Can I perform HVAC work if I have a current WV contractor license
with the HVAC classification?
No, effective January 1, 2016, each person performing HVAC work
must have an HVAC Technician Certification. For example, if there are
three (3) HVAC Technicians working on a job they each must have an HVAC
Technician Certification and their employer must have a contractor license with
a classification which covers the HVAC work.
Am I required to have an HVAC Technician Certification if I bid on and
receive the contract on a HVAC project but sub-contract the actual HVAC work or
my employees perform the work?
No, an HVAC Technician Certification is only needed for the person
who is performing the HVAC work.
Do my five (5) employees performing HVAC work on a residential home need
HVAC Technician Certifications?
Yes, all persons performing or offering to perform HVAC work are
required to have an HVAC Technician Certification. (HVAC Technician, HVAC
Residential Technician or Technician in Training)
How many Technicians in Training can I have on a project?
A Technician or a Residential Technician can have no more than four
(4) four Technicians in Training under his direct supervision on a residential
project and no more than two (2) Technicians in Training under his direct
supervision on a commercial project.
What is considered HVAC work?
HVAC work means to install, maintain, alter, remodel or repair one
or more components of a heating, ventilating and cooling system.
Are there exemptions?
Yes, a certification is not required to perform HVAC work in the
following settings, see §21-16-3 (c) 1-4.
1. A person who personally performs work on an HVAC system in
a single-family dwelling owned by that person or by a member of that person’s
immediate family;
2. At a manufacturing / industrial facility as an employee;
3. A person performing electrical or plumbing work on an HVAC system so
long as the work is within the scope of practice which the person is otherwise
licensed or authorized to perform;
4. A person who performs routine maintenance on any HVAC system equipment.
How much is the initial certification?
Technician
- $75.00
Residential
Technician - $60.00
Technician
in Training - $25.00
When do I renew my HVAC Technician Certification?
The expiration date is listed on your certification card. In
addition, you will receive a renewal form approximately forty-five (45) days in
advance of the expiration date.
How much do I pay when I renew my certification?
Technician
- $75.00 ($25.00 Late fee if expired past fifteen (15) days)
Residential
Technician - $60.00 ($25.00 Late fee if expired past fifteen (15) days)
Technician in Training - $25.00 ($25.00 Late fee if expired past fifteen (15)
days)
Do I have to test to acquire an HVAC Technician Certification?
All Technician and Residential Technician applicants are required to take a written exam
to acquire a certification.
Technician applicants must certify their HVAC
experience by documentation or by sworn affidavit during the certification
process.
Who will be giving the written test and what examination do I need to take?
HVAC Technician or HVAC Residential Technician.
Technician in Training applicants will only required to submit a completed
application with a $25.00 fee. No
examination required.
If an entity acquires an HVAC Technician Certification, does it cover all
employees?
No, an HVAC Technician Certification can only be issued to a person and not to
an entity. It allows only the person identified on the card to perform
HVAC work.
What documentation will be accepted for the experience in order to acquire an
HVAC Technician Certification?
A variety of documentation will be accepted including information
from previous employers, pay stubs, W-2’s,
records from consumers for whom you performed HVAC work or similar documents.
What is the difference between an HVAC Technician Certification and the HVAC
classification on a Contractor License?
All persons performing
HVAC work in the State of West Virginia are required to have an HVAC Technician
Certification, regardless of the dollar amount of the job or the individual’s
affiliation with a licensed contractor.
HVAC work which is $5,000 or more on a residential project or $25,000 or more on a commercial project (material & labor for entire project,
not just the HVAC work) requires the entity to obtain a Contractor License with
a classification that covers HVAC work.