exam waived, plus a $25 verification fee) after the origin board completes MSBOC's Reciprocity Verification Form; the applicant must have held the origin license for one year and passed that board's exam. HVAC waivers are available for the Alabama Heating and Air board (current license, Alabama exam), the Alabama General Contractors Board (HVAC can be waived; no discipline in the last year), Louisiana (HVAC can be waived but not mechanical or plumbing; the formal agreement ended but MSBOC continues to recognize Louisiana scores), Ohio CILB (HVAC and Refrigeration; no discipline in the last year), the South Carolina Residential Builders Commission (Residential HVAC; no discipline in three years) and Tennessee (all exams, the only state whose mechanical and plumbing exams are waived; no discipline in the last year). Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and the South Carolina Contractors Licensing Board agreements do not cover HVAC. Everyone takes the Mississippi Law and Business Management exam.
Southaven. Master Mechanical license ($100) for the license qualifier: application, photo ID, certificate of liability insurance, $10,000 surety bond in favor of the city, an active MSBOC contractor's license certificate and the company EIN. An out-of-state contractor without an MSBOC license must instead provide a letter of good standing from a municipality where its license is active and may not take residential projects or commercial projects over $50,000; the city defers to MSBOC on reciprocity.
Gulfport. Mechanical/HVAC contractor license ($100, waived with an MSBOC Certificate of Responsibility) issued in the name of the qualifying party: notarized application, current MSBOC license if held, five reference letters (waived with an MSBOC license), $100,000/$300,000 public liability insurance naming the city, home-jurisdiction privilege license and photo ID.
Out-of-state holders. A master HVAC licensee from another state who wants to contract in Mississippi applies to MSBOC as the qualifying party of a business, uses the exam waiver if the origin board is on the list, and then registers with each city; a master who only wants employment needs no state license and, in most cities, no personal card.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Alabama master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Mississippi?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path under the agreement with Mississippi.
- How long do I need to have held my Mississippi license?
- At least 1 year before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Alabama master HVAC technician license from Mississippi?
- Published fees on this path total $220, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Does it work the other way, from Alabama to Mississippi?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Alabama to Mississippi, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- Alabama HACR Board - HVAC/Refrigeration Examination Application (forms EA-1 to EA-7) with approved curricula and exam references · Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors · Form · verified September 15, 2026Eligibility proof: notarized employer affidavits (EA-4) that the applicant worked in heating and air conditioning and/or commercial refrigeration for at least two years within the past five years with W-2 forms, and/or certificates of at least 3,000 hours of HVAC or refrigeration training, or graduation from an approved curriculum (Alabama, Georgia, Florida and other southeastern programs are listed). The EA-4 affidavit has a 'Licensing State' field for the supervising licensee, so out-of-state supervised experience is accepted. Exam fee $175 per exam ($350 for both); open-book exams referencing the 2021 IRC/IMC, ACCA Manuals D and J, the 2020 NEC, the Board's 2024 law book and the NASCLA business-law guide. The form still quotes an older version of §34-31-28 that allowed eligibility by two years of Board apprentice registration.
- Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors - How to Get Licensed (examination, licensure, reciprocity) · Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Defines the two certifications (Heating & Air Conditioning Contractor; Refrigeration Contractor); examination fee $175; active certification $220 per year with a business name and a $20,000 performance bond, inactive $110 per year with no bond. Step 3 lists the reciprocal boards: Mississippi State Board of Contractors, Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board, South Carolina Residential Building Commission, South Carolina Contractor's Board, Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation, West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board and Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors; the applicant must have passed an equivalent exam with a score of at least 70% and hold a current and valid license; reciprocal applications cannot be filed online; reciprocity processing fee $220; $20,000 performance bond in the business name; foreign corporation registration with the Secretary of State. No business and law exam is mentioned.
- Code of Alabama 1975, §34-31-18 et seq. and Alabama Administrative Code Chapters 440-X-1 to 440-X-4 (Board compilation, October 17, 2024) · Ala. Code §§ 34-31-18, 34-31-24, 34-31-25, 34-31-26, 34-31-28, 34-31-29, 34-31-30; Ala. Admin. Code 440-X-3-.04, 440-X-3-.10, 440-X-3-.16 · Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors · Statute · verified September 15, 2026§34-31-18 defines Certified Heating and Air Conditioning Contractor and Certified Refrigeration Contractor ('any person engaged in the business of ...'), 'responsible charge' and 'regularly employed person'. §34-31-24(a): no person may advertise, bid, obtain permits or perform the function of a certified contractor unless the person in responsible charge is a certified contractor. §34-31-28(c): eligibility to sit for the exam requires 3,000 hours of work experience as defined by the Board or graduation from an approved curriculum; (d) counties and municipalities are prohibited from requiring further local testing of certified contractors. §34-31-29(d): the Board may enter into reciprocity agreements with other states; the provision recognizes the contractor as having passed the exam but all certification fees must be paid. §34-31-30: performance bond up to $25,000. §34-31-26: annual renewal by December 31, inactive status at half fee, four hours of continuing education per year (first year exempt). Rule 440-X-3-.04(2): certification by reciprocity requires a current and valid license in a qualifying reciprocal state with no previous or pending disciplinary action; (5) all new applicants must provide a $20,000 performance bond; (6) an entity is certified through its person in responsible charge and the certificate is issued in that person's name with the business name. Rule 440-X-3-.10 (effective October 14, 2024): written exam $175, practical exam $375, active certification and renewal $220, inactive $110, late fee $250. Rule 440-X-3-.16: exam waiver for military members, spouses and federal personnel holding an HVAC, refrigeration or mechanical license in another state. No rule lists the reciprocal states or waiting periods; no journeyman, technician or apprentice license appears anywhere in the chapter.
- Alabama HACR Board - New License Application (licensure by examination and by reciprocity) · Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Older page still published alongside 'How to Get Licensed'. Examination route: Board-issued Apprentice Certificate for the previous two years, graduation from an approved curriculum, or 3,000 hours (18 months) of work experience under supervision of a HACR licensee proven by W-2 forms and employer affidavit. Reciprocity route: 'current and valid HVAC license with the South Carolina Residential Builders Commission for at least 5 years; Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors for at least 3 years; Mississippi Board of Contractors for at least 1 year; Louisiana or West Virginia where there are no waiting periods'; forms AL-1, AL-2, VL-1, VL-2, BF-1. Its fees ($150 exam, $190/$95 certification, $15,000 bond) are superseded by rule 440-X-3-.10 effective October 14, 2024 and by the current page.
- Alabama HACR Board - Reciprocity Application Package (forms AL-1, AL-2, VL-1, VL-2, BF-1) · Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors · Form · verified September 15, 2026Form AL-1 (method of licensure 'Reciprocal' uses AL-1, AL-2, VL-1 and VL-2): active HVAC or refrigeration contractor $220, inactive $110; active contractors must submit a $20,000 performance bond in the business name, corporation documents or certificate of foreign authority; a letter of good standing and a copy of the state's rules must be sent directly from each listed jurisdiction's board to the Alabama Board; proof of citizenship; 4% card fee. Form VL-1 is completed by the origin board with license title, issue and expiration dates, exam type, score and date, and disciplinary history. Form VL-2 is a notarized affidavit that the applicant is licensed under a reciprocal agreement, has taken an equivalent exam with a passing score of at least 70%, and will comply with Alabama law. The package also carries the Secretary of State foreign corporation registration ($150). The AL-2 sheet still quotes the pre-2024 $190/$95 fees.
- State of Alabama HACR Contractor Board Examinations - Candidate Information Bulletin (Prov, July 3, 2025) · Prov, Inc. (testing vendor contracted by the Alabama HACR Board) · Other · verified September 15, 2026The Board 'has contracted with Prov, Inc. to develop, and administer their licensing examination program'; exams are (HAC) Heating and Air Conditioning (115 questions, 5 hours) and Refrigeration (115 questions, 4 hours), open book, passing score 70%; the exam fee is paid to the State and Prov charges nothing; the Board approves the candidate before scheduling.
- 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.
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.