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HVAC license · Nevada

How to get an HVAC contractor license in Nevada: the official requirements

The Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Contractor License (Classification C-21) license, the experience and training it takes, the exam and how to apply, from the Nevada State Contractors Board.

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Updated Nov 9, 2026 · Requirements: each state's HVAC licensing authority or its rules
Quick answer

In Nevada, the statewide HVAC license is a contractor license, issued by the Nevada State Contractors Board. The state license is a contractor's license from the Nevada State Contractors Board, which licenses contractors by trade classification; refrigeration and air-conditioning is Classification C-21. Businesses or individuals who construct or alter buildings or other structures in Nevada must be licensed by the Board, and contractors must be licensed before submitting bids. Experience and training: The contractor, or a qualifying individual who represents the contractor, needs at least 4 years of experience as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor in the classification applied for, within the 15 years before the application. Training at an accredited college, university or equivalent program accepted by the Board can count for up to 3 of those years. Work experience documentation goes in with the application. Licensing exam: The qualifying individual passes the written Business and Law exam and, for classifications that have one, a trade exam for the trade applied for, unless a waiver applies. PSI administers the exams; after your experience is verified the Board mails an Examination Eligibility Letter with your Candidate ID number for scheduling. How to apply: Send the Application for a Contractor's License, with the application processing fee and all required documents (reference certificates, a detailed resume of experience and a financial statement), to either Board office. After you pass the exam and/or your application is approved, you send the initial license fee, the license bond and the other required documents; the license is issued once the Board's requirements are met.

Requirements

Nevada HVAC contractor license requirements

Data
Nevada HVAC license requirements (Nevada State Contractors Board)
RequirementNevada
License you apply forThe state license is a contractor's license from the Nevada State Contractors Board, which licenses contractors by trade classification; refrigeration and air-conditioning is Classification C-21. Businesses or individuals who construct or alter buildings or other structures in Nevada must be licensed by the Board, and contractors must be licensed before submitting bids.
Apprentice or trainee registrationNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the Nevada State Contractors Board.
Experience and trainingThe contractor, or a qualifying individual who represents the contractor, needs at least 4 years of experience as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor in the classification applied for, within the 15 years before the application. Training at an accredited college, university or equivalent program accepted by the Board can count for up to 3 of those years. Work experience documentation goes in with the application.
Classroom hoursNo education requirement applies to qualify for a contractor's license; accepted college or university training can stand in for up to 3 years of experience, with written documentation.
Licensing examThe qualifying individual passes the written Business and Law exam and, for classifications that have one, a trade exam for the trade applied for, unless a waiver applies. PSI administers the exams; after your experience is verified the Board mails an Examination Eligibility Letter with your Candidate ID number for scheduling.
How to applySend the Application for a Contractor's License, with the application processing fee and all required documents (reference certificates, a detailed resume of experience and a financial statement), to either Board office. After you pass the exam and/or your application is approved, you send the initial license fee, the license bond and the other required documents; the license is issued once the Board's requirements are met.
Background checkEveryone listed on the application, including the qualifying individual, completes a background disclosure statement and fingerprint waiver; the Board runs a background check using FBI and Nevada Criminal History Repository records. Applications are not automatically denied because of what the check finds.
State feesApplication processing fee: $300, nonrefundable. License fee: $600.00 every two years. Exam fees, fingerprint fees, bond costs and the Residential Recovery Fund assessment are not included here.
License termTwo years: a contractor's license is first issued for two years, expires two years from the last day of the month it was issued, and is renewed every two years.
Continuing educationNot stated in the official source we read. Check with the Nevada State Contractors Board.

Where the official source we read does not state something, the table says so rather than guessing. Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools, apprenticeship programs, fingerprint vendors and application portals are not included.

This page covers the HVAC license issued by the state. Cities and counties can have their own registration, permit or license rules; ask the local building department where you will work.

Steps

How to get licensed in Nevada

Data
  1. Build at least 4 years of experience as a journeyman, foreman, supervisor or contractor in refrigeration and air-conditioning work within the last 15 years (or have a qualifying individual who has it).
  2. Send the contractor's license application with the $300 processing fee, your experience documentation, resume and financial statement to the Board.
  3. Complete the background disclosure and fingerprint waiver forms.
  4. When the Examination Eligibility Letter arrives, pass the Business and Law exam and any trade exam your classification requires, with PSI.
  5. After approval, send the initial license fee and the license bond.
  6. Renew the license every two years.
Next

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FAQ

Questions people ask

How do I get an HVAC contractor license in Nevada?
In Nevada, the statewide HVAC license is a contractor license, issued by the Nevada State Contractors Board. The state license is a contractor's license from the Nevada State Contractors Board, which licenses contractors by trade classification; refrigeration and air-conditioning is Classification C-21. Businesses or individuals who construct or alter buildings or other structures in Nevada must be licensed by the Board, and contractors must be licensed before submitting bids. Experience and training: The contractor, or a qualifying individual who represents the contractor, needs at least 4 years of experience as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor in the classification applied for, within the 15 years before the application. Training at an accredited college, university or equivalent program accepted by the Board can count for up to 3 of those years. Work experience documentation goes in with the application. Licensing exam: The qualifying individual passes the written Business and Law exam and, for classifications that have one, a trade exam for the trade applied for, unless a waiver applies. PSI administers the exams; after your experience is verified the Board mails an Examination Eligibility Letter with your Candidate ID number for scheduling. How to apply: Send the Application for a Contractor's License, with the application processing fee and all required documents (reference certificates, a detailed resume of experience and a financial statement), to either Board office. After you pass the exam and/or your application is approved, you send the initial license fee, the license bond and the other required documents; the license is issued once the Board's requirements are met.
What experience do I need for a Nevada HVAC contractor license?
The contractor, or a qualifying individual who represents the contractor, needs at least 4 years of experience as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor in the classification applied for, within the 15 years before the application. Training at an accredited college, university or equivalent program accepted by the Board can count for up to 3 of those years. Work experience documentation goes in with the application.
Is there an apprentice or trainee license in Nevada?
Not stated in the official source we read. Check with the Nevada State Contractors Board.
Do I need to pass an exam for a Nevada HVAC contractor license?
The qualifying individual passes the written Business and Law exam and, for classifications that have one, a trade exam for the trade applied for, unless a waiver applies. PSI administers the exams; after your experience is verified the Board mails an Examination Eligibility Letter with your Candidate ID number for scheduling.
How long is a Nevada HVAC contractor license good for?
Two years: a contractor's license is first issued for two years, expires two years from the last day of the month it was issued, and is renewed every two years.
How much does a Nevada HVAC contractor license cost?
Application processing fee: $300, nonrefundable. License fee: $600.00 every two years. Exam fees, fingerprint fees, bond costs and the Residential Recovery Fund assessment are not included here. Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools, apprenticeship programs, fingerprint vendors and application portals are not included.
Method

How this page is built

Each fact on this page comes from the Nevada State Contractors Board (sources named below), read on the dates shown, with the exact wording we relied on kept on file. Requirements and fees change; the Nevada State Contractors Board's current instructions govern. We re-read each state's sources every six months (next review by May 10, 2027).

What this page can't tell you
  • Not legal advice.
  • Licensing rules can change. Verify current requirements with the issuing agency.
  • Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools, apprenticeship programs, fingerprint vendors and application portals are not included.
  • This page covers the HVAC license issued by the state. Cities and counties can have their own registration, permit or license rules; ask the local building department where you will work.
  • This page covers the contractor license named above. Specialty, limited and out-of-state (reciprocity) licenses have their own rules.
Sources
  1. Nevada State Contractors Board, General Requirements (FAQ, updated 2026-09-14), official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
  2. Nevada State Contractors Board, New License Application (Revised 06/2024), official source, read Nov 9, 2026.