How to Get an HVAC License in Kentucky (2026)

Getting a Kentucky HVAC license takes two years of supervised HVAC experience, about 3,000 hours, a passing score on the state's Prov exam, and an application to the Division of HVAC. There is no dollar threshold: anyone who installs, maintains, or repairs a heating, ventilation, hydronic, or cooling system for pay needs a license, either a journeyman working under a master or the master who pulls the permits. This guide walks the path in order, from who needs a license through the exam, the application, the fees, and what changes once you are running a company. For the full Kentucky picture across trades, see the Kentucky contractor license guide, and for every state, see how to get a contractor license in each state.

At a glance

Issuer: Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, Division of HVAC.

Experience: two years for journeyman or master; a year is 1,500 hours in twelve months.

Exams: open book, computer based, through Prov; 70 percent to pass; a Spanish-language journeyman exam is now offered.

Fees: $50 journeyman and $250 master a year; masters carry $500,000 liability and $300,000 property damage coverage.

Upkeep: annual renewal by the end of your birth month, with six hours of continuing education.

Who Needs a Kentucky HVAC License

Kentucky licenses HVAC statewide through the Division of HVAC in Frankfort, under KRS 198B.650 to 198B.689 and 815 KAR 8:010. Heating and air conditioning contractors have needed a Division license since July 1995, and statewide HVAC permitting and inspection began January 1, 2011. KRS 198B.656 bars anyone from using the title or practicing HVAC contracting without the license, and there is no project size or dollar figure that triggers the requirement the way some trades work.

The scope is broader than most people expect. KRS 198B.650(15) defines HVAC contracting as the installation, maintenance, altering, remodeling, or repair of heating systems, ventilation systems, hydronic systems, burner service, or cooling systems. Hydronics and burner service are inside the license here, which is not true in every state. Duct cleaning alone is not HVAC contracting, but if a cleaner cuts an access hole, KRS 198B.674(16) requires the person who cuts or restores that duct work to be a licensed and insured Kentucky contractor.

To confirm whether a company or technician is currently licensed, the Division runs a public licensee search covering Apprentice, Journeyman HVAC Mechanic, and Master HVAC Contractor records by name, license number, or status, retrieved October 7, 2026.

Kentucky HVAC License Types

Kentucky issues two HVAC licenses plus an apprentice registration. Each belongs to a person, not a company.

Master HVAC contractor. The license that lets a business advertise and practice HVAC contracting and obtain permits (KRS 198B.650(13) and 198B.656(1)). Under 815 KAR 8:010 Section 1(1)(a), the master supervises and is primarily responsible for all HVAC work performed by the employees and subcontractors of the licensee or the company the licensee represents.

Journeyman HVAC mechanic. The working license. It permits the holder to install any system of air conditioning, warm air heating, and ventilation, including equipment start up and any duct system needed to complete an air conditioning system, while employed under a master's supervision. Under Section 1(2), a journeyman supervising an apprentice must be physically on site and personally observe the work.

Apprentice HVAC registration. Under KRS 198B.658(4)(a), the department issues an apprentice certificate to anyone who registers, and apprentices pay no fee under 198B.658(4)(e). You file Form HVAC 3 under 815 KAR 8:030 with a recent color photo and your supervising master's signature and license number. The department keeps the register that credits your supervised hours toward the journeyman requirement, and under KRS 198B.658(4)(b), hours earned under a Kentucky master while registered with the state Department of Workforce Development apprenticeship program shall be accepted toward the two years.

Experience and Education: What Counts Toward Your Two Years

A journeyman applicant must be at least 18, be a U.S. citizen or authorized resident alien, pass the exam, pay the fee, and meet one of two routes under KRS 198B.658(2)(c): two years regularly and principally employed in HVAC trades under a master's supervision, or two years regularly and principally employed performing HVAC work in Kentucky or another jurisdiction, shown by verifiable documentation. The second route matters for people relocating: your out of state experience does not have to be under a Kentucky master, just two documented years of HVAC work wherever you did it.

What counts as a year. 815 KAR 8:010 Section 5(2) defines one year of HVAC experience as a minimum of 1,500 hours of HVAC work in a continuous twelve month period. Fifteen hundred hours, not two thousand, so a busy but seasonal year can still count, and two years comes to roughly 3,000 hours total, not the 8,000 that some aggregator sites report.

Three credits can shorten the path, each capped at one year:

• Coursework. KRS 198B.658(5): one academic year of a department approved curriculum, or one year of professional HVAC training, may count as one year toward the journeyman requirement.
• Teaching. KRS 198B.658(6): one academic year teaching in an approved HVAC technical program shall count toward either the journeyman or master requirement. Coursework is discretionary; teaching is mandatory.
• Exempt experience. KRS 198B.658(3): work performed while exempt under certain subsections of KRS 198B.674 may count as one year if the department finds it equivalent.

A master applicant must be at least 18 and a U.S. citizen or authorized resident alien, pass the master exam, pay the fee, and qualify through one of three routes under KRS 198B.658(1)(c): two years as a journeyman under a master's supervision; two years as a master HVAC contractor, or the equivalent, in Kentucky or another jurisdiction; or two years licensed and employed as a mechanical engineer. The second door is the quiet one, since a master who held that role for two years anywhere, or the equivalent where a state has no master title, qualifies on experience without first sitting in a Kentucky journeyman seat.

815 KAR 8:010 Section 5(1)(a) lists what the department accepts as proof of experience, in this order: a W-2 form; an affidavit from the supervising master; a current master or journeyman license from another licensing state; verifiable documentation of work in a non-licensing state; or DD Form 214. Under Section 5(1)(b), the department may ask for more proof before or after licensing if it believes the experience shown is insufficient.

The Kentucky HVAC Licensing Exams

815 KAR 8:010 Section 4(1) says HVAC exams are developed, administered, and scored by the department or its designee. The department has contracted the program to Prov, Inc., whose current Kentucky candidate bulletin, dated June 26, 2026, lists three exams: Journeyman HVAC, Journeyman HVAC in Spanish, and Master HVAC. All are open book, timed, and computer based, at $80.00 each.

Nearly a quarter of the master exam is law and administration from KRS Chapter 198B and 815 KAR Chapter 8, and 19 more questions cover plan reading, estimating, and math. Forty two of a hundred master questions are not about equipment, which fits a license built for running the work rather than only performing it.

Passing score: 70 percent (Section 4(4), and Prov's cut score). A passing score is valid for three years under Section 4(7). Under Section 4(3)(b), a passed master exam satisfies the journeyman exam too, and under Section 4(8), the department shall recognize an equivalent exam on application by a testing agency, a national code group, or an applicant.

The June 2026 bulletin lists ten Prov testing centers in Kentucky: Ashland, Bowling Green (two sites), Florence, Frankfort, Highland Heights, Lexington, Louisville, Madisonville, Morehead, and Owensboro, plus Prov's Examroom remote proctoring option for candidates whose computer meets the vendor's minimum requirements. Per the bulletin, there is no waiting period between attempts, and you may retake a failed exam as often as necessary; retake fees match the original exam fee.

Exam fees are charged separately by whoever administers the exam. 815 KAR 8:010 Section 4(5)(a)2 sets department exam fees at $150 for a master and $50 for a journeyman, while Prov's current bulletin lists its computer based exams at $80.00 each. Confirm the current figure with Prov or the Division before you register.

How to Get a Kentucky HVAC License, Step by Step

1. Register as an apprentice. File Form HVAC 3 with your supervising master's signature. There is no fee.
2. Log two qualifying years. Each year needs at least 1,500 hours inside twelve continuous months. Keep W-2s and a master's affidavit as proof.
3. Register for the exam. File Form HVAC-4 and schedule the journeyman or master exam with Prov, in person or by remote proctoring.
4. Pass with 70 percent. The score stays valid three years, and a passed master exam also covers the journeyman exam.
5. Apply for the license. File HVAC 2 (journeyman) or HVAC 1 (master) with the prorated fee, experience proof, score, and a passport style photo taken within six months, within one year of starting the application.
6. Masters, file insurance. Submit the $500,000 liability and $300,000 property damage certificate; a represented company may supply it.
7. Renew every year. File DHBC L-1 by the end of your birth month with the fee and six hours of continuing education.

Want the Application Done for You?

Filing the HVAC 1 or HVAC 2 application correctly, with the right proof of experience, the right photo, and the insurance certificate attached in the right order, is where applications stall. The Licensing Company's License Application Processing prepares and submits your Kentucky HVAC application: an eligibility audit before anything is filed, a document checklist (we chase the pieces with you), every state form prepared and reviewed line by line, submission the way the board requires, and the board's paperwork questions answered and resubmitted until the board decides.

It is a flat $999 per state application, paid up front. State fees, exam fees, background checks, and fingerprinting are paid to the state, not to us. We do not promise approval, since only the board decides, and we do not promise a timeline. Call 615-219-2110 or start at License Application Processing.

If you are not yet eligible on your own hours, a qualifying agent can qualify the company while you build toward your own license. See Hire a Qualifying Agent and what a qualifying agent is: a qualifying agent QUALIFIES the company as an owner or full time W-2 employee who supervises the work, not a stand-in for your own future license.

Kentucky HVAC License Fees

From 815 KAR 8:010 and the Division's forms, current as of October 2026. Fees change, so verify before paying.

Apprentices pay nothing. The prorated range comes from the fee charts on Forms HVAC 1 and HVAC 2: your first license runs to the end of your birth month, for not less than seven and not more than eighteen months (Section 2(1)(d)). Renewals are flat and payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer.

Insurance and Bonding

Kentucky does not use a bond for HVAC; it requires insurance. KRS 198B.668(1) bars any person, firm, or corporation from practicing HVAC contracting without general liability insurance of not less than $500,000 and property damage insurance of not less than $300,000, from a carrier licensed by the Kentucky Department of Insurance.

• Proof goes in first. Proof is filed before a license is issued or renewed (198B.668(2)).
• No insurance, no valid license. No license is valid without it, and carriers must notify the department of a cancellation (198B.668(4)).
• One policy statewide. Proof of the state coverage exempts licensees from buying separate insurance in local jurisdictions under any local licensing laws (KRS 198B.668(3)).

When the master applicant is an employee representing a company, the company name goes on the application, and the company may provide the insurance certificates (815 KAR 8:010 Section 2(1)(b)).

How Long It Takes to Get Licensed

The biggest piece of the timeline is fixed by statute: two years of qualifying, documented HVAC experience, with each year at least 1,500 hours. Coursework or teaching can shave up to a year off a journeyman's path, and door two or door three can let an experienced master or mechanical engineer skip the Kentucky journeyman seat entirely.

Once your hours are logged, the remaining steps move faster but are not instant. An initial application stays pending up to one year from submission before the department voids it (Section 2(2)), and if you do not complete your exam within one year of the first exam notice, the application is void (Section 4(5)(c)). A passing exam score stays valid three years, so there is room to time your application. The department does not publish a fixed number of weeks for reviewing a completed application, so confirm current processing with the Division of HVAC before you count on a specific date.

Renewal and Continuing Education

Every license expires on the last day of the licensee's birth month and must be renewed each year (Section 7(2)). A license not timely renewed expires immediately. Renewal (Section 7(1)) takes Form DHBC L-1, the $250 master or $50 journeyman fee (Section 7(1)(b)), proof of continuing education under 815 KAR 2:010, and, for a master, proof of insurance under KRS 198B.668.

Continuing education. 815 KAR 2:010 requires six hours of approved courses in the twelve months before renewal, on business, safety, HVAC codes, or trade subject matter. No more than two safety hours count per year, extra hours carry forward up to twelve, and the first renewal needs no hours if the license was issued within twelve months of it.

Late renewal and reinstatement. A renewal filed not more than 60 days after expiration is accepted with a restoration fee (KRS 198B.664(2)). A license terminated under KRS 198B.664(3) can be reinstated within three years without an exam (KRS 198B.664(4) and Section 7(5)); past that, you start over as a new applicant.

Inactive status. An inactive license is exempt from annual renewal (Section 6(3)), an inactive master need not carry KRS 198B.668 insurance (Section 6(2)), and 815 KAR 2:010 excuses inactive licensees from continuing education until they reactivate. Performing HVAC work on an inactive license is grounds for revoking or suspending every HVAC license the person holds (Section 6(5)).

What Kentucky Requires of an HVAC Company

Kentucky does not issue an HVAC license to a company. It licenses people and ties each company to one.

The person in responsible charge. Under KRS 198B.678(1), no firm may practice HVAC contracting in any Kentucky county unless the person in responsible charge is a master HVAC contractor who is an employee or subcontractor of that firm. The master notifies the department when that employment starts and ends (198B.678(2)), and under 815 KAR 8:010 Section 1(1)(b), a licensee who stops representing a company, or whose company changes its name, files a change of information.

One company per master. Under KRS 198B.678(3), a master may represent only one firm unless the master is domiciled in Kentucky and owns at least 25 percent of each firm represented.

When a master dies. Under KRS 198B.667(1), the department grants an interim period of up to 180 continuous calendar days, if the company documents all required bonding and insurance and keeps it in force. Under Section 1(1)(c), the company notifies the department within ten days of the death and reports its replacement master on or before the period ends. Then KRS 198B.667(3) is narrower than the general rule: once the deceased master's license is terminated, the company shall have an employee with a current and valid Kentucky master license to procure permits and perform HVAC work.

Kentucky writes a nearly identical sentence into its plumbing chapter at KRS 318.054(5)(c): two chapters, two divisions, one drafting choice.

Integrity rules. KRS 198B.672 makes it grounds for discipline to transfer the authority a license grants to another person, or to help an unlicensed person or firm evade the chapter. The master has to actually supervise the work.

Where a qualifying master fits. If your company is entering Kentucky, replacing a retiring master, or racing the 180 day clock, it needs a master in the responsible charge seat. The Licensing Company, led by industry authorities Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski, places Kentucky masters as full time W-2 employees who supervise the work and answer for it, a structure that meets both KRS 198B.678(1) and the employee rule in 198B.667(3). Start at Hire a Qualifying Agent, and see what a qualifying agent is.

For more, read the Kentucky qualifier guide, does a contractor license qualifier have to be an owner or an employee, and our HVAC contractor qualifying agent guide. License holders can read about becoming a qualifying agent. Related trades: Kentucky electrician license and Kentucky plumbing license.

Kentucky HVAC Permits

Under 815 KAR 8:070 Section 2, an HVAC permit is issued only to a licensed master HVAC contractor, except to a homeowner doing all the work on his or her own residence, limited to one homeowner permit in five years. A permit is required for the first system in new construction, additions, and buildings getting their first system. Replacement of furnaces, condensing units, heat pumps, fan coil units, chillers, and certain boilers is permitted and inspected on request.

A permit expires six months after issue if work has not begun, and it is void if work stops for more than twelve months (Section 6). Some local governments run department approved inspection programs under 815 KAR 8:100 at the same fees, so check which office covers your address.

Reciprocity, Military Service and Out-of-State Experience

KRS 198B.666 lets the department issue an equivalent license to someone licensed in a state with substantially equal requirements that grants equal privileges to Kentucky licensees. Under 815 KAR 8:010 Section 3, the applicant follows that state's agreement with Kentucky, and Form HVAC 1 asks for a letter of good standing. Ohio's Construction Industry Licensing Board publishes a Kentucky reciprocity application for HVAC, open only to Kentucky licensees who tested rather than being grandfathered.

Without an agreement, door two for masters and route two for journeymen still accept verifiable out of state work; see Experience and Education above. Under KRS 198B.659, two years of military HVAC duty shown on a DD 214 shall be accepted as the experience, and you still have to pass the exam.

EPA 608 Certification Is Separate

Technicians who service equipment containing regulated refrigerants need EPA Section 608 certification under federal law. That is separate from your Kentucky license: passing 608 does not license you in Kentucky, and a Kentucky journeyman license does not satisfy 608. We break the two apart in EPA 608 certification vs. an HVAC license.

Who Is Exempt from the Kentucky HVAC License

KRS 198B.674 lists sixteen exemptions, including an owner working on the home he or she owns and occupies, residential window units, KRS Chapter 236 licensees working on boiler devices, a full time maintenance person doing routine maintenance (not major repairs), and the electrical units on an HVAC system. Anyone else who practices without the license commits a Class A misdemeanor, each violation a separate offense (KRS 198B.686). KRS 198B.670 also requires the master's license number on all advertising and every work vehicle.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get an HVAC license in Kentucky?

Register as an apprentice, log two years of documented HVAC experience at 1,500 hours a year, pass the Prov journeyman or master exam at 70 percent, and file the license application with the Division of HVAC. Masters also file the $500,000 and $300,000 insurance certificate. See the step by step list above.

Does Kentucky require an HVAC license for every job, or only above a certain price?

Every job. Kentucky licenses the practice of HVAC contracting under KRS 198B.656, with no dollar or project size threshold; the exemptions in KRS 198B.674 turn on who is doing the work and what kind, not how much it costs.

How many years of experience do you need for a Kentucky master HVAC license?

Two. KRS 198B.658(1)(c) sets two years under all three routes: as a journeyman under a master, as a master or equivalent in any jurisdiction, or as a licensed mechanical engineer. The "four years and 8,000 hours" figure some sites repeat does not appear in the statute or regulation.

How many hours do you need for a Kentucky journeyman HVAC license?

About 3,000. The requirement is two years, and 815 KAR 8:010 Section 5(2) defines a year as at least 1,500 hours of HVAC work in a continuous twelve month period.

How much does a Kentucky HVAC license cost?

A journeyman pays $50 a year and a master $250, with the first license prorated from $29.17 to $75 or $145.83 to $375. The regulation sets exam fees at $150 master and $50 journeyman, while Prov's current bulletin lists $80.00 for its computer based exam. An active master also carries the KRS 198B.668 coverage, and that premium depends on payroll, work mix, and loss history.

How long does it take to get an HVAC license in Kentucky?

The experience requirement alone is two years, since the regulation will not credit less than 1,500 hours per year. After that, exam scheduling and license processing add time that the Division does not publish as a fixed number of weeks, so confirm current timing with the Division before you plan around a date.

Is there a Kentucky HVAC license lookup?

Yes. The Division's licensee search covers Apprentice, Journeyman HVAC Mechanic, and Master HVAC Contractor records by name, license number, or status.

Is a Kentucky HVAC certification the same as an HVAC license?

No. The license is the state credential issued by the Division of HVAC under KRS 198B. Certifications like EPA Section 608, covered above, are separate federal credentials that do not substitute for the state license.

How many continuing education hours does Kentucky require for HVAC?

Six a year under 815 KAR 2:010, with no more than two safety hours. Extra hours carry forward up to twelve.

Do I need a permit to replace a furnace or AC unit in Kentucky?

A permit is mandatory for a building's first system, and only a master or a qualifying homeowner can buy one. Replacements are permitted and inspected on request under 815 KAR 8:070 Section 3, at $75 for a one or two family home (Section 4(4)).

Does Kentucky require the master HVAC contractor to be an employee of the company?

KRS 198B.678(1) requires the person in responsible charge to be a master who is an employee or subcontractor of the firm. After a master's death, KRS 198B.667(3) is narrower: the company "shall have an employee" with a Kentucky master license. A full time W-2 master satisfies both.

Can I use my out of state HVAC experience in Kentucky?

Yes. KRS 198B.658(1)(c)2 and (2)(c)2 accept two years of documented master or journeyman level work in another jurisdiction. Section 5(1)(a) lists acceptable proof, including an out of state license or records of work in a state that does not license the trade.

Does a Kentucky HVAC license cover hydronics and boilers?

Hydronic systems and burner service are inside the license under KRS 198B.650. Boiler and pressure vessel work under KRS Chapter 236 is regulated separately, so confirm scope with the department before taking on boiler work.

Talk to The Licensing Company

Whether you are counting hours toward a master license, filing your HVAC application, or need a Kentucky master in the responsible charge seat, our team, led by founders Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski, works these requirements every week. We can also file your HVAC 1 or HVAC 2 application through License Application Processing, a flat $999 per state application, paid up front. Call 615-219-2110 or start at Hire a Qualifying Agent.

Sources

All retrieved October 7, 2026.

• KRS 198B.650 Definitions
• KRS 198B.656 Titles and practice without a license
• KRS 198B.658 Qualifications
• KRS 198B.659 Military experience
• KRS 198B.664 Renewal and restoration
• KRS 198B.666 Reciprocity
• KRS 198B.667 Interim period
• KRS 198B.668 Insurance
• KRS 198B.670 Advertising
• KRS 198B.672 Sanctions
• KRS 198B.674 Exemptions
• KRS 198B.678 Master working for a company
• KRS 198B.686 Penalties
• KRS 318.054 Plumbing interim period
• 815 KAR 8:010 HVAC licensing
• 815 KAR 8:030 Apprentice registration
• 815 KAR 8:070 Installation permits
• 815 KAR 8:100 Local HVAC programs
• 815 KAR 2:010 Continuing education
• Kentucky Division of HVAC
• DHBC Licensing Information
• DHBC Licensee Search
• Prov Kentucky HVAC Candidate Information Bulletin, 2026.06.26
• Form HVAC 1, Master Application
• Form HVAC 2, Journeyman Application
• Form HVAC-4, Exam Registration
• Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board, Kentucky Reciprocity
• EPA Section 608 Technician Certification
• The Licensing Company, License Application Processing

Fees, exams, insurance minimums, and statutory requirements are set by the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, the General Assembly, and the testing vendor, and they change. Confirm current requirements with the Division of HVAC before filing.