Ohio to Michigan: master HVAC technician license reciprocity
Michigan has no reciprocity agreement with Ohio. Your Ohio experience counts toward eligibility, but you must pass the Michigan exam.
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)
Nothing is waived, but your documented out-of-state hours count toward eligibility to sit the exam.
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. 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 $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 · if applicable
How Michigan licenses master HVAC technicians
Michigan master HVAC technician · “Mechanical Contractor (classified: HVAC Equipment, Refrigeration, Ductwork, Heating/Refrigeration Service, etc.)”
Statewide license
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.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Michigan master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Ohio?
- Yes. Michigan requires the trade exam on this path.
- What does it cost to get a Michigan master HVAC technician license from Ohio?
- Published fees on this path total $450, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my Ohio work hours count in Michigan?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Michigan's eligibility requirements.
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
- City of Detroit BSEED - Mechanical Inspection Team (contractor registration) · City of Detroit · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026
- Michigan LARA - Application for Mechanical Contractor Examination & Licensing · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- 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 23, 2026
- Michigan LARA BCC - Out-of-State License Verification Form and Instructions for Examination and Licensure Applicants with Out-of-State Experience/License (Rev. 3/22) · 1980 PA 299 / 2016 PA 407 · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Form · verified September 17, 2026
- Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes - PSI Examinations · Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Bureau of Construction Codes · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- 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 23, 2026
- PSI - Michigan Mechanical Contractor Candidate Information Bulletin · PSI Services LLC for Michigan LARA · Other · verified September 23, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.