HVAC Replacement — Colorado license requirements
01 The project
The starting point is the work itself — HVAC Replacement in Colorado. The job determines which trades are involved, and the trades determine which license classifications may be required.
| Component | Trade |
|---|---|
| Existing heating or cooling system | HVAC |
02 Jurisdiction
This project is evaluated for Colorado — the two-layer state with no statewide general contractor license at all (a verified absence, not a gap). The state regulates exactly two trades, plumbing (C.R.S. Art. 155) and electrical (Art. 115), through DORA's Division of Professions and Occupations; general construction licensing is entirely local with six researched regimes, and the permit / inspection authority flips state ↔ local by job-site county. There is no statewide dollar threshold, bond or general-liability figure — each a verified absence — and registration conditions are workers' compensation + unemployment evidence only. Colorado jurisdiction page.
Permit fees, plan-review timelines, exemption lists and every locality beyond Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs/PPRBD, Fort Collins, Larimer County and Jefferson County remain LOCAL_AUTHORITY_REQUIRED; PPRBD was unreachable all research day, so its license types, fees and exams are NOT_VERIFIED. The official C.R.S. host returns HTTP 403 to this environment, so statutory text was read on FindLaw's mirror retaining the official section anchors — a published limitation on the hub. Without a job-site location the local answer is NOT_DETERMINED, never a guess. State requirements are not the complete story for any locality.
03 Trade → license
Relations below are recorded per state — only this jurisdiction's classifications are shown.
Trades involved: HVAC.
- May require PLUMBING-CONTRACTOR — Plumbing Contractor (business registration) confirmed S-CO-12-155-108 rule CO-PLUMBING-LICENSECONDITIONAL — applies ONLY when the replacement includes fuel-gas piping work: 'gas piping' is defined in C.R.S. §12-155-103(2), 'Fuel Gas Pipe Installer' is an official state permit-purchaser category, and the plumbing code/permit system covers fuel-gas piping (IFGC). Colorado does NOT license HVAC/mechanical statewide (verified absence — REQ-CO-NO-STATEWIDE-GC-001): the EQUIPMENT change itself needs a local license wherever permits are pulled (Denver Mechanical types, Aurora Master Mechanical ICC, Fort Collins HVAC G29, Larimer Mechanical, JeffCo mechanical, PPRBD NOT_VERIFIED) — NOT_DETERMINED without a location (research §N.4).
04 Scope
What the official sources say about the work involved — typed assertions, never a boolean "covers". Interpretations are marked as such.
- Officially included PLUMBING-CONTRACTOR Undertaking Planning Laying Out Supervising Installing Or Repairing Plumbing For Others (may_perform) C.R.S. §12-155-103(10) / §12-155-108(3) S-CO-12-155-103 THE business-side scope: doing plumbing FOR ANOTHER (for compensation) is registration work — 'undertakes OR OFFERS TO UNDERTAKE' covers bids too. Homeowner self-performance on own property is outside it (REQ-CO-HOMEOWNER-001) (research §C/§E).
05 Requirements
| Requirement | Kind | Statement | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| No statewide general contractor license — plumbing and electrical are the ONLY state-regulated trades (verified absence) DPO profession directory enumeration (read 2026-10-04) + C.R.S. §12-155-120(1)(a) and §12-115-107(2)(a) | license | Verified by enumerating the DPO program pages (read 2026-10-04): the Division of Professions and Occupations regulates exactly two construction professions — Plumbing and Electrical. Colorado has NO statewide general contractor license class, no state GC application regime and no state contract-registration regime: general building, remodeling, roofing, mechanical/HVAC, concrete, carpentry, painting, demolition, signs and pools are licensed by cities/counties/regional building departments, each with its own regime. The statutes themselves build the split in: C.R.S. §12-155-120(1)(a) exempts from state plumbing inspection any locality 'where the local entity … conducts inspections and issues plumbing permits', and C.R.S. §12-115-107(2)(a) lets localities adopt electrical standards 'more stringent than the minimum standards adopted by the board.' | S-CO-DPO-HOMESource S-CO-DPO-HOME — DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO)DORA Division of Professions and Occupations — profession directory — DPO profession directory enumeration (read 2026-10-04) + C.R.S. §12-155-120(1)(a) and §12-115-107(2)(a) Retrieved 2026-10-04 · last verified 2026-10-04 Read 2026-10-04 (full HTML served to direct fetches). Enumerating the Division's program pages: the ONLY construction professions the Division regulates are Plumbing and Electrical — the verification behind the verified absence of any statewide general contractor license and of statewide licensing for roofing/mechanical/concrete/carpentry/painting/general building (REQ-CO-NO-STATEWIDE-GC-001, research §A). |
| State plumbing license required to perform plumbing trade work — no dollar threshold C.R.S. §12-155-108(1) verbatim (FindLaw mirror, read 2026-10-04) | license | C.R.S. §12-155-108(1) verbatim: 'A person shall not engage in or work at the business, trade, or calling of a residential, journeyworker, or master plumber in this state until the person has received a license from the division…'. The trigger is the WORK TYPE, not a price: no dollar amount appears in §12-155-108 or either DPO guide (verified absence — REQ-CO-NO-STATEWIDE-THRESHOLD-001). The license tier sets the scope: Residential (1–4 family dwellings ≤2 stories), Journeyworker, Master (§12-155-103(13)/(4)). | S-CO-12-155-108Source S-CO-12-155-108 — Colorado General Assembly (C.R.S. official host) — read via FindLaw mirrorC.R.S. §12-155-108 — Plumbing licenses and contractor registrations — C.R.S. §12-155-108(1) verbatim (FindLaw mirror, read 2026-10-04) https://codes.findlaw.com/co/title-12-professions-and-occupations/co-rev-st-sect-12-155-108/ Retrieved 2026-10-04 · last verified 2026-10-04 Read 2026-10-04 (FindLaw mirror). (1) verbatim: 'A person shall not engage in or work at the business, trade, or calling of a residential, journeyworker, or master plumber in this state until the person has received a license from the division…'. (2) all plumbing apprentices 'shall, within thirty days after the date of initial employment, be registered with the board' and 'The employer of a plumbing apprentice shall be responsible for the apprentice's registration.' (3) verbatim registration conditions: fee + 'presentation of evidence that the applicant has complied with the applicable workers' compensation and unemployment compensation laws of this state', be or employ a full-time master plumber in charge, 'A master plumber shall not be responsible for more than one plumbing contractor at a time', 15-day termination notice. (4)–(6) water conditioning registrations; (1)(b) licensed plumbers/plumbing contractors may practice water conditioning without them. Contains NO dollar threshold (verified absence — research §B/§C/§F). |
| Who inspects — state or local — depends on the job-site county; 'You are responsible for determining the correct inspection authority' DPO permit information + DPO permits page jurisdiction lists verbatim (read 2026-10-04) + C.R.S. §12-155-120(1)(a), §12-115-107(2)(a) | permit | DPO verbatim: 'The State does not inspect in local jurisdictions having its own Electrical Inspection Program. You are responsible for determining the correct inspection authority.' The DPO county lists mark where the state does NOT inspect (electrical): Adams (except Federal Heights), Arapahoe (except Bow Mar, Deer Trail, Sheridan city limits), Boulder, Broomfield, Chaffee, City of Pueblo and Town of Boone, Delta (City of Delta only), Denver, Douglas, Eagle (except Minturn and Town of Avon), El Paso, Jefferson, Larimer, Mesa, Pitkin, Pueblo, Routt, San Miguel (Telluride and Mountain Village), Summit, Teller, Weld; the plumbing list adds Clear Creek, Elbert, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Jackson, La Plata, Lake, Moffat, Prowers (with the electrical-only exceptions differing). Applicants are told: 'If the county where your job site is located is listed below, do not continue with the permit application process and use the links provided to access the local jurisdiction.' State plumbing inspectors cover 27 counties where no local program exists. Statutory basis: §12-155-120(1)(a) (state inspects outside local-program jurisdictions); §12-115-107(2)(a) (localities may exceed but not undercut state standards). | S-CO-DPO-PERMIT-INFOSource S-CO-DPO-PERMIT-INFO — DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO)DPO — Permit information (homeowner conditions, inspection authority, permit validity) — DPO permit information + DPO permits page jurisdiction lists verbatim (read 2026-10-04) + C.R.S. §12-155-120(1)(a), §12-115-107(2)(a) https://dpo.colorado.gov/ElectricalPlumbingPermits/Info Retrieved 2026-10-04 · last verified 2026-10-04 Read 2026-10-04. Homeowner conditions verbatim: 'A homeowner may install electrical work at their residence and must obtain a permit with the State Electrical Board or the local building department prior to starting the electrical work. A homeowner may do their own wiring if: The work is personally performed by the homeowner and the property is not for sale, resale, or rent and is not generally open to the public. All work is inspected prior to covering… and again upon completion… All electrical work complies with the National Electrical Code.' Plumbing: identical conditions with 'All plumbing work complies with the currently adopted plumbing code.' Inspection split verbatim: 'The State does not inspect in local jurisdictions having its own Electrical Inspection Program. You are responsible for determining the correct inspection authority.' Permit mechanics: permits valid 12 months with one 6-month extension; reinspection fee at the discretion of the inspector; trim permit fee if a permit expires after rough-in; inspection attendance by the contractor/representative or adult homeowner (research §C/§G/§B). |
| General construction licensing is LOCAL — permits and licenses are separate everywhere, and the local treatment of state trades varies by jurisdiction DPO Electrical Applications verbatim (read 2026-10-04) | license | DPO's own instruction (Electrical Applications, verbatim): 'For local requirements, contact the city and/or county government in the area in which you work.' Denver, Aurora, Fort Collins, Larimer County, Jefferson County and the PPRBD region each license general construction locally (regimes seeded as REQ-CO-LOCAL-* rows with their own official sources), and permits and contractor licensing are SEPARATE in every one of them (the license authorizes the who; the permit authorizes the job and triggers inspection). The local treatment of the two STATE-licensed trades cannot be collapsed into one rule: exempt in Aurora/Larimer/JeffCo, extra license in the PPRBD region, Denver license PLUS the state card (see the six rows below). | S-CO-ELEC-APPSSource S-CO-ELEC-APPS — Colorado State Electrical BoardDPO Electrical — Applications (contractor registration, reciprocity, SB25-165) — DPO Electrical Applications verbatim (read 2026-10-04) https://dpo.colorado.gov/Electrical/Applications Retrieved 2026-10-04 · last verified 2026-10-04 Read 2026-10-04 (canonical URL confirmed in page HTML). Electrical Contractor registration verbatim: 'To perform Electrical Contracting in the State of Colorado, you must be a licensed Electrical Contractor registered with the State of Colorado… Hold or employ a licensed master electrician to serve as the responsible individual for the company. The Master Electrician and Company Owner (if separate individuals) must sign an Acknowledgment of Responsibility Form. The selected Master Electrician may be the responsible party for one company only. Must submit evidence of compliance with Workers' Compensation and Unemployment Compensation laws. For local requirements, contact the city and/or county government in the area in which you work.' Experience paths (RW 4,000 h residential-only ≥2 years OR ≥2 years accredited training; JW 8,000 h ≥4 years incl. 2,000 commercial/industrial ≥2 years + 288 hours classroom 'for ALL applicants'; ME three paths). Reciprocity (NERA, journeyman-only): 'a state-administered examination with a passing score from the licensing state', license held ≥1 year, current/active/good standing, no grandfathered licenses — listed states AK, AR, ID, IA, MN, MT, NE, NH, NM, ND, OK, SD, UT, WY. SB25-165 verbatim: 'Senate Bill 25-165 requires Photovoltaic Installers to register with the State Electrical Board no later than December 31, 2026' — ≥1 NABCEP Certified employee, designated agent(s), good standing with the State and registered with the Colorado Secretary of State, qualifying by 'performing PV work on or before September 1, 2025'; applications open late 2026. Foreign-trained path: one year in-country experience, ≤3 years (JW) / ≤4 years (ME) out-of-country credit, transcripts evaluated by an accredited electrical engineering department (research §C/§D/§K/§O). |
| Homeowner may self-perform own electrical/plumbing — permit first + four DPO conditions + homeowner is a 'qualified applicant' DPO permit information verbatim (read 2026-10-04) + C.R.S. §12-155-120(11)(c) | exemption | DPO permit information verbatim: 'A homeowner may install electrical work at their residence and must obtain a permit with the State Electrical Board or the local building department prior to starting the electrical work. A homeowner may do their own wiring if: The work is personally performed by the homeowner and the property is not for sale, resale, or rent and is not generally open to the public. All work is inspected prior to covering… and again upon completion… All electrical work complies with the National Electrical Code.' Plumbing: identical conditions with 'All plumbing work complies with the currently adopted plumbing code.' Statutory hook C.R.S. §12-155-120(11)(c): 'qualified applicant' includes 'A homeowner performing work on the homeowner's home.' DPO's hiring warning: 'it is a violation of state law for an individual (other than the homeowner) that is not a registered Electrical or Plumbing Contractor to install an electrical or plumbing project on your property.' | S-CO-DPO-PERMIT-INFOSource S-CO-DPO-PERMIT-INFO — DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO)DPO — Permit information (homeowner conditions, inspection authority, permit validity) — DPO permit information verbatim (read 2026-10-04) + C.R.S. §12-155-120(11)(c) https://dpo.colorado.gov/ElectricalPlumbingPermits/Info Retrieved 2026-10-04 · last verified 2026-10-04 Read 2026-10-04. Homeowner conditions verbatim: 'A homeowner may install electrical work at their residence and must obtain a permit with the State Electrical Board or the local building department prior to starting the electrical work. A homeowner may do their own wiring if: The work is personally performed by the homeowner and the property is not for sale, resale, or rent and is not generally open to the public. All work is inspected prior to covering… and again upon completion… All electrical work complies with the National Electrical Code.' Plumbing: identical conditions with 'All plumbing work complies with the currently adopted plumbing code.' Inspection split verbatim: 'The State does not inspect in local jurisdictions having its own Electrical Inspection Program. You are responsible for determining the correct inspection authority.' Permit mechanics: permits valid 12 months with one 6-month extension; reinspection fee at the discretion of the inspector; trim permit fee if a permit expires after rough-in; inspection attendance by the contractor/representative or adult homeowner (research §C/§G/§B). |
06 Rule: CO-PLUMBING-LICENSE
C.R.S. §12-155-108(1) verbatim: 'A person shall not engage in or work at the business, trade, or calling of a residential, journeyworker, or master plumber in this state until the person has received a license from the division…'. The trigger is the WORK TYPE with NO dollar threshold; the homeowner self-performance path (own property, permit first, four DPO conditions) is a separate outcome via rule CO-HOMEOWNER-WORK's conditions. Missing facts yield NOT_DETERMINED.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| license-required | state_trade_license_required |
|
| license-already-held | license_already_held |
|
| homeowner-self-perform | homeowner_self_perform_conditions |
|
| not-plumbing-work | outside_state_plumbing_regulation |
|
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-CO-12-155-108S-CO-12-155-103
07 Rule: CO-NO-STATEWIDE-GC
Statewide licensing layer decision (verified absence): Colorado has NO statewide general contractor license — the Division of Professions and Occupations regulates exactly two construction trades, plumbing and electrical (verified by enumerating the DPO program pages). A caller states whether the work is a STATE-regulated trade; general construction, roofing, mechanical/HVAC, concrete, carpentry and painting answer at the LOCAL level, which stays NOT_DETERMINED without a jurisdiction. Missing facts yield NOT_DETERMINED.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| general-trades-are-local | no_statewide_license_local_authority_required |
|
| state-trade-plies | state_trade_credential_applies |
|
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-CO-DPO-HOMES-CO-12-155-120S-CO-12-115-107
08 Rule: CO-LOCAL-LICENSE
General construction licensing in Colorado is LOCAL (DPO: 'For local requirements, contact the city and/or county government in the area in which you work'). The caller states (a) whether the job is permittable work for compensation and (b) whether that jurisdiction issues a contractor license. WHICH regime (classes, fees, exams) is per jurisdiction — the six researched rows — and without a jurisdiction the specifics are NOT_DETERMINED.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| local-license-required | local_license_required |
|
| no-permit-work | no_permit_no_local_license_trigger |
|
| jurisdiction-has-no-license | local_authority_issues_no_license |
|
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-CO-ELEC-APPSS-CO-DENVER-APPLYS-CO-FC-LIC
09 Rule: CO-HOMEOWNER-WORK
DPO permit information verbatim: a homeowner may do their own electrical/plumbing work only if (1) the work is personally performed by the homeowner, (2) the property is not for sale, resale, or rent and is not generally open to the public, (3) all work is inspected prior to covering and again upon completion, (4) the work complies with the NEC / adopted plumbing code — and a permit is obtained FIRST (homeowner is a 'qualified applicant' under §12-155-120(11)(c)). Each condition is a hard test; fail one and the exemption does not hold. Missing facts yield NOT_DETERMINED.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| exemption-holds | homeowner_exemption_applies |
|
| exemption-fails | homeowner_exemption_fails |
|
| not-homeowner-work | rule_not_engaged |
|
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-CO-DPO-PERMIT-INFOS-CO-12-155-120
10 The conditional fuel-gas limb — HVAC equipment itself is local
Colorado does not license HVAC or mechanical work statewide — that's a verified absence, not an oversight. The ONE state limb on a replacement job is fuel-gas piping work, which is plumbing:
| Question | Colorado answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State license for the HVAC equipment change | none exists — mechanical/HVAC is not one of the two state-regulated trades (verified absence) | S-CO-DPO-HOME |
| Who licenses HVAC work then | the local jurisdiction: Denver Mechanical license types, Aurora Master Mechanical Contractor (ICC), Fort Collins HVAC(C)/(R)/(RR) with the G29 Pearson VUE exam, Larimer Mechanical $75 biennial, JeffCo mechanical $50/yr, PPRBD (NOT_VERIFIED) | S-CO-ELEC-APPS |
| Fuel-gas piping included in the job | STATE plumbing limb — "gas piping" is defined in §12-155-103(2), Fuel Gas Pipe Installer is an official state permit-purchaser category, and the IFGC is a state exam subject: licensed plumber + registered contractor for that portion | S-CO-12-155-108 |
| Permit and inspection authority | the job-site county decides — local-program counties issue their own permits; the applicant is responsible for determining the correct inspection authority | S-CO-DPO-PERMIT-INFO |
| Homeowner swaps their own unit | only on their own home, permit first, work personally performed and inspected — the local owner-builder rule of that jurisdiction governs the equipment work | S-CO-DPO-PERMIT-INFO |
| Without a job-site location | NOT_DETERMINED — which local licensing regime applies is a LOCATION question (rules CO-NO-STATEWIDE-GC + CO-LOCAL-LICENSE) | S-CO-DPO-HOME |
The single classification relation on this project is CONDITIONAL — it attaches only when the job includes fuel-gas piping work. HVAC equipment licensing stays with the six researched local regimes (and every other locality is LOCAL_AUTHORITY_REQUIRED).
11 Permit and inspection layer
The state decides WHO MAY WORK at the two state trades; the job-site county decides who permits and inspects. DPO verbatim: "The State does not inspect in local jurisdictions having its own Electrical Inspection Program. You are responsible for determining the correct inspection authority." In DPO-listed counties: "If the county where your job site is located is listed below, do not continue with the permit application process…" State plumbing inspectors cover the 27 counties with no local program. S-CO-DPO-PERMIT-INFO
A permit is per JOB, a credential is per WHO: "A valid Colorado State Electrical permit must be obtained prior to installing electrical wiring" / "A valid Colorado State Plumbing permit must be obtained prior to installing plumbing", and work started first costs twice the prescribed permit fee (3 CCR 720-1 / 710-1). Local building permits (roofing, mechanical, general) follow each jurisdiction's own schedule — LOCAL_AUTHORITY_REQUIRED. S-CO-DPO-PERMITS
Verify the credential that actually applies on the official lookup before relying on any outcome here: DORA License Lookup (covers every DPO credential) — Denver publishes its own Contractor License Search for local classes. S-CO-DPO-HOME
Source S-CO-ELEC-APPS — Colorado State Electrical Board
DPO Electrical — Applications (contractor registration, reciprocity, SB25-165) — DPO Electrical Applications verbatim (read 2026-10-04)
https://dpo.colorado.gov/Electrical/Applications
Retrieved 2026-10-04 · last verified 2026-10-04
Read 2026-10-04 (canonical URL confirmed in page HTML). Electrical Contractor registration verbatim: 'To perform Electrical Contracting in the State of Colorado, you must be a licensed Electrical Contractor registered with the State of Colorado… Hold or employ a licensed master electrician to serve as the responsible individual for the company. The Master Electrician and Company Owner (if separate individuals) must sign an Acknowledgment of Responsibility Form. The selected Master Electrician may be the responsible party for one company only. Must submit evidence of compliance with Workers' Compensation and Unemployment Compensation laws. For local requirements, contact the city and/or county government in the area in which you work.' Experience paths (RW 4,000 h residential-only ≥2 years OR ≥2 years accredited training; JW 8,000 h ≥4 years incl. 2,000 commercial/industrial ≥2 years + 288 hours classroom 'for ALL applicants'; ME three paths). Reciprocity (NERA, journeyman-only): 'a state-administered examination with a passing score from the licensing state', license held ≥1 year, current/active/good standing, no grandfathered licenses — listed states AK, AR, ID, IA, MN, MT, NE, NH, NM, ND, OK, SD, UT, WY. SB25-165 verbatim: 'Senate Bill 25-165 requires Photovoltaic Installers to register with the State Electrical Board no later than December 31, 2026' — ≥1 NABCEP Certified employee, designated agent(s), good standing with the State and registered with the Colorado Secretary of State, qualifying by 'performing PV work on or before September 1, 2025'; applications open late 2026. Foreign-trained path: one year in-country experience, ≤3 years (JW) / ≤4 years (ME) out-of-country credit, transcripts evaluated by an accredited electrical engineering department (research §C/§D/§K/§O).