How to become an HVAC technician in Indiana

The path in Indiana, step by step

There is no state HVAC license in Indiana. The state guide says contractor licensing for trades other than plumbing is a local option, so rules vary by city and county. The Indiana Attorney General also says to check with your city or county building department. The training is the same as anywhere: learn the trade under someone experienced, ideally in a registered apprenticeship.

1. Call the building department for each city or county where you plan to work.
2. Meet its license, bond and insurance rules.
3. Get EPA 608 certification for refrigerant work.
4. Use a written contract for home improvement jobs over $150.
5. Wait for any required local permit before starting work.

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

Finding an apprenticeship in Indiana

Indiana 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 Indiana 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.

Licenses and exams around Indiana

The license to aim for: None at state level.

What HVAC technicians earn in Indiana

The median HVAC technician in Indiana earned $29.05 an hour in May 2025, 30th of 51 states, with 8,530 on payrolls. The national median was $29.33.

At the bottom of the range, a quarter of HVAC technicians in Indiana earned under $23.33 an hour and a tenth under $19.45. At the top, a quarter earned over $38.09 and a tenth over $47.02.

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

Jobs ahead in Indiana

Indiana's labor market office projects jobs for HVAC technicians growing from 8,000 in 2022 to 8,620 in 2032, a change of 7.8%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 750 openings a year.

Jobs are projected to grow 7.8% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 5.5% projected nationally, ranking 35th 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 Indiana

The state guide says contractor licensing for trades other than plumbing is a local option, so rules vary by city and county. The Indiana Attorney General also says to check with your city or county building department.

Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the Indiana median of $29.05 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $121.61 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.