Ohio to Kentucky: master HVAC technician license reciprocity
Kentucky has a reciprocity agreement with Ohio: a Ohio master HVAC technician can get a Kentucky license without retaking the trade exam.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Reciprocity with Ohio (OCILB HVAC / Refrigeration contractor licensees)
A signed state-to-state agreement. The trade exam is waived; you apply, prove your history, and pay the fee.
Kentucky and Ohio have a reciprocity agreement covering HVAC and refrigeration contractors. On the Ohio side, the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board publishes a Kentucky reciprocity application for the Electrical, HVAC and Refrigeration trades and lists Kentucky as a reciprocity partner for HVAC and Refrigeration, and Ohio law (R.C. 4740.08) permits that only where Kentucky extends similar reciprocity to Ohio licensees. On the Kentucky side, KRS 198B.666 authorizes an equivalent license for a licensee of a state with substantially equal requirements that reciprocates, and 815 KAR 8:010 Section 3 requires a reciprocity applicant to comply with the agreement and file the standard Form HVAC 1 marked 'Reciprocity' with a letter of good standing from OCILB, the prorated $250 twelve-month fee, a passport photo and the KRS 198B.668 certificate of insurance ($500,000 general liability and $300,000 property damage naming DHBC). The Kentucky Master HVAC examination is waived. Ohio has no journeyman HVAC license, so the agreement operates at the master/contractor level only.
DHBC does not publish the text of the Kentucky-Ohio HVAC agreement or a partner list, so its terms, such as whether the Ohio license must have been obtained by examination (which Ohio requires of Kentucky applicants) or held for a minimum period, are not stated in Kentucky's published materials; Kentucky publishes only the statute, the regulation and the application's reciprocity checklist. Confirm the terms with the DHBC Licensing Branch (502-573-2002) before relying on them.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Agreement
- Active
What you must already have
- Your Ohio license must be active and in good standing.
- Compliance with the requirements of the Kentucky-Ohio reciprocity agreement (815 KAR 8:010 Section 3; KRS 198B.666)
- At least 18 years of age and a United States citizen or resident alien authorized to work (KRS 198B.658(1)(a)-(b))
What you'll do to get licensed in Kentucky
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($250). Master HVAC Contractor initial license fee for twelve months (Form HVAC 1 marked 'Reciprocity'), prorated by birth month to $145.83-$375.00; payable to Kentucky State Treasurer, non-refundable.
- 2Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($500,000). General liability insurance of at least $500,000 plus property damage insurance of at least $300,000 from a Kentucky-licensed carrier, certificate naming DHBC as certificate holder (KRS 198B.668).
- 3Other. Copy of the Ohio license, OCILB letter of good standing, and passport-sized color photo taken within six months.
- 4Other. 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 $250, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
What you'll need to buy or arrange
Liability insurance
Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.
- Insurance · $500,000
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 · if applicable
How Kentucky licenses master HVAC technicians
Kentucky master HVAC technician · “Master HVAC Contractor”
Statewide license
Kentucky's highest person-held HVAC credential is the statewide Master HVAC Contractor license issued by the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC) to an individual who qualified by examination; the master supervises and is primarily responsible for all HVAC work of the company he or she represents (a company may carry the required insurance in its name), and only a master or journeyman may purchase the statewide HVAC permits required since 2011. A new applicant must be 18, a citizen or authorized resident alien, and have two years as a licensed journeyman under a master HVAC contractor, two years as a master HVAC contractor 'or equivalent' in Kentucky or any other jurisdiction, or two years as a licensed mechanical engineer; pass the open-book Master HVAC exam, which covers codes and practices plus the law and regulation of the HVAC business, with at least 70% (Prov $80, or the department's exam for $150 on Form HVAC-4); carry general liability insurance of $500,000 and property damage insurance of $300,000 (KRS 198B.668) naming DHBC as certificate holder; and file Form HVAC 1 with a $250 twelve-month fee prorated by birth month ($145.83 to $375). Licenses renew annually at $250 with continuing education and current insurance. KRS 198B.666 authorizes licensure by reciprocity for states with substantially equal requirements that reciprocate, and Form HVAC 1 has a reciprocity checkbox requiring a letter of good standing; DHBC publishes no HVAC partner list, but Ohio's OCILB documents an active Kentucky-Ohio HVAC and refrigeration agreement. Federal EPA Section 608 certification is required for refrigerant work but is not verified by DHBC.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Kentucky master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Ohio?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path under the agreement with Ohio.
- What does it cost to get a Kentucky master HVAC technician license from Ohio?
- Published fees on this path total $250, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
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, 2026
- DHBC - Division of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026
- DHBC Form HVAC 1 - Master HVAC Contractor License Application (April 2023), with fee chart · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, Licensing Branch · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- DHBC - Licensing Information (forms and documents, eServices portal, Prov HVAC testing information, exam scheduling) · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- Commonwealth of Kentucky Division of HVAC - Candidate Information Bulletin (Prov, July 2020) · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction / Prov, Inc. · Other · verified September 23, 2026
- 815 KAR 8:010 - Licensing requirements for master HVAC contractors and journeyman HVAC mechanics · 815 KAR 8:010 Sections 1-5, 7, 8 · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- KRS 198B.650 - Definitions for KRS 198B.650 to 198B.689 · KRS 198B.650(2), (10), (13), (15) · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Statute · verified September 15, 2026
- KRS 198B.658 - Qualifications for licensure and certification · KRS 198B.658(1)-(6) · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- KRS 198B.666 - Reciprocity for licensees of other states · KRS 198B.666 · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Statute · verified September 15, 2026
- KRS 198B.668 - Insurance requirements · KRS 198B.668(1)-(4) · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- Ohio OCILB - Contractors & Contracting Companies (reciprocity with other states list) · Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026
- Ohio OCILB - Reciprocity Application - Kentucky (EL, HV, RE) · Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.