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

No. The trade exam is waived on this path.

How long do I need to have held my Tennessee license?

At least 7 years before applying.

What does it cost to get a Delaware master HVAC technician license from Tennessee?

Published fees on this path total $173, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my Tennessee work hours count in Delaware?

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

Does it work the other way, from Delaware to Tennessee?

Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Delaware to Tennessee, the mechanism is not applicable.

Tennessee to Delaware: master HVAC technician license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 15, 2026· 11 sources

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

Master license by reciprocity from a state not on the Board's published lists

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

A master-level HVAC licensee from a state, U.S. territory or jurisdiction that the Board has not yet classified applies by reciprocity in DELPROS; no Delaware examination is required on this path. The applicant must submit a copy of the origin jurisdiction's HVACR licensure law and regulations so the Board can decide whether its standards are substantially similar to Delaware's (24 DE Admin. Code 1800 § 3.2). If they are, 24 Del. C. § 1823(a) requires the Board to grant the license; if they are not, § 1823(b) requires proof of at least seven years of practice after master licensure, documented with Verification of Employment forms, W-2s or Schedule C. Every applicant pays the $173 application fee, has licensure verification sent directly to the Board from each jurisdiction where they hold or have held a license, uploads a CFC (EPA 608) certification card, and attests to the good-conduct requirements of § 1821(a)(4)-(7); the application must be completed within six months and is reviewed at the next Board meeting. Holders of only a municipal license (Pennsylvania, for example) cannot use reciprocity and must apply by examination: journeyman certificate plus 2 years under a master, or 7 years plus the By-Pass exam, then the ProV Master HVACR exam ($100, 100 questions, 4 hours, open book, 70%). A business that has just lost its only master may also obtain a 100-day temporary license ($40) for an owner or employee who is applying and sits for the next exam.

The Board's page does not say how long the substantial-similarity evaluation of an unlisted state takes or list the criteria it applies; regulation 3.2 says only that the applicant must demonstrate equivalent standards and supply the state's laws. Experience under an out-of-state master counts on the examination path because § 1821(a)(1) and regulation 3.1.2 accept supervision by 'an individual holding a similar level of licensure in another state'. Delaware publishes no separate business, law or code exam for masters and no insurance or bond requirement for the individual license.

At a glance

Trade exam: Waived
Law / code exam: Not required
Out-of-state hours: Count toward eligibility

What you must already have

Your Tennessee license must be active and in good standing.
You must have no disciplinary action or unresolved complaints on your record.
You must have held your Tennessee license for at least 7 years.Required only if the Board finds the origin jurisdiction's standards not substantially similar: at least 7 years of practice after master licensure (24 Del. C. § 1823(b)).
Origin jurisdiction's HVACR licensure law and regulations submitted for the Board's substantial-similarity evaluation (24 DE Admin. Code 1800 § 3.2)

What you'll do to get licensed in Delaware

1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($173). Master HVACR (or Master Restricted HVACR) application fee, non-refundable, paid in DELPROS.
2Other. State/jurisdiction licensure verification sent directly to the Board office from each state or jurisdiction where the applicant currently holds or has ever held a license (a business license covering employees does not need verification).
3Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Type I/II/III/Universal) to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire. Delaware requires a copy of the CFC certification card with every Master HVACR, Master HVACR Restricted-Refrigeration and Master HVACR Restricted-Air Conditioning application (24 Del. C. § 1821(a)(3); 24 DE Admin. Code 1800 § 3.1.3).
4Other. Verification of Employment forms (or W-2s, employer affidavits or Schedule C with an explanation) covering at least 7 years of practice as a licensed master, needed if the Board finds the origin standards not substantially similar.

Published fees on this path total $173, 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.

Other

How Delaware licenses master HVAC technicians

Delaware master HVAC technician · “Master HVACR”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 8 sources

Issued by Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation)

Delaware issues a person-held Master HVACR license through the Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners in the Division of Professional Regulation (the electrical trade is regulated by a separate board). A Master HVACR licensee may design, install, service and alter heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, ventilation and process systems including gas piping; a Master HVACR Restricted license covers one specialty (forced-air heating with ventilation and gas piping, hydronic heating with gas piping, commercial hood systems, refrigeration, air conditioning, or gas piping). Employees work under a master's supervision without their own license. A new master needs a journeyman certificate from a federally-registered apprenticeship plus 2 years under a master, or 7 years under a master plus the ABC Delaware Apprenticeship By-Pass exam, then passes the ProV-administered Master HVACR exam (100 questions, 4 hours, open book, 70%, $100) and pays the $173 application fee; a CFC (EPA 608) card is required. Out-of-state masters are licensed by reciprocity without a Delaware exam under 24 Del. C. § 1823: the Board has published that Connecticut and Maryland standards are substantially similar (no experience proof) and that fourteen other jurisdictions are not (7 years of licensed practice required); all other states are evaluated case by case. Licenses renew biennially with 5 hours of continuing education from 2026.

Moving to Delaware Leaving Delaware

Why Tennessee has nothing to transfer

Tennessee master HVAC technician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 15, 2026· 16 sources

Issued by Local code enforcement offices (Nashville, Memphis/Shelby County, Chattanooga, Knoxville and other exempt jurisdictions); the state issues only the CMC / CMC-C contractor license to businesses

Tennessee does not issue a master HVAC license. The state-level HVAC credential is a contractor license with the CMC (full mechanical: plumbing and HVAC) or CMC-C (HVAC/refrigeration) classification from the Board for Licensing Contractors, which is issued to a business that names a qualifying agent and is required for any project of $25,000 or more. The qualifying agent passes the Tennessee Business & Law exam and the CMC or CMC-C trade exam (Prov from July 1, 2026; CMC candidates need Board pre-approval, $50), and the business files a reviewed or audited financial statement (or, from July 1, 2026, a surety bond of at least half the requested limit) that sets its monetary limit, proves general liability and workers' compensation insurance, and pays $250 ($200 biennial renewal). The Board's trade-exam-waiver agreements let a contractor licensed in Alabama (HVAC), Louisiana (mechanical), Mississippi (mechanical), Ohio (HVAC), South Carolina (HVAC) or West Virginia (mechanical) skip the trade exam but not the Business & Law exam or any other requirement; North Carolina's and NASCLA's waivers do not cover HVAC. Master-level licenses issued to individuals exist only locally: Nashville's Master Mechanical (six years) and HVAC&R (four years) certificates, Memphis/Shelby County's First-Class and Third-Class Mechanical Contractor licenses, and Chattanooga's Master Mechanical Contractor license. A master HVAC license from another state has no state-level recognition in Tennessee; its holder either registers a business for the CMC-C license or applies for the local master card where they will work. EPA Section 608 certification is required federally to handle refrigerants.

How local licensing works in Tennessee

State contractor route (CMC / CMC-C). Required statewide for projects of $25,000 or more and accepted by the cities as a substitute for their own master cards for permit purposes (Nashville registers CMC/CMC-C firms for $100 with a $40,000 bond and $300,000 liability certificate; Memphis/Shelby County registers state mechanical licensees for $150). Requirements: Business & Law exam plus the CMC-C or CMC trade exam ($50 pre-approval for CMC), $250 application fee, reviewed or audited financial statement or a surety bond of at least 50% of the monetary limit (from July 1, 2026), general liability and workers' compensation insurance. Trade-exam waiver, on verification by the other board that the qualifying agent passed a comparable exam: Alabama HVAC (CMC-C), Louisiana Mechanical (CMC), Mississippi Mechanical (CMC), Ohio HVAC (CMC-C), South Carolina HVAC (CMC-C), West Virginia Mechanical (CMC). The Board stresses the waiver applies only to the trade exam, cannot be used by applicants with discipline, open complaints or felony convictions, and does not allow another state's license to be used in Tennessee.

Nashville (Davidson County). The Board of Mechanical, Plumbing and Electrical Examiners and Appeals issues the Master Mechanical certificate (six years' experience) and HVAC&R certificate (four years); a mechanical engineering degree may substitute. The application asks for licenses held in other cities or states, employer confirmations and a recommendation letter; the Chief Mechanical Inspector approves, Prov administers the exam (70% to pass, 30-day retest wait). The certificate holder then registers the firm as a Metropolitan Mechanical Gas Contractor with a Davidson County business license, $40,000 permit bond and $300,000 liability certificate. No exam waiver for out-of-state licenses is published.

Memphis and Shelby County. First-Class Mechanical Contractor (age 21, 4 years of full-time installation or design experience, unlimited scope) and Third-Class Mechanical Contractor (2 years, equipment up to 15 tons or 15 hp) after a written exam set by the Mechanical/Gas Code Board; $150 registration, $110 annual renewal, licenses expire December 31, $25,000 continuous permit bond. The mechanical code has no reciprocity provision for mechanical contractors.

Chattanooga. Master Mechanical Contractor license from the Board of Mechanical Examiners: three or more years as a Journeyman Mechanic Class 1 or 2, or a current or previously held unrevoked Master Mechanical Contractor or equivalent license from Chattanooga or any other governmental agency, or a Tennessee PE license, or acceptable education and experience; $415 per two-year cycle including the exam fee. A license from elsewhere establishes eligibility for the exam but is not stated to waive it.

Knoxville. Permits are pulled under a State Contractor Registration (CMC/CMC-C) or the other registration types on the city's permit page; the city's own mechanical license classes and fees could not be confirmed from an official page, so contact Plans Review & Inspections (865-215-4311).

Out-of-state holders. The only published recognition in Tennessee is the state Board's trade-exam waiver for contractors from AL, LA, MS, OH, SC and WV, which still requires the Business & Law exam and a full contractor application. The local master cards in Nashville, Memphis and Chattanooga treat an out-of-state master license as evidence of experience or exam eligibility, not as a substitute for their own examinations.

Moving to Tennessee Leaving Tennessee

Common questions

Do I have to take the Delaware master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Tennessee?: No. The trade exam is waived on this path.
How long do I need to have held my Tennessee license?: At least 7 years before applying.
What does it cost to get a Delaware master HVAC technician license from Tennessee?: Published fees on this path total $173, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Tennessee work hours count in Delaware?: Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Delaware's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from Delaware to Tennessee?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Delaware to Tennessee, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

24 DE Admin. Code 1800 - Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners (regulations) · 24 DE Admin. Code 1800 §§ 3.0, 5.0 · Delaware Registrar of Regulations · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Fetched through the r.jina.ai text proxy. § 3.1.1: Board approval before the HVACR exam, offered quarterly, 70% to pass. § 3.1.2: with a journeyman's certificate, 2 years of post-apprenticeship experience under a master HVACR licensee 'or an individual holding a similar level of licensure in another state'; without one, 7 years of such experience plus the Bypass Exams (restricted applicants take only the relevant sections, § 3.1.2.2.3). § 3.1.3: CFC card. § 3.1.5: certificates of good standing from every jurisdiction where licensed. § 3.1.6: three exam attempts, then a one-year wait. § 3.2: a reciprocity applicant must demonstrate that the origin state's standards are equivalent and provide its HVACR laws and regulations. § 5.0: 5 hours of continuing education per biennium from the 2026 renewal (3 hours code changes, 1 hour safety, 1 hour energy code for HVACR licensees).
24 Del. C. ch. 18, subch. I - Board of Plumbing, HVACR Examiners: objectives and definitions · 24 Del. C. § 1802 · Delaware General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026§ 1802(10): 'License' means a Board document certifying that the holder is a master plumber, master HVACR licensee or master HVACR restricted licensee; (11)-(12) define Master HVACR licensee and the six restricted specialties; (18) 'Supervision' means control and oversight by a master licensee who is an owner or full-time employee of the entity providing services. No journeyperson HVACR license is defined.
24 Del. C. ch. 18, subch. III - License: Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration · 24 Del. C. §§ 1820, 1821, 1823, 1825 · Delaware General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026§ 1820(a) requires a master HVACR or master HVACR restricted license to provide HVACR services; § 1820(c)(1) exempts 'an apprentice, journeyman, mechanic or other person providing such services under the supervision of a master HVACR licensee or master HVACR restricted licensee' who is the employer or a full-time employee of the same business. § 1821(a): journeyman's certificate from a federally-approved apprenticeship issued in any state plus 2 years under a master (Delaware or a similar-level licensee in another state), or 7 years under such supervision plus the apprenticeship equivalency test; pass the Board exam; hold EPA-approved CFC certification; no administrative penalties, pending discipline, impairment or substantially related conviction. § 1823(a): the Board shall grant a license to an applicant with current licensure in good standing in a state, DC or territory whose standards are substantially similar, on the § 1821(a)(3)-(7) evidence and the fee; § 1823(b): if the standards are not substantially similar the applicant must have practiced at least 7 years after licensure. § 1825: biennial renewal with continuing education.
Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners - Home · 24 Del. C. ch. 18 · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Fetched through the r.jina.ai text proxy because dpr.delaware.gov rejects direct fetches. 'The Board issues master plumber, master HVACR and master restricted HVACR licenses'; restricted licenses limit practice to a specialty such as air conditioning. Notes the March 11, 2025 regulation update (restricted candidates take only the relevant bypass exam sections; continuing education clarified for the 2026 renewal). Board meets the second Tuesday monthly and reviews only complete applications.
Delaware DPR - Plumbing and HVACR Examinations (ProV and ABC Delaware) · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Fetched through the r.jina.ai text proxy. ProV administers the licensure exams (in person in Wilmington, Newark and Dover or online via Examroom); ABC Delaware administers the Apprenticeship By-Pass exam (NCCER materials) when the Board requires it. Board staff forward approved candidates to ProV, which emails the Candidate Information Bulletin. Minimum passing score 70%; candidates who fail three times must wait one year before reapplying.
Delaware DPR - Plumbing and HVACR Frequently Asked Questions · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Faq · verified September 15, 2026Fetched through the r.jina.ai text proxy. Anyone licensed in another state still needs a Delaware Board license to do HVACR work in Delaware. 'Does Delaware have reciprocity? Yes. If you hold a current license in another jurisdiction ... where the licensure requirements are substantially similar to Delaware's requirements, you may be licensed by reciprocity.' Applications are reviewed for approval on or before the next Board meeting once complete.
Delaware DPR - Plumbing and HVACR Fee Schedule · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Fetched through the r.jina.ai text proxy. Application fees: Master HVACR $173; Master Restricted HVACR $173; Plumber or HVACR Temporary $40. Commercial Hood System Examination $50; Verification of Licensure $35 ($45 with exam scores/hours/history). Renewal fee is announced at renewal; late renewal adds 50%. All fees are non-refundable and paid in DELPROS.
Delaware DPR - Master HVACR and Master HVACR Restricted Licensure (examination and reciprocity) · 24 Del. C. §§ 1821, 1823 · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Fetched through the r.jina.ai text proxy. Defines Master HVACR and the six Master HVACR Restricted specialties. All applicants apply in DELPROS, must have licensure verification sent from every jurisdiction where they hold or held a license (a Pennsylvania municipal license does not qualify; those applicants apply by exam), submit a CFC certification card (Master, Restricted-Refrigeration, Restricted-Air Conditioning), and prove experience with Verification of Employment forms or W-2/Schedule C. Examination: journeyman certificate from a federally-approved apprenticeship plus 2 years under a master, or 7 years under a master and the ABC Delaware Apprenticeship By-Pass Exam; pass the Master exam with 70%. Reciprocity table: Connecticut and Maryland are substantially similar (no proof of experience); Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia are not substantially similar (proof of practicing at least 7 years after master licensure); any other state must be evaluated by the Board from a copy of its law and regulations. Applications must be completed within six months.
Delaware DPR - Temporary Plumber or HVACR License (loss of sole license holder) · 24 Del. C. § 1831 · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Fetched through the r.jina.ai text proxy. A firm that loses its sole license holder may designate an owner or employee for a 100-day temporary license ($40) while that person files a full application and takes the next available exam; not a route for ordinary out-of-state applicants.
Delaware Division of Professional Regulation - Candidate Information Bulletin (ProV, 2022.03.09) · Delaware Division of Professional Regulation / Prov, Inc. · Other · verified September 15, 2026Linked from the DPR examinations page; read through the r.jina.ai text proxy. Exams cost $100 each, are computer-based, open book and timed; Master HVACR exam is 100 questions in 4 hours (general knowledge, piping, equipment, system sizing and installation, ventilation and exhaust, testing and inspection); HVACR and plumbing exams require 70%; retakes after 7 days, limited to three attempts per application. Lists the Master HVACR Restricted exams by specialty.
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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