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

Yes. Idaho requires the trade exam on this path.

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

Published fees on this path total $335, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my Pennsylvania work hours count in Idaho?

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

How long does the application take?

The board's published or typical processing time is about 30 days.

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

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

Pennsylvania to Idaho: master HVAC technician license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 15, 2026· 9 sources

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

Universal licensure for out-of-state HVAC contractors (all states)

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

With no reciprocity agreements, every out-of-state HVAC contractor or master is treated the same. Idaho Code 67-9409 obliges the HVAC board to license a person who holds a current, valid and unrestricted license in another state and demonstrates competency, on the standard application, fees and background checks, but lets the board require all or part of its examination; the board's rules require every contractor applicant to pass the board-designated exam and post a $2,000 bond, and DOPL publishes no HVAC-specific endorsement procedure. The realistic path is therefore the standard contractor application ($35), the PSI contractor exam ($75), the $2,000 compliance bond and the $225 license fee, with the out-of-state license and experience submitted as supporting evidence of competency.

Idaho's contractor exam covers business and law material (the DOPL Contractors' Business and Law Reference Manual is the allowed reference), so it is recorded as the trade exam rather than a separate law exam. Idaho Code 54-5013 sets a 24-month certificate term while DOPL's fee table shows a 3-year term for journeyman and contractor licenses; the fee table is the current practice. Whether the board waives any part of the exam under 67-9409 was not confirmed from an official page.

At a glance

Trade exam: Required
Law / code exam: Not required
Out-of-state hours: Count toward eligibility
Typical processing: About 30 days

What you must already have

Your Pennsylvania license must be active and in good standing.

What you'll do to get licensed in Idaho

1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($35). HVAC Contractor application processing fee (non-refundable).
2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Idaho HVAC Contractor examination administered by PSI (board-designated exam, IDAPA 24.39.70.100.03).
3Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($75). PSI examination fee.
4Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($2,000). HVAC contractor compliance bond of $2,000 (or an acceptable corporate industry group bond), effective for the certificate period.
5License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($225). Contractor license fee (3-year term; renewal $150, reinstatement $225).
6Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Type I/II/III/Universal) to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire. Not listed on DOPL's HVAC pages.

Published fees on this path total $335, 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 · $75
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 · $2,000

How Idaho licenses master HVAC technicians

Idaho master HVAC technician · “HVAC Contractor”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 9 sources

Issued by Idaho Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Board (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses)

Idaho has no master HVAC title; its highest credential is the HVAC Contractor certificate of competency, which is issued as a card in the name of the individual who passes the board's contractor examination and is therefore mapped here to the master level (an HVAC business must hold or employ a certificate holder, and Specialty Contractor and Limited Heating Specialty Contractor certificates cover gas piping, hearth appliances and oil furnaces). The applicant pays a $35 application fee, passes the PSI-administered HVAC contractor exam ($75, using the DOPL Contractors' Business and Law Reference Manual as a reference), provides a $2,000 compliance bond, and pays the $225 license fee; the certificate renews for $150 every three years. Idaho's HVAC board states that it has no reciprocal licensing agreement. A contractor licensed in another state may apply under Idaho's universal licensure statute (Idaho Code 67-9409), which requires the board to license a person with a current, unrestricted out-of-state license who demonstrates competency, but allows it to require the Idaho exam; since DOPL publishes no separate procedure for HVAC, applicants should expect to take the contractor exam. EPA Section 608 certification is required nationwide to handle refrigerants.

Moving to Idaho Leaving Idaho

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 Idaho master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Pennsylvania?: Yes. Idaho requires the trade exam on this path.
What does it cost to get a Idaho master HVAC technician license from Pennsylvania?: Published fees on this path total $335, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Pennsylvania work hours count in Idaho?: Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Idaho's eligibility requirements.
How long does the application take?: The board's published or typical processing time is about 30 days.
Does it work the other way, from Idaho to Pennsylvania?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Idaho to Pennsylvania, 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.
Idaho Code 54-5007 - Requirements for Certificates of Competency · Idaho Code § 54-5007 · Idaho State Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026The HVAC board prescribes rules for examination, qualification and certification of contractors, journeymen, apprentices and the specialty classes; HVAC contractors and specialty contractors must provide a $2,000 bond or an acceptable corporate industry group bond.
Idaho Code 54-5009 - Classification of Competency (HVAC apprentice, journeyman, contractor, specialty contractor) · Idaho Code § 54-5009 · Idaho State Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Four classifications: apprentice (works only under a journeyman or contractor), journeyman (works in the employ and under direction of an HVAC contractor and has completed all trade-required classes), HVAC contractor (any business, partnership, company, firm or association installing, maintaining or repairing HVAC appliances or gas-fired equipment) and HVAC specialty contractor (gas piping, gas appliances, decorative gas-fired appliances).
Idaho Code 54-5011 - Issuance of Certificate of Competency · Idaho Code § 54-5011 · Idaho State Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026A certificate of competency in the form of a card bearing the holder's name, classification examined for and certificate number is issued to an applicant upon successful completion of the examination; this is why the contractor certificate is treated here as a person-held, exam-qualified credential.
Idaho Code 67-9409 - Universal Licensure · Idaho Code § 67-9409 · Idaho State Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Every Idaho licensing authority must establish a procedure to license a person who holds a current, valid and unrestricted license in another state and demonstrates competency by methods the board determines; the applicant files the standard application, supporting materials and background checks, pays the same fees, and may be required to take all or part of the Idaho exam (no jurisprudence exam may be added); the board may compare scopes of practice and issue a limited license pending additional training. Enacted 2020, amended 2023.
Idaho DOPL - Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Board (program home and fees) · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026License types: Apprentice, Journeyman, Contractor, Specialty Apprentice, Specialty Journeyman, Specialty Contractor and Limited Heating Specialty variants. Fees: application $35; Journeyman and Specialty Journeyman $150 license / $75 renewal / $150 reinstatement, 3-year term; Contractor and Specialty Contractor $225 / $150 / $225, 3-year term; Apprentice $10 (1 year); Specialty Apprentice $20 (2 years). Adopted codes include the 2018 IFGC and 2018 IMC. No reciprocity content.
Idaho DOPL - HVAC Board FAQs · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · Faq · verified September 15, 2026'Q: Does Idaho have a Reciprocal Licensing agreement? A: No.' Also states that hours worked without a required license do not count toward the required on-the-job time, and that unlicensed HVAC work is subject to civil penalties.
Idaho DOPL - HVAC Program Information and Exams · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Exams are administered by PSI for a $75 fee; candidates bring their own reference materials (the DOPL Contractors' Business and Law Reference Manual in a binder for the contractor exam); after passing, apply for licensure through the eDOPL portal. Links the board-approved apprentice program list.
IDAPA 24.39.70 - Rules Governing Installation of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Systems · IDAPA 24.39.70.100 · Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Section 100.02 journeyman: pass the board exam and either 8,000 hours of apprentice work experience plus 576 hours of board-approved instruction, or 16,000 hours of HVAC experience; may sit for the exam after either the 576 hours or the 16,000 hours. Section 100.03 contractor: pass the board-designated examination and provide a $2,000 compliance bond effective for the certificate period. Section 100.04 specialty journeyman (hearth appliances, non-duct-connected oil furnaces and their gas piping and venting): 2,000 hours of specialty experience plus the board exam or 60 hours of fuel gas education. No reciprocity or endorsement provisions. The redirect from adminrules.idaho.gov to files.dfm.idaho.gov was followed.

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

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