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North Dakota to New Jersey: master HVAC technician license reciprocity

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

North Dakota does not issue a statewide master HVAC technician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is New Jersey'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 licensee: qualify by experience and sit the New Jersey master HVACR examination

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

Because the Board has not found any state's HVACR standards equal or comparable to New Jersey's, an out-of-state licensee gets no exam waiver and applies like any other candidate. The applicant files the Board's application for examination with the $100 non-refundable fee, proof of age 21, a recent passport-size photo and proof of one of the N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.2 pathways: five years in the HVACR contracting business made up of a four-year U.S. DOL-approved apprenticeship plus one year as a journeyperson (a technical-school program can replace two apprenticeship years, and the Board's FAQ also accepts a two-year trade degree plus two years of apprenticeship plus one journeyperson year), a bachelor's degree in HVACR plus one year of hands-on work, or a related bachelor's degree plus three years; the education must include refrigerant management and propane service. Experience earned under an out-of-state license is accepted as proof of these years. Once the Board approves eligibility the candidate takes the vendor-administered exam (HVACR practice and New Jersey law and rules, 70 required in each; six-month wait after a failure), then pays the prorated license fee ($160 in the first year of the biennial period, $80 in the second), files a $3,000 surety bond in favor of the State and a certificate of $500,000 general liability insurance, and buys the $25 pressure seal. Licensees from the states named in the Board's reciprocity alert (Maryland, Texas, Ohio, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, Arkansas, Louisiana, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Nevada, New Mexico and West Virginia) are told outright that a reciprocity application will be denied and to use this route.

PSI administers the exam for the Board after the Board approves eligibility: the HVACR trade section costs $84 and the business and law section $47, paid to PSI when scheduling. Both sections are open book, 50 questions and 130 minutes each. The reciprocity route in N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.5 remains in the rules, but the Board has not granted it to any state.

At a glance

Trade exam
Required
Law / code exam
Required
Out-of-state hours
Count toward eligibility

What you must already have

  • Five years in the HVACR contracting business: a four-year U.S. DOL-approved apprenticeship plus one year as an HVACR journeyperson, or a Board-accepted alternative (HVACR bachelor's degree plus one year; related bachelor's degree plus three years; two-year trade degree plus two apprenticeship years plus one journeyperson year), including education in refrigerant management and propane services (N.J.S.A. 45:16A-13; N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.2)
  • At least 21 years of age (N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.1)

What you'll do to get licensed in New Jersey

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($100). Non-refundable application fee for the master HVACR examination (N.J.A.C. 13:32A-6.1).
  2. 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Written HVACR contracting practice section of the Board's master HVACR examination, administered by the Board's third-party vendor at least four times a year; 70 required, six-month wait to retake.
  3. 3Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Written section on New Jersey laws and rules governing HVACR contracting; 70 required.
  4. 4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($131). Paid to PSI when scheduling: $84 for the HVACR trade section and $47 for the business and law section; non-refundable and valid for one year.
  5. 5License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($160). Initial master HVACR contractor license fee when issued in the first year of the biennial period ($80 in the second year); biennial renewal $160, late renewal $50.
  6. 6Other. Initial pressure seal issued by the Board's vendor; the seal must be used on the licensee's HVACR work and returned within 30 days of any suspension or revocation ($25).
  7. 7Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($3,000). Surety bond in favor of the State of New Jersey, 12-month term renewed annually (N.J.S.A. 45:16A-23; N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.4).
  8. 8Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($500,000). General liability insurance of $500,000 combined property damage and bodily injury per occurrence from an insurer licensed in New Jersey (N.J.S.A. 45:16A-24).
  9. 9Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Five credits of Board-approved continuing education every biennial renewal period (waived for the first renewal).
  10. 10Other. 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).
  11. 11Other. Proof of age 21, a passport-size photograph taken within the last six months, and documentation of the apprenticeship, degree and journeyperson experience claimed.

Published fees on this path total $391, 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
  • Law / code exam
  • Exam fee · $131
  • 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 · $3,000

Liability insurance

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

  • Insurance · $500,000

Continuing education

Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.

  • Continuing education

How New Jersey licenses master HVAC technicians

New Jersey master HVAC technician · “Master HVACR Contractor”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 9 sources

Issued by New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors (Division of Consumer Affairs)

New Jersey's only HVAC license is the statewide, person-held Master HVACR Contractor license created by the State Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contracting License Act (P.L. 2007, c.211, N.J.S.A. 45:16A) and administered by the Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors; this file treats it as the master level because it is issued to an individual who qualifies by experience and examination, and every HVACR business must have a licensed master as its bona fide representative. Applicants must be at least 21 and show five years in the HVACR contracting business (a four-year U.S. DOL-approved apprenticeship plus one year as a journeyperson), a bachelor's degree in HVACR plus one year, or a related bachelor's degree plus three years, then pass a two-part written exam (HVACR practice and New Jersey law) with 70 in each part. Before the license is issued the applicant files a $3,000 surety bond and $500,000 of general liability insurance and buys the Board's pressure seal; licenses renew every two years with five continuing education credits. N.J.S.A. 45:16A-21 and N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.5 let the Board license without examination applicants from states whose standards are equal or comparable and that reciprocate, but the Board has published a list of 26 states whose licensees 'will be denied' reciprocity and its June 2019 determination table shows every reviewed state in the 'denied' column and none granted. In practice an out-of-state HVAC contractor qualifies for the New Jersey exam on the strength of documented experience.

Moving to New JerseyLeaving New Jersey

Compare: getting a New Jersey license from scratch

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 DakotaLeaving North Dakota

Common questions

Do I have to take the New Jersey master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in North Dakota?
Yes. New Jersey requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
What does it cost to get a New Jersey master HVAC technician license from North Dakota?
Published fees on this path total $391, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my North Dakota work hours count in New Jersey?
Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward New Jersey's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from New Jersey to North Dakota?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from New Jersey to North Dakota, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

  1. 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
  2. State Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors - Frequently Asked Questions · New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs · Faq · verified September 15, 2026
  3. State Board of Examiners of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors - home page · New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026
  4. Alert - Application for a Master HVACR Contractor's License by Reciprocity · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.5; N.J.S.A. 45:16A-21 · New Jersey State Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026
  5. HVACR Reciprocity with Other States (Board determinations as of 06/18/19) · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.5 · New Jersey State Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026
  6. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-1.2 - Definitions · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-1.2 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026
  7. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.1 - Eligibility for examinations · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.1 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
  8. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.2 - Education requirements · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.2 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
  9. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.3 - Examinations · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.3 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
  10. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.4 - Licensure and pressure seal · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.4 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
  11. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.5 - Reciprocity with other states · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.5 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026
  12. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-4.1 - Continuing education requirements · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-4.1 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
  13. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-6.1 - Fee schedule · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-6.1 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
  14. P.L. 2007, c.211 - State Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contracting License Act · N.J.S.A. 45:16A-1 et seq. (sections 2, 13, 15, 17, 21, 23, 24) · New Jersey Legislature · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  15. New Jersey State Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors - Master HVACR Contractor Licensure Examination Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI) · PSI Services LLC · Form · verified September 23, 2026

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

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