- None stated. Minor repairs and replacements that do not change the energy source, fuel type, or pipe routing or sizing are exempt.
- Two years (4,000 hours) of full time hands on experience in the systems you want licensed for. College or technical training can count for up to half.
- Plan for a trade exam and a business and law exam.
- Every year. Licenses expire December 31. Failing to renew within three years means retesting.
Do you need a state license in North Carolina?
North Carolina licenses HVAC work at the state level through the North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
None stated. Minor repairs and replacements that do not change the energy source, fuel type, or pipe routing or sizing are exempt.
North Carolina license types for HVAC work
North Carolina splits the work into 4 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 |
|---|---|
| Heating Group No. 1 (H-1) | Steam, vapor and hot water (hydronic) heating systems |
| Heating Group No. 2 (H-2) | Forced air heating and cooling systems over 15 tons, except single family homes |
| Heating Group No. 3 (H-3) | Forced air heating and cooling systems of 15 tons or less, and all single family homes |
| Class I and Class II | Class I covers all building types. Class II covers single family detached homes only |
Steps to get licensed in North Carolina
- Get 4,000 hours of hands on HVAC experience (up to half can be schooling).
- Order the required reference books on the board Book Reference List.
- Order a nationwide criminal background report and send the notarized exam application with the $150 exam fee.
- Schedule with PSI and pass the technical exam and Business and Law exam within 90 days of approval.
- Send the License Activation Form and fee within 45 days of passing.
- Renew every year before December 31.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. Two years (4,000 hours) of full time hands on experience in the systems you want licensed for. College or technical training can count for up to half.
The license to apply for. Heating Group No. 3 (H-3) Contractor.
North Carolina HVAC exams
Trade exam. Yes. A 4 hour technical exam for the heating group, given by PSI.
Business and law exam. Yes. A 1.5 hour Business and Law exam, unless you already hold an active contractor license from this board and passed its Business and Law exam after August 2003.
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 North Carolina
The board lists 3 fees along the way. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Exam fee, per exam | $150 |
| Annual license fee | $150 |
| Late renewal penalty (not renewed in January) | $25 |
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 year. Licenses expire December 31. Failing to renew within three years means retesting.
Reciprocity. No license reciprocity. North Carolina has a technical exam waiver agreement with South Carolina for HVAC contractors, but the NC business law exam is still required. NC residents licensed in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia or West Virginia may qualify under the Neighbor State License Recognition Act.
Good to know in North Carolina
- Holding an H-3 Class I can count for half the experience toward H-2, and the other way around.
- A nationwide criminal background report must be included with the exam application.
- EPA Section 608 certification is a separate federal requirement for refrigerant handling.
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 North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
- N.C. Gen. Stat. 87-21 (plumbing, heating and fire sprinkler classifications)
- N.C. Gen. Stat. 87-22 (fees and annual renewal)
- NC Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler board, Applicant Information
- NC Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler board, contractor exam application packet (2026-06)
- NC Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler board, exam information 2026
More for your trade: how HVAC companies run on Koira.