- Master oil or solid fuel: four years of licensed experience as an apprentice or journeyman, with at least two of those years as a licensed journeyman.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Every two years, based on the date you were first licensed. Apprentices cannot renew without a supervising master on file.
Do you need a state license in Maine?
Maine licenses some HVAC work at the state level and leaves the rest alone. Which side of that line a job falls on decides whether you need the state license.
State law (32 MRSA 18105) covers municipal licenses not being required and municipal permits. Town permits can still apply, so check with the town.
Maine license types for HVAC work
Maine splits the work into 5 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Master Oil Burner and/or Solid Fuel Technician | Install, clean, service, alter or repair oil or solid fuel burning equipment |
| Journeyman Oil Burner and/or Solid Fuel Technician | Oil and solid fuel work, the level before master |
| Apprentice Oil Burner and/or Solid Fuel Technician | Entry level, working under a supervising master |
| Propane and Natural Gas Technician | Install and service propane and natural gas burning equipment |
| Limited licenses | Oil and propane energy auditors, tank installers, wood pellet technicians |
Steps to get licensed in Maine
- Pick your fuel track: oil and solid fuel, or propane and natural gas.
- Start as an apprentice under a supervising master, or complete the required CETP training for propane and gas.
- Send a complete exam application to the Maine Fuel Board and get approval to test.
- Pass the Fuel Board exam with PROV, Inc. for your license level.
- Renew every two years and move up from journeyman to master after four years of licensed experience, two of them as a journeyman.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. Master oil or solid fuel: four years of licensed experience as an apprentice or journeyman, with at least two of those years as a licensed journeyman.
The license to apply for. Maine Fuel Board technician license (oil and solid fuel, or propane and natural gas).
Maine HVAC exams
Trade exam. Yes for master and for propane and gas. Master oil and solid fuel applicants must pass a board approved exam, and every propane and natural gas applicant must pass a Fuel Board exam first. Exams are given by PROV, Inc. Propane and gas applicants also need CETP certificates.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Separate from any state license, the EPA requires Section 608 certification for anyone who works on equipment with refrigerant. It is federal and applies in every state.
What it costs in Maine
We could not confirm the current fee schedule on an official page. Check with the board before you budget: Maine Fuel Board, Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation.
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Every two years, based on the date you were first licensed. Apprentices cannot renew without a supervising master on file.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Good to know in Maine
- Maine does not license general contractors, so a heating and cooling business has no separate state contractor license.
- Mini split heat pump installs in one and two family homes are covered by an agreement between the Fuel Board and the Electricians' Examining Board.
- EPA Section 608 certification is a federal requirement for anyone handling refrigerant.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for HVAC repair near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the Maine Fuel Board, Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how HVAC companies run on Koira.