Delaware · HVAC licensing · official-source guide
Delaware licenses HVAC contractors at the state level through the Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners under 24 Del. C. Chapter 18. Contractors need a Master HVACR or Master HVACR Restricted license, verified experience, a passing exam score, and EPA Section 608 refrigerant certification. Working unlicensed carries a fine of $1,500 to $6,000 under Delaware law.
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Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration ExaminersState-level license
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Verify a licenseVerified against agency sources on 2026-09-12. Rules and fees change; confirm with the named authority before relying on this guide.
Delaware licenses heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration contractors at the state level. The Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners, part of the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, issues the license and enforces the rules. The Board's authority comes from Title 24, Chapter 18 of the Delaware Code. The Board also licenses plumbers, and many contracting businesses hold both a plumbing license and an HVACR license because the two trades overlap on gas piping and water lines connected to heating equipment. The Board meets the second Tuesday of each month, except June and December, in the Cannon Building at 861 Silver Lake Boulevard in Dover. Meetings are open to the public. The Board reviews applications at its scheduled meetings and will only act on a complete application, meaning DELPROS submissions plus any documents mailed or emailed by the applicant or a third party such as a former employer or another state's board. Delaware does not license HVAC contracting at the city or county level as a separate trade credential. Cities can adopt their own plumbing, HVACR, or fuel gas codes and enforce them alongside the state license, but they do not issue a competing HVAC trade license. A contractor who wants to legally design, install, maintain, service, repair, alter or modify heating, air conditioning, refrigeration or ventilation equipment in Delaware needs a Master HVACR or Master HVACR Restricted license from this Board, not a local permit alone. Homeowners doing HVACR work other than gas piping on their own home, and workers supervised by a license holder, are the two main exceptions covered later in this brief. Contact for the Board is (302) 744-4500, fax (302) 739-2711, or customerservice.dpr@delaware.gov, with mail going to the Cannon Building address above.
The Board issues three license types relevant to HVAC work: Master HVACR, Master HVACR Restricted, and Master Plumber. A Master HVACR license lets the holder design, install, construct, maintain, service, repair, alter or modify equipment for heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, ventilation, process cooling or process heating, including the gas piping tied to that equipment. A Master HVACR Restricted license limits the holder to one specialty chosen from a list the Board sets: heating with forced air systems and gas piping, heating with hydronic systems and gas piping, commercial hood systems, refrigeration, air conditioning, or gas piping alone. A contractor who wants to work in more than one of those specialties must hold the unrestricted Master HVACR license, and a Restricted license holder who wants to expand must apply to upgrade. Neither HVACR license covers plumbing work. A separate Master Plumber license is required for anyone who designs, installs, constructs, replaces, services, repairs, alters or modifies the pipes, fixtures and other apparatus that bring the water supply into a building or remove liquid and water carried waste from it, and for connecting gas piping tied to those systems. In practice, an HVAC contracting business that also runs water lines or does plumbing-side gas connections needs both a Master Plumber license and a Master HVACR or Master HVACR Restricted license held by a qualifying individual. It is unlawful to hold yourself out to the public as a master HVACR licensee, use that title, or use wording that implies you are qualified to provide HVACR services, unless you hold the license or fall under one of the statutory exemptions covered in the next section.
Sourcesdpr.delaware.gov 1dpr.delaware.gov 2delcode.delaware.gov 3
Delaware law defines who must hold a license and who is exempted from that requirement. Under 24 Del. C. section 1820, a person may not provide HVACR or HVACR restricted services in Delaware, or claim to be a master HVACR licensee or master HVACR restricted licensee, without holding that license or qualifying for an exemption. If a license has expired, been suspended, or been revoked, the holder cannot legally act as a master HVACR licensee until it is restored. Four exemptions exist. First, an apprentice, journeyman, mechanic or other worker may perform HVACR services without a personal license while working under the direct supervision of a master HVACR licensee or master HVACR restricted licensee who is either the worker's employer or employed full time by the same business. Second, a homeowner may perform HVACR services other than gas piping in or about their own home, as long as the home is not for sale or for rent or lease. Third, someone doing HVACR work exclusively on agricultural property may proceed without a personal HVACR license if they have filed an application for a permit with the authorized inspection authority. Fourth, the temporary licensure provision for firms that lose their sole license holder, covered later in this brief, creates a narrow, time limited exception. Outside those four situations, every individual who designs, installs, constructs, maintains, services, repairs, alters or modifies HVACR equipment for someone else in Delaware needs a Master HVACR or Master HVACR Restricted license in their own name. The statute applies to the individual performing the work, not just the business that employs them, which is why businesses track which employees hold which license and specialty.
Sourcesdelcode.delaware.gov
Delaware sets two paths to qualify for the Master HVACR or Master HVACR Restricted exam, both built around supervised field experience. An applicant who holds a journeyman's certificate from a federally approved HVACR apprenticeship program, such as one that meets or exceeds the Federal Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training Standards, needs 2 years of HVACR or HVACR restricted work under the supervision of a master license holder after receiving that certificate. An applicant without a journeyman's certificate needs 7 years of supervised HVACR or HVACR restricted work under a master license holder, and must then pass an apprenticeship equivalency test, called the Apprenticeship By-Pass Exam, administered by Associated Builders and Contractors Delaware in New Castle County. The Board must review and approve the experience before either path moves to the licensure exam. Applicants document experience with a Verification of Employment form completed by their supervisor. If that is not available, a W-2 or an affidavit from an employer or company officer can substitute, along with a written statement explaining why the standard form could not be obtained. Self-employed applicants can use Schedule C tax filings to prove their experience, and the Board decides case by case whether the proof submitted is acceptable. Applicants must also hold a current CFC certification card if they are applying for Master HVACR, Master HVACR Restricted-Refrigeration, or Master HVACR Restricted-Air Conditioning, certified at the appropriate level by a testing organization approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. That CFC requirement is the state law hook for the federal EPA Section 608 program covered in the next section.
Sourcesdpr.delaware.gov 1delcode.delaware.gov 2dpr.delaware.gov 3
Once the Board approves an applicant's experience, the path to a license runs through one or two proctored exams. Applicants without a journeyman's certificate must first pass the Apprenticeship By-Pass Exam through Associated Builders and Contractors Delaware, scoring at least 70 percent, before they are cleared to sit for the Master licensure exam itself. All licensure exams for Delaware's Plumbing and HVACR trades run through the external testing vendor ProV. After Board approval, ProV contacts the candidate by email, usually within 1 to 2 weeks, with a Candidate Information Bulletin covering how to schedule the exam, permitted materials, the topics each exam section covers, the exam challenge and hand-score request process, and sample questions. ProV offers traditional in-person testing at four Delaware locations in Wilmington, Newark, and Dover, with appointment times that vary by site, generally between 8:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on 2 to 5 days a week. ProV also offers online testing through the Examroom service on a compatible computer, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., by appointment. A candidate who does not pass an exam attempt can register for another attempt through the same vendor that administered it. Delaware's regulations cap an applicant at three exam attempts; after a third failing attempt, the applicant must reapply as a new applicant and wait at least one year from the date of the last attempt before trying again. Once the Board receives and verifies a passing score, which can take up to two weeks, and confirms the applicant meets every other licensure requirement, the license is issued and the applicant is notified by email with renewal and continuing education details.
On top of the state HVACR license, federal law separately requires refrigerant certification for anyone who works on equipment that could release refrigerant into the atmosphere. Delaware's own licensure statute builds this in: an applicant for Master HVACR, Master HVACR Restricted-Refrigeration, or Master HVACR Restricted-Air Conditioning must hold a CFC certification card at the appropriate level from a testing organization approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. That federal program is EPA's Section 608 Technician Certification, required under the Clean Air Act and its implementing regulations at 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F. EPA defines a covered technician as anyone who attaches or detaches hoses and gauges to measure pressure in an appliance, adds or removes refrigerant, or otherwise breaks into the refrigerant circuit of a small appliance or a motor vehicle air conditioner-like appliance, other than for disposal. Technicians must pass an EPA-approved test administered by an EPA-approved certifying organization, and the test differs by equipment type. EPA issues four certification types: Type I for small appliances, Type II for high or very high pressure appliances other than small appliances and MVACs, Type III for low pressure appliances, and Universal for all equipment types, which requires the core exam to be taken as a proctored test rather than an open book one. Section 608 credentials do not expire once earned. Apprentices are exempt from the federal certification requirement as long as they work under the close and continual supervision of a certified technician, which lines up with Delaware's own supervised-apprentice exemption from state licensure. A Delaware HVACR contractor working on refrigerant-containing equipment effectively needs both the state Master HVACR or Restricted license and the matching EPA Section 608 certification for the equipment they service.
Delaware processes all HVACR license fees through DELPROS, its online licensing system, using a shopping-cart model that accepts credit or debit card payment; the Division does not accept cash, checks, or money orders by mail, and processing fees are non-refundable. The application fee is the same for both HVACR license types: $173 for a Master HVACR application and $173 for a Master Restricted HVACR application. A Plumber application also costs $173. A temporary Plumber or HVACR license, issued when a firm loses its sole license holder, costs $40 to apply for. A separate Commercial Hood System Examination, tied to that specialty within the Restricted license, costs $50. The renewal fee is not fixed as a published number; the Board notifies each licensee of the exact renewal fee amount at the time of renewal, and every renewal application requires paying that fee. A renewal submitted after the license's expiration date requires a late fee equal to 50 percent of the renewal fee, on top of the renewal fee itself. Beyond the license and renewal fees, DELPROS Service Requests carry their own charges: $45 for an inactive license status change request, $45 for a request for a license roster, $35 for a verification of licensure, $45 for a verification of licensure that includes exam scores, hours, or history, and $45 for continuing education course approval submitted by a course provider. By statute, the Division sets fees to approximate the actual cost of running the Board and the Division's services on the Board's behalf, and it cannot charge a fee for anything not specified in Chapter 18, or combine the application fee with any other fee.
Delaware grants a license by reciprocity to an applicant who already holds a current license in good standing from another state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory, once the Board confirms that jurisdiction's licensure standards are substantially similar to Delaware's and the applicant submits the same background and competency evidence required of every applicant. The Board's HVACR licensure page sets out which states currently qualify as substantially similar without added proof of experience: Connecticut and Maryland. A longer list of states does not meet that substantially similar standard, which means an applicant licensed only in Alabama, Arkansas, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, or West Virginia must submit proof of at least 7 years of practice as a Master HVACR licensee in that state after receiving that license. An applicant licensed in any state or U.S. territory not on either list has their license evaluated individually, and must submit a copy of that jurisdiction's licensing law and regulations for the Board to review. Reciprocity applicants still submit the same core paperwork every applicant submits: a state licensure verification sent directly from each jurisdiction where they hold or have held a license, a CFC certification card if applying for a refrigeration or air conditioning credential, and any required proof of experience. The Board can waive some background-related requirements for good cause, but reciprocity does not waive the CFC certification requirement or the state licensure verification requirement.
A Delaware Master HVACR or Master HVACR Restricted license runs on a two-year cycle and expires on October 31 of even-numbered years, such as 2026 or 2028. A few months before expiration, the Board sends a renewal notice by email to the address on file, and the licensee completes the renewal application in DELPROS and pays the renewal fee by credit card. All license notices, including renewal and audit notices, go out by email only, so keeping contact information current in DELPROS matters. A license that is not renewed by the expiration date is expired, and it is illegal to practice while expired. A licensee can file a late renewal for up to one year after the expiration date, paying a late fee equal to 50 percent of the renewal fee in addition to the renewal fee, but practicing during that late period is still illegal until the renewal is actually processed. A license not renewed within one year of expiration terminates, and the holder must reapply as a brand new applicant to practice again. Continuing education requirements depend on when the license was first issued within its two-year cycle: a license issued on or after November 1 of an even year but before November 1 of the following odd year owes 3 hours of CE for that first renewal; one issued on or after November 1 of an odd year but before July 1 of the next even year owes 0 hours for that first renewal; and one issued on or after July 1 through October 31 of an even year owes 5 hours. Every renewal after the first owes 5 hours of CE, unless the licensee holds dual licenses. The Board also runs random audits of active licensees to confirm CE compliance, requiring a certificate signed by the course presenter or a sponsoring organization official for each course claimed. A licensee not practicing in Delaware can request inactive status before the late renewal period ends, stay inactive for up to five years, and must reactivate through a DELPROS service request before that period runs out or the license terminates.
Sourcesdpr.delaware.gov 1dpr.delaware.gov 2delcode.delaware.gov 3
Delaware law lets a plumbing or HVACR business keep operating for a limited time if it loses its only license holder to death or loss of employment. Under 24 Del. C. section 1831, when a firm suffers that loss, it must notify the Board in writing with supporting documentation within 7 days, and the Board must schedule an emergency meeting within 10 days of that notice. Between the loss and the emergency meeting, the firm may keep operating without a license holder as long as it keeps the same personnel apart from the departed license holder. An owner or employee who wants to keep the business running applies for a temporary license before that emergency meeting, and the Board can issue a 100-day temporary license at the meeting, dated from the date the firm first notified the Board. To apply, the designated owner or employee submits a temporary Plumber or HVACR application and fee of $40, a non-temporary Plumber or HVACR application and fee, a death certificate or termination-of-employment document, and a Notice of Loss explaining the firm's situation. Anyone holding a temporary license must take the next available licensure exam; the temporary license expires immediately if the holder skips that exam or fails it, and it also expires the moment full licensure is issued, whichever happens first. If the 100 days run out and the firm still has no license holder, the firm must stop providing licensed HVACR or plumbing services immediately. This temporary track exists only for the loss of a sole license holder; it does not cover a firm that simply wants extra time to hire, and it does not extend past 100 days under any circumstance described in the statute.
Sourcesdpr.delaware.gov 1delcode.delaware.gov 2dpr.delaware.gov 3
Delaware treats unlicensed HVACR work as a criminal offense, not just a civil violation. Under 24 Del. C. section 1820(d), a first offense carries a fine of not less than $1,500 and not more than $3,000. A second or later offense carries a fine of not less than $3,000 and not more than $6,000. Justice of the Peace Courts have jurisdiction over these cases, meaning enforcement runs through the criminal court system rather than only through the Board's administrative process. The prohibited conduct is broader than just doing the work: the statute also bars holding yourself out to the public as a master HVACR licensee or master HVACR restricted licensee, using either title alongside your name, or using any other wording that would lead the public to believe you are qualified to provide HVACR or HVACR restricted services, unless you actually hold the license or qualify for one of the statutory exemptions. A person whose license has expired, been suspended, or been revoked cannot legally act as a master HVACR licensee or restricted licensee, even if they held a valid license in the past. Separately, the Board itself can act administratively when it finds someone providing HVACR services or using a licensed title without authority: it can ask the Delaware Attorney General's Office to issue a cease and desist order, prosecute the violator, or both, in addition to whatever fine a Justice of the Peace Court imposes. Consumers who suspect a contractor is working without the required license can file a complaint with the Division of Professional Regulation, which investigates all complaints it receives.
Sourcesdelcode.delaware.gov
Delaware's HVACR license is a state credential, and 24 Del. C. section 1832 specifically preserves local authority on top of it: nothing in Chapter 18 limits a county, municipality, or other government entity from adopting and enforcing its own plumbing, HVACR, or fuel gas codes and regulations, as long as they do not conflict with the state chapter. In practice, that means Delaware's largest cities, including Wilmington, Dover, and Newark, can require permits and inspections for HVAC installations on top of the state license, even though none of them issue a separate city HVAC trade license that substitutes for the state one. Delaware has no county government layer with its own separate contractor licensing system the way some states do; New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties do not issue a competing HVACR credential. Every contractor doing business in Delaware, regardless of trade, must also register with the Delaware Division of Revenue and hold a Delaware business license, separate from the Board's trade license; the Division processes this through a Resident Contractors Package or a Non-Resident Contractors Package depending on where the business is based. Non-resident contractors face an added requirement: the Division of Revenue directs them to post a bond, a cash bond receipt, or an irrevocable letter of credit, and to contact the Division's bonding contact directly to work out the requirement for their specific contract. Contractors that hire subcontractors also file specific Division of Revenue forms, including a statement of payments made to subcontractors and a statement of contracts awarded. None of this replaces the Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners license itself; it stacks on top of it.
Delaware's HVACR statute focuses its advertising-related restriction on titles rather than on physical display requirements. Chapter 18 does not include a provision requiring a licensee to print a license number on advertisements, vehicles, websites, or written estimates, and it does not set out a specific fine tied to omitting a license number from marketing materials the way some states do for other trades. What the statute does control is who may use certain words at all. Under 24 Del. C. section 1820(a), a person cannot hold themselves out to the public as a master HVACR licensee or master HVACR restricted licensee, use either phrase with their name, or use any other title or description that would lead a customer to believe they are qualified to provide HVACR or HVACR restricted services, unless they hold that license or qualify for a statutory exemption. That restriction applies everywhere the title could appear, including a truck door, a website, a business card, or a print or online advertisement, because the statute is written around use of the title and the impression it creates rather than around a specific medium. A Master HVACR Restricted licensee is also limited in what they can claim: they may only advertise or represent themselves as qualified within their specific restricted specialty, such as refrigeration or air conditioning, not as a general HVACR contractor, unless they hold the unrestricted Master HVACR license. Local governments retain the authority under section 1832 to add their own advertising or signage rules through local code, separate from the state statute, though this brief did not find a specific Delaware city ordinance requiring HVACR license numbers in advertising.
A Delaware customer can check whether an HVAC contractor holds a current, active Master HVACR or Master HVACR Restricted license through DELPROS's public License Look-Up tool at delpros.delaware.gov/OH_VerifyLicense, which the Division of Professional Regulation operates for every profession it licenses, including HVACR. The Division also offers formal Verification of Licensure and Verification of Licensure with Exam Scores/Hours/History service requests through DELPROS for situations that need a documented, board-issued confirmation rather than a quick online check, each carrying its own fee under the Board's fee schedule. Businesses or licensees can also request a roster of licensees in a specific profession through a DELPROS service request. If a customer or another contractor believes a person is doing HVACR work without a license, using a restricted license outside its specialty, or falsely claiming to be a master HVACR licensee, they can file a complaint with the Division of Professional Regulation. The Division investigates every complaint it receives and issues a final written report at the conclusion of its investigation. If the Board finds, after a hearing, that a licensee violated the grounds for discipline in the statute, such as fraud in obtaining a license, negligent or incompetent HVACR work, a substantially related criminal conviction, or violating a Board regulation, it can impose sanctions ranging from a letter of reprimand or censure to probation, suspension, revocation, or an administrative penalty of up to $500 per violation, and these sanctions can be combined. A licensee who disagrees with a Board decision can appeal to the Delaware Superior Court within 30 days of receiving it.
Sourcesdelpros.delaware.gov 1dpr.delaware.gov 2delcode.delaware.gov 3
These are common details other guides publish about Delaware, but we could not verify them from the agency source. Confirm them directly before relying on them.
Yes. The Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners issues a Master HVACR or Master HVACR Restricted license under 24 Del. C. Chapter 18, and a person cannot legally provide HVACR services in Delaware without one.
A Master HVACR license covers all HVACR work. A Master HVACR Restricted license limits the holder to one specialty, such as air conditioning, refrigeration, commercial hood systems, forced air heating, hydronic heating, or gas piping.
Only if the work involves the water supply or waste piping into a building. HVACR equipment itself is covered by the Master HVACR or Restricted license; connecting water lines requires a separate Master Plumber license.
Yes. Delaware's own licensure rule requires a CFC certification card for refrigeration and air conditioning applicants, and federal EPA Section 608 rules separately require certification for anyone who services equipment that could release refrigerant.
The application fee is $173 for both a Master HVACR license and a Master Restricted HVACR license, paid through the DELPROS online system.
Licenses run on a two-year cycle and expire October 31 of even-numbered years. Renewal requires an email-based application in DELPROS, payment of a renewal fee, and proof of continuing education.
The amount depends on when the license was first issued within its two-year cycle, ranging from 0 to 5 hours for the first renewal. Every renewal after that owes 5 hours unless the licensee holds dual licenses.
Yes. Connecticut and Maryland are treated as substantially similar with no added proof required. Applicants from many other listed states must show at least 7 years of practice, and unlisted jurisdictions are evaluated individually.
A first offense carries a fine of $1,500 to $3,000. A second or later offense carries a fine of $3,000 to $6,000. Justice of the Peace Courts handle these cases, and the Board can also seek a cease and desist order.
Use the DELPROS License Look-Up tool at delpros.delaware.gov/OH_VerifyLicense, which the Division of Professional Regulation operates for every profession it licenses, including HVACR.
Yes, temporarily. The firm can apply for a 100-day temporary license after notifying the Board within 7 days, but the designated employee must take and pass the next available licensure exam.
Chapter 18 does not include a specific requirement to print a license number on ads, vehicles, or estimates. It does bar using the title master HVACR licensee without holding that license.
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