Georgia maintains a year-round average temperature of 62°F but is known to have hot summers with high humidity as well as winters with occasional snowfall. Summer temperatures may reach up into the 90s and winters may drop down into the low 30s and even high 20s. Professionals with a Georgia HVAC license play a vital role in ensuring that the state’s residents maintain favorable conditions within both residential and public spaces.
Georgina HVAC License Requirements
Individuals that want to work as HVAC contractors in Georgia must obtain a Conditioned Air Contractor license issued by the Georgia Board of Conditioned Air Contractors. In addition, they must also have a high school diploma or GED, provide three professional references, and pass both the trade exam and EPA Section 608 certification exam.
Individuals who want to work as HVAC technicians in Georgia are not required to obtain a license to work.
Georgia HVAC Education
Although a college education is not required to obtain HVAC licensure in Georgia it has proven to be helpful for learning complex subjects covered on the HVAC exam and it has led to higher earnings in the long run for those who obtained further education due to their increased knowledge of HVAC topics and specialized training.
Conditioned Air Contractor License and EPA Certification in Georgia
Georgia offers two different classes of certification for air conditioning contractors.
Georgia HVAC License Class I (Restricted)
The first class of certification is Class I, also known as Restricted. This license limits HVAC professionals to performing work on equipment less than 175,000 BTU for heating and 60,000 BTU for cooling. Prior to obtaining licensure, HVAC contractors must have acquired two years of installation working as a lead mechanic or one year working as a service technician or supervisor. They are also required to have one year of residential supervisory experience and must enroll in a heat loss, heat gain and duct design course that has been approved by the board.
Georgia HVAC License Class II (Unrestricted)
The second class of certification offered in Georgia is Class II, or Unrestricted. Unlike Class I, this license permits HVAC technicians to perform work on all types of air conditioning equipment and systems. Prior to obtaining licensure, HVAC contractors must acquire five years of experience that includes working two years of installation as a lead mechanic with at least one year dedicated to commercial work, one year as a service technician or service supervisor, and two years of commercial supervisory experience. They must also take a heat loss and gain and duct design course that has been approved by the board. If an individual has obtained an engineering or engineering technology degree they may use their educational experience towards two years maximum of work experience. If they have instead completed a certificate program they may use it towards one year of work experience at most.
Both Class 1 and Class II licenses are valid for two years and cost $75 to renew.
In addition to obtaining either a Class I or Class II license, HVAC contractors must also obtain certification from the EPA due to the Section 608 Refrigeration Recycling Rule. Thankfully, the EPA certifications do not expire or require renewal.
The three different EPA certification types that HVAC technicians can acquire are Type I, II and III. Type I limits HVAC technicians to working on appliances which contain no more than five pounds of refrigerant. Type II permits HVAC technicians to perform work on high pressure appliances. Type III limits HVAC technicians to working on low-pressure appliances.
Georgia HVAC License Exam
The first exam HVAC technicians must take before obtaining licensure is the Conditioned Air License Exam which costs $240. The exam is open book and consists of 100 questions that must be answered in 7 hours. A score of 70% is required to pass the exam.
The second exam HVAC technicians must take is the Section 608 EPA certification exam. It can be taken either online or on site and costs $24.95.
Additional Requirements
Following successful completion of the exams, HVAC contractors must complete an additional 4 hours education annually to maintain their license. Anyone who obtains their HVAC license in Georgia will also be permitted to perform HVAC work in South Carolina and Texas.
Georgia HVAC Salary
The median annual salary for Georgia HVAC workers is over $42,000 with Atlanta offering HVAC professionals a salary close to $45,000 annually. The top 10% of HVAC workers in the state earn over $62,000 annually.