If you like solving problems and are especially interested in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, then a career as an HVAC technician in Texas is probably what you are looking for. Not only is this a rewarding field with exponentially high employment rates, but it’s also ideal if you want a straightforward path to certification.
This quick guide will take you through the most important things you should know before beginning your journey to licensing.
HVAC Contractor Licence Classifications
To perform any work related to heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems in Texas, you must hold an active licence from the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration (TDLR). You can still perform such tasks as a registered or certified technician as long as you work under a licensed contractor.
Bear in mind that you first have to work as a registered technician under a licensed and experienced contractor either way before being allowed to get your contractor’s licence. After that, you can apply to become a certified technician, which is a voluntary qualification exceeding the standards of a registered technician.
If, however, you don’t want to be a certified ACR technician, you can work for 48 months and gain the experience you need to skip directly to applying for your own contractor’s licence. You will also have to take a licensing exam. For that, it’s highly recommended to purchase HVAC License Texas education and exam prep materials from a reputable provider like RocketCert to increase your chances of passing. That’s because failing your test typically causes a significant delay before you are finally allowed to work under your licence.
As long as you pass your exams and meet the work experience and age (at least 18 years) requirements, you will have qualified to get either of the following licences issued by the TDLR:
- Class A (TACLA): The Texas Air Conditioning Class A licence is the licence you want to go for if you want to work on any HVAC unit without type or size restrictions. Another thing you may want to keep in mind is that this licence will make you more money than the alternative licence (TACLB).
- Class B (TACLB): A Texas Air Conditioning Class B licence has some restrictions, unlike the Class A licence. With this one, you can only work on cooling systems with a maximum cooling capacity of 25 tons and heating systems that don’t exceed 1.5 million British Thermal Units per hour (1,500,000 BTUs/hr).
One last thing you should know is that any of the licences you choose will include an EPA refrigeration certification, allowing you to work on any equipment that contains refrigerants. Still, you can pursue a non-mandatory North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certification to give your customers and potential employers the confidence they need, knowing you are extremely experienced and knowledgeable in HVAC systems.
Endorsements You Can Add to Your Licence
Adding endorsements to your licence further enhances its power to market you as a go-to HVAC contractor.
There are three such endorsements for Texas contractors, but it’s important to note that your licence can only have one of the following endorsements:
Environmental Air Conditioning
This endorsement simply means you can perform tasks related to treating air to control aspects like temperature, ventilation, humidity, and others to enhance human comfort.
Commercial Refrigeration
The commercial refrigeration endorsement promotes your expertise in works that involve mechanical or absorption equipment that controls temperature or humidity to guarantee the intended use of a specific area or room.
Process Cooling or Heating
This is the endorsement you would want to add to your licence if you’ll be handling equipment that controls humidity, temperature, or cleanliness solely for the proper operation of equipment or to meet production requirements.
Get The Support You Need to Acquire Your Licence
Understanding the different HVAC contractor licence classifications and endorsements in Texas should help a lot in helping you decide the path to take for successful licensing. However, that’s not everything you should do.
You also have to gain the experience and knowledge required to meet the licensing requirements and pass your exam. That’s where a reputable education and exam prep materials provider like RocketCert comes in. With expert-created content and dedicated customer support, you have everything you need to succeed!
