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Anyone who enjoys warm Nevada temperatures knows the importance of reliable air conditioning and refrigeration. As a refrigeration and air conditioning professional, you’ll enjoy not only a stable career but also the rewards of helping homeowners and businesses ensure comfortable interior spaces.

Nevada, like most other states, requires professionals in skilled trades to obtain licensure that proves their knowledge and skill in a chosen field. Before you can secure a C-21 Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractor License from the Nevada State Contractors Board, you’ll have to meet certain criteria. 

What are the requirements, and how can you prepare for state exams?

What Does a Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractor Do?

With a C-21 Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractor License, you are permitted to perform a range of activities, including the erection, construction, and installation of machinery, devices, and units designed for cooling, along with associated ductwork. 

These services could relate to refrigerators or refrigerated rooms as well as homes and businesses or structures where animals are kept.

Requirements to Obtain a License

Licensing requirements begin with completing a minimum of four years of relevant experience in your chosen field. This could include working as a journeyman, supervising employee, foreman, or contractor.

When you submit your application for licensure, you must include a set of fingerprints, a financial statement, and proof of insurance (industrial and workers’ compensation). The Nevada State Contractors Board will also set an amount for a cash or surety bond, which you must comply with.

Finally, you must pass state exams, the first of which is the Contractor Management Survey Exam. This open-book test includes 60 questions about the following topics:

• Licensing
• Lien law
• Estimating and bidding
• Tax laws
• Financial management
• Environmental and safety
• Project management
• Labor laws
• Risk management
• Contracts

You’ll have two hours to complete the test, and you must answer at least 45 questions (75%) correctly to pass. You must also take a trade exam: the C-21 Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractor Exam. Also open book, this test covers topics like:

• Piping
• Sound, vibration, and seismic control
• Insulation
• Heating and cooling principles
• Hangers and supports
• Load calculations
• Refrigerants and refrigeration
• Controls
• Testing, adjusting, and balancing
• AC and heat pump equipment
• Machine room
• Furnaces and heaters
• Chimneys, flues, and vents
• Hydronics
• Fuel systems
• Combustion air
• Ducts
• Solar
• Chillers
• Ventilation and exhausts
• Evaporative cooling
• Safety

You’ll have three hours to complete this test, which consists of 85 questions. You must answer a minimum of 60 questions correctly to pass.

Preparing to Ace Exams

Passing your exam is made easier with the right exam prep program. You’ll want to look for one designed for working professionals by industry experts and educators.

A convenient program will offer self-paced learning with 24/7 online access to course materials along with tabbing guides to help you quickly find information during testing. You may also want the option to purchase books you can use during the open-book exam. A no-pass, no-pay policy is the hallmark of a reliable program.

When you’re ready to move to the next stage of your career by obtaining a C-21 Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractor License in Nevada, contact RocketCert to get started.