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In the state of Virginia, you must have an HVAC license issued by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) in order to operate as an HVAC professional.

Before you jump right into applying for a license, however, you should know that there are different kinds of licenses available and a range of requirements in place to obtain one. Where you start will determine the prerequisites you will need to fulfill to become an HVAC professional.

Types of Licenses

There are two main types of HVAC licenses: journeyman and master. As a licensed journeyman, you’re allowed to take on projects that include the installation, repair, and maintenance of specific HVAC-related materials and equipment, but you must operate under the supervision of a professional with a Master HVAC license.

As a licensed master, you can do everything a journeyman does but also work independently, participate in activities like planning and detailed layouts for projects, and supervise journeyman workers. 

HVAC contractors may also choose to obtain a general contractor license (Class A, B, or C) that broadens the scope of professional activities to include plumbing jobs and is also required to bid on projects totaling over $1,000.

Experience Requirements

Before you can become a licensed HVAC professional, the state requires that you maintain both HVAC experience and vocational training requirements as follows:

• Four years of experience and 240 hours of vocational training
• Five years of experience and 160 hours of vocational training
• Six years of experience and 80 hours of vocational training
• Seven years of experience and 40 hours of vocational training
• Ten years of experience

Alternatively, you could earn an associate’s degree from a two-year HVAC program and pair it with two years of experience, or you could earn a bachelor’s degree in an HVAC-related engineering program from an accredited school and pair that with one year of HVAC experience. 

With these conditions met, you may test for your journeyman license, and after a year of operating as a journeyman, you will be eligible to test for your master license.

Pass the State Licensing Exam

When you have completed your education and experience requirements, your next step is to fill out an application and experience verification form with the DPOR. When approved, you may sit for an exam. Both journeyman and master exams include 85 questions and a time limit of 210 minutes to complete the open-book test. You must answer at least 60 questions right to pass the journeyman exam and at least 64 to pass the master exam. 

The best way to ensure you pass your test the first time is with an exam prep course designed by experts that includes pertinent mathematics, critical information, and key concepts, as well as practice quizzes and exams. Once you’ve gained the education and experience required to test for your journeyman or master license in Virginia, sign up for RocketCert’s HVAC Tradesman Licensing & Exam Prep course for the best chance to pass the state exam and obtain your license.