How to Get an HVAC License in Alabama (2026 Requirements)

Alabama certifies HVAC and refrigeration contractors through a single state agency, the Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors, known as the HACR Board. To sit for the state exam you need 3,000 hours of qualifying work experience, two or more years as a registered apprentice, or graduation from an approved HVAC curriculum.

The HACR Board's structure is genuinely different from most states in three ways that matter. First, there is no journeyman tier: Alabama issues only two contractor certifications, Heating and Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration. Second, the certificate is issued in the individual's name, not the company's, with the company name carried on it. Third, Alabama's statute defines the qualifying individual by naming a federal tax form.

Code of Alabama Section 34-31-18(12) says a "regularly employed person" must receive "a Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, for all earnings." We track contractor-qualifier rules across every state that has them, and Alabama is the only one we have found that writes the W-2 into the statutory definition itself.

This guide covers the process from the Board's own law, rules, and application forms, current as of October 2026. For the rules in every state, see how to get a contractor license in each state, and for the rest of Alabama's trades, see the Alabama contractor licensing state guide.

At a glance

• Licensed by the Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors, under Code of Alabama Title 34, Chapter 31.
• Eligibility: 3,000 hours of experience, two years as a registered apprentice, or an approved curriculum.
• Two certifications only, Heating and Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration. No journeyman tier.
• Active certification requires a $20,000 performance bond; the exam is $175 per test, $350 for both.
• Four hours of continuing education every year, with one year of carryover allowed.

Who Regulates HVAC in Alabama

The Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors, commonly "the HACR Board," certifies HVAC and refrigeration contractors statewide under Title 34, Chapter 31 of the Code of Alabama, with operating rules at Chapter 440-X of the Alabama Administrative Code.

Local jurisdictions cannot add their own exam. Section 34-31-28(d) prohibits counties, municipalities, and other local entities from requiring "any further local testing or satisfaction of other requirements by certified contractors," subject only to local privilege, license, or business fees. In a number of states, HVAC is a city-by-city credential with no state license at all; Alabama is one exam, good statewide.

There is a companion rule pointing the other direction. Under Section 34-31-24(a)(4), no official who issues business licenses may issue one to a certified contractor unless a certificate of qualification issued by the Board is presented for inspection, either to the individual or to the person in responsible charge. Alabama built the state certificate into the local business-license counter.

The Two Certifications

Certified Heating and Air Conditioning Contractor

Covers installation, service, and repair of a heating or cooling apparatus, and air heating or cooling fixtures connected to pipes, plenums, or blowers, including related accessories and equipment. The statutory definition at Section 34-31-18(7) expressly excludes window units, automotive equipment, and farm implement type heating or air conditioning equipment. The Board's own examples include forced air systems, ventilation, gas piping, mini-splits, heat pumps, central heat, and central air.

Certified Refrigeration Contractor

Covers installation, service, and repair of commercial refrigeration equipment, mechanical or absorption equipment used to control temperature or humidity to satisfy the intended use of a specific space other than for human comfort. Board examples include walk-in coolers, reach-in coolers, commercial refrigerators, and refrigerated storage. The two are separate examinations and separate certifications; applying for both at once is permitted, and you are billed for both.

The Third Credential Most People Miss: Duct Envelope Testing

Section 34-31-24(b) creates a separate registration for anyone who tests and verifies duct air tightness. Registrants are not required to become certified HVAC contractors, but must complete one of a specific list of trainings:

• RESNET HERS Rater training, or
• BPI Building Analyst training, or
• Home Builders Association of Alabama Qualified Credentialed Air Tightness Verifier (QCATV) training, available only to Board-certified HVAC contractors and licensed home builders testing their own or third-party work.

A non-contractor, non-homebuilder testing ducts for the general public is limited to HERS or BPI training. Registrations renew by December 31, and Section 34-31-25(c) caps the application and annual renewal fee at $100.

Who Actually Needs a Certification, The Scope Surprises

Alabama's scope is broader than almost anyone expects, and the Board has answered these questions directly. Duct cleaning and filter changing require a certification: citing Rule 440-X-3-.01(3), the Board states that "a heating and air conditioning certification is required for any entity involved in air duct cleaning service, filter changing service, replacement of air filters or filter media, and the cleaning of heating, air conditioning, or refrigeration equipment, components, or systems." If your business model is filter subscriptions or duct cleaning, that work is regulated.

Realty management companies are covered too. Per the Board, a realty management company managing property owned by others must hold a certification if it performs HVAC, refrigeration, or related work.

Section 34-31-28(f) exempts the following from the chapter:

1. Authorized employees of the United States, the state, or any municipality, county, or political subdivision, as long as the employee is not holding out for hire or contracting outside that employment.
2. Mobile homes and manufactured structures installed, inspected, or regulated by the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission, though repair, servicing, or installation of a new HVAC system in a previously inspected manufactured structure is subject to the chapter.
3. Work on motor vehicles, residential refrigerators, or ice machines.
4. Household appliances.
5. Farm equipment.
6. Poultry operations, whether engaged in hatching, primary processing, or further processing of chicken, turkey, or other fowl, a real carve-out for a large in-state industry.

Separately, Section 34-31-28(e) exempts individuals licensed by the Alabama Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board in narrow circumstances: installing, repairing, or replacing an LP gas appliance not connected to a refrigeration system, repairing or replacing an LP gas central heating unit even when combined with an air conditioning unit, and installing venting systems for vented-type LP gas appliances.

One more scope note from the Board's own affidavit form: commercial and residential range hoods are not subject to minimum standards set by this Board. For range hoods, the Board points contractors to the Fire Marshal.

Eligibility to Sit for the Exam

Section 34-31-28(c) sets the statutory threshold: an applicant is eligible to stand for examination if the applicant has completed 3,000 hours of work experience, as defined by the Board, or is a graduate of an approved heating, air conditioning, or refrigeration curriculum. The Board's current exam application and online portal add a third route, holding a Board-issued apprentice registration for two or more calendar years.

What you actually submit, per the Board's exam application forms:

• Affidavits, signed and notarized by the employer(s), swearing that the applicant has worked in HVAC and/or commercial refrigeration for at least two years within the past five years, and all corresponding W-2 forms from the employer(s); and/or
• Certificates showing at least 3,000 hours of HVAC and/or commercial refrigeration educational training; or
• Proof of graduation from an approved curriculum.

Two details buried in that paperwork will cost you a Board cycle if you miss them. The Affidavit of Employment requires a detailed description of at least four job duties, and the Board expressly states that sales, marketing, and estimation duties are insufficient experience. You must also submit copies of W-2 forms showing full-time employment: Alabama's HVAC Board verifies experience against W-2s, not invoices or 1099s.

Candidates holding a long certificate from any public Alabama two-year or community college are approved without further documentation. The Board publishes a list of approved curricula, which currently includes providers in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and the broader Southeast.

Applying, Testing, and Timelines

File the exam application online through the Board's portal, or by mail; faxed and emailed applications are not accepted. The examination fee is $175.00 per exam, $350.00 if you apply for both the HVAC and Refrigeration exams at once, and all fees are non-refundable. The Board no longer accepts personal or business checks; payment is by MasterCard, Visa, Discover, certified or cashier's check, or money order, with a 4% convenience fee on card transactions.

To be considered at the next Board meeting, the Board office must receive the completed, signed, notarized application, the fee, and all supporting documentation no later than ten full working days before the meeting date. The Board's website states 4:00 PM and the exam application form states 4:30 PM; submit well before either. Applications not completed within twelve months of filing may be considered abandoned and discarded.

Under Section 34-31-29(c), applicants must stand for the examination within one year from the date the Board receives the application and fees, or resubmit an application and fees; examinations are held at least once each three-month period. Under Section 34-31-28(a) and Rule 440-X-3-.04(1), an applicant who fails the first examination may take a subsequent examination, either the written exam again or, on request, an equivalent practical examination, within six months of the unsuccessful attempt.

If approved, the Board asks applicants to allow 4 to 8 weeks to receive the license.

Active vs. Inactive Status, and the $20,000 Bond

After passing, you choose a status. Active status is for contractors who actually perform HVAC or refrigeration installation, service, or repair. It requires a business name and a performance bond of $20,000 naming the Board as obligee, filed on Board form BF-1, and proof of bond may be required annually at renewal under Rule 440-X-3-.04(5). Section 34-31-30 authorizes the Board to require a performance bond not to exceed $25,000 per year; $20,000 is the Board's current requirement inside that ceiling.

That current $20,000 figure follows Act 2024-310, which gave the Board authority to raise the bond and took effect in 2024; contractors renewing since have carried the higher amount. Inactive status is for individuals who do not perform the work but wish to hold the certification, and no bond is required for inactive status.

Fees, per the Board's current published schedule:

Notes on the table above:

• Section 34-31-25 caps any fee the Board may fix at $250.00, and caps annual renewal fees at $250.00.
• Inactive fees may be waived for building officials or inspectors as defined by the International Code Council.
• All fees accompany the application, and none are refundable.
• The bond premium itself is priced by a surety based on the individual's credit and history, not set by the Board.

All fees are set by the Board and are subject to change. Verify current amounts with the Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors before submitting payment.

Renewal and Continuing Education

Every certification expires December 31 each year, under Section 34-31-26(a). Late renewal has teeth: under Section 34-31-32(b), the Board may impose late penalties on contractors who fail to renew by December 31, and may remove the certification entirely from anyone who has not renewed by March 1. That contractor must then apply for a new certificate, and the Board may require re-testing. December 31 to March 1 is the whole window between late and starting over.

Continuing education is four hours every year, set by Section 34-31-26(d), and three details in that subsection are widely misreported. Carryover is allowed: a contractor who completes more than four hours in a calendar year may carry over four hours to the following renewal year. (Alabama's plumbing board runs the opposite rule, no carryover, covered in the Alabama plumbing license guide.)

The first year is exempt under Section 34-31-26(h) and Rule 440-X-4-.10: a contractor is not required to obtain the four hours to renew for the first renewal year following initial certification. The age-65 exemption is for inactive contractors only, under Section 34-31-26(g) and Rule 440-X-4-.09; it does not apply to contractors 65 or older who hold an active certification, and it does not apply in the year the contractor turns 65, only from the following licensing year. An inactive contractor over 65 returning to active status must submit eight hours of CE before receiving an active license.

Guides that flatly say "Alabama exempts contractors 65 and older from CE" describe a rule that does not exist for anyone still doing the work. Failure to complete CE prevents renewal until proof of compliance is submitted, though the Board may permit a deficiency plan for medical hardships and emergencies, submitted for approval by January 1 and accompanied by a fee.

Advertising, Vehicles, and the Anti-Lending Statute

Section 34-31-24(a) contains four operating rules every Alabama HVAC company lives under. No person may advertise, solicit, bid, obtain permits, do business as, or perform the function of a certified contractor unless the person in responsible charge is a certified contractor; advertising and bidding are regulated acts, not just performing work. Every licensed contractor must display the contractor's certification number and the company name on all documentation, forms of advertising, and on all service and installation vehicles used in the business.

"A contractor licensed under this chapter may not permit the use of his or her license by any other person." That is a flat statutory prohibition, in the same chapter that defines the qualifier as a W-2 employee. No local licensing official may issue a business license without inspecting the Board-issued certificate of qualification.

Operating in violation is a Class A misdemeanor under Section 34-31-32(a). Beyond that, the Board may reprimand, suspend, revoke, levy administrative fines of up to $2,000 per violation, and issue cease and desist orders. If a person does not immediately comply with a cease and desist order, the Board may petition for an injunction, and the statute states that an injunction issued under this subsection is not subject to being released on bond; the Board may also add a fine of up to $2,000 plus costs for each offense in that suit.

The Person in Responsible Charge, Alabama's W-2 Statute

Here is the structural core of HVAC licensing in Alabama, and the reason this state matters more than its size suggests. A partnership, corporation, business trust, or other legal entity cannot itself sit for an exam; under Rule 440-X-3-.04(6) it applies through a person in responsible charge. The application must name the partnership and its partners, the corporation and its officers and directors, the trust and its trustees, or the entity and its members, and must establish that the person in responsible charge is legally qualified to act for the business in all matters connected with its HVAC or refrigeration business.

Then the sentence that defines Alabama:

"The heating and air conditioning, and/or refrigeration certification by the Board issued upon such application described in this Rule shall be issued in the name of the person in responsible charge and shall include the name of the business organization engaged in the ... business." Rule 440-X-3-.04(6)

The license is issued in the qualifier's name, with the company's name attached to it. The company never holds a certificate of its own; it operates on a credential that legally belongs to a named individual.

What that individual must be

Rule 440-X-3-.09(1) and the statutory definition at Section 34-31-18(12) work together. The person in responsible charge must be a "regularly employed person," which the statute defines as an individual who meets all of the following:

• Is an actual employee of the business, not an independent contractor.
• Works an average of 30 or more hours per week for the heating, air conditioning, or refrigeration business.
• Is not paid as an independent contractor.
• Receives a Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, for all earnings.

The rule adds that the person must work those 30 or more hours as a full-time employee, that the responsible charge may alternatively be an owner, partner, or corporate officer of the entity, and that the person must possess the requisite skill, knowledge, and experience to supervise, direct, manage, and control the business's installation, service, or repair activities. The Board examines the technical and personal qualifications of that person and may investigate or examine them independently.

We track qualifier-employment anchors across the country because the distinction between an employed qualifier and a detached one is the whole legal question in this industry. Alabama's HVAC statute is the cleanest anchor we have found anywhere, because it does not use a phrase a lawyer could argue about, it names the tax form. There is no reading of Section 34-31-18(12) under which a person in responsible charge is paid on a 1099. This is also why every qualifying agent we place is placed as a full-time W-2 employee of the client company; in Alabama it is not a policy choice, it is the statutory definition.

Qualifying a second entity

Rule 440-X-3-.09(2) permits dual certification, and then makes it difficult. A person in responsible charge who wants to qualify a second or additional business entity must appear at a Board meeting in person and present evidence of ownership in the additional entity, evidence of the ability to supervise, direct, manage, and control it, and evidence of financial responsibility for it. They must also pay an additional licensing fee and post a bond in the required amount for that entity, and the rule closes by stating that it is entirely within the Board's discretion to allow or disallow the additional entity to be certified.

Ownership evidence, financial responsibility, a personal appearance, and unreviewable Board discretion: that is not a path for spreading a certificate across unrelated clients, it is a path for one owner running two affiliated companies. For the wider legal picture, see how a qualifying agent lawfully qualifies a company.

The electrical and gas crossover

Two subsections determine who answers for a failed inspection. Rule 440-X-3-.09(3) makes the person in responsible charge, as certified contractor, responsible for electrical work, including circuit protection and wiring, from the appliance to the means of disconnect, on commercial and residential HVAC and commercial refrigeration equipment, and the Board holds that person responsible if the work fails minimum standards. Rule 440-X-3-.09(4) does the same for gas piping from the appliance to the means of disconnect.

If you hold the HVAC certificate, the disconnect is your boundary in both directions, and the Board will look at you. Alabama's separate electrical credential is covered in the Alabama electrician license guide.

What About EPA 608?

EPA Section 608 certification, required under 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F of the Clean Air Act, is a federal requirement for handling regulated refrigerants and is entirely separate from Alabama's state contractor certification. You need both if your work touches refrigerant: 608 does not substitute for the HACR Board certificate, and the HACR certificate does not substitute for 608. We break the two apart in EPA 608 Certification vs. an HVAC License.

Qualifying a Company Without a Certified Employee

On the individual side, the Board's numbers above are the whole story: $175 per exam, $220 a year active or $110 inactive, plus the premium on a $20,000 performance bond priced by a surety based on the individual's credit and history, not set by the Board.

For a company, the state fees are not the constraint. The constraint is having a person in responsible charge who satisfies Section 34-31-18(12): a genuine W-2 employee at 30 or more hours a week with the skill and authority to supervise, direct, manage, and control the work, and whose name the certificate will be issued in.

A qualifying agent is that person. The role qualifies the company, not the other way around: the individual holds the HACR certification as an owner or full-time W-2 employee, and the company operates on that person's credential. See What Is a Qualifying Agent? for how the role works, and Hire a Qualifying Agent if your company needs one in place.

What a placement requires depends on the classification you need, whether you already employ a certified contractor, how many entities and states are involved, and the exposure the role carries in your operation. Multi-state operators should also read Building a Contractor Qualifier Contingency Plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Alabama have an HVAC journeyman license? No. The HACR Board issues two contractor certifications, Heating and Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration, plus a separate duct envelope testing registration. There is no state journeyman tier.

Do I need a separate license in each Alabama city? No. Section 34-31-28(d) prohibits counties, municipalities, and other local entities from requiring further local testing or other requirements of certified contractors. Local privilege, license, and business fees still apply.

Do I need a certification just to clean ducts or change filters? Yes. Citing Rule 440-X-3-.01(3), the Board's position is that a heating and air conditioning certification is required for air duct cleaning, filter changing, replacement of filters or filter media, and cleaning of HVAC or refrigeration equipment, components, or systems.

How many hours of experience do I need for an Alabama HVAC license? 3,000 hours of work experience as defined by the Board, two or more years as a registered apprentice, or graduation from an approved curriculum, under Section 34-31-28(c) and the Board's exam application.

How many CE hours do I need, and do they carry over? Four hours a year. Section 34-31-26(d) allows carrying over up to four excess hours to the following renewal year, and the first renewal year after initial certification is exempt.

I am over 65. Am I exempt from continuing education? Only if you hold an inactive certification, and only starting the year after you turn 65. Rule 440-X-4-.09 states the exemption does not apply to contractors 65 or older holding an active certification.

Can the person in responsible charge be a 1099 contractor? No. Section 34-31-18(12) requires that the person be an actual employee, not an independent contractor, not paid as an independent contractor, working an average of 30 or more hours per week, and receiving a Form W-2 for all earnings.

What happens if I do not renew by December 31? Late penalties apply immediately, and under Section 34-31-32(b) the Board may remove the certification entirely if it is not renewed by March 1, at which point you apply for a new certificate and the Board may require re-testing.

Where to Go From Here

If you hold the experience and want the certificate, the sequence runs:

1. File the exam application with notarized employer affidavits and W-2s, or proof of curriculum graduation or apprentice registration.
2. Sit for the Heating and Air Conditioning exam, the Refrigeration exam, or both.
3. File the AL-1 and AL-2 licensure forms.
4. For active status, file form BF-1 with the $20,000 performance bond.
5. Display the certification number and company name on documents, ads, and vehicles.

If you are a company that needs an Alabama HVAC certification and does not have a qualified person on payroll, the statute has already told you the shape of the answer: a real employee, 30 or more hours, on a W-2. The rest of the state's licensing landscape is in the Alabama contractor licensing state guide, and the trade-level view is in the HVAC contractor qualifying agent guide.

Ready to move? Hire a Qualifying Agent or call 615-219-2110. Hold the certificate yourself and want to understand the role? Become a Qualifying Agent.

Fees, bond amounts, deadlines, and requirements described here are set by the Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors and by statute, and are subject to change. Verify current requirements directly with the Board before applying. This guide reflects the Board's law, rules, and published forms as of October 2026.

Sources

• Alabama Board of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Contractors, retrieved October 1, 2026
• How to Get Licensed, Alabama HACR Board, retrieved October 1, 2026
• Applicants, Alabama HACR Board, retrieved October 1, 2026
• Forms and Notices, Alabama HACR Board, retrieved October 1, 2026
• Alabama HACR Board Online Exam Application, Eligibility, retrieved October 1, 2026
• Proposed Rule Changes, Alabama HACR Board, retrieved October 1, 2026
• Effective July 14, 2025, Alabama HACR Board, retrieved October 1, 2026
• Law, Rules and Regulations, Alabama HACR Board (Code of Alabama Title 34, Chapter 31 and Chapter 440-X), retrieved October 1, 2026
• Ala. Admin. Code r. 440-X-4-.09, Over 65 Years of Age Exemption, retrieved October 1, 2026 (Cornell mirror used because the state admin code API at admincode.legislature.state.al.us serves this chapter as a non-extractable PDF; content checked against the Board's own CE description for currency)
• EPA Section 608 Technician Certification, retrieved October 1, 2026