Nebraska to Alabama: master HVAC technician license reciprocity
Nebraska does not issue a statewide master HVAC technician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Alabama'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.
Examination with documented out-of-state experience (states without an agreement)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
A contractor licensed in a state outside the Board's reciprocal list has no endorsement route: §34-31-29(d) recognizes only licenses covered by a reciprocity agreement, and rule 440-X-3-.04(2) limits reciprocity to 'a qualifying reciprocal state'. The applicant instead files the HVAC/Refrigeration Examination Application (EA-1 to EA-4) with the $175 exam fee and proves eligibility under §34-31-28(c) by 3,000 hours of work experience or graduation from an approved curriculum; experience is documented by notarized Affidavit of Employment forms (EA-4) from each supervising licensee, whose licensing state is recorded on the form, together with W-2 forms showing full-time employment, so hours earned under an out-of-state contractor are credited. After Board approval the candidate schedules the open-book Heating and Air Conditioning exam (115 questions, 5 hours) or Refrigeration exam (90 questions, 4 hours) with Prov and must score 70%. The successful candidate then applies for certification with forms AL-1, AL-2 and BF-1 ($220 active with a $20,000 performance bond in the business name, or $110 inactive) and, if the business entity was formed outside Alabama, registers it as a foreign corporation with the Secretary of State. Rule 440-X-3-.16 lets the Board waive the exam for military members, military spouses and transferred federal personnel who hold a current HVAC, refrigeration or mechanical license in another state.
Applicants must sit for the exam within one year of the application being received (§34-31-29(c)); applications not completed within twelve months may be treated as abandoned. The exam application also accepts certificates of 3,000 hours of HVAC or refrigeration educational training in lieu of work hours. Alabama's pages do not mention EPA Section 608 certification; it is listed here because it is a federal requirement for refrigerant handling.
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 3,000 hours of qualifying work experience.3,000 hours of work experience as defined by the Board (the exam application asks for at least two years within the past five years under a licensed contractor, proven by notarized employer affidavits and W-2 forms), or graduation from an approved heating, air conditioning or refrigeration curriculum (§34-31-28(c)).
What you'll do to get licensed in Alabama
- 1Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($175). Written examination fee per exam (HVAC or Refrigeration), paid to the State with the exam application; non-refundable (440-X-3-.10).
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Alabama Heating and Air Conditioning exam (115 questions, 5 hours) or Refrigeration exam (90 questions, 4 hours) administered by Prov; open book, 70% to pass.
- 3License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($220). Initial active certification fee (forms AL-1, AL-2, BF-1); annual renewal $220 by December 31; inactive status $110 with no bond.
- 4Surety 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 certification (440-X-3-.04(5)).
- 5Other. Notarized Affidavit of Employment (EA-4) from each supervising licensee with corresponding W-2 forms, or transcripts/certificates for an approved curriculum; proof of citizenship or lawful presence.
- 6Business 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.
- 7Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Four hours of Board-approved continuing education every calendar year to renew (exempt during the first year of certification) (§34-31-26(d)).
- 8Other. Hold EPA Section 608 technician certification to handle refrigerant; federal law requires it, but it is not a condition of this state license (if applicable).
Published fees on this path total $395, 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.
- Exam fee · $175
- Trade exam
- Other · if applicable
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
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
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 Nebraska has nothing to transfer
Nebraska master HVAC technician
Licensed by cities and counties
Nebraska does not issue a statewide master HVAC or mechanical contractor license; the state only requires contracting businesses to register with the Department of Labor under the Contractor Registration Act ($40 per year, no exam), and it licenses no construction trade at the state level except electricians. The master-level HVAC credential exists only at the city level: Omaha's Master Air Conditioning/Air Distribution (ACAD) contractor license, Lincoln's Mechanical Master Contractor license, Bellevue's master mechanical license and Grand Island's master mechanical license, each requiring the city's exam (Lincoln and Bellevue reference the ICC National Standard Master Mechanical exam) plus liability insurance and, in Omaha, a bond. An out-of-state master HVAC license carries no state-level recognition; Omaha waives its exam only for Bellevue and State of Iowa master ACAD licensees, and Lincoln allows any out-of-state master licensed by exam to sit its contractor exam without further qualifications. A contractor working in several cities must be licensed in each and registered with the Department of Labor.
How local licensing works in Nebraska
How local licensing works. Nebraska has no state HVAC license and no state mechanical board. The Contractor Registration Act (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 48-2104) requires every contractor to register with the Department of Labor before performing construction work ($40 per year from August 1, 2026, plus a workers' compensation certificate if there are employees); registration is not a license and involves no exam. Master and contractor licensing comes from each city's ordinance.
Omaha. The Master ACAD license (Omaha Municipal Code ch. 40, art. II) is the credential that lets a person contract for and pull permits for air conditioning and air distribution work. Applicants need eight or more years of verifiable experience installing ACAD systems, or four or more years employed by a licensed master after obtaining an Omaha (or equivalent) journeyman ACAD license (one year = 1,750 hours), must appear before the ACAD Board, and pass a Pearson Vue exam with 75% or greater. After passing they file a $10,000 surety bond and $300,000 liability insurance with the Planning Department. Fees: $81.00 application, $50 license plus $4.00 technology fee; renewal $160 plus $12.80 every two years (December 31 of odd years) with 8 hours of continuing education. Reciprocation: the board may waive the exam for a holder of a valid Bellevue, Nebraska or State of Iowa master ACAD contractor license with an exam score of 75% or greater (ACAD Reciprocation Application, $81.00). Sec. 40-40 of the code also allows licensees of comparable cities to apply without re-examination, but the city's page names only Bellevue and Iowa.
Lincoln. The Mechanical Master Contractor license requires holding a valid mechanical journeyman license for at least one year and passing the city master exam ($400 filing fee, given quarterly), which has four parts (ACCA Manual J, duct sizing, Lincoln Gas Code and Lincoln Adopted Amendments) plus the ICC National Standard Master Mechanical exam G29 taken at the applicant's cost. Annual registration is $350 (inactive master $50; a separate Refrigeration Master Contractor registration is $250) with 8 hours of continuing education, and the contractor must carry $500,000 per-occurrence general liability insurance naming the City of Lincoln as additional insured and register with the Department of Labor. Transfers: a holder of a valid contractor/master mechanical license obtained by examination in another state or municipality may take the Lincoln contractor exam without submitting additional qualifications; the exam is not waived.
Bellevue. Only a licensed mechanical master may contract for mechanical work in the city (Bellevue Municipal Code ch. 27, Division 2). Master applicants must submit a current journeyman license with its original issue date and state whether they have already passed the Thompson Prometric, ICC or Experior exam for the license applied for. A master arriving from another state should expect to sit the city exam (Lincoln) or present ICC National Standard Master Mechanical results where accepted, obtain the city's insurance and bond, license the business in each city where it will pull permits, and register with the Department of Labor. EPA Section 608 certification is federal and applies to anyone personally handling refrigerants.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Alabama master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Nebraska?
- Yes. Alabama requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Alabama master HVAC technician license from Nebraska?
- Published fees on this path total $395, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Nebraska work hours count in Alabama?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Alabama's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Alabama to Nebraska?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Alabama to Nebraska, 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 23, 2026
- 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 23, 2026
- 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 23, 2026
- Alabama HACR Board - New License Application (licensure by examination and by reciprocity) · Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Alabama Board of HACR - Candidate Information Bulletin (Prov, AL CIB 2026.10.12) · Prov, Inc. (testing vendor contracted by the Alabama HACR Board) · Form · verified October 12, 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.