South Carolina licenses residential HVAC over $500 through the Residential Builders Commission and commercial mechanical work over $10,000 through the Contractor's Licensing Board. Scopes, PSI exams, fees, renewal dates and the qualifying party rule.
South Carolina licenses HVAC work through two boards inside the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR), at two very different dollar thresholds, under four mechanical subclassifications whose scope lines decide what equipment you may legally touch. The residential license belongs to a person. The commercial license belongs to a company, and the company cannot hold it without a certified individual in management.
At a glance
- Boards: Residential Builders Commission (RBC) and Contractor's Licensing Board (CLB), inside the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR)
- License trigger: Residential HVAC work over $500; commercial mechanical work over $10,000
- Experience: 1 year within the past 5 years for residential; 2 years within the past 5 years for the commercial PQP
- Exams: PSI, open book
- Initial state fees: $135 application and $220 license for residential; $350 license for commercial
South Carolina HVAC license at a glance
| Residential HVAC | Commercial Mechanical Contractor | |
|---|---|---|
| Board | Residential Builders Commission (RBC) | Contractor's Licensing Board (CLB) |
| Who holds it | The individual | The business entity, through a certified Primary Qualifying Party |
| License trigger | Residential HVAC work over $500 | Commercial mechanical work over $10,000 |
| Scope limit | 5 tons cooling and 175,000 BTU/hr heating per unit | Set by subclassification (AC, HT, PK, RG) and license group |
| Experience | 1 year within the past 5 years | 2 years within the past 5 years for the PQP |
| Exams (PSI, open book) | Residential HVAC plus Business Management and Law | Trade exam plus S.C. Business Management and Law for Commercial Contractors |
| Initial state fees | $135 application, $220 license | $350 license |
| Renewal | June 30 of odd numbered years, $220 | October 31 of odd numbered years, $135 |
| Financial requirement | $10,000 bond before any project over $5,000 | Financial statement or bond sized to the license group |
The thresholds: $500 residential, $10,000 commercial
Some guides still repeat $200 for residential and $5,000 for commercial. Neither is current.
- Residential HVAC work exceeding $500 requires a license. The RBC says so on its Residential HVAC Installer and Repairer page, and S.C. Code section 40-59-20(7) sets it; 2022 Act No. 186 raised it from $200.
- Commercial mechanical work exceeding $10,000 requires a license. S.C. Code section 40-11-30 sets it, and 2023 Act No. 69 raised it from $5,000 to $10,000 effective May 19, 2023.
On the residential side, a single condenser changeout clears $500.
The two agencies, and the name that confuses people
Residential Builders Commission (RBC) licenses the individual. The credential is the Residential HVAC Installer and Repairer License (RBH), which the statute and the Commission's FAQ also call a residential specialty contractor license for heating and air conditioning.
Contractor's Licensing Board (CLB) licenses the business entity. The credential is a Mechanical Contractor license carrying one or more HVAC subclassifications: Air Conditioning (AC), Heating (HT), Packaged Equipment (PK), or Refrigeration (RG). Neither credential substitutes for the other.
The confusion comes from two kinds of residential specialty credentials. Section 40-59-20(7) says heating and air conditioning installers and repairers, like plumbers and electricians, "must be issued specialty contractor licenses after passing the required examination." Siding, insulation, roofing, floor covering, masonry, drywall, carpentry, stucco, painting and wallpapering, and solar panel installation get Residential Specialty Contractor Registrations under S.C. Reg. 106-1, with no exam.
A residential specialty HVAC license is real, and it always requires an exam. Section 40-59-240(A) also caps a specialty contractor at three classifications; more than that requires a residential builder license.
Path one: Residential HVAC Installer and Repairer (RBH)
Scope and experience
S.C. Reg. 106-1(c) limits the residential license to air conditioning and heating equipment of five tons cooling and 175,000 BTU/hr heating per unit within a residence, including package units, ductwork, controls, gas furnaces, heat pumps, water and gas piping from service, and liquid fuel piping and tanks (except those used for liquid propane gas).
You need one year of residential HVAC experience within the past five years, backed by W-2s or 1099s and an Experience Affidavit from each supervisor or employer. Experience must be verified and approved before you are made eligible for the exam; you cannot test first and document afterward. The Commission's FAQ adds that experience can come from any state or country, a degree does not replace the year of hands on work, and applicants without W-2s or 1099s should expect a Commission appearance.
Exams
PSI administers both residential exams, and both are open book.
| Residential exam (PSI bulletin updated 8/27/2026) | Questions | Correct to pass | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential HVAC | 80 | 52 (65 percent) | 240 minutes |
| Business Management and Law for Residential Builders | 50 | 34 (68 percent) | 120 minutes |
Eligibility lasts one year, with three attempts within twelve months to pass both portions; after three failures you wait twelve months. PSI lists a $78 registration fee for the Residential HVAC exam.
Exam waiver
The technical portion can be waived (experience and the Business Management and Law exam still apply) if you:
- Are a currently licensed SC Mechanical Contractor with the AC or PK classification, in good standing, active a year or longer, obtained by examination; or
- Hold a current license by examination, held a year or longer, in Alabama, Mississippi, or North Carolina; grandfathered licensees do not qualify; or
- Hold a current HARV (Master Mechanical) Certification issued by examination between September 7, 2013 and December 2025 by MASC, or after January 1, 2026 by Carolinas AGC (CAGC).
A detail that trips people who hold both trades: the HVAC waiver list has three states, while the RBC's residential plumber list has two, Mississippi and North Carolina. Alabama counts for HVAC and not for plumbing.
Fees
| Residential HVAC Installer and Repairer (RBH) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $135 |
| License fee | $220 |
| Renewal fee | $220 |
| Renewal late fee | $50 |
| Reinstatement fee | $480 |
| Certificate of Authorization application (firms, when required) | $100 |
| Certificate of Authorization renewal | $100 |
An application is good for one year from receipt; PSI fees are separate.
The credit report and the conditional bond
The RBC requires a credit report dated no more than 30 days before the application (TransUnion, Equifax or Experian), reviewed for liens and outstanding judgments under section 40-59-250. It also requires a $10,000 surety bond in the individual's own name, not a company name, on file before performing or offering work exceeding $5,000 total cost of construction on a project (S.C. Reg. 106-2). Handwritten and DocuSign signed bonds are not accepted. A flat, unconditional "$10,000 bond requirement" overstates it; the trigger is project size.
To list a company on your license you must own at least 51 percent of it. Otherwise the company needs a Certificate of Authorization (COA) with a resident licensee in responsible charge.
Renewal and lapse rules
Residential HVAC licenses renew June 30 of every odd numbered year (2025, 2027, 2029). A license lapsed less than three years can be reinstated. Lapsed more than three years, and you apply as a new applicant, which means retesting.
That is the RBC's rule; section 40-59-230(A) draws the same three year line for a license held in inactive status. The three year cliff is a costly detail to miss on the residential side.
Path two: Mechanical Contractor and its subclassification scopes
The subclassification you hold decides what equipment you may install. Section 40-11-410(5) defines each one.
| Subclassification | Code | What it covers | What it excludes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Conditioning | AC | Systems producing conditioned air for heating or cooling within buildings; includes all Packaged Equipment and Refrigeration work | Hot water or steam heating systems or components |
| Heating | HT | Steam and hot water heating, all piping, ducts and equipment including boilers, plus gas lines for gas fired equipment | Air conditioning equipment, which the Heating definition does not reach (that is AC or PK) |
| Packaged Equipment | PK | Packaged and split DX equipment, heat pumps, gas furnaces, ventilation, ductwork, kitchen exhaust hoods, controls, limited to 25 tons cooling and 500,000 BTU/hr heating per unit | Hot water or steam heating; units above the cap |
| Refrigeration | RG | Refrigeration for processing, storage and display of food and perishables and for commercial, industrial and manufacturing processes; walk-in boxes; testing and balancing | Comfort air conditioning |
AC is the broadest comfort classification because it includes PK and RG work. The CLB's classification sheet adds that Heating licensees can engage in Boiler Installation work. Watch the abbreviation: on CLB licenses, RF means Roofing, not Refrigeration.
Two practical consequences. A contractor holding only PK cannot lawfully take a 40 ton rooftop unit; that is AC work. A contractor holding only AC cannot take a steam or hot water boiler job; that is Heating. The same logic answers the "chiller license" search: there is no chiller license, so comfort cooling above the PK cap points to AC and process refrigeration points to RG.
The electrical crossover. The Electrical (EL) definition lets an electrical contractor install window or through the wall air conditioning units not to exceed three horsepower or three tons, where no piping is necessary. Above that, or with refrigerant piping, it is mechanical work.
Commercial exams
Each qualifying party passes a PSI trade exam (or qualifies by waiver) plus the S.C. Business Management and Law for Commercial Contractors exam, with 70 percent as the passing grade under section 40-11-230(A). All are open book.
| Commercial exam (PSI bulletin updated 8/27/2026) | Questions | Correct to pass |
|---|---|---|
| Air Conditioning | 80 | 56 |
| Heating | 50 | 35 |
| Packaged Equipment (Heat Pump) | 80 | 56 |
| Refrigeration | 50 | 35 |
| Business Management and Law for Commercial Contractors | 50 | 35 |
| Commercial exam (PSI bulletin updated 8/27/2026) | Time | PSI fee |
|---|---|---|
| Air Conditioning | 4 hours | $64 |
| Heating | 3 hours | $78 |
| Packaged Equipment (Heat Pump) | 4 hours | $64 |
| Refrigeration | 3 hours | $78 |
| Business Management and Law for Commercial Contractors | 125 minutes | $78 |
A trade exam may be taken twice in twelve months, then once every six months. No board pre approval is needed; PSI schedules directly at (855) 746-8173.
What the entity must submit
Under section 40-11-240 the entity must be a properly registered business form and must have a certified qualifying party in a responsible management position. Then:
- Doc 165 application and the $350 license fee
- Secretary of State verification (not required for sole proprietorships), Articles of Incorporation or Organization, and ownership documentation
- Financial statement or surety bond establishing the license group
- Doc 168 (initial, or inactive more than four years) or Doc 181 (transfer) for each qualifying party
- PSI pass sheets for the technical exam and the S.C. Business Management and Law for Commercial Contractors exam
A change of entity name, organizational status or federal employer ID must be reported within 15 days (section 40-11-240(D)).
Mechanical contractor license groups
| Mechanical group | Bid and job limit | Working capital |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Group 1 | $35,000 | $3,500 |
| Mechanical Group 2 | $100,000 | $10,000 |
| Mechanical Group 3 | $200,000 | $20,000 |
| Mechanical Group 4 | $400,000 | $40,000 |
| Mechanical Group 5 | Unlimited | $200,000 |
| Mechanical group | Net worth | Surety bond |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Group 1 | $7,000 | $7,000 |
| Mechanical Group 2 | $15,000 | $15,000 |
| Mechanical Group 3 | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Mechanical Group 4 | $60,000 | $60,000 |
| Mechanical Group 5 | $300,000 | $300,000 |
Meet either net worth or working capital. Under section 40-11-262, a surety bond used in place of a financial statement is now equal to the required net worth; 2023 Act No. 69 changed it from two times the net worth, so guides still doubling those figures are out of date. The CLB does not accept a bond payable to the RBC. On an initial application, Groups 1 and 2 may use the owner prepared statement (Doc 172), Groups 3 and 4 need a CPA compiled statement, and Group 5 needs an audited balance sheet, dated within twelve months.
Mechanical Group 1 tops out at $35,000, well below the general contractor Group 1 ceiling of $100,000 on the same CLB schedule. An HVAC business selling $60,000 changeout packages needs mechanical Group 2 at minimum, and bidding above your group is a disciplinary ground under section 40-11-110(A)(21).
Renewal, and the date people mix up
| License | Expires | Renewal fee | After the deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Contractor (CLB) | October 31, odd numbered years | $135 | Late fees $100, $150, then $200 through January 31 |
| General Contractor (CLB) | October 31, even numbered years | $135 | Same ladder |
| Residential HVAC (RBC) | June 30, odd numbered years | $220 | $50 late fee; reinstatement within 3 years |
Mechanical renewal is biennial, and the CLB says the 2027 to 2029 cycle opens in August 2027. Under section 40-11-250(B), a lapsed license may be renewed within 90 days of expiration with late fees, retroactive to the expiration date; past that, the entity applies as a new applicant (the CLB lists a $350 reinstatement fee). June 30 is right for the residential license and wrong for the commercial one.
Step by step: how to get an HVAC license in South Carolina
Residential (RBC):
- Confirm the work is residential, within 5 tons and 175,000 BTU/hr per unit, and over $500.
- Document one year of experience from the past five years, with W-2s or 1099s and supervisor affidavits.
- Pull a full credit report no more than 30 days old, apply online, and pay the $135 fee.
- After approval, pass the PSI Residential HVAC and business law exams.
- Send the results and the $220 license fee, and file the $10,000 bond before any project over $5,000.
- Renew by June 30 of each odd numbered year.
Commercial (CLB):
- Pick the subclassifications (AC, HT, PK, RG) and the group your largest job needs.
- The Primary Qualifying Party passes the PSI trade and commercial business law exams, or qualifies by waiver, and documents two years of experience from the past five.
- Register the entity with the Secretary of State and prepare the financial statement or bond.
- File Doc 165 with the $350 fee, qualifying party documents and pass sheets.
- Put the license number on trucks, invoices and proposals; renew by October 31 of odd numbered years.
Reciprocity for commercial HVAC
The CLB's Technical Exam Waiver Agreement list (revised May 2026) accepts HVAC exams from Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas, among others, each mapped to a specific South Carolina classification. Georgia is listed but no longer accepts South Carolina waiver applicants. You still pass the South Carolina business and law exam, and a license obtained by waiver or grandfathering does not qualify.
Two HVAC only rules in South Carolina statute
These apply to mechanical contractors licensed in Air Conditioning, Heating, or Packaged Equipment.
Display the license. Section 40-11-270(B) requires the license to be displayed conspicuously at the principal place of business.
Mark the trucks, and the paperwork. Section 40-11-270(C) requires that all commercial vehicles used exclusively in daily operations prominently display the mechanical contractor license number, and that each invoice and proposal form also contain the license number.
Section 40-11-370(B) also requires you to work under the exact name on the license, and section 40-11-270(E) lets a licensee use unlicensed subcontractors only under its own supervision and full responsibility.
Federal layer: EPA Section 608
Federal law requires technicians who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants to hold EPA Section 608 certification under 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F. LLR does not issue it and it satisfies no state requirement, but you need it, and the state license does not substitute for it. See EPA 608 certification versus an HVAC license.
The 2026 change: trade certification moved from MASC to Carolinas AGC
The Municipal Association of South Carolina (MASC) long ran the SC Mechanical Trades Certification Program, including the HARV (Master Mechanical) Certification. As of January 1, 2026, Carolinas AGC (CAGC) is the program provider; MASC cards stay valid until their printed expiration.
LLR accepts a HARV Certification issued by examination between September 7, 2013 and December 2025 by MASC, or after January 1, 2026 by CAGC, and the CLB maps it to the Air Conditioning and Heating classifications. Holders who need a verification letter now contact CAGC, not MASC. CAGC notes its card is not a license.
Local requirements still apply
The CLB states that cities and counties may add their own licensing and permitting, each with its own rules and fees. Confirm whether a job site is inside city limits or in unincorporated county, then call that Business License or Building Permit office. Under section 40-59-240(C), a local government may license residential specialty contractors but may not require another exam once you have passed the Commission's. See state versus local contractor licensing.
Penalties for unlicensed HVAC work
Administrative: section 40-11-100 allows citations against anyone, including unlicensed contractors, up to $500 for a first violation of a provision, up to $1,000 for a second of the same or substantially similar provision within five years, capped at $2,500 per day against any one entity or individual.
Criminal: section 40-11-200 makes practicing in violation of the chapter, or knowingly submitting false information to obtain a license, a misdemeanor carrying up to one year imprisonment or a fine of up to $5,000.
Board civil penalty: section 40-11-110(C) permits up to $5,000 per violation.
Payment bar: section 40-11-370(C) provides that an unlicensed entity "may not bring an action either at law or in equity to enforce the provisions of a contract", and the same bar applies to an entity that contracted under a name other than the exact name on its license.
Residential: section 40-59-30 makes unlicensed residential specialty contracting a misdemeanor with a fine of $500 to $10,000 or at least 30 days in jail, or both, and bars a mechanics' lien or suit on the contract.
Section 40-11-110(A)(9) also makes it grounds for discipline to aid or abet an unlicensed entity in evading the chapter, to combine or conspire with one, or to act as its agent, partner, or associate.
The qualifier angle: the credential the business actually needs
An HVAC business does not get a commercial mechanical license by being competent. It gets one by having a certified qualifying party in a responsible management position; section 40-11-240(A)(2) states it as a flat condition of licensure.
Under section 40-11-230(B), that Primary Qualifying Party must hold a valid certificate, prove full time employment for at least two years within the previous five in the classification, and serve in a management capacity, actively involved in management, supervision, and operations. The PQP must be "an integral party of the applicant's business" and may not take "other employment that would conflict with the duties as primary qualifying party or diminish the ability to adequately supervise work performed by the licensee."
When that person leaves: 15 days to notify LLR in writing, 90 days of continued good standing, then suspension if no replacement is designated. One person may qualify two companies only under section 40-11-230(C): same physical location, daily involvement and livelihood from both, and ownership in both with at least 50 percent of one. Details are in South Carolina's primary qualifying party rules. On the residential side, a firm needing a Certificate of Authorization must have a resident licensee in responsible charge who is an officer, principal owner, or employee working from that office most of each workday.
Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski, the founders of The Licensing Company, built the firm around exactly this rule. If your company has the crews and the customers but not the certified individual, the lawful answer is a qualified person inside your business as a full time W-2 employee in management who actually supervises the work. That is what a qualifying agent does; start at hire a qualifying agent.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get an HVAC license in SC?
For residential work over $500, apply to the RBC with one year of experience, pass the two PSI residential exams, and pay the $220 license fee. For commercial work over $10,000, a qualifying party passes the PSI trade and business law exams and the company files Doc 165 with the CLB.
How much does an HVAC license cost in South Carolina?
Residential: $135 application plus $220 license fee, PSI fees ($78 for the Residential HVAC exam), a credit report, and a premium on the $10,000 bond if you take projects over $5,000. Commercial: $350 license fee, PSI fees, Secretary of State filings, and a financial statement or bond sized to your group.
Does South Carolina require an HVAC license for residential work?
Yes, above $500, through the RBC's Residential HVAC Installer and Repairer license.
Do you need a license to be an HVAC technician?
Neither Chapter 59 nor Chapter 11 creates a separate state license for an HVAC technician. Section 40-59-20(7) defines a residential specialty contractor as an independent contractor, so the RBC license attaches to the person contracting for residential work over $500, and the RBC's FAQ says a partner cannot share another person's license. The CAGC SC Trade Certification card is a different credential, and CAGC says it should not be confused with a state license. Anyone handling refrigerant needs EPA 608.
Can a general contractor do HVAC work?
A CLB general contractor license does not include the mechanical subclassifications; the CLB's 2023 update says mechanical work needs its own license or a properly classified contractor. A residential builder licensed by exam may perform residential HVAC work without a separate specialty license (section 40-59-20(7)).
Do I need a mechanical license to run an HVAC LLC in SC?
For commercial work over $10,000, yes; the LLC holds the Mechanical Contractor license through a certified PQP. For residential work the license is personal, and the LLC needs a Certificate of Authorization unless the licensee owns at least 51 percent and is its sole resident licensee.
What is the difference between Air Conditioning and Packaged Equipment?
Packaged Equipment is capped at 25 tons cooling and 500,000 BTU/hr heating per unit; Air Conditioning has no such cap and includes PK and Refrigeration work. Neither covers hot water or steam heating; that is Heating.
Do I need both a residential and a commercial license?
Only if you do both kinds of work above both thresholds. A Mechanical Contractor license with AC or PK, obtained by exam and active in good standing a year or longer, does waive the technical portion of the residential exam.
Is there continuing education?
Section 40-59-230(B) lets the Commission require it by regulation, and its Chapter 106 regulations set none for residential HVAC licensees today. On the commercial side, Chapter 11 sets no continuing education, and the CLB's renewal requirements are a financial statement or bond and a qualifying party in management.
Can my company hold a commercial license if I am not the certified individual?
Yes. The license belongs to the entity, and the certified individual serves as its Primary Qualifying Party, employed full time, in management, and supervising the work. If you need that person, see hire a qualifying agent.
What should I ask an HVAC contractor before hiring them in Aiken or elsewhere in SC?
Ask for the license number and check it on LLR's licensee lookup: RBC for residential work over $500, CLB with the right subclassification and group for commercial work over $10,000. Look for the number on the truck and the proposal, and on a residential job over $5,000 ask whether the $10,000 bond is on file.
Bottom line
Entry requirements are light: one year of experience for residential, two for the commercial qualifying party. The structure is not: a 5 ton residential cap, four mechanical subclassifications, a 25 ton and 500,000 BTU cap on Packaged Equipment, license numbers on work trucks, invoices and proposals, two renewal dates, a certification provider change on January 1, 2026, and a commercial license that cannot exist without a qualified individual in management.
Related guides: South Carolina contractor licensing, South Carolina plumbing license, South Carolina electrician license, South Carolina general contractor license, the HVAC contractor license overview, the contractor license guide, and all state guides.
Talk to us about your South Carolina HVAC license
If you are weighing which subclassification and group your jobs need, or your company needs a certified Primary Qualifying Party in management, call The Licensing Company at 615-219-2110 or start at hire a qualifying agent.
Verified against the statute, regulations, boards and PSI bulletins on September 25, 2026. Fees can change. This guide is not legal advice.
Sources
- SC LLR RBC, Residential HVAC Installer and Repairer License (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- RBC Residential HVAC application requirements and instructions (Rev. 01/2026) (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- RBC HVAC instructions and renewal date (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- RBC Residential HVAC FAQ (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- RBC Residential Plumber license page (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- RBC Certificate of Authorization (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- RBC Residential Specialty Contractor registration FAQ (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- S.C. Code Title 40, Chapter 59, SC Statehouse (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- S.C. Code of Regulations, Chapter 106, SC Statehouse (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- SC LLR CLB, Licensure with the Board (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- CLB General Information (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- CLB Fees (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- CLB Renew My License (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- CLB Classification Abbreviations and Group Dollar Limitations (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- CLB Technical Exam Waiver Agreements (rev. 5/2026) (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- CLB 2023 Legislative Update (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- S.C. Code Title 40, Chapter 11, SC Statehouse (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- PSI bulletin, SC Residential Builders Commission (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- PSI bulletin, SC Contractor's Licensing Board (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- MASC Trades Certification (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- Carolinas AGC SC Trades Certification Program (retrieved 2026-09-25)
- US EPA, Section 608 Technician Certification (retrieved 2026-09-25)
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.