5Verified from the board0Board page checked0Research-seeded, not yet verified
Newest check Aug 28, 2026 · Sources: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) — Air Conditioning and Refrigeration ↗
Re-checked every 6 h · full re-verify quarterly · Changes ↓
Rows checked against Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) — Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (tdlr.texas.gov) ↗ · newest Aug 28, 2026 · full re-verify quarterly · heartbeat every 6 h · how labels work
Who licenses hvac here
State-licensed
Texas licenses HVAC technicians at the state level — the ladder below is the state board's.
Scope derived by the importer from the dataset author's notes (derived:is_state_licensed); the board pass confirms it.
No experience
Texas publishes no statewide dollar threshold for unlicensed work in the pages we read; the contractor statute and your city decide. Electrical and plumbing work are excluded — they are licensed at any job size.
registered technician
specialty · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) — Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
certified technician
specialty · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) — Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
contractor Class B
contractor · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) — Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
contractor Class A
contractor · Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) — Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
Your next gate
contractor Class B
| Route | Cost to you | Time | Counts toward the license? | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered apprenticeship (union JATC or IEC/ABC open-shop) | Paid from day one (~45% of journeyman scale in period 1) | 4–5 years | Yes — every hour | Dallas–Fort Worth (10)Houston (13)Austin (9)San Antonio (7) |
| Community / technical college certificate | Tuition (public, usually the cheapest classroom route) | 6–12 months | Classroom hours in some states; the credential opens helper/apprentice doors | Alamo CollegesAustin Community CollegeCollin CollegeDallas College (Cedar Valley / North Lake)Houston Community CollegeLone Star CollegeSan Jacinto CollegeTarrant County College |
| For-profit trade school | Tuition (often the most expensive) | 6–15 months | Same as community college — check the board | Not listed here until IPEDS completions are joined; no school is ranked by what it pays us |
Texas publishes no statewide dollar threshold for unlicensed work in the pages we read; the contractor statute and your city decide. Electrical and plumbing work are excluded — they are licensed at any job size. Start-here page for Texas →
Yes — the first state gate is the registered technician (Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) — Air Conditioning and Refrigeration). It is a registration with no hours or exam; you can start the week you are hired.
Texas does not issue a state journeyman card for HVAC technicians; journeyman standing comes from completing a registered apprenticeship (typically 4–5 years).
Texas publishes no statewide dollar threshold for unlicensed work in the pages we read; the contractor statute and your city decide. Electrical and plumbing work are excluded — they are licensed at any job size.
The statewide median is $57,760 per year (BLS OEWS May 2025); metros in the state run from Dallas–Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio — each has its own pay page.
A registered apprenticeship pays you from day one (about 45% of journeyman scale in period 1) and counts every hour toward the license; trade school costs tuition and counts only classroom hours in most states; a community-college certificate (6–24 months) is the cheapest classroom route and often feeds a sponsor. The sponsor pages list every option we can find for your metro.
tier structureverified
Texas electrician (11 individual + 3 business types, collapsed to 4 tiers) and ACR (registered technician / certified technician / contractor) tier structures verified against TDLR pages fetched 2026-08-28. Hours and fees on 8 Texas rows remain research-seeded until the TDLR subpages are re-verified.
Permalink #2026-08-28-licenses-tx-tdlrBackfilled at launch