South Carolina to Texas: master HVAC technician license reciprocity
Texas has a reciprocity agreement with South Carolina: a South Carolina master HVAC technician can get a Texas license without retaking the trade exam.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Reciprocal agreement with South Carolina (mechanical contractor classifications)
A signed state-to-state agreement. The trade exam is waived; you apply, prove your history, and pay the fee.
TDLR has a reciprocal licensing agreement with South Carolina and maps the South Carolina mechanical contractor classifications to Texas ACR licenses: Air Conditioning & Heating qualifies for Texas Class A with both Environmental Air Conditioning and Commercial Refrigeration endorsements; Air Conditioning (only) for Class A Commercial Refrigeration and Class B Environmental Air; Mechanical Contractor, Refrigeration for Class A Commercial Refrigeration; and Air Conditioning & Heating (packaged equipment) for Class B Environmental Air. South Carolina heating-only licenses do not qualify. The South Carolina license must have been obtained by examination, held for at least one year and be in good standing; the applicant submits a letter of good standing from the South Carolina board, the contractor application, a copy of the license, proof of Texas-compliant liability insurance and the $115 fee, and receives a one-year Texas license without taking the Texas exam for the mapped class and endorsement.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Waived
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
- Agreement
- Active
What you must already have
- You must have held your South Carolina license for at least 1 year.
- Your South Carolina license must have been obtained by examination, not by reciprocity or grandfathering.
- Your South Carolina license must be active and in good standing.
What you'll do to get licensed in Texas
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($115). Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor license application fee (non-refundable).
- 2Insurance. Carry the required insurance. Commercial general liability insurance meeting the Texas minimums for the class issued (Class A $300,000/$600,000; Class B $100,000/$200,000).
- 3Other. Letter of good standing from the South Carolina Contractor's Licensing Board and a copy of the South Carolina license.
- 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 $115, 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
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 Texas licenses master HVAC technicians
Texas master HVAC technician · “Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor (Class A or Class B)”
Statewide license
Issued by Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
Texas's highest HVAC credential is the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor license issued to an individual by TDLR, so it is mapped here to the master level. The license comes in Class A (units of any size) and Class B (cooling up to 25 tons and heating up to 1.5 million Btu/h) with Environmental Air Conditioning, Commercial Refrigeration and Process Cooling or Heating endorsements. A new applicant must be 18, document 48 months of practical ACR experience under a licensed contractor in the past 72 months (or 12 months as a certified technician plus 36 months of experience, with substitutions for HVAC/R degrees, engineering licenses and military training), pay a $115 application fee, pass the PSI exam for each class and endorsement ($74 Class A, $60 Class B, 70% to pass) within one year of filing, and file proof of commercial general liability insurance ($300,000 per occurrence/$600,000 aggregate for Class A; $100,000/$200,000 for Class B). The license is valid one year, renews for $65 and requires 8 hours of continuing education a year; a company must employ a licensed contractor at each permanent location. TDLR has reciprocity agreements with Georgia and South Carolina only; licensees from every other state or municipality apply under TDLR's substantial-equivalence review and may be required to take the Texas exam.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Texas master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in South Carolina?
- No. The trade exam is waived on this path under the agreement with South Carolina.
- How long do I need to have held my South Carolina license?
- At least 1 year before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Texas master HVAC technician license from South Carolina?
- Published fees on this path total $115, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my South Carolina work hours count in Texas?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Texas'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
- 16 TAC §75.20 - Contractor Licensing Requirements: Application and Experience Requirements · 16 TAC §75.20 · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (mirrored by Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- 16 TAC §75.22 - Contractor Licensing Requirements: General · 16 TAC §75.22 · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (mirrored by Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- TDLR - Apply for a New Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor License · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- TDLR - Renew an Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor License · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- TDLR - Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors Exam Information · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- TDLR - Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors FAQs · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Faq · verified September 23, 2026
- TDLR - Air Conditioning and Refrigeration: Out of State Applicants · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- TDLR - Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors program · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- TDLR - Air Conditioning and Refrigeration: Licensing Reciprocity · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation · 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.