Do I have to take the Alabama master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Pennsylvania?

Yes. Alabama requires the trade exam on this path.

What does it cost to get a Alabama master HVAC technician license from Pennsylvania?

Published fees on this path total $395, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my Pennsylvania work hours count in Alabama?

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

Does it work the other way, from Alabama to Pennsylvania?

Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Alabama to Pennsylvania, the mechanism is not applicable.

Pennsylvania to Alabama: master HVAC technician license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 15, 2026· 6 sources

Pennsylvania does not issue a statewide master HVAC technician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Alabama'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.

Examination with documented out-of-state experience (states without an agreement)

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

A contractor licensed in a state outside the Board's reciprocal list has no endorsement route: §34-31-29(d) recognizes only licenses covered by a reciprocity agreement, and rule 440-X-3-.04(2) limits reciprocity to 'a qualifying reciprocal state'. The applicant instead files the HVAC/Refrigeration Examination Application (EA-1 to EA-4) with the $175 exam fee and proves eligibility under §34-31-28(c) by 3,000 hours of work experience or graduation from an approved curriculum; experience is documented by notarized Affidavit of Employment forms (EA-4) from each supervising licensee, whose licensing state is recorded on the form, together with W-2 forms showing full-time employment, so hours earned under an out-of-state contractor are credited. After Board approval the candidate schedules the open-book Heating and Air Conditioning exam (115 questions, 5 hours) or Refrigeration exam (115 questions, 4 hours) with Prov and must score 70%. The successful candidate then applies for certification with forms AL-1, AL-2 and BF-1 ($220 active with a $20,000 performance bond in the business name, or $110 inactive) and, if the business entity was formed outside Alabama, registers it as a foreign corporation with the Secretary of State. Rule 440-X-3-.16 lets the Board waive the exam for military members, military spouses and transferred federal personnel who hold a current HVAC, refrigeration or mechanical license in another state.

Applicants must sit for the exam within one year of the application being received (§34-31-29(c)); applications not completed within twelve months may be treated as abandoned. The exam application also accepts certificates of 3,000 hours of HVAC or refrigeration educational training in lieu of work hours. Alabama's pages do not mention EPA Section 608 certification; it is listed here because it is a federal requirement for refrigerant handling.

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 3,000 hours of qualifying work experience.3,000 hours of work experience as defined by the Board (the exam application asks for at least two years within the past five years under a licensed contractor, proven by notarized employer affidavits and W-2 forms), or graduation from an approved heating, air conditioning or refrigeration curriculum (§34-31-28(c)).

What you'll do to get licensed in Alabama

1Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($175). Written examination fee per exam (HVAC or Refrigeration), paid to the State with the exam application; non-refundable (440-X-3-.10).
2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Alabama Heating and Air Conditioning exam (115 questions, 5 hours) or Refrigeration exam (115 questions, 4 hours) administered by Prov; open book, 70% to pass.
3License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($220). Initial active certification fee (forms AL-1, AL-2, BF-1); annual renewal $220 by December 31; inactive status $110 with no bond.
4Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($20,000). Performance bond of $20,000 in the business name naming the Board as obligee (form BF-1), required for active certification (440-X-3-.04(5)).
5Other. Notarized Affidavit of Employment (EA-4) from each supervising licensee with corresponding W-2 forms, or transcripts/certificates for an approved curriculum; proof of citizenship or lawful presence.
6Business license. Obtain a business license (if applicable). Foreign corporation registration with the Alabama Secretary of State ($150) if the business entity was formed outside Alabama.
7Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Four hours of Board-approved continuing education every calendar year to renew (exempt during the first year of certification) (§34-31-26(d)).
8Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Type I/II/III/Universal) to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire.

Published fees on this path total $395, 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 · $175
Trade exam
Other

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 · $20,000

Business registration

If you plan to contract in your own name, budget for a business license or entity registration on top of the trade license.

Business license · if applicable

Continuing education

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

Continuing education

How Alabama licenses master HVAC technicians

Alabama master HVAC technician · “Certified Heating and Air Conditioning Contractor (or Certified Refrigeration Contractor)”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 5 sources

Issued by Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors

Alabama's HVAC credential is the Certified Heating and Air Conditioning Contractor certification (with a parallel Certified Refrigeration Contractor certification for commercial refrigeration) issued by the Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors. It is treated here as the master level because it is earned personally by examination: under rule 440-X-3-.04 an individual must satisfy every requirement, and when a partnership, corporation or LLC is certified the certificate is issued in the name of the person in responsible charge together with the business name. A new applicant must show 3,000 hours of work experience (the exam application asks for notarized employer affidavits covering at least two years within the past five years, with W-2 forms) or graduation from an approved HVAC or refrigeration curriculum, then pass the open-book Prov exam ($175; 115 questions, 70% to pass). Active certification costs $220 per year and requires a business name and a $20,000 performance bond; inactive status is $110 with no bond; four hours of continuing education are required each year after the first, and renewal is due by December 31. The Board accepts licenses by reciprocity from Mississippi, Tennessee, Ohio, South Carolina (Residential Building Commission or Contractor's Board), Texas, West Virginia and Louisiana when the applicant passed an equivalent exam with at least 70%; there is no business and law exam, and §34-31-28(d) prohibits counties and municipalities from requiring further local testing of certified contractors.

Moving to Alabama Leaving Alabama

Why Pennsylvania has nothing to transfer

Pennsylvania master HVAC technician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 15, 2026· 18 sources

Pennsylvania issues no statewide master HVAC, mechanical or HVAC contractor license; none of the Department of State's licensing boards covers the trade, and the Attorney General's Home Improvement Contractor registration (required of businesses doing residential remodeling work, including HVAC replacement in existing homes) is a no-exam consumer-protection registration rather than a license. The master-level credential exists only in cities that have chosen to license the trade, under names that vary: Pittsburgh's Mechanical/HVAC Trade License (issued to an individual with four years of experience who has passed an ICC National Standard Master Mechanical exam; $120 in 2025, eight CE hours a year), Reading's Master Mechanical Heating Contractor license (two years as a licensed journeyman plus the ICC F29-N Master Mechanical exam; $90), Erie's master Mechanical and HVAC Installer licenses, and Scranton's Master Mechanical Contractor license. Philadelphia and Altoona require only a general contractor license (business-level, insurance and no exam) to pull mechanical permits, and Allentown and Harrisburg publish no HVAC license at all. There is no state-level recognition of an out-of-state master HVAC license, but Pittsburgh accepts any passed ICC master mechanical exam from any code year and, on the License Officer's review, equivalent exams from other states, and Reading issues a reciprocal master license ($190) to holders of an equivalent license from a first-, second- or third-class city or from a state with a state license and equal standards. A master from another state should expect to document experience, present an ICC master mechanical exam score, and apply separately in each city where they will pull permits.

How local licensing works in Pennsylvania

How local licensing works. With no state HVAC board, each Pennsylvania city that licenses the trade does so under its own ordinance. The credential that travels best between them is the ICC National Standard Master Mechanical examination, which Pittsburgh and Reading both use and which Reading's reciprocity practice implicitly relies on.

Philadelphia. No HVAC or mechanical trade license. Mechanical permits must be performed by a business holding the general Contractor License: $126 a year (including a $20 application fee), general liability of $500,000 per occurrence, $300,000 auto liability, workers' compensation, a Commercial Activity License and tax ID, tax compliance, and an OSHA 30 course for supervisors; there is no exam or experience requirement and no out-of-state provision. Ductwork on the job must be done by licensed sheet metal technicians or apprentices employed by the contractor. Businesses working only on existing one- or two-family homes may register as home improvement contractors instead.

Pittsburgh. The Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections issues the Mechanical/HVAC Trade License to individuals ('Trade Licenses are issued to individuals, not to companies'), required to install, erect, enlarge, repair, alter, remove, convert or replace any mechanical system in the city (Pittsburgh Code 741). New applicants provide proof of passing the City-proctored Master Mechanical exam or an ICC Standard Master Mechanical exam for any code year, and a resume or employer statement showing four or more years of practical experience (notarized statement if self-employed). PLI's rules state that 'equivalent certification testing programs from states other than Pennsylvania shall be accepted as proof of compliance of the testing requirements upon review and determination of equivalence by the License Officer'. The 2025 fee is $120 (initial and renewal); licenses expire 365 days after issue and renewal requires eight hours of continuing education in the prior twelve months. Insurance ($1,000,000 per occurrence / $2,000,000 aggregate general liability plus workers' compensation) is not needed at application but must be on file before any permit is issued. Applications go through OneStopPGH.

Reading. The Master Mechanical Heating Contractor license ($90 a year) requires a valid mechanical journeyman license, at least two years employed as a mechanical journeyman by a registered mechanical contractor, and a passing ICC F29-N Master Mechanical exam (or its successor). A reciprocal master license ($190, including a one-time reciprocation fee and the annual fee) may be issued to the holder of an equivalent license from a first-, second- or third-class U.S. city issued by an equivalent board of examiners with standards equal to Reading's; the applicant attaches the other jurisdiction's current requirements. As of 7/7/2023 Reading lists reciprocity with Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Scranton, Lancaster and Pittsburgh and with 'most, if not all, surrounding states with a state license'.

Erie. Master licenses are required for Mechanical and HVAC Installers, with a separate Refrigeration license, and 'Only Master License holders are able to obtain a permit'; applications are reviewed by the Trades Licensing Board, which also handles temporary licenses. The ordinance defines the Master Mechanical Contractor as one who contracts to install, erect, alter, extend, maintain or repair heating and ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems, process piping and sheet metal work. Fees, insurance and any reciprocity provisions could not be opened.

Scranton. Issues a Master Mechanical Contractor license through a combined master electrical/mechanical/plumbing/general contractor application; the application's terms could not be opened. Reading treats Scranton as a reciprocal city.

Altoona. HVAC contractors need a city business license, and for commercial work a City of Altoona Contractor's License with liability and workers' compensation insurance; residential work requires only the state Home Improvement Contractor registration.

Allentown and Harrisburg. Neither publishes an HVAC or mechanical license (Allentown licenses electricians, plumbers and sheet metal workers; Harrisburg licenses electricians, plumbers and low-voltage installers).

Out-of-state holders. Pittsburgh's acceptance of any ICC master mechanical exam (and, on review, equivalent out-of-state exams) and Reading's reciprocal license are the only published accommodations; neither waives the experience documentation or local fees. Everywhere else the out-of-state license is irrelevant and the contractor obtains the local business-level license.

Moving to Pennsylvania Leaving Pennsylvania

Common questions

Do I have to take the Alabama master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Pennsylvania?: Yes. Alabama requires the trade exam on this path.
What does it cost to get a Alabama master HVAC technician license from Pennsylvania?: Published fees on this path total $395, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Pennsylvania work hours count in Alabama?: Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Alabama's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from Alabama to Pennsylvania?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Alabama to Pennsylvania, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

Alabama HACR Board - HVAC/Refrigeration Examination Application (forms EA-1 to EA-7) with approved curricula and exam references · Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors · Form · verified September 15, 2026Eligibility proof: notarized employer affidavits (EA-4) that the applicant worked in heating and air conditioning and/or commercial refrigeration for at least two years within the past five years with W-2 forms, and/or certificates of at least 3,000 hours of HVAC or refrigeration training, or graduation from an approved curriculum (Alabama, Georgia, Florida and other southeastern programs are listed). The EA-4 affidavit has a 'Licensing State' field for the supervising licensee, so out-of-state supervised experience is accepted. Exam fee $175 per exam ($350 for both); open-book exams referencing the 2021 IRC/IMC, ACCA Manuals D and J, the 2020 NEC, the Board's 2024 law book and the NASCLA business-law guide. The form still quotes an older version of §34-31-28 that allowed eligibility by two years of Board apprentice registration.
Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors - How to Get Licensed (examination, licensure, reciprocity) · Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Defines the two certifications (Heating & Air Conditioning Contractor; Refrigeration Contractor); examination fee $175; active certification $220 per year with a business name and a $20,000 performance bond, inactive $110 per year with no bond. Step 3 lists the reciprocal boards: Mississippi State Board of Contractors, Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board, South Carolina Residential Building Commission, South Carolina Contractor's Board, Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation, West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board and Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors; the applicant must have passed an equivalent exam with a score of at least 70% and hold a current and valid license; reciprocal applications cannot be filed online; reciprocity processing fee $220; $20,000 performance bond in the business name; foreign corporation registration with the Secretary of State. No business and law exam is mentioned.
Code of Alabama 1975, §34-31-18 et seq. and Alabama Administrative Code Chapters 440-X-1 to 440-X-4 (Board compilation, October 17, 2024) · Ala. Code §§ 34-31-18, 34-31-24, 34-31-25, 34-31-26, 34-31-28, 34-31-29, 34-31-30; Ala. Admin. Code 440-X-3-.04, 440-X-3-.10, 440-X-3-.16 · Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors · Statute · verified September 15, 2026§34-31-18 defines Certified Heating and Air Conditioning Contractor and Certified Refrigeration Contractor ('any person engaged in the business of ...'), 'responsible charge' and 'regularly employed person'. §34-31-24(a): no person may advertise, bid, obtain permits or perform the function of a certified contractor unless the person in responsible charge is a certified contractor. §34-31-28(c): eligibility to sit for the exam requires 3,000 hours of work experience as defined by the Board or graduation from an approved curriculum; (d) counties and municipalities are prohibited from requiring further local testing of certified contractors. §34-31-29(d): the Board may enter into reciprocity agreements with other states; the provision recognizes the contractor as having passed the exam but all certification fees must be paid. §34-31-30: performance bond up to $25,000. §34-31-26: annual renewal by December 31, inactive status at half fee, four hours of continuing education per year (first year exempt). Rule 440-X-3-.04(2): certification by reciprocity requires a current and valid license in a qualifying reciprocal state with no previous or pending disciplinary action; (5) all new applicants must provide a $20,000 performance bond; (6) an entity is certified through its person in responsible charge and the certificate is issued in that person's name with the business name. Rule 440-X-3-.10 (effective October 14, 2024): written exam $175, practical exam $375, active certification and renewal $220, inactive $110, late fee $250. Rule 440-X-3-.16: exam waiver for military members, spouses and federal personnel holding an HVAC, refrigeration or mechanical license in another state. No rule lists the reciprocal states or waiting periods; no journeyman, technician or apprentice license appears anywhere in the chapter.
Alabama HACR Board - New License Application (licensure by examination and by reciprocity) · Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Older page still published alongside 'How to Get Licensed'. Examination route: Board-issued Apprentice Certificate for the previous two years, graduation from an approved curriculum, or 3,000 hours (18 months) of work experience under supervision of a HACR licensee proven by W-2 forms and employer affidavit. Reciprocity route: 'current and valid HVAC license with the South Carolina Residential Builders Commission for at least 5 years; Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors for at least 3 years; Mississippi Board of Contractors for at least 1 year; Louisiana or West Virginia where there are no waiting periods'; forms AL-1, AL-2, VL-1, VL-2, BF-1. Its fees ($150 exam, $190/$95 certification, $15,000 bond) are superseded by rule 440-X-3-.10 effective October 14, 2024 and by the current page.
State of Alabama HACR Contractor Board Examinations - Candidate Information Bulletin (Prov, July 3, 2025) · Prov, Inc. (testing vendor contracted by the Alabama HACR Board) · Other · verified September 15, 2026The Board 'has contracted with Prov, Inc. to develop, and administer their licensing examination program'; exams are (HAC) Heating and Air Conditioning (115 questions, 5 hours) and Refrigeration (115 questions, 4 hours), open book, passing score 70%; the exam fee is paid to the State and Prov charges nothing; the Board approves the candidate before scheduling.
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.

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

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