Do I have to take the Michigan master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in North Dakota?

Yes. Michigan requires the trade exam on this path.

What does it cost to get a Michigan master HVAC technician license from North Dakota?

Published fees on this path total $450, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my North Dakota work hours count in Michigan?

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

Does it work the other way, from Michigan to North Dakota?

Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Michigan to North Dakota, the mechanism is not applicable.

North Dakota to Michigan: master HVAC technician license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 15, 2026· 8 sources

North Dakota does not issue a statewide master HVAC technician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Michigan'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 HVAC or mechanical contractor (all states; Michigan has no reciprocity)

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

Michigan has no reciprocity agreement with any state and no endorsement route; LARA's Out-of-State License Verification form states that Michigan 'does not reciprocate with any other state for licensing' and that the applicant is 'required to take and pass an examination'. An out-of-state licensee files the standard Application for Mechanical Contractor Examination & Licensing with the $300 fee, selects the classifications wanted, and documents 3 years or 6,000 hours of experience in each classification with statements signed under penalty of perjury by each present or former mechanical contractor employer; applicants with out-of-state experience must be approved by LARA before PSI will let them schedule. The applicant then passes each classification exam at PSI within one year of eligibility (HVAC Equipment: 150 questions, open book, 3 hours, $100; other classifications: 55 questions, 60 minutes, $50; 75% to pass, unlimited retakes within the year). There is no separate law or business exam, but every exam includes questions on the Skilled Trades Regulation Act and the Stille-DeRossett-Hale Single State Construction Code Act. The license runs on a 3-year cycle expiring August 31 and the fee is prorated for mid-cycle applicants.

Whether experience documented by an out-of-state employer that is not a Michigan 'contractor of record' is accepted as the 'equivalent experience acceptable to the board' under MCL 339.5807(1)(a) is decided by LARA case by case; the out-of-state form only says such applicants must be approved to sit. Exam fees listed are per classification; an applicant seeking several classifications pays each.

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 6,000 hours of qualifying work experience.3 years or 6,000 hours of experience in each work classification applied for, verified by perjury statements from each employing contractor (MCL 339.5807(1)(a)); a completed 2-year HVAC program is credited up to 1 year or 2,000 hours.
Good moral character and the general requirements of Article 2 of the Skilled Trades Regulation Act (MCL 339.5807(1)).

What you'll do to get licensed in Michigan

1License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($300). Mechanical contractor application and license fee for the 3-year cycle ($100 per year under MCL 339.5813, prorated for mid-cycle applicants; waived for eligible veterans); additional classifications $300/$200/$100 by cycle year.
2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. PSI Michigan Mechanical Contractor examination for each classification sought (HVAC Equipment: 150 questions, open book, 3 hours; Refrigeration, Ductwork, Hydronic and specialty exams: 55 questions, 60 minutes, open book; heating and refrigeration/air conditioning service exams: 55 questions, closed book); 75% to pass.
3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($100). PSI exam fee for the HVAC Equipment (includes ductwork and gas piping) classification; non-refundable, valid one year.
4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($50). PSI exam fee for each other classification (hydronic, ductwork, refrigeration, limited/unlimited heating service, limited/unlimited refrigeration and air conditioning service, fire suppression, specialty).
5Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Type I/II/III/Universal) to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire. LARA's mechanical pages are silent on it; it is a federal requirement, not a Michigan licensing prerequisite.

Published fees on this path total $450, 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 · $100
Exam fee · $50
Other

How Michigan licenses master HVAC technicians

Michigan master HVAC technician · “Mechanical Contractor (classified: HVAC Equipment, Refrigeration, Ductwork, Heating/Refrigeration Service, etc.)”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 6 sources

Issued by Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes, Board of Mechanical Rules

Michigan's HVAC credential is the Mechanical Contractor license issued by LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes under Article 8 of the Skilled Trades Regulation Act (2016 PA 407). Although called a contractor license, it is issued to an individual who qualifies by examination, so this file treats it as the master level: a business performs mechanical work by designating a licensed individual as its contractor of record (MCL 339.5809, 339.5815). The license is classified; an HVAC business typically holds HVAC Equipment (which includes ductwork and gas piping), Refrigeration and the heating and refrigeration/air conditioning service classifications. For each classification the applicant documents 3 years or 6,000 hours of experience with statements signed under penalty of perjury by each employing contractor of record (a 2-year HVAC program may be credited up to 1 year or 2,000 hours), is approved by LARA, and passes the PSI exam for that classification (75% to pass; the HVAC Equipment exam is 150 questions, open book, 3 hours, $100; other classification exams are 55 questions, 60 minutes, $50). The license fee is $300 for the 3-year cycle ($100 per year, prorated), licenses expire August 31 every third year, and municipalities may not impose their own licensing (MCL 339.5811). Michigan has no reciprocity with any state and no licensure by endorsement: LARA's out-of-state form states that Michigan 'does not reciprocate with any other state for licensing' and that out-of-state applicants must be approved to sit for the examination, so an out-of-state HVAC or mechanical contractor's experience counts toward eligibility but the Michigan exams must be passed. Federal EPA Section 608 certification is separately required to handle refrigerants.

Moving to Michigan Leaving Michigan

Why North Dakota has nothing to transfer

North Dakota master HVAC technician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 15, 2026· 16 sources

North Dakota issues no master HVAC, mechanical or refrigeration license and has no state mechanical board. The only state-level credential an HVAC contractor needs is the Secretary of State contractor license, a business license for any job over $4,000 (Class D up to $100,000 for $100, up to Class A over $500,000 for $450) that requires liability insurance and workers' compensation verification but no trade exam. The master-level credential is the city master HVAC/mechanical installer license: Fargo's Master Heating license (10,000 hours including 6,000 as a journeyman, exam, $125 per year, liability insurance naming the city), Bismarck's Class A Master HVAC Installer (3,400 hours as a licensed journeyman, exam with 80% to pass, $125 per year), Grand Forks' Master Mechanical Installer (exam with 80%, $170 per year, $5,000 city bond, state contractor license) and Minot's Master Heating/HVAC Installer (board exam, $130 per year). A master exam passed in one of the testing member cities is accepted by the other North Dakota licensing members through the state mechanical reciprocity program, but each city issues its own license. No city recognizes an out-of-state master or contractor license outright; Bismarck's ordinance counts journeyman experience licensed by any governmental jurisdiction toward master exam eligibility, so an out-of-state master generally qualifies to sit a city master exam on the strength of documented experience and then licenses city by city. EPA Section 608 certification applies federally.

How local licensing works in North Dakota

How local licensing works. North Dakota has no state mechanical board; master-level HVAC licenses are issued by cities under their own ordinances, and a master exam passed in a testing member city (Burleigh County, Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, Mandan or Dickinson) is accepted by the licensing member cities (also Jamestown, Valley City, Wahpeton, West Fargo and Williston) under the North Dakota Mechanical Reciprocity Administrative Rules, which require at least two years of practical experience beyond the journeyman level; the Reciprocity Eligibility Certificate is not a license. Every contractor whose job exceeds $4,000 also needs the Secretary of State contractor license (Class A-D, $450/$300/$225/$100, liability insurance and WSI verification, no exam).

Fargo. Master Heating license: at least 6,000 hours of journeyman experience plus 4,000 hours of practical experience (10,000 total) verified by employer letters; open-book master mechanical and master fuel gas exams on the 2024 IMC and IFGC ($125 per appointment); license $125 per year expiring December 31, renewed with a certificate of liability insurance naming the City of Fargo. Work in non-owner-occupied buildings must be done by a licensed and insured mechanical contractor.

Bismarck. Class A Master HVAC Installer: two years (3,400 hours) as a licensed journeyman 'licensed by the City or some other governmental jurisdiction', or a master license from a reciprocal jurisdiction; exam on the 2021 IMC and IFGC, $125, 80% to pass, offered monthly; $35 application fee and $125 annual fee expiring December 31; four hours of continuing education per year; a master may qualify only one shop or business at a time; three years (5,300 hours) as a licensed journeyman are needed for a Certificate of Reciprocity to other cities. Legacy licensees who tested before July 1, 2017 may work in Bismarck without retesting.

Grand Forks. Master Mechanical Installer: ND state contractor license, $5,000 license and permit bond payable to the City, certificate of insurance, written mechanical exam with 80% to pass, $170 per year.

Minot. Master HVAC Installer (Master Heating): Heating & Air Conditioning Board exam ($75 per attempt) or a reciprocal license from an approved city with proof of the passed test; $130 initial and $130 annual fee; state contractor license required; annual renewal without re-examination, re-examination after a lapse.

Out-of-state holders. No reciprocity or endorsement for other states' master or contractor licenses was found in any of these cities or in the state reciprocity rules. The practical route is to document journeyman-level hours from the origin state, pass the master exam in one testing member city, obtain the Secretary of State contractor license, and then apply for the local master license (with the local bond or insurance) in each city where work will be done.

Moving to North Dakota Leaving North Dakota

Common questions

Do I have to take the Michigan master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in North Dakota?: Yes. Michigan requires the trade exam on this path.
What does it cost to get a Michigan master HVAC technician license from North Dakota?: Published fees on this path total $450, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my North Dakota work hours count in Michigan?: Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Michigan's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from Michigan to North Dakota?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Michigan to North Dakota, 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.
City of Detroit BSEED - Mechanical Inspection Team (contractor registration) · City of Detroit · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026'Applicant must have a current and valid State of Michigan issued Mechanical License/Mechanical Contractors License before he/she can apply for Renewal/Registration with the City of Detroit.' Detroit registers state-licensed mechanical contractors for permitting (notarized application, same-day in person) and issues no license of its own and no worker-level credential.
Michigan LARA - Application for Mechanical Contractor Examination & Licensing · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · Form · verified September 15, 2026Application/license fee $300 (non-refundable; waived for eligible veterans); adding a classification costs $300, $200 or $100 depending on the year of the 3-year cycle; the exam fee is paid separately to PSI. Requires 'a minimum of 3 years or 6,000 hours of experience in the work classification', documented by statements signed under penalty of perjury from each contractor employer describing the work (BTU ratings, venting and duct systems, fuels, refrigerants); a completed 2-year HVAC program may be credited up to 1 year or 2,000 hours. The applicant is an individual ('legal name must match government issued identification'). The form has no out-of-state or reciprocity section. Read through the r.jina.ai text proxy because michigan.gov returned 403.
Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes - Mechanical Examination, Licensing/Registration & Application Information · Skilled Trades Regulation Act, 2016 PA 407, Article 8 · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Lists the mechanical contractor work classifications (hydronic heating and cooling and process piping; HVAC equipment; ductwork; refrigeration; limited and unlimited heating service; limited and unlimited refrigeration and air conditioning service; fire suppression; specialty licenses for solar heating and cooling, solid fuel and vented decorative gas appliances, LP distribution piping, fuel gas piping, fuel gas piping and venting). 'Must have a minimum of 3 years experience in each of the work classifications applied for' and 'take and pass an examination for each work classification desired'; exams are given by PSI at centers across Michigan and all exam fees are paid to PSI. The page contains no journeyman or registration credential and no reciprocity statement. michigan.gov returned 403 to the fetcher; the page was read through the r.jina.ai text proxy.
Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes - Out-of-State License Verification form · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · Form · verified September 15, 2026Generic Bureau of Construction Codes form used for all skilled trades: 'The State of Michigan does not reciprocate with any other state for licensing. Therefore, you are required to take and pass an examination to receive a license in the State of Michigan.' and 'All applicants with out-of-state experience must be approved to sit for examination.' Read through the r.jina.ai text proxy because michigan.gov returned 403.
Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes - PSI Examinations · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Mechanical contractor candidates must be approved by LARA before testing: 'Once your application has been reviewed and you've been approved to test, your information is sent to PSI', who contacts the candidate within 10 business days to pay and schedule. Links the Mechanical Contractor Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI bulletin 5423). Read through the r.jina.ai text proxy because michigan.gov returned 403.
Skilled Trades Regulation Act, 2016 PA 407, Article 8 - Mechanical Contractors (MCL 339.5801-339.5819) · MCL 339.5807, 339.5809, 339.5811, 339.5813, 339.5815 · Michigan Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026339.5807(1): exam eligibility requires good moral character and 3 years or 6,000 hours of experience in the classification, shown by perjury statements from each contractor-of-record employer; military experience counts; a 2-year HVAC program is credited up to 1 year/2,000 hours. 339.5807(2): the ten classifications. 339.5809: no one may perform regulated mechanical work unless the person (if an individual) or an employee holds a mechanical contractor's license; a business designates a licensed individual as contractor of record. 339.5811: 'A municipality shall not establish or maintain local licensing requirements for the work classifications.' 339.5813: each classification exam fee is $100 or less; the license fee is $100 per year, licenses expire August 31 every third year and are prorated; lapsed licensees who renew within 3 years are not re-examined. 339.5815: 90 days to replace a departed contractor of record. Nothing in Article 8 provides for reciprocity or licensure by endorsement. Read with pdftotext after download.
PSI - Michigan Mechanical Contractor Candidate Information Bulletin · PSI Services LLC for Michigan LARA · Other · verified September 15, 2026Exam fees: HVAC Equipment (includes ductwork and gas piping) $100; every other classification (hydronic, ductwork, refrigeration, limited/unlimited heating service, limited/unlimited refrigeration and air conditioning service, fire suppression, specialty) $50; fees are non-refundable and valid one year. HVAC Equipment exam: 150 questions, open book, 3 hours, 75% to pass; the other classification exams are 55 questions in 60 minutes (service classifications closed book), 75% to pass. All exams include questions on 2016 PA 407 and 1972 PA 230. Candidates must be approved by LARA first and must pass within one year of eligibility (unlimited retakes in that year). Read with pdftotext after download.

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

Report an error on this page