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Tennessee to New Jersey: master HVAC technician license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 15, 2026· 14 sources

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

Out-of-state HVAC licensee: qualify by experience and sit the New Jersey master HVACR examination

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

Because the Board has not found any state's HVACR standards equal or comparable to New Jersey's, an out-of-state licensee gets no exam waiver and applies like any other candidate. The applicant files the Board's application for examination with the $100 non-refundable fee, proof of age 21, a recent passport-size photo and proof of one of the N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.2 pathways: five years in the HVACR contracting business made up of a four-year U.S. DOL-approved apprenticeship plus one year as a journeyperson (a technical-school program can replace two apprenticeship years, and the Board's FAQ also accepts a two-year trade degree plus two years of apprenticeship plus one journeyperson year), a bachelor's degree in HVACR plus one year of hands-on work, or a related bachelor's degree plus three years; the education must include refrigerant management and propane service. Experience earned under an out-of-state license is accepted as proof of these years. Once the Board approves eligibility the candidate takes the vendor-administered exam (HVACR practice and New Jersey law and rules, 70 required in each; six-month wait after a failure), then pays the prorated license fee ($160 in the first year of the biennial period, $80 in the second), files a $3,000 surety bond in favor of the State and a certificate of $500,000 general liability insurance, and buys the $25 pressure seal. Licensees from the states named in the Board's reciprocity alert (Maryland, Texas, Ohio, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, Arkansas, Louisiana, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Nevada, New Mexico and West Virginia) are told outright that a reciprocity application will be denied and to use this route.

The exam vendor's fee is not stated on any Board page or rule that could be opened and is omitted. The reciprocity route in N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.5 is not recorded as an agreement for any origin state because the Board's published determinations (2017 alert; June 2019 table) show no state granted reciprocity; if the Board later approves a state, add an agreement with mechanism Reciprocity (exam waived, same bond, insurance, seal and fees).

At a glance

Trade exam
Required
Law / code exam
Required
Out-of-state hours
Count toward eligibility

What you must already have

  • Five years in the HVACR contracting business: a four-year U.S. DOL-approved apprenticeship plus one year as an HVACR journeyperson, or a Board-accepted alternative (HVACR bachelor's degree plus one year; related bachelor's degree plus three years; two-year trade degree plus two apprenticeship years plus one journeyperson year), including education in refrigerant management and propane services (N.J.S.A. 45:16A-13; N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.2)
  • At least 21 years of age (N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.1)

What you'll do to get licensed in New Jersey

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($100). Non-refundable application fee for the master HVACR examination (N.J.A.C. 13:32A-6.1).
  2. 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Written HVACR contracting practice section of the Board's master HVACR examination, administered by the Board's third-party vendor at least four times a year; 70 required, six-month wait to retake.
  3. 3Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Written section on New Jersey laws and rules governing HVACR contracting; 70 required.
  4. 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($160). Initial master HVACR contractor license fee when issued in the first year of the biennial period ($80 in the second year); biennial renewal $160, late renewal $50.
  5. 5Other. Initial pressure seal issued by the Board's vendor; the seal must be used on the licensee's HVACR work and returned within 30 days of any suspension or revocation ($25).
  6. 6Surety bond. Post a surety bond ($3,000). Surety bond in favor of the State of New Jersey, 12-month term renewed annually (N.J.S.A. 45:16A-23; N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.4).
  7. 7Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($500,000). General liability insurance of $500,000 combined property damage and bodily injury per occurrence from an insurer licensed in New Jersey (N.J.S.A. 45:16A-24).
  8. 8Continuing education. Complete continuing education. Five credits of Board-approved continuing education every biennial renewal period (waived for the first renewal).
  9. 9Other. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Type I/II/III/Universal) to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire. The Board's rules require education in refrigerant management but do not name Section 608; the federal requirement applies regardless.
  10. 10Other. Proof of age 21, a passport-size photograph taken within the last six months, and documentation of the apprenticeship, degree and journeyperson experience claimed.

Published fees on this path total $260, 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
  • Law / code 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 · $3,000

Liability insurance

Some states require proof of general liability or workers' compensation coverage at licensing time.

  • Insurance · $500,000

Continuing education

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

  • Continuing education

How New Jersey licenses master HVAC technicians

New Jersey master HVAC technician · “Master HVACR Contractor”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 9 sources

Issued by New Jersey State Board of Examiners of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors (Division of Consumer Affairs)

New Jersey's only HVAC license is the statewide, person-held Master HVACR Contractor license created by the State Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contracting License Act (P.L. 2007, c.211, N.J.S.A. 45:16A) and administered by the Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors; this file treats it as the master level because it is issued to an individual who qualifies by experience and examination, and every HVACR business must have a licensed master as its bona fide representative. Applicants must be at least 21 and show five years in the HVACR contracting business (a four-year U.S. DOL-approved apprenticeship plus one year as a journeyperson), a bachelor's degree in HVACR plus one year, or a related bachelor's degree plus three years, then pass a two-part written exam (HVACR practice and New Jersey law) with 70 in each part. Before the license is issued the applicant files a $3,000 surety bond and $500,000 of general liability insurance and buys the Board's pressure seal; licenses renew every two years with five continuing education credits. N.J.S.A. 45:16A-21 and N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.5 let the Board license without examination applicants from states whose standards are equal or comparable and that reciprocate, but the Board has published a list of 26 states whose licensees 'will be denied' reciprocity and its June 2019 determination table shows every reviewed state in the 'denied' column and none granted. In practice an out-of-state HVAC contractor qualifies for the New Jersey exam on the strength of documented experience.

Moving to New JerseyLeaving New Jersey

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 TennesseeLeaving Tennessee

Common questions

Do I have to take the New Jersey master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in Tennessee?
Yes. New Jersey requires the trade exam on this path, plus a law or code exam.
What does it cost to get a New Jersey master HVAC technician license from Tennessee?
Published fees on this path total $260, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my Tennessee work hours count in New Jersey?
Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward New Jersey's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from New Jersey to Tennessee?
Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from New Jersey to Tennessee, the mechanism is not applicable.

Sources

  1. 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.
  2. State Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors - Frequently Asked Questions · New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs · Faq · verified September 15, 2026Q1: a person may not work as a master HVACR contractor or use the title without a license unless exempt. Q3: the application fee is $100 and a separate licensing fee is assessed on approval. Q8: the four experience options (four-year DOL apprenticeship plus one year as a journeyperson; HVACR bachelor's plus one year; related bachelor's plus three years; two-year trade degree plus two years of apprenticeship plus one year as a journeyperson). Q9: an applicant may apply by reciprocity if 'the licensure standards of other States [are] equal to or comparable with, those of the State of New Jersey' and the other state reciprocates, with proof of licensure, education and the other state's recognition of New Jersey licenses. Q15: renewal fee $160. Q16: five continuing education credits every biennial period. The Board meets monthly to review applications; licenses are mailed 15-20 days after the exam is passed. No citizenship requirement applies. The grandfathering period ended September 3, 2014.
  3. State Board of Examiners of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors - home page · New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Opened through the r.jina.ai text proxy because the site returned an empty page to the fetcher. States that the Board 'licenses and regulates heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration contractors in New Jersey', requires all HVACR contractors to be licensed by the state and to renew every two years, and links to applications, laws and regulations, continuing education and the FAQ. The only license the Board issues for HVACR work is the Master HVACR Contractor license (plus the separate Master Hearth Specialist license).
  4. Alert - Application for a Master HVACR Contractor's License by Reciprocity · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.5; N.J.S.A. 45:16A-21 · New Jersey State Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Board notice (file created October 2017) attached to the reciprocity application: 'The State Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors has determined that the following States do not have standards equal or comparable to New Jersey: Maryland, Texas, Ohio, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, Arkansas, Louisiana, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Nevada, New Mexico & West Virginia. If you are licensed in one of the above States, your application for reciprocity in New Jersey will be denied; however, you may ... determine if you are qualified for the Master HVACR Contractor's examination for licensure.'
  5. HVACR Reciprocity with Other States (Board determinations as of 06/18/19) · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.5 · New Jersey State Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026A one-page table of all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico with columns 'Reciprocity Granted' and 'Reciprocity Denied'; the Board 'has considered whether or not the licensure standards of other States are equal to or comparable with those of the State of New Jersey ... and secondly if that State reciprocates'. The PDF's text is encoded with a shifted font and was decoded locally from the file; the determination dates (February 2017 through October 2018) for every reviewed state sit in the 'Reciprocity Denied' column and the 'Reciprocity Granted' column is empty. States without a state HVACR contractor license are marked with an asterisk. Denied states include the 26 in the 2017 alert plus Alaska, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Oregon, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. The column placement was inferred from glyph positions in the file, so treat it as strong but not absolute evidence that no state has been approved.
  6. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-1.2 - Definitions · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-1.2 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Defines 'master HVACR contractor' (a Board licensee who obtains a pressure seal and undertakes HVACR work for others), 'journeyperson' (installs, alters, repairs, services, maintains or renovates HVACR systems under the supervision of a master HVACR contractor), 'apprentice' (enrolled in a U.S. DOL-approved HVACR, steamfitter, pipefitter or sheet metal apprenticeship) and 'bona fide representative' (the licensed master who is the owner, partner, LLC manager or corporate officer of the HVACR business). Journeypersons and apprentices are defined but not licensed.
  7. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.1 - Eligibility for examinations · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.1 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026An applicant for the master HVACR examination submits the Board's application form, proof of age 21, a passport-size photo taken within six months, proof of meeting the education requirements of 13:32A-2.2 and the application fee in 13:32A-6.1; the Board then notifies the applicant whether they may sit the exam.
  8. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.2 - Education requirements · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.2 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Three pathways to the exam: (1) five years of employment in the HVACR contracting business including four or more years in an approved apprenticeship plus one year as an HVACR journeyperson (completion of a technical school program may satisfy two of the four apprenticeship years); (2) a bachelor's degree in HVACR plus one year of practical experience installing, servicing or maintaining HVACR systems; (3) a bachelor's degree in an HVACR-related field plus three years of practical experience. All pathways must include education in refrigerant management and propane (LP-gas) services.
  9. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.3 - Examinations · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.3 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026The exam is prepared and administered by a third-party vendor at least four times a year and has two written parts: HVACR contracting practice, and New Jersey laws and rules governing HVACR contracting. A minimum grade of 70 is required in each part; a failed exam may not be retaken for six months.
  10. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.4 - Licensure and pressure seal · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.4 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026After passing the exam (or qualifying by reciprocity) the applicant must file a $3,000 surety bond and proof of liability insurance before the license is issued; the Board's vendor then issues a pressure seal that only the master HVACR contractor may use, and the seal must be returned within 30 days of suspension or revocation.
  11. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.5 - Reciprocity with other states · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.5 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026(a) An individual licensed in another state may be licensed without the master HVACR examination if that state's licensure standards are equal or comparable to New Jersey's and that state reciprocally recognizes New Jersey licenses. (b) The applicant files the reciprocity application, proof of age 21, a passport photo, proof of the 13:32A-2.2 education requirements, proof that the other state accepts New Jersey licensees, proof of current licensure and the fees in 13:32A-6.1. (c) The Board then directs qualified applicants to submit the bond, insurance and seal materials required by 13:32A-2.4.
  12. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-4.1 - Continuing education requirements · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-4.1 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026'Every master HVACR contractor shall successfully complete five credits of continuing education at an approved course every biennial period'; licensees applying for their first renewal are exempt.
  13. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-6.1 - Fee schedule · N.J.A.C. 13:32A-6.1 · New Jersey Administrative Code (via Cornell LII) · Admin Rule · verified September 15, 2026Master HVACR contractor fees: application fee $100 (non-refundable); initial license fee $160 if issued in the first year of the biennial period or $80 in the second year; biennial renewal $160; late renewal $50; reinstatement $150; initial pressure seal $25; replacement seal $25; duplicate license $25; replacement wall certificate $40; verification of licensure $25.
  14. P.L. 2007, c.211 - State Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contracting License Act · N.J.S.A. 45:16A-1 et seq. (sections 2, 13, 15, 17, 21, 23, 24) · New Jersey Legislature · Statute · verified September 15, 2026Creates the State Board of Examiners of HVACR Contractors and the Master HVACR Contractor license. Section 2 defines 'master HVACR contractor' (a licensed person who undertakes the planning, laying out, supervising, installing, servicing or repairing of HVACR systems) and 'HVACR journeyperson' (a person who installs, alters, repairs, services or renovates HVACR systems under a master's supervision); no journeyperson or apprentice license or registration is created. Section 13 sets the license qualifications: age 21, five years in the HVACR contracting business including at least four years in a U.S. DOL-approved apprenticeship, or a bachelor's degree in HVACR technology plus one year, or a related bachelor's degree plus three years. Section 15: biennial renewal. Section 21: 'The board may in its discretion grant licenses without examination to applicants so licensed by other states; provided that equal reciprocity is provided for New Jersey Master HVACR contractors by the law of the applicant's domiciliary state and provided further that the domiciliary state's standards are equal to or comparable to those of this State.' Section 23: $3,000 surety bond in favor of the State, renewed annually. Section 24: $500,000 general liability insurance. Sections 8-12 exempt licensed electrical contractors, plumbers, engineers, homeowners working on their own single-family home, public utilities and LP-gas marketers within their own scope.

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

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