West Virginia HVAC license

Many states do not require HVAC licenses in order to work in that field. West Virginia requires an HVAC license like Maryland or Michigan. So if you plan to start your career in the HVAC field, you have to obtain a West Virginia HVAC license. If you obtain a license, you can work as an employer and start your HVAC business.

Are There Different Types of HVAC Licenses in West Virginia?

You can find two types of HVAC licenses in West Virginia. So here they are:

• The first one is an HVAC technician certification.
• And the next one is a contractor license with an HVAC classification.

An HVAC technician certification will give you an opportunity to maintain, install, repair, alter, or remodel an HVAC system or the components inside of the system.

But if you have a contractor license with an HVAC classification, you can work on HVAC projects. You can earn more than $2,500 with these projects.

An HVAC technician can earn above $40,000. But if you have a contractor license, you will make more money. It will be about $65,000.

If you work with refrigerants in an HVAC industry, the EPA must certify you.

Who Actually Issues the Licenses?

The Department of Commerce Division of Labor in West Virginia administers the HVAC technician certification and the HVAC contractor license.

How to Get a West Virginia HVAC License?

In order to get your HVAC license in West Virginia, you have to submit an application for an HVAC technician certification.

Schooling Requirements

Schooling is not required for getting your West Virginia HVAC license. But if you want, you can get a bachelor’s or associate’s degree. You can take a one-year program at colleges. There are top schools to attend in order to get your degrees. So here they are:

1. West Virginia University
2. West Virginia Northern Community College

You can get a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at West Virginia University. And the tuition for this University can be nearly $10,000. And you can get an associate’s degree in air conditioning, refrigeration, and heating at West Virginia Northern Community College. However, the tuition for this college is under $4,000.

You can find financial aid options at the school. For that, you have to contact them.

On-the-Job Experience

If you want to obtain an HVAC technician certification, you have to earn 2,000 hours of experience working with HVAC systems. You will need to have an additional 6,000 hours of training. You can earn this experience in the form of education or apprenticeship.

Being an apprentice, you can work as a technician but only under the supervision of an HVAC technician. You can earn half of the experience with a bachelor’s degree or an associate degree in HVAC or mechanical engineering.

When you have your technician certification, you can apply for an HVAC contractor’s license.

How Much Does It Cost to Get a West Virginia HVAC License?

You have to pay $75 for the initial certification. And for the exam, you have to pay $42. But you have to pay $90 for the contractor license application, and for the exam, the fee is $42.

Do you need to take exams in order to get an HVAC license in West Virginia?

You have to pass the trade exam, in order to get an HVAC technician certification. The exam consists of 84 questions, and to complete it, you have only three hours. You have to get 70% or more right answers in order to pass the test. So the topics of the examination are:

• Code requirements
• Load calculations
• General regulations
• Ducting
• Controls
• Insulating
• Piping
• Safety

You have to take the business and law exam, which has 50 questions. The exam depends on business organization, labor law, risk management, and tax law.

How Long Does It Take to Get a West Virginia HVAC License?

Four years of experience will be needed to qualify you with an HVAC technician certification. When you pass the exam, it will take several weeks to receive your HVAC license in West Virginia.

Do you need to renew the HVAC licenses?

You have to renew your HVAC technician certifications and contractor licenses every year. You will pay $75 for the renewal. And for expired licenses, you have to pay an additional late fee, which is $25.