Ohio licenses commercial HVAC contractors through the OCILB. Here are the five year experience rule, the two PSI exams, every state fee, insurance, EPA 608, renewal and reciprocity.
Ohio licenses HVAC contractors at the state level, not HVAC technicians. The Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) issues the heating, ventilating and air conditioning contractor license for commercial work, while cities and counties set the rules for residential jobs. Getting the state license takes five years in the trade, a passing score on two PSI exams, $500,000 in contractor liability coverage and two $25 board fees. For the wider picture, start with the Ohio contractor license requirements, and for every other state see how contractor licensing works in each state.
At a glance Issued by: the OCILB, part of the Ohio Department of Commerce, through its HVAC and refrigeration section. Who needs it: HVAC contractors on commercial projects. Residential rules are local. Experience: five years as an HVAC tradesperson, or an Ohio registered engineer with three years of business experience in the trade. Exams: a PSI HVAC exam (100 questions, 4 hours) and a Business and Law exam (50 questions, 2 hours), 70 percent on each. Fees: $25 to apply, $69 for each PSI exam registration, $25 to issue the license, $60 a year to renew.
Who Needs an Ohio HVAC Contractor License
Ohio law says no person may act as or claim to be a type of contractor the chapter licenses unless that person holds, or has been assigned, a license for that trade (ORC 4740.13). A contractor is the individual or company responsible for the means, method and manner of the work that either performs it or employs the tradespeople who do (ORC 4740.01). Heating, ventilating and air conditioning is one of the five licensed trades.
The statute's "construction project" leaves out residential buildings. That is why the OCILB describes its license as a credential for commercial contractors and notes that local building departments may require the same license for residential work.
A technician employed by a licensed company needs no state license of their own. The board requires every tradesperson under a license to be on the company's W-2 payroll or placed by a nationally recognized temporary agency; a worker paid on a 1099 must hold a state license for the trade.
HVAC, Refrigeration, Hydronics or Plumbing: Which License Fits Your Work
Commercial mechanical work in Ohio can fall under four separate OCILB licenses, each with its own exam, so a company doing commercial HVAC and plumbing needs a license in each trade.
| License | Work it covers | Trade exam |
|---|---|---|
| HVAC | Central heating, cooling, ventilating and ductwork | 100 questions, 4 hours |
| Refrigeration | Food and product preservation, not comfort | 60 questions, 3 hours |
| Hydronics | Steam and hot water heating, chilled water | 50 questions, 2.5 hours |
| Plumbing | Water supply, drainage, venting, fixtures | 100 questions, 4 hours |
| EPA Section 608 | Federal refrigerant technician certification | Separate federal exam |
Refrigeration versus HVAC: PSI's bulletin limits the refrigeration exam to systems used for food and product preservation and says they are not comfort systems. Comfort heating and cooling belongs under the HVAC license.
Plumbing and electrical: each is its own OCILB license; see the Ohio plumbing license guide and the Ohio electrician license guide.
OCILB Requirements for the HVAC License
The requirements come from ORC 4740.06, last amended September 30, 2025, and rule OAC 4101:16-2-01, updated September 6, 2024.
| Requirement | What Ohio asks for |
|---|---|
| Age | 18 or older |
| Status | U.S. citizen or documented legal alien |
| Experience | 5 years as an HVAC tradesperson before applying |
| Engineer route | Ohio registered engineer, 3 years business experience |
| Background | BCI and FBI checks after the board approves you |
| Exams | HVAC trade and Business and Law, 70 percent each |
| Insurance | $500,000 contractor liability, one company name |
| Fees | $25 application, $25 license issuance |
Background checks: after the board approves your application, you complete state and federal checks before testing. Results go straight to the OCILB and stay valid for one year.
How to Prove Five Years of HVAC Experience
The application asks for tax documents for the last five consecutive years, such as W-2s or a Schedule C, and the board's checklist also accepts a Schedule K-1. With them you send one of four proofs:
- A permit for each of the last five years pulled by the licensed contractor you worked under (sewer, water, gas service and drain cleaning permits do not count)
- An active journeyman card in the trade
- A certificate of completion from an apprenticeship approved by Ohio or the U.S. Department of Labor
- 40 hours of live or webinar code courses in the trade from an OCILB approved provider, dated within one year of the application; self paced courses are not accepted
You must show a majority of the five years as an HVAC tradesperson. Counter sales, purchasing, inventory, clerical and bookkeeping work does not count, nor does general contractor experience outside the trade (OAC 4101:16-2-01).
Other accepted experience: five years in the trade that are not the last five, with at least three of them on construction work and up to one year replaced by education; five years as an Ohio government inspector in the trade; or the last five years as a full time owner, partner or employee of a licensed commercial HVAC company.
Military service: under ORC 4740.06(D), an applicant who spent at least three of the last five years in substantially similar work in the uniformed services can qualify to test. Veterans attach a DD214 to the application.
The Two PSI Exams
OCILB contracts with PSI to deliver both exams by computer at centers in Ohio and other states. The rule sets the pass mark at 70 percent on each part, so a strong trade score cannot carry a weak Business and Law score (OAC 4101:16-2-03).
| Exam | Scored questions | Time | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio HVAC Contractor | 100 plus 10 unscored | 4 hours | 70 percent |
| Business and Law | 50 plus 5 unscored | 2 hours | 70 percent |
What the HVAC exam covers: PSI's content outline splits the 100 scored questions this way.
| Subject area | Questions |
|---|---|
| Warm air heating and air distribution | 25 |
| Equipment and appliances | 20 |
| Ventilation and exhaust systems | 15 |
| General knowledge and requirements | 10 |
| Air conditioning | 10 |
| Piping systems | 10 |
| Testing and inspection | 10 |
Open book references: the HVAC exam allows the 2021 International Fuel Gas Code, the 2024 Ohio Mechanical Code and Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, 22nd Edition. Bring your own copies; you may highlight and tab them but not write in them. For Business and Law, PSI provides the NASCLA Ohio 4th Edition guide at the center.
Retakes: after a failed attempt you wait 60 days, and after five attempts you must file a new application (ORC 4740.06(G)). You retake only the part you failed. A Business and Law pass counts for three years from the date your license is issued if you later test in another trade.
For registration, ID rules and scheduling, see how to schedule the contractor exam with PSI, Prov and Pearson VUE.
What It Costs to Get Licensed
The board fees come from OAC 4101:16-2-09, which makes them nonrefundable, and the exam fee comes from the PSI bulletin.
| Item | Fee | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Examination application | $25 | OCILB |
| Each PSI exam registration | $69 | PSI |
| License issuance | $25 | OCILB |
| Annual renewal | $60 | OCILB |
| Triennial renewal (program members) | $180 | OCILB |
| Late renewal fee | Not more than $120 | OCILB |
| Reactivation from inactive status | $60 | OCILB |
| Company name change | $25 | OCILB |
Notes: PSI charges the $69 for each registration, first attempt or retake, and it is not refundable or transferable. Board checks are payable to Treasurer, State of Ohio, and a returned check adds a $30 penalty for each license. The reactivation fee is set by OAC 4101:16-2-12 and the name change fee by the board's checklist.
The Licensing Steps in Order
- Confirm you meet the five year experience rule or one of the other routes above.
- Gather five years of tax documents and one of the four experience proofs.
- Mail the notarized OCILB examination application with the $25 fee. The form asks which company the license will be assigned to and your position there.
- Wait for the board's decision by mail. Approval is valid for one year.
- Complete the BCI and FBI background checks and have the results sent to the OCILB.
- Register with PSI and pay $69 for each exam registration.
- Pass the HVAC exam and the Business and Law exam at 70 percent or better on each.
- Send the OCILB your passing results, the $25 license fee and a certificate of liability insurance that lists the OCILB as certificate holder, within twelve months of passing.
- The HVAC section authorizes your license within 30 days of the exam date, and it is issued in your name and assigned to your company (OAC 4101:16-2-04).
- Put the license number on your ads, business cards and vehicles that show the company name, then check the registration rules in each city where you will pull permits.
Insurance and Workers' Compensation
The license requires at least $500,000 in contractor liability coverage including complete operations. Once the license is assigned to a company, the policy must be in the company's name, and the company must be registered with the Ohio Secretary of State (OAC 4101:16-2-09).
You no longer send proof of insurance with each renewal, but you certify that the coverage is in force. For other states, see contractor insurance requirements by state.
Ohio's workers' compensation law covers the employees of any business that regularly employs one or more people (ORC 4123.01). Private employers that are not approved to self insure pay premiums into the state insurance fund (ORC 4123.35).
EPA Section 608 Certification Is a Separate Requirement
The OCILB license does not certify anyone to open a refrigerant circuit. Federal rules under Section 608 of the Clean Air Act require technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants to be certified (EPA Section 608 Technician Certification).
| EPA certification | Equipment it covers |
|---|---|
| Type I | Small appliances |
| Type II | Medium, high and very high pressure appliances |
| Type III | Low pressure appliances |
| Universal | All three types |
Apprentices: an apprentice is exempt only while a certified technician closely and continually supervises the work. Certified technicians keep a copy of the certificate at their place of business (40 CFR 82.161).
EPA does not issue the cards itself; an EPA approved certification program does. We compare the two credentials in EPA 608 certification vs. an HVAC license.
Renewal, Continuing Education and Inactive Status
An OCILB license expires each year on the date of the original license, and you can renew as early as 90 days before that date without retesting (ORC 4740.06(H)).
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Standard continuing education | 10 hours a year |
| Compliant contractor program | 8 hours a year or 24 hours every 3 years |
| Self paced online limit | 4 hours a year, or 12 over 3 years |
| Inactive license | $60 a year, no CE or insurance needed |
Which courses count: an HVAC licensee may take any course approved by any specialty section, and extra hours do not carry over (OAC 4101:16-2-08).
Compliant contractor program: after one year of clean compliance you may apply with your renewal, which cuts the requirement by two hours and opens the three year renewal (OAC 4101:16-1-08).
Missed renewal: the license is suspended automatically. You can reactivate within one year by paying the renewal and late fees, certifying insurance and finishing the hours. After more than one year expired, you reapply and retest.
Coming back from inactive: you complete no more than ten hours for each inactive year, capped at thirty (eight and twenty four for program members), certify insurance and pay $60 (OAC 4101:16-2-12). For other states, see contractor continuing education requirements by state.
Reciprocity for Ohio HVAC Contractors
Ohio issues a license without examination to someone licensed in a state that has a written agreement with the board and substantially equal requirements, after a background check and the $25 issuance fee (OAC 4101:16-2-10). The board offers it only to applicants who passed the recognized test in that state.
| State | Business and Law also required |
|---|---|
| Alabama | No |
| Kentucky | No |
| Louisiana | Yes |
| Mississippi | Yes |
| South Carolina | Yes |
| Tennessee | Yes |
| West Virginia | No |
Out of state route to the exam: someone holding a substantially similar license in another state may qualify to test with at least five permits issued under that license, one tax return showing income under it, and an employer there that is registered in Ohio as a foreign corporation or LLC (ORC 4740.06(C)).
How the License Attaches to Your Company
Ohio issues the license to a person and then assigns it to a company. Every applicant must ask, when applying, that the license be assigned to the contracting company that employs them; the company's license then names that individual and their position (ORC 4740.07).
All work under the assigned license is deemed done under that person's personal supervision, and any violation is charged to them. The person must be actively engaged in business as an HVAC contractor and readily available for consultation with the company. A license can be assigned to only one company at a time, and the board allows no DBAs.
When the licensed person leaves: the assignment ends 90 days after the person completes a change of company form, or sooner if the company and the person agree, and a signed letter of release from the company allows immediate reassignment. A company that has a second person's HVAC license assigned to it keeps operating under that one.
The qualifier angle: if your company does commercial HVAC work and no one on staff can qualify yet, a lawful path is a licensed HVAC contractor who joins the company as a full time W-2 employee, assigns the license to it and genuinely supervises the work. The Licensing Company, led by founders Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski, places qualifying agents on exactly that basis; see how it works for HVAC contractors or hire a qualifying agent.
Local Rules After the State License
A city may not charge a contractor registration or license fee unless it also requires the state license in the contractor's trade, though it may still register tradespeople and charge them a fee (ORC 4740.12).
Columbus example: HVAC contractors working in Columbus must first be licensed by the State of Ohio in the trade, and the city does not require board approval for OCILB contractors (City of Columbus Contractor Licenses). Statewide, the OCILB says a license may never be used to pull permits for an unlicensed competitor.
Working Without a License
Acting as or claiming to be a licensed HVAC contractor without a license is a minor misdemeanor the first time and a misdemeanor of the fourth degree after that (ORC 4740.99). The attorney general may also seek an injunction at the board's request.
HVAC contractors may install and service control wiring under 25 volts for equipment tied to their license (ORC 4740.13(C)).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to do residential HVAC work in Ohio?
The state license is written for commercial construction projects, which exclude residential buildings. Your city or county building department may still require the OCILB license or its own registration for residential work, so ask before you pull the permit.
How long does it take to get an Ohio HVAC license?
Board approval, background checks and PSI scheduling come first, and approval lasts one year. After you pass, the HVAC section authorizes the license within 30 days of the exam date.
How much does an Ohio HVAC license cost?
The board charges $25 for the examination application and $25 to issue the license, and PSI charges $69 for each exam registration. Renewal is $60 a year.
Can I get an Ohio HVAC license without five years of experience?
Yes, by two routes: the Ohio registered engineer route, or three of the last five years in substantially similar uniformed service. The rule's other accepted routes still call for five years. If your company needs the license now, a licensed HVAC contractor hired as a full time W-2 employee who supervises the work can assign the license to the company.
Do I still need EPA 608 certification with an Ohio license?
Yes, if you or your technicians open refrigerant circuits. EPA 608 is a federal technician certification, and the OCILB license is a state contractor license; one does not replace the other.
Next Step for Ohio HVAC Companies
If you will hold the license yourself, book PSI as soon as the board approves you and your background checks clear. If your company needs an assigned HVAC license before anyone on staff qualifies, call 615-219-2110 or hire a qualifying agent and we will walk you through a compliant Ohio setup. See also the Ohio general contractor license guide and getting licensed without the experience.
Sources
Every source below was opened and read on 2026-09-29.
- Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board: Contractors and Contracting Companies
- OCILB Examination Application (form revised 9/2025)
- PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, OCILB Contractor Trade Examinations (updated 2/7/2024)
- Ohio Revised Code 4740.01, definitions
- Ohio Revised Code 4740.02, board sections
- Ohio Revised Code 4740.06, qualifications, exams and renewal (amended September 30, 2025)
- Ohio Revised Code 4740.07, licenses assigned to contracting companies
- Ohio Revised Code 4740.12, local regulation
- Ohio Revised Code 4740.13, operating without a license
- Ohio Revised Code 4740.99, penalty
- Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 4101:16-1, including the compliant contractor program
- Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 4101:16-2, licensing, exams, fees, renewal and reciprocity
- Ohio Revised Code 4123.01, workers' compensation definitions
- Ohio Revised Code 4123.35, employer premiums
- U.S. EPA: Section 608 Technician Certification
- 40 CFR 82.161, technician certification (eCFR, current as of 9/25/2026)
- City of Columbus: Contractor Licenses
Disclaimer: This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, licensing guidance, or an offer of services. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction. For specific compliance questions, contact The Licensing Company for a confidential consultation.