HVAC Technician License Requirements in South Carolina

Licensing Authority	SC Contractors' Licensing Board (commercial) / SC Residential Builders Commission (residential), both under LLR (SC CLB / SC RBC)
License Type	Commercial HVAC/Mechanical Contractor (Mechanical License, Groups 1-5) + Residential Specialty HVAC Contractor
Experience Required	Commercial: 2 years of work experience within the last 5 years in HVAC/air conditioning. Residential: 1 year of work experience within the last 5 years. HVAC technicians do not need a personal license but must work under a licensed contractor.
Exam Required	Yes — SC Commercial Air Conditioning/HVAC Trade Exam + SC Business Management & Law (Commercial) + SC Residential HVAC Trade Exam + SC Residential Business & Law Exam
Bond Required	Yes — $10,000
Insurance	General liability: recommended. Workers comp: required with employees
Continuing Education	Not required
Processing Time	7-10 business days (residential); 3-4 weeks (commercial)

Fee Breakdown

Application Fee	$100
Exam Fee	$75
Initial License Fee	$160
Commercial mechanical contractor license	$350
Half-period residential license	$80
Each PSI exam section	$75
Est. Initial Total	$840

Renewal: $160 every 2 years (commercial: expires Oct 31 odd years; residential: expires June 30 odd years)

Exam Requirements

SC Commercial Air Conditioning/HVAC Trade Exam

80 questions4 hoursPass: 70% (commercial: 56/80), 65% (residential: 52/80)

HVAC systemsMechanical codesRefrigerationDuctworkSafety

SC Business Management & Law (Commercial)

50 questions3 hoursPass: 70% (commercial: 56/80), 65% (residential: 52/80)

SC construction lawBusiness managementLicensing regulations

SC Residential HVAC Trade Exam

80 questions4 hoursPass: 70% (commercial: 56/80), 65% (residential: 52/80)

Residential HVACForced air systemsHeat pumpsSafety

SC Residential Business & Law Exam

2 hoursPass: 70% (commercial: 56/80), 65% (residential: 52/80)

SC residential lawBusiness management

Exam provider: PSI

License Tiers

Mechanical Group 1 (Commercial)

Projects up to $35,000. Net worth $3,500 or $7,000 surety bond.

Exam: Required

Mechanical Group 2 (Commercial)

Projects up to $100,000. Net worth $10,000 or $15,000 surety bond.

Exam: Required

Mechanical Group 3 (Commercial)

Projects up to $200,000. Net worth $20,000 or $30,000 surety bond.

Exam: Required

Mechanical Group 4 (Commercial)

Projects up to $400,000. Net worth $40,000 or $60,000 surety bond.

Exam: Required

Mechanical Group 5 (Commercial)

Unlimited. Net worth $200,000 or $300,000 surety bond.

Exam: Required

Residential Specialty HVAC Contractor

Residential HVAC work over $200. Requires $10,000 surety bond.

Exam: Required

License Reciprocity

This state has reciprocity agreements with 9 states. You may be able to skip the trade exam if you hold a valid license from one of these states.

alabamaTrade/technical exam waiver for qualifying license holders. Must still pass SC Business Management & Law exam.

georgiaTrade/technical exam waiver for qualifying license holders. Must still pass SC Business Management & Law exam. Residential builders/specialty: exam waiver if current license obtained by exam with no disciplinary action in last 3 years.

louisianaTrade/technical exam waiver for qualifying license holders. Must still pass SC Business Management & Law exam.

mississippiTrade/technical exam waiver for qualifying license holders. Must still pass SC Business Management & Law exam.

north carolinaTrade/technical exam waiver for qualifying license holders. Must still pass SC Business Management & Law exam. Residential: exam waiver for builder, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing if current license obtained by exam with no disciplinary action in last 3 years.

ohioTrade/technical exam waiver for qualifying license holders. Must still pass SC Business Management & Law exam.

tennesseeTrade/technical exam waiver for qualifying license holders. Must still pass SC Business Management & Law exam.

texasTrade/technical exam waiver for qualifying license holders. Must still pass SC Business Management & Law exam.

utahTrade/technical exam waiver for qualifying license holders. Must still pass SC Business Management & Law exam.

Notes

Commercial HVAC work over $10,000 requires CLB mechanical contractor license
Residential HVAC work over $200 requires RBC specialty license
HVAC technicians are NOT individually licensed — only contractors need a license
EPA Section 608 certification required for refrigerant handling (separate from state license)
No continuing education required for HVAC license renewal
Trade exam may only be taken 3 times in a 12-month period
All commercial exams are open-book

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a hvac technician license in South Carolina?

Yes, South Carolina requires a statewide hvac technician license through the SC Contractors' Licensing Board (commercial) / SC Residential Builders Commission (residential), both under LLR.

How much does a hvac technician license cost in South Carolina?

The estimated initial cost is $335, including application, exam, and license fees.

Data last verified: 2026-04-02 | Source: SC CLB / SC RBC