HVAC Repair — Texas license requirements
01 The project
The starting point is the work itself — HVAC Repair in Texas. The job determines which trades are involved, and the trades determine which license classifications may be required.
| Component | Trade |
|---|---|
| Existing air-conditioning system | HVAC |
02 Jurisdiction
This project is evaluated for Texas — a state with no statewide general contractor license (Texas Business Licenses & Permits Guide, Office of the Governor): general construction is regulated only through the LOCAL layer (a city or county permit, plus whatever registration the city requires), while the state licenses the TRADES — electrical and air conditioning/refrigeration through TDLR (Occ. Code Ch. 1305 / Ch. 1302) and plumbing through the TSBPE (Ch. 1301), each credential with its own conditions, fees, renewal and official lookup. Texas jurisdiction page.
Permit fees, plan review timelines and every city's registration rules were researched ONLY for the documented City of Austin example (contractor registration before permit work); every other Texas locality remains LOCAL_AUTHORITY_REQUIRED. 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 TACL/B — Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor — Class B confirmed S-TX-TDLR-ACR-APPLY rule TX-ACR-CLASSClass B covers cooling systems of 25 tons and under and heating systems of 1.5 million BTU/hour and under — the class most residential repairs fall into. The class + endorsement chosen determines the type of work, the exam and the insurance tier ($100k/$200k/$100k for B). Without the capacity facts the rule returns NOT_DETERMINED (never a default class). Electrical connections for the ACR work are exempt from electrician licensing only when the ACR work is done by a LICENSED ACR contractor (§1305.003(a)(11)) — and that exemption is subject to local override (§1305.201).
- Alternative path TACL/A — Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor — Class A confirmed S-TX-TDLR-ACR-APPLY rule TX-ACR-CLASSClass A ('any size unit') is the alternative when capacity exceeds Class B — rule outcome class_a_required when cooling >25 tons or heating >1.5M BTU/hour. Class A carries the higher insurance tier ($300k/$600k/$300k); a Class B licensee upgrades with a $25 change fee, a new exam ($74) and the higher coverage.
04 Scope
What the official sources say about the work involved — typed assertions, never a boolean "covers". Interpretations are marked as such.
- Officially included TACL/A Acr Work On Units Of Any Size (may_perform) TDLR ACR contractor apply page (Occ. Code Ch. 1302) S-TX-TDLR-ACR-APPLY Verbatim: 'The Class A license allows you to work on any size unit.' Class A also requires the $300,000/$600,000/$300,000 insurance tier. Encoded by rule TX-ACR-CLASS (outcome class_a_required when capacity exceeds Class B).
- Officially included TACL/B Cooling Up To 25 Tons And Heating Up To 1 5m Btu Per Hour (may_perform) TDLR ACR contractor apply page (Occ. Code Ch. 1302) S-TX-TDLR-ACR-APPLY Verbatim: 'The Class B license allows you to work on cooling systems of 25 tons and under, and heating systems of 1.5 million BTUs/hour and under.' The ONLY numeric scope threshold in Texas licensing (research §H) — encoded by rule TX-ACR-CLASS. Above either limit the work needs Class A (rule outcome class_a_required).
- Officially included TACL/A Electrical Connections For Licensed Acr Work Without Electrician License (may_perform) Occ. Code §1305.003(a)(11) S-TX-TDLR-ELEC-EXEMPT 'Licensed air-conditioning and refrigeration contractors are not required by the state to be licensed as electricians in order to establish electrical connections for heating and air-conditioning work or for any disconnect exclusively for the equipment.' The exemption is for LICENSED ACR work — if the ACR work itself is unlicensed, no electrical exemption exists. Subject to the §1305.201 local override (REQ-TX-LOCAL-OVERRIDE-001).
- Officially included TACL/B Electrical Connections For Licensed Acr Work Without Electrician License (may_perform) Occ. Code §1305.003(a)(11) S-TX-TDLR-ELEC-EXEMPT Same statutory exemption as SCOPE-TX-ACR-A-HVAC-ELECTRICAL — recorded per class so each classification row carries its own scope evidence. Still limited by Class B capacity (SCOPE-TX-ACR-B-CAPACITY) and the local override.
05 Requirements
| Requirement | Kind | Statement | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACR contractor license — Class A (any size) or Class B (≤25 t / ≤1.5M BTU) tdlr.texas.gov/acr/contractor-apply.htm (read 2026-10-02) | license | TDLR licenses air conditioning and refrigeration contractors: 'The Class A license allows you to work on any size unit. The Class B license allows you to work on cooling systems of 25 tons and under, and heating systems of 1.5 million BTUs/hour and under.' 'The license class and endorsements that you choose will determine what type of work you can perform, the licensing exam that you will take, and insurance coverage that you must maintain.' Application $115, valid 1 year, applicant must be at least 18; one endorsement per license: Environmental Air Conditioning, Commercial Refrigeration, or Process Cooling or Heating; license number form TACL/A/000000/C. | S-TX-TDLR-ACR-APPLYSource S-TX-TDLR-ACR-APPLY — Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)Apply for an Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor License | TDLR — tdlr.texas.gov/acr/contractor-apply.htm (read 2026-10-02) https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/acr/contractor-apply.htm Retrieved 2026-10-02 · last verified 2026-10-02 Read verbatim 2026-10-02 (HTTP 200). Source of: $115 application fee; license valid 1 year; age 18+; experience 48 months under a licensed contractor in the past 72 months OR technician certification 12 months + 36 months in the past 48, with four exceptions (ACR degree, licensed engineer/mechanical engineering degree, military ACR training, industrial process cooling/heating employment); Class A = any size unit, Class B = cooling ≤25 tons and heating ≤1.5 million BTU/hour; endorsements Environmental Air Conditioning / Commercial Refrigeration / Process Cooling or Heating; license number form TACL/A/000000/C; 'The license class and endorsements that you choose will determine what type of work you can perform'; insurance table Class A $300,000/$600,000/$300,000 and Class B $100,000/$200,000/$100,000 from a Texas-authorized insurer with COI after the exam; all requirements including the exam within one year of filing. |
| ACR contractor experience — 48/72 months, or 12+36/48, or an exception tdlr.texas.gov/acr/contractor-apply.htm 'Experience Requirements' (read 2026-10-02) | experience | Eligibility (one of): at least 48 months of practical ACR experience under the supervision of a licensed ACR contractor in the past 72 months; OR technician certification for the past 12 months plus at least 36 months of such experience in the past 48 months. Exceptions: ACR degree/diploma/certification; licensed engineer or mechanical engineering degree; military ACR training; employment by an industrial operation performing process cooling or heating. All experience documented on TDLR's Experience Verification Form completed by the supervisor. | S-TX-TDLR-ACR-APPLYSource S-TX-TDLR-ACR-APPLY — Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)Apply for an Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor License | TDLR — tdlr.texas.gov/acr/contractor-apply.htm 'Experience Requirements' (read 2026-10-02) https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/acr/contractor-apply.htm Retrieved 2026-10-02 · last verified 2026-10-02 Read verbatim 2026-10-02 (HTTP 200). Source of: $115 application fee; license valid 1 year; age 18+; experience 48 months under a licensed contractor in the past 72 months OR technician certification 12 months + 36 months in the past 48, with four exceptions (ACR degree, licensed engineer/mechanical engineering degree, military ACR training, industrial process cooling/heating employment); Class A = any size unit, Class B = cooling ≤25 tons and heating ≤1.5 million BTU/hour; endorsements Environmental Air Conditioning / Commercial Refrigeration / Process Cooling or Heating; license number form TACL/A/000000/C; 'The license class and endorsements that you choose will determine what type of work you can perform'; insurance table Class A $300,000/$600,000/$300,000 and Class B $100,000/$200,000/$100,000 from a Texas-authorized insurer with COI after the exam; all requirements including the exam within one year of filing. |
| HVAC electrical connections exempt only for LICENSED ACR work (§1305.003(a)(11)) tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/exemptions.htm 'Air-Conditioning'/'HVAC Systems' (read 2026-10-02) | exemption | 'Those who perform electrical work on electrical connections for heating and air-conditioning work done by licensed air-conditioning and refrigeration contractors including any disconnect exclusively for the equipment are not required by the state to be licensed as electricians' (§1305.003(a)(11)). The condition is the ACR work itself being done BY A LICENSED ACR CONTRACTOR. | S-TX-TDLR-ELEC-EXEMPTSource S-TX-TDLR-ELEC-EXEMPT — Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)Exemptions to Electrician Licensing | TDLR — tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/exemptions.htm 'Air-Conditioning'/'HVAC Systems' (read 2026-10-02) https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/exemptions.htm Retrieved 2026-10-02 · last verified 2026-10-02 Read verbatim 2026-10-02 (HTTP 200). Enumerates the Occ. Code §1305.003 exemptions with their statutory citations (homeowner (a)(6), HVAC connections (a)(11), low voltage/fire alarm (a)(12), landscaping/irrigation (a)(13), maintenance person (a)(8), appliance dealers (a)(22), agriculture (a)(18), government lighting (a)(5), plumber's limited electrical work (a)(21)…) and carries TDLR's verbatim global note: 'Municipal or regional regulations may override these exemptions, as outlined in Sec. 1305.201 of the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act.' |
| Municipal regulations may override the state electrical exemptions tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/exemptions.htm note (read 2026-10-02); Compliance Guide §3 | exemption | TDLR's exemptions page carries the note, verbatim: 'Municipal or regional regulations may override these exemptions, as outlined in Sec. 1305.201 of the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act.' The Compliance Guide states the practical test: the homeowner exemption applies where 'the electrical work is not regulated by city ordinance.' | S-TX-TDLR-ELEC-EXEMPTSource S-TX-TDLR-ELEC-EXEMPT — Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)Exemptions to Electrician Licensing | TDLR — tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/exemptions.htm note (read 2026-10-02); Compliance Guide §3 https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/exemptions.htm Retrieved 2026-10-02 · last verified 2026-10-02 Read verbatim 2026-10-02 (HTTP 200). Enumerates the Occ. Code §1305.003 exemptions with their statutory citations (homeowner (a)(6), HVAC connections (a)(11), low voltage/fire alarm (a)(12), landscaping/irrigation (a)(13), maintenance person (a)(8), appliance dealers (a)(22), agriculture (a)(18), government lighting (a)(5), plumber's limited electrical work (a)(21)…) and carries TDLR's verbatim global note: 'Municipal or regional regulations may override these exemptions, as outlined in Sec. 1305.201 of the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Act.' |
06 Rule: TX-ACR-CLASS
ACR license class by capacity: Class B covers cooling systems of 25 tons and under AND heating systems of 1.5 million BTU/hour and under; above either limit Class A (any size unit) is required. Missing capacity facts yield NOT_DETERMINED — no default class.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| class-b-sufficient | class_b_covers_capacity |
|
| class-a-required | class_a_required_for_capacity |
|
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-TX-TDLR-ACR-APPLY
07 The Class A / Class B capacity line
Texas has exactly one numeric scope threshold in licensing, and HVAC is it: Class B covers cooling systems of 25 tons AND under and heating systems of 1.5 million BTU/hour AND under; above EITHER limit, Class A (any size unit) is required. The rule above never defaults to a class without both capacity facts. S-TX-TDLR-ACR-APPLY
| Class | Covered capacity | Insurance (occ / agg / products) |
|---|---|---|
| TACL/B | cooling ≤ 25 tons AND heating ≤ 1.5M BTU/hour | $100,000 / $200,000 / $100,000 |
| TACL/A | any size unit (required above either Class B limit) | $300,000 / $600,000 / $300,000 |
Class alone does not decide scope — one endorsement per license is required (Environmental Air Conditioning, Commercial Refrigeration, or Process Cooling or Heating). The HVAC electrical exemption (§1305.003(a)(11), in the requirements table) holds only when the ACR work itself is done by a LICENSED ACR contractor, and municipal regulation may override it (§1305.201). S-TX-TDLR-ELEC-EXEMPT
08 Local permit layer
The state decides WHO MAY CONTRACT; the local authority decides permits, plan review, inspections, permit fees, timelines and any registration. TDLR is explicit: "The local licensing or inspecting authority (i.e. cities, counties, and regions with jurisdiction) is responsible for inspecting work performed in their area(s). TDLR does not perform inspections required for local permitting and code requirements." Cities retain their own ordinance and fee-schedule authority under state law. S-TX-TDLR-ELEC-COMPLIANCE
The researched local example is the City of Austin (LOCAL EXAMPLE — NOT STATEWIDE): contractors, general contractors and homeowners acting as contractors must register before permit work begins; in Austin's own words, "In Texas, anyone can be a General Contractor, including homeowners, and a state license is not required." S-TX-AUS-REG
Verify the credential that actually applies on the official lookups before relying on any outcome here: TDLR Search / Verify Licenses S-TX-TDLR-VERIFY · TSBPE License Verification S-TX-TSBPE-VERIFY
Source S-TX-TDLR-ELEC-COMPLIANCE — Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)
Compliance Guide (Electricians) | TDLR — tdlr.texas.gov electricians Compliance Guide §2.1, §4.1 (read 2026-10-02)
https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/electricians/compliance-guide.htm
Retrieved 2026-10-02 · last verified 2026-10-02
Read verbatim 2026-10-02 (HTTP 200). State-vs-local backbone: §2.1 local authorities perform inspections ('TDLR does not perform inspections required for local permitting and code requirements'); §4.1 a city may require registration in addition to a state license 'but they may not charge a fee to do so' (§1305.201) while building-permit fees stay chargeable and 'cities have their own authority under state law to establish local ordinances and fee schedules'; §3.2 the plumber's limited electrical exemption (HB 1029 (80R), existing circuits only); §5.2 TECL/TSCL/TICL vehicle lettering (§1305.166, 16 TAC 73.51/73.52/73.54); §5.1 invoice/contract content; §5.3 master-of-record assignment rules. Also: NEC 2023 edition adopted effective 2023-09-01 (§1.1).