Moving to Kentucky as a master HVAC technician: every state's rule
Kentucky has reciprocity agreements with 1 state. Everyone else follows its standard out-of-state path: experience credit.
Kentucky master HVAC technician · “Master HVAC Contractor”
Statewide license
Kentucky's highest person-held HVAC credential is the statewide Master HVAC Contractor license issued by the Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC) to an individual who qualified by examination; the master supervises and is primarily responsible for all HVAC work of the company he or she represents (a company may carry the required insurance in its name), and only a master or journeyman may purchase the statewide HVAC permits required since 2011. A new applicant must be 18, a citizen or authorized resident alien, and have two years as a licensed journeyman under a master HVAC contractor, two years as a master HVAC contractor 'or equivalent' in Kentucky or any other jurisdiction, or two years as a licensed mechanical engineer; pass the open-book Master HVAC exam, which covers codes and practices plus the law and regulation of the HVAC business, with at least 70% (Prov $80, or the department's exam for $150 on Form HVAC-4); carry general liability insurance of $500,000 and property damage insurance of $300,000 (KRS 198B.668) naming DHBC as certificate holder; and file Form HVAC 1 with a $250 twelve-month fee prorated by birth month ($145.83 to $375). Licenses renew annually at $250 with continuing education and current insurance. KRS 198B.666 authorizes licensure by reciprocity for states with substantially equal requirements that reciprocate, and Form HVAC 1 has a reciprocity checkbox requiring a letter of good standing; DHBC publishes no HVAC partner list, but Ohio's OCILB documents an active Kentucky-Ohio HVAC and refrigeration agreement. Federal EPA Section 608 certification is required for refrigerant work but is not verified by DHBC.
States Kentucky reciprocates with
Every origin state
| State | Mechanism | Note | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Alaska | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Arizona | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Arkansas | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| California | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Colorado | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Connecticut | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Delaware | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| District of Columbia | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Florida | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Georgia | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Hawaii | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Idaho | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Illinois | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Indiana | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Iowa | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Kansas | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Louisiana | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Maine | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Maryland | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Massachusetts | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Michigan | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Minnesota | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Mississippi | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Missouri | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Montana | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Nebraska | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Nevada | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| New Hampshire | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| New Jersey | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| New Mexico | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| New York | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| North Carolina | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| North Dakota | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Ohio | Reciprocity | explicit agreement | 2026-09-15 |
| Oklahoma | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Oregon | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Pennsylvania | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Rhode Island | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| South Carolina | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| South Dakota | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Tennessee | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Texas | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Utah | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Vermont | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Virginia | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Washington | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| West Virginia | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
| Wisconsin | Experience credit | 2026-09-15 | |
| Wyoming | No credit | no state license to transfer | 2026-09-15 |
Getting licensed in Kentucky from scratch
No license yet, or nothing that transfers? This is how Kentucky issues a master HVAC technician license to a first-time applicant.
Master HVAC Contractor license by examination
A Kentucky journeyman HVAC mechanic becomes a Master HVAC Contractor after working at least two years as a journeyman under the direction and supervision of a master HVAC contractor and passing the Master HVAC exam, which covers codes and practice plus the law and regulation of the HVAC business, with at least 70%. Applicants must be at least 18 and a U.S. citizen or a resident alien authorized to work. The license is held by the individual, who supervises and is primarily responsible for all HVAC work of the company he or she represents, and it is not valid without general liability insurance of at least $500,000 and property damage insurance of at least $300,000; the company may carry that insurance. You apply on Form HVAC 1 with your exam result, proof of experience, the insurance certificate naming DHBC, the fee and a passport-sized color photo.
With Prov, the master exam is a single open-book test of 100 questions in 4 hours, 23 of them on Kentucky HVAC law and administration (KRS Chapter 198B and 815 KAR 8), with unlimited retakes and no waiting period. At Pearson VUE, ICC requires two exams: 595 Kentucky Master HVAC (100 questions, 4 hours) and 231 Kentucky Business and Law (30 questions, 1.5 hours), with 10 days between attempts. 815 KAR 8:010 also provides a department-administered master exam registered on Form HVAC-4 for $150. A passing score stays valid for three years, and an application stays open for one year. Up to one year of HVAC work done while exempt from licensure may count toward the two years if DHBC finds it equivalent. The application asks about felony and misdemeanor convictions, and DHBC warns that a conviction may prevent licensure, so contact the Licensing Branch (502-573-2002) first. Federal EPA Section 608 certification is needed to handle refrigerants but is not part of the DHBC application.
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Required
- Exam given by
- Prov or Pearson VUE (ICC)
- Exam format
- Open book
- Passing score
- 70%
- Renewal
- Every year
- Continuing education
- 6 hours per cycle
Who can apply
- Hold a Kentucky Journeyman HVAC Mechanic license for at least 2 years first.At least two years regularly employed as a journeyman HVAC mechanic under the direction and supervision of a master HVAC contractor (KRS 198B.658(1)(c)1); a year is at least 1,500 hours in a continuous 12-month period. Form HVAC 1 asks for the Kentucky masters under whom the journeyman years were worked.
- Be at least 18 years old.
- United States citizen or resident alien authorized to work in the United States
Other ways to qualify
Each of these replaces the requirements above. You only need one.
Two years as a master HVAC contractor or equivalent
Two years regularly engaged in HVAC contracting as a master HVAC contractor, or its equivalent, in Kentucky or any other jurisdiction also qualifies, shown by verifiable documentation such as a copy of a current out-of-state master HVAC or mechanical contractor license. No Kentucky journeyman license is required on this route.
- Be at least 18 years old.
- United States citizen or resident alien authorized to work in the United States
- You must document at least 3,000 hours of qualifying work experience.
Two years as a licensed mechanical engineer
Two years regularly licensed and employed as a mechanical engineer in Kentucky or another jurisdiction, shown by verifiable documentation, also qualifies for the master exam.
- Be at least 18 years old.
- United States citizen or resident alien authorized to work in the United States
- Licensed and employed as a mechanical engineer in Kentucky or another jurisdiction for at least two years
One year of teaching HVAC plus one year as a journeyman
One academic year of teaching in a department-approved or state-approved HVAC technical education program counts as one of the two required years; no more than one year of teaching may be used.
- Hold a Kentucky Journeyman HVAC Mechanic license, worked under the direction and supervision of a master HVAC contractor for at least 1 year first.
- Be at least 18 years old.
- United States citizen or resident alien authorized to work in the United States
- One academic year of teaching in a department-approved or state-approved HVAC technical education program
Steps to get licensed
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($250). Master HVAC Contractor initial license fee for 12 months (Form HVAC 1), prorated by birth month to a 7- to 18-month license ($145.83 to $375.00); check or money order payable to Kentucky State Treasurer, non-refundable.
- 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Kentucky Master HVAC exam: 100 questions, 4 hours, open book, 70% to pass (Prov, or ICC exam 595 at Pearson VUE).
- 3Law / code exam. Pass a law, rules, or code exam. Kentucky HVAC law and business: 23 of the 100 questions on the Prov Master HVAC exam, or the separate ICC 231 Kentucky Business and Law exam (30 questions, 1.5 hours, open book) if you test at Pearson VUE.
- 4Exam fee. Pay the exam fee ($80). Prov exam fee per attempt, covering the whole master exam; at Pearson VUE the ICC master exam costs $100 plus $60 for Business and Law, and the department-administered exam (Form HVAC-4) costs $150.
- 5Insurance. Carry the required insurance ($500,000). Certificate of general liability insurance of at least $500,000 plus property damage insurance of at least $300,000 from a carrier licensed by the Kentucky Department of Insurance, naming DHBC (500 Mero Street, Frankfort) as certificate holder; the license cannot issue without it, and the represented company may provide it (KRS 198B.668).
- 6Other. Copy of your passing exam result, proof of experience (W-2s, a Kentucky master's affidavit, out-of-state license copy or DD 214), HVAC employment history, the name of the company you represent, and a passport-sized color photo taken within the last six months.
Published fees on this path total $330, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
Keeping it active
Every year with 6 hours of continuing education per cycle and a $250 renewal fee.
At least six hours of DHBC-approved continuing education in the 12 months before each renewal, on business, job safety, HVAC codes or HVAC trade subjects; no more than two hours of safety count per year. None is due at the first renewal if the license was issued within 12 months of it, and up to 12 excess hours carry forward. Someone holding both the master and journeyman licenses completes the hours once.
Licenses renew every year by the last day of your birth month on Form DHBC L-1, with a current insurance certificate naming DHBC (the form asks for general liability and workers' compensation certificates). A renewal filed within 60 days after expiration is accepted with a $125 restoration fee; after that the license terminates and can be reinstated within three years.
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 · $80
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
Sources for this section
- DHBC - Forms and Documents (HVAC License Forms) · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- DHBC Form HVAC 1 - Master HVAC Contractor License Application (April 2023), with fee chart · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, Licensing Branch · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- DHBC Form HVAC-4 - HVAC Examination Registration Form (March 2022) · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, Division of HVAC · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- DHBC Form L-1 - License Renewal Application (April 2023) · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- DHBC - Licensing Information (forms and documents, eServices portal, Prov HVAC testing information, exam scheduling) · Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
- ICC Kentucky Contractor/Trades Examination Information Bulletin (January 17, 2026) · International Code Council · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- 815 KAR 2:010 - Continuing education requirements (master and journeyman plumbers) · 815 KAR 2:010 Sections 1-2; KRS 318.054 · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- 815 KAR 8:010 - Licensing requirements for master HVAC contractors and journeyman HVAC mechanics · 815 KAR 8:010 Sections 1-5, 7, 8 · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- KRS 198B.650 - Definitions for KRS 198B.650 to 198B.689 · KRS 198B.650(2), (10), (13), (15) · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Statute · verified September 15, 2026
- KRS 198B.658 - Qualifications for licensure and certification · KRS 198B.658(1)-(6) · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- KRS 198B.660 - Application; examinations; procedures · KRS 198B.660 · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- KRS 198B.668 - Insurance requirements · KRS 198B.668(1)-(4) · Kentucky Legislative Research Commission · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- Commonwealth of Kentucky Division of HVAC - Candidate Information Bulletin (Prov, 2025.06.30 edition) · Prov, Inc. for the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, Division of HVAC · Form · verified September 23, 2026