HVAC Technician License: California → Texas

A step-by-step breakdown of what it takes for a licensed hvac technician in California to become licensed in Texas, based on Texas's current standard application required — no reciprocity; out-of-state license evaluated case by case rules.

Standard Application Required — No Reciprocity; Out-of-State License Evaluated Case by Case

Source: Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors Program ↗

Updated September 30, 2026

Portability Score

35/100

Difficult Transfer

PermitBridge's own estimate, based on the exam, fee, and processing-time factors below — not an official government rating.

Exam: Required
Processing: Processing time not published by the board
Fee: $115
Extra Hours: None

Step-by-Step Process

1
Texas TDLR's Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (ACR) Contractor reciprocity is limited to Georgia and South Carolina — the current ACR002 application states Texas 'currently reciprocates with Georgia and South Carolina only.' California is not eligible for reciprocity.
2
File the standard ACR002 contractor license application with the $115 non-refundable fee, including a copy of your current California license and a list of the requirements you met to obtain it, as TDLR's out-of-state applicant page instructs.
3
TDLR evaluates the out-of-state license case by case: per its out-of-state page, 'depending on the requirements of your current license, you may be required to complete some or all of the Texas requirements for licensure, including taking a licensing examination.' TDLR publishes no rule saying which requirements a California C-20 license satisfies.
4
Unless TDLR waives it, document at least 48 months (4 years) of practical experience within the preceding 72 months (6 years) on TDLR's Experience Verification Form, or substitute qualifying education for part of it per the form's education table.
5
Expect to schedule and pass the PSI-administered Texas exam for the applicable class (A or B) once TDLR approves the application; PSI's exam fee is not published in TDLR's materials.
6
Obtain the required certificate of insurance before the license is issued.

Note: Confirmed 2026-09-30 by direct pdftotext extraction of the ACR002 PDF currently served by TDLR (rev. October 2022; server Last-Modified 2026-07-31): reciprocity with Georgia and South Carolina only (§19), $115 fee, 48-of-72-months experience. TDLR's live out-of-state applicant page (tdlr.texas.gov/acr/acrstate.htm) repeats the GA/SC-only reciprocity, has no California entry, and says out-of-state applicants 'may be required to complete some or all of the Texas requirements for licensure, including taking a licensing examination' depending on their current license. needs_review: whether a California C-20 license reduces any Texas requirement — including the exam — is a discretionary TDLR decision (consistent with Occupations Code §51.4041's discretionary substantial-equivalence authority) and is not determinable from published materials; examRequired is recorded as true because that is the default for every non-reciprocal applicant, not because a waiver is ruled out. The $115 fee is from TDLR's current form and live page; 16 TAC §75.80 (fees) was amended effective 2026-09-01 (51 TexReg 5778), but that amendment's full text has not been read because the Secretary of State's rules portal does not return rule text to automated requests. PSI's separate exam fee is not published by TDLR and is omitted.

HVAC Technician Transfers From California to Other States

State	Pathway	Exam?	Score	Link
Florida	Certification by Endorsement — 10-Year Licensure History (Option C) — Reciprocity Not Available for This Classification	No	55	View
New York	Universal License Recognition (Endorsement)	Yes	50	View
Ohio	Out-of-State Licensee Examination Route — No Reciprocity; Ohio Exam Still Required	Yes	40	View

Frequently Asked Questions About This Transfer

Can I transfer my hvac technician license from California to Texas?+

Yes, via standard application required — no reciprocity; out-of-state license evaluated case by case. You will need to pass TDLR/PSI Class A or Class B Environmental Air Conditioning exam — likely required; TDLR decides case by case whether an out-of-state license reduces any requirement. The licensing board does not publish a processing time.

How much does it cost to transfer a hvac technician license to Texas?+

Budget approximately $115 for the Texas application fee alone. Exam fees, if required, and any additional continuing-education hours are typically separate costs charged by third-party providers.

Does my EPA 608 certification transfer to a new state?+

Yes. EPA Section 608 refrigerant handling certification is federal and valid nationwide for life. Only your state or local HVAC contractor license needs to be re-established when you move.