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The hot, humid climate of subtropical Georgia can be miserable without working air conditioning. Luckily, conditioned air contractors are available to ensure homes and businesses have well-maintained HVAC systems to deliver cool air on demand.

If you’re interested in a challenging and fulfilling career in a skilled trade, you’ll find that conditioned air contracting offers stability and opportunities to advance.

Before you can start practicing your trade, however, you must obtain a license from the Georgia State Board of Conditioned Air Contractors, a division of the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board. Here’s what you need to know to obtain a license.

What Can You Do With a Conditioned Air Contractor License?

As a licensed conditioned air contractor, you are permitted to perform tasks like installing, maintaining, repairing, and altering heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and equipment. The scope of work you may bid on and perform will depend on your license.

The two conditioned air contractor license types are class I and class II. With a class I license, you are restricted to working only on systems and equipment that don’t exceed 175,000 BTU of heating and 60,000 BTU of cooling.

This classification applies primarily to residential and small commercial spaces. A class II license has no restrictions on the scale and scope of HVAC projects, which can include residential, commercial, and industrial contracts.

Requirements to Obtain Your License

To obtain a class I license, you must complete at least four years of experience, working 40 or more hours per week under the supervision of a licensed conditioned air contractor. A class II license requires five or more years.

If you have an HVAC certification from a tech trade school, you can substitute it for one year of the experience requirement. A mechanical or HVAC engineering degree may be substituted for two years of the experience requirement.

Both class I and II license applicants must provide three letters of reference. One must be from a conditioned air contractor who has held a license for at least one year. The other two may come from similar conditioned air contractors or one of the following:

• Architect
• Mechanical engineer
• City/county inspector

References must come from professionals you have worked with directly. Both classes must also have an EPA Type II certification or higher and take a residential heat loss/gain and duct design course. GLEC HLG-DD-R courses or ACT-107 or AIRC-1060 courses apply.

For a class II license, you must also complete a board-approved course for Manuals N&Q or Carrier Design 1, 2, 3.

What to Expect From State Exams

License applicants must pass the Conditioned Air Contractor Class I & II Exam, featuring 120 questions on the following topics:

• Regulations, laws, and administrative functions
• System design
• Installation
• Maintenance and repair
• Bidding and contracting

You will have seven hours to complete this open-book exam. You must answer at least 70% of the questions correctly to pass.

Take the Next Step to Become a Conditioned Air Contractor

If you’re ready to take the next step in your career by obtaining a class I or II conditioned air contractor license in Georgia, contact RocketCert now to learn more about effective exam prep programs for working professionals.