How to get a Florida air-conditioning contractor license, what it costs, how long it takes and what HVAC contractors earn.
Apply to the DBPR Construction Industry Licensing Board for a Class A (CAC) or Class B (CMC) Air Conditioning Contractor license. Requirements: four years of experience (at least one as a foreman, with substitutions allowed for college credits or military service), passing the state Business & Finance exam and the trade exam, fingerprints, a credit report showing financial responsibility (FICO 660 or a bond), and proof of general liability and workers' compensation insurance or an exemption. A Registered (RA/RB) license is the county-limited alternative.
No state license is required to work as an employee technician under a licensed contractor — the contractor's license covers the company. You do need EPA Section 608 certification to handle refrigerant. You need your own state license only to contract directly with customers or qualify your own company.
Roughly $1,000–$2,500 all in: DBPR application fee about $249, exam fees about $135 per part, fingerprinting $50–$60, plus exam-prep school ($300–$1,500) and a financial-responsibility bond if your credit is under 660. Insurance for the business comes on top.
Plan on four to five years: four years of documented experience (trade school or an apprenticeship can substitute for part of it), then exam preparation, the exams and DBPR processing of a few months.
Employed HVAC mechanics and installers in Florida earn roughly $45,000–$65,000 a year according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, with senior techs and service managers higher. Licensed contractors running their own company can earn considerably more, with insurance, trucks, inventory and payroll as the main costs. Florida's year-round cooling demand keeps the trade steady.
Form the entity on Sunbiz, get an EIN, qualify the business with your CAC/CMC license through the DBPR, carry general liability and workers' compensation (or an exemption), get a county business tax receipt, set up supplier accounts and EPA-compliant refrigerant recovery, then build a website and Google Business Profile. Once licensed, claim your free listing on this directory.
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