LicensebyState

Moving to Connecticut as a master HVAC technician: every state's rule

Connecticut has reciprocity agreements with 0 states. Everyone else follows its standard out-of-state path: endorsement.

Connecticut master HVAC technician · “S-1 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Contractor”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 6 sources

Issued by Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Occupational and Professional Licensing (Heating, Piping, Cooling and Sheet Metal Work Examining Board)

Connecticut has no license titled 'master HVAC'; the top-tier personal credential is the S-1 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Contractor, issued by DCP to an individual (DCP licenses individuals, not companies) and permitting all heating, piping and cooling work under CGS 20-330, pulling permits and contracting with the public. Limited contractor classes cover narrower scopes, chiefly the D-1 Limited Warm Air, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor and the B-1 Limited Gas and Oil Burner Contractor. A new S-1 applicant needs 576 classroom hours matching DCP's Exhibit A curriculum and 12,000 OJT hours (8,000 as an apprentice plus two years, 4,000 hours, working as a licensed journeyperson), reachable through two years as a Connecticut journeyperson, equivalent experience and training, or an equivalent out-of-state license, and must pass both the PSI S-1 trade exam (80 questions, 3 hours, 70%) and the Business and Law exam (50 questions, 2 hours, 70%). CGS 20-334a(a)(1) expressly allows journeyman service performed outside Connecticut to count if DCP finds it comparable. DCP states that Connecticut does not have reciprocal agreements with any other jurisdiction. Fees are a $150 application fee, $59 per exam portion and a $150 initial license fee; licenses expire every August 31 and renew for $150.

Every origin state

Endorsement 23No credit 27
Every state's path into Connecticut
StateMechanismNoteVerified
AlabamaEndorsement2026-09-15
AlaskaEndorsement2026-09-15
ArizonaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
ArkansasEndorsement2026-09-15
CaliforniaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
ColoradoNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
DelawareEndorsement2026-09-15
District of ColumbiaEndorsement2026-09-15
FloridaEndorsement2026-09-15
GeorgiaEndorsement2026-09-15
HawaiiNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
IdahoEndorsement2026-09-15
IllinoisNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
IndianaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
IowaEndorsement2026-09-15
KansasNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
KentuckyEndorsement2026-09-15
LouisianaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
MaineNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
MarylandEndorsement2026-09-15
MassachusettsEndorsement2026-09-15
MichiganEndorsement2026-09-15
MinnesotaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
MississippiNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
MissouriNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
MontanaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
NebraskaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
NevadaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
New HampshireNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
New JerseyEndorsement2026-09-15
New MexicoEndorsement2026-09-15
New YorkNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
North CarolinaEndorsement2026-09-15
North DakotaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
OhioEndorsement2026-09-15
OklahomaEndorsement2026-09-15
OregonNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
PennsylvaniaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
Rhode IslandEndorsement2026-09-15
South CarolinaEndorsement2026-09-15
South DakotaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
TennesseeNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
TexasEndorsement2026-09-15
UtahNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
VermontNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
VirginiaEndorsement2026-09-15
WashingtonNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
West VirginiaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15
WisconsinEndorsement2026-09-15
WyomingNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-15

Getting licensed in Connecticut from scratch

No license yet, or nothing that transfers? This is how Connecticut issues a master HVAC technician license to a first-time applicant.

Verified September 23, 2026· 8 sources

S-1 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Contractor by examination

A Connecticut S-2 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Journeyperson becomes eligible for the S-1 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Contractor license after holding the S-2 for at least two years. The applicant applies to DCP online or on the paper Contractor application with a copy of the Connecticut journeyperson license, then passes two open-book PSI exams, the S-1 trade exam and the Business and Law exam, each with a 70% passing score. The S-1 is issued to an individual, not to a company, and before it is issued the licensee must show DCP that they will comply with Connecticut's workers' compensation and unemployment insurance requirements. An applicant who has not held the S-2 for two years may qualify instead by documenting equivalent experience and training.

The S-1 trade exam has 80 questions in 3 hours, is offered in English or Spanish, and adds load calculation (ACCA Manual N) to the journeyperson subjects. The Business and Law exam has 50 questions in 2 hours and uses the NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, Connecticut 6th edition. A passed exam stays valid for two years, so a candidate who passes one has two years to pass the other. After passing both, send the passing score reports and the initial license fee to DCP. Limited contractor classes follow the same route from their matching journeyperson class, for example the D-1 Limited Warm Air, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor and the B-1 Limited Gas and Oil Burner Contractor. DCP does not publish an application processing time.

Trade exam
Required
Law / code exam
Required
Exam given by
PSI
Exam format
Open book
Passing score
70%
Renewal
Every year

Who can apply

  • Hold a Connecticut S-2 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Journeyperson license for at least 2 years first.Held for at least two years; include a copy of the Connecticut license with the application (CGS 20-334a(a)(1)).

Other ways to qualify

Each of these replaces the requirements above. You only need one.

Equivalent experience and training: 576 classroom hours plus 12,000 hours

An applicant who has not held the Connecticut S-2 for two years may prove 576 classroom hours whose curriculum matches DCP's Exhibit A courses and 12,000 hours of on-the-job training: 8,000 hours at the apprentice level plus two years (4,000 hours) of further work. Proof is by transcripts and notarized employer letters, and continuing education or manufacturer certificates do not count toward the classroom hours. Journeyman service outside Connecticut counts if DCP finds it comparable to similar service in the state.

  • Complete at least 576 hours of classroom or related instruction.
  • You must document at least 12,000 hours of qualifying work experience.8,000 apprentice-level hours plus 4,000 hours (two years).
  • Be at least 18 years old.

Steps to get licensed

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($150). Contractor application fee, non-refundable (CGS 20-333).
  2. 2Other. Disclose any felony conviction on the application and attach a Criminal Conviction Worksheet; DCP may deny the license or issue it under a consent order with conditions (CGS 20-333(c)).
  3. 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. S-1 Unlimited Heating, Piping and Cooling Contractor trade exam administered by PSI: 80 questions, 3 hours, 70% to pass, open book.
  4. 4Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Connecticut Business and Law exam (PSI): 50 questions, 2 hours, 70% to pass, open book, based on the NASCLA Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management, Connecticut 6th edition.
  5. 5Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($59). PSI fee for the trade exam, per attempt including retakes.
  6. 6Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($59). PSI fee for the Business and Law exam, per attempt including retakes.
  7. 7Other. Evidence that the licensee will comply with Connecticut workers' compensation and unemployment insurance requirements, furnished before the license is issued (CGS 20-334a(a)(1)(C)).
  8. 8License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($150). Initial contractor license fee paid to DCP after passing both exams (CGS 20-335).

Published fees on this path total $418, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

Keeping it active

Every year and a $150 renewal fee.

Connecticut's continuing education statute (CGS 20-334d) covers electricians and plumbers, and DCP's continuing education page does not list heating, piping and cooling licenses.

All heating, cooling and sheet metal work licenses expire August 31 each year.

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
  • Exam fee · $59
  • Exam fee · $59

Sources for this section

  1. Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 393 - Occupational Licensing (Electrical, Plumbing and Piping, Heating, Cooling...) · CGS §§ 20-330, 20-333, 20-333a, 20-334a, 20-335 · Connecticut General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  2. Connecticut DCP - Occupational Trade Contractor License Application (OCC-CNTR-APP) · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Form · verified September 23, 2026
  3. Connecticut DCP - Heating Contractor: Equivalent Experience and Training · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  4. Connecticut DCP - Heating, Cooling and Sheet Metal Work Licenses (application paths, fees, renewal) · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  5. Connecticut DCP - Exhibit A: Required Courses for Heating, Cooling and Sheet Metal License Types · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Form · verified September 23, 2026
  6. Connecticut DCP - Continuing Education for Occupational and Professional Licenses · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  7. Connecticut DCP Occupational Licensing - Heating, Piping and Cooling Trades Candidate Information Bulletin (PSI, updated 2/4/2026) · Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection / PSI Services LLC · Form · verified September 23, 2026
  8. Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies §§ 20-332-5, 20-332-8, 20-332-10a (heating, piping and cooling licenses; application for examination; issuance) · Regs. Conn. State Agencies §§ 20-332-5, 20-332-8, 20-332-10a · Connecticut Secretary of the State (eRegulations) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026

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