How to Become an HVAC Technician in Georgia: Steps, License and Pay

How to become an HVAC technician in Georgia

Georgia licenses conditioned air contractors, Class I or Class II, through the State Construction Industry Licensing Board, and a business may only do conditioned air contracting while a licensee qualifies it. HVAC technicians there earned a median $27.11 an hour ($56,390 a year) in May 2025, 8% below the national median of $29.33. The state projects about 1,380 openings a year through 2032.

$27.11Median hourly pay

1,380Openings a year to 2032

YesState license

U.S. Labor Dept.Registers apprenticeships

The short version for Georgia

Georgia licenses conditioned air contractors, Class I or Class II, through the State Construction Industry Licensing Board, and a business may only do conditioned air contracting while a licensee qualifies it.
Class I: 4 years, including residential install time as a lead mechanic, a year as a service technician and a year of residential supervision. Class II: 5 years, including commercial installs and two years of commercial supervision. Both need EPA certification and a board approved heat loss, heat gain and duct design course.
Plan for a trade exam.
Pay runs from about $17.78 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of HVAC technicians to $38.05 for the top tenth.
Jobs are projected to grow 17.6% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 5.5% projected nationally.

The path in Georgia, step by step

Georgia licenses HVAC work at the state level through the Georgia Secretary of State, Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Conditioned Air Contractors. These are the steps it lays out, in order.

Build 4 years of experience for Class I or 5 years for Class II.
Get EPA certification.
Finish a board approved heat loss, heat gain and duct design course.
Apply to the board with three references from an architect, engineer, inspector or licensed conditioned air contractor.
Pass the exam with a score of 70 or better and pay the board fees.
Renew every two years.

The full license guide, with every fee and form: HVAC license in Georgia.

Finding an apprenticeship in Georgia

Georgia has no recognized State Apprenticeship Agency, so the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship registers and oversees programs there through a state field office. Apprenticeship.gov lists the Georgia Apprenticeship Office as the contact.

Either way, a registered program means paid work with a mentor, raises as you progress, classroom instruction and a credential recognized in every state. Search open spots in the Apprenticeship Job Finder.

Across the country. Some technicians train through an apprenticeship, which usually lasts several years. Each year mixes paid on-the-job training with some classroom work on safety, blueprint reading, and heating and cooling systems.

License levels and exams in Georgia

The license to aim for: Conditioned Air Contractor, Class I (Restricted) or Class II (Unrestricted).

Trade exam. Yes. A board exam with a minimum score of 70.

Keeping it. Every two years, by the expiration date set by the Secretary of State. Check with the board on continuing education.

Coming from another state. The board can license out of state conditioned air contractors who passed an exam in a state with substantially equal requirements that offers Georgia licensees the same privilege. Check with the board for current agreements.

License	What it covers
Class I (Restricted)	Systems up to 175,000 BTU of heating and 60,000 BTU of cooling.
Class II (Unrestricted)	Conditioned air systems of any size.

What HVAC technicians earn in Georgia

The median HVAC technician in Georgia earned $27.11 an hour in May 2025, 43rd of 51 states, with 12,290 on payrolls. The national median was $29.33.

At the bottom of the range, a quarter of HVAC technicians in Georgia earned under $22.24 an hour and a tenth under $17.78. At the top, a quarter earned over $31.82 and a tenth over $38.05.

Pay level	Hourly	Yearly
10th percentile	$17.78	$36,990
25th percentile	$22.24	$46,250
Median	$27.11	$56,390
75th percentile	$31.82	$66,180
90th percentile	$38.05	$79,130

Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: HVAC technician salary in Georgia.

Jobs ahead in Georgia

Georgia's labor market office projects jobs for HVAC technicians growing from 12,780 in 2022 to 15,030 in 2032, a change of 17.6%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 1,380 openings a year.

Jobs are projected to grow 17.6% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 5.5% projected nationally, ranking 8th of the 50 states in the file.

These are the state's own long-term projections, published together on Projections Central for the occupation group heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers.

Starting your own HVAC technician business in Georgia

To contract on your own in Georgia, the license is the Conditioned Air Contractor, Class I (Restricted) or Class II (Unrestricted).

Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the Georgia median of $27.11 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $118.20 per billable hour. Try your own in the HVAC technician labor rate calculator.

The full checklist is in how to start an HVAC business. The free Koira Office plan gives you a website on a Koira address, estimates customers sign with a deposit, invoices with card payments and your day's jobs in one place, with no per-person fee. See the plans.

Where this comes from

The license steps, fees and rules are from the official pages below, read on the date shown. Pay is the BLS May 2025 state estimate, the job outlook is Georgia's own long-term projection, and the apprenticeship details are from the U.S. Department of Labor. A detail an official page did not confirm is left out.

Training, schools and certifications for every state: how to become an HVAC technician.

FAQ

How do you become an HVAC technician in Georgia?

Build 4 years of experience for Class I or 5 years for Class II. Get EPA certification. Finish a board approved heat loss, heat gain and duct design course. The rest of the steps are on this page.

Do you need an HVAC license in Georgia?

Yes. Georgia licenses conditioned air contractors, Class I or Class II, through the State Construction Industry Licensing Board, and a business may only do conditioned air contracting while a licensee qualifies it.

How much experience does Georgia require?

Class I: 4 years, including residential install time as a lead mechanic, a year as a service technician and a year of residential supervision. Class II: 5 years, including commercial installs and two years of commercial supervision. Both need EPA certification and a board approved heat loss, heat gain and duct design course.

How much do HVAC technicians make in Georgia?

The median was $27.11 an hour, or $56,390 a year, in May 2025, from the BLS wage survey. The national median was $29.33.

Who runs apprenticeships in Georgia?

The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship registers programs in Georgia, since the state has no recognized State Apprenticeship Agency. Programs themselves are sponsored by employers, unions and trade groups.

How often do you renew in Georgia?

Every two years, by the expiration date set by the Secretary of State. Check with the board on continuing education.