Nebraska to Arkansas: master HVAC technician license reciprocity
Nebraska does not issue a statewide master HVAC technician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Arkansas'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.
Licensure on a substantially similar out-of-state license (all states; no agreements exist)
Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.
Because the Board has no reciprocal agreements, every out-of-state applicant follows the same rule-based endorsement path. 17 CAR §261-104(a)(3) and the license application direct the Board to approve a Class A, B, D or E applicant who is currently licensed in another state or political subdivision whose HVACR licensing laws are substantially similar to Arkansas's, that is, a jurisdiction that has adopted a national model mechanical code and uses a comprehensive exam created and proctored by a national examination agency or equivalent, provided the license is in good standing, has never been revoked for bad faith or a violation of law, rule or ethics, is not suspended or on probation, the applicant is competent in the field and pays the class license fee; apprenticeship, education or training may never be made a condition. The Board reviews each license case by case: the applicant files the HVACR License Application with a copy of the out-of-state license, a form completed by the origin board showing licensing status, exams administered and the mechanical code used, and a list of every state of past or present licensure. Section 261-104(a)(4) requires the Prov exam only of candidates who hold no license in another state, so an applicant whose origin license is not substantially similar (for example a local or registration-only credential, or one issued without a national exam) qualifies instead through two years of documented experience and the class exam ($100). While the review is pending the Board issues a 90-day temporary license on request, on the same good-standing conditions, and the applicant must schedule the exam within 60 days if one is required.
The department's page says the Board has 'no reciprocal licensing agreements'; 17 CAR §261-112 (License by reciprocity) nonetheless describes the exam-free process for a substantially similar license, and §261-104(a)(3) is drafted as a mandatory approval, so the practical mechanism is endorsement on the Board's finding of substantial similarity rather than an agreement. Section 261-104(a)(3) literally reads 'approve ... with examination', which conflicts with §261-104(a)(4) and §261-112; the application form repeats the same wording. 17 CAR §261-119 grants automatic licensure to uniformed service members, veterans and their spouses holding a similar out-of-state license. Arkansas pages do not mention EPA Section 608; it is listed because it is a federal requirement.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your Nebraska license must be active and in good standing.
- Origin license is 'substantially similar': the jurisdiction has adopted a national model mechanical code and uses a comprehensive examination created and proctored by a national examination agency or equivalent (17 CAR §261-102); otherwise two years of HVACR experience and the class exam are required
- You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.
- You must document at least 4,000 hours of qualifying work experience.Only for applicants whose origin license is not substantially similar or who hold no license: 17 CAR §261-104(a)(5) requires two years of experience as an HVACR contractor or employee of one, shown by notarized employer affidavits; Board-approved education may substitute. Expressed here as roughly 4,000 hours; the rule states it in years.
What you'll do to get licensed in Arkansas
- 1License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($200). Class A (unlimited) annual license fee, paid when the Board instructs (17 CAR §261-106(a)).
- 2License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($150). Class B (25 tons / 1,000,000 BTUH / 15 hp), Class D (ductwork) or Class E (refrigeration) annual license fee (17 CAR §261-106(b)-(d)).
- 3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($100) (if applicable). Prov class exam fee set by Board rule (17 CAR §261-106(g)), only if the origin license is not substantially similar or the applicant holds no license.
- 4Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam (if applicable). Arkansas Class A, B, D or E HVACR exam administered by Prov (open book, 70% to pass; Class A 100 questions in 4 hours, Class B 50 in 3), required only when the Board does not find the origin license substantially similar.
- 5Other. HVACR License Application, copy of the out-of-state license, the origin board's completed form showing licensing status (including suspensions and revocations), examinations administered and mechanical code used, and the names of all states of current or past licensure (17 CAR §261-112(d)).
- 6Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($250,000). Liability insurance of at least $250,000 for an individual licensee (or $250,000 per licensed employee under an employer policy), proof presented at issuance and renewal (17 CAR §261-117).
- 7Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Eight hours of Board-approved continuing education per International Mechanical Code cycle, on HVACR systems or the current International Mechanical Code (17 CAR §261-120).
- 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 $350, 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 · $100 · if applicable
- Trade exam · if applicable
- Other · if applicable
Liability insurance
Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.
- Insurance · $250,000
Continuing education
Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.
- Continuing education
How Arkansas licenses master HVAC technicians
Arkansas master HVAC technician · “HVACR License, Class A (unlimited) to Class E (refrigeration)”
Statewide license
Issued by Arkansas HVACR Licensing Board (Department of Labor and Licensing, HVAC/R Section)
Arkansas's highest HVAC credential is the HVACR license issued in four classes by the HVACR Licensing Board: Class A (unlimited), Class B (systems up to 25 tons cooling, 1,000,000 BTUH heating or 15 hp refrigeration), Class D (sheet metal ductwork) and Class E (refrigeration); Act 746 of 2025 repealed Class C and moved active Class C licenses to Class B. It is treated here as the master level because Ark. Code §17-33-303(a) issues it to the individual who designs, installs or services HVACR systems, and that person becomes the 'designated license holder' responsible for the work and for registering employees. A new applicant with no licensing background must be 18, show two years of experience as an HVACR contractor or employee (Board-approved education may substitute) through notarized employer affidavits, and pass the open-book class exam administered by Prov ($100, 70% to pass); the annual license fee is $200 for Class A and $150 for B, D and E, with $250,000 liability insurance and eight hours of continuing education per International Mechanical Code cycle. The Board states it has no reciprocal agreements with any other state, but its rules direct it to approve, without examination, apprenticeship, education or training, any applicant holding a license in good standing from a jurisdiction whose HVACR licensing laws are 'substantially similar', meaning one that has adopted a national model mechanical code and uses a comprehensive exam created and proctored by a national examination agency. Under §17-33-104 a state licensee needs no city or county license.
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 Arkansas master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Nebraska?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Arkansas master HVAC technician license from Nebraska?
- Published fees on this path total $350, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Nebraska work hours count in Arkansas?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Arkansas's eligibility requirements.
- Does it work the other way, from Arkansas to Nebraska?
- Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Arkansas to Nebraska, the mechanism is not applicable.
Sources
- Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing - HVAC-R (HVACR Licensing Board; contractor applications; reciprocity statement) · Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- 17 CAR Part 261 - Rules Pertaining to the Licensing of Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Contractors (Code of Arkansas Rules; amended by Ark. R. 2026-31, eff. April 2, 2026) · 17 CAR §§ 261-102, 261-103, 261-104, 261-105, 261-106, 261-112, 261-117, 261-119, 261-120, 261-121, 261-122 · HVACR Licensing Board / Department of Labor and Licensing (Code of Arkansas Rules) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- Changes related to Act 746 of 2025 and related rule changes for license holders (HVAC/R Board notice, August 1, 2025) · Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, Code Enforcement Section · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Arkansas HVACR Board - HVACR License Application (Class A-E) with employer verification affidavit (Rev. 8/23) · Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- Arkansas HVAC/R Statutes 2025 - Ark. Code Ann. Title 17, Chapter 33, as amended by Act 746 of 2025 (department compilation dated 10/29/2025) · Ark. Code Ann. §§ 17-33-101(16), 17-33-104, 17-33-202, 17-33-204, 17-33-301, 17-33-302, 17-33-303, 17-33-306 · Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, HVAC/R Section · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- Department of Labor - Electrical Examining Board - Candidate Information Bulletin (Prov, AR CIB 2026.10.12) · Prov, Inc. for the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing · 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.