HVAC Classes in Arizona (Top Schools)

One important requirement that all HVAC technicians and contractors must possess is field expertise.

In this way, you can provide quality services for employers and clients.

Plus, having the necessary skills will allow you to enjoy career opportunities and competitive salaries.

So if you want to work as an HVAC professional in Arizona, the information on this page will prove helpful to you.

HVAC Programs in Arizona

The HVAC work needs high technical skills.

That’s why you need to acquire educational training and field experience in order to learn the trade.

To get this, you can enroll in either an approved HVAC program or an apprenticeship program.

During the program, you’ll learn things such as:

• Mechanics and parts of the HVAC system
• Installation, repair, and maintenance of HVAC system
• Basics of home construction
• Interpretation of technical plans
• Read blueprints and engineering specifications
• Federal, state, and local laws and regulations

Listed below are some of the accredited HVAC schools in Arizona that you can consider.

How to Get Licensed in Arizona

In Arizona, HVAC technicians don’t need a state-level license to provide HVAC services in the state.

Instead, HVAC contractors, through the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (RoC), will need one.

There are 3 types of licenses, with different classifications, which you can apply for:

• Specialty Residential Contracting (SRC)
  • R-39 Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, including Solar
• Specialty Commercial Contracting (SCC)
  • C-39 Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
  • C-79 Air Conditioning and Refrigeration including Solar
• Specialty Dual License Contracting (SDLC)
  • CR-39 Air Conditioning and Refrigeration
  • CR-79 Air Conditioning and Refrigeration including Solar

To qualify, you need at least 4 years of field experience for each license.

Taking the Specialty Contractor License Exam

RoC contracted with PSI to help administer the exams.

Also, the person allowed to take the exam will be the assigned Qualifying Party (QP).

The QP must meet or exceed the qualifications for the business’s chosen specialty license.

The exam will have the following test portions:

• Statutes and rules exam (SRE)
• Trade exam
• Solar exam

Here is the exam content for each specialty license:

• SRC
  • R-39 – SRE, trade, and solar
• SCC
  • C-39 – SRE and trade
  • C-79 – SRE, trade, and solar
• SDLC
  • CR-39 – SRE and trade
  • CR-79 – SRE, trade, and solar

The QP needs to score at least 70% to pass the exams.

After successfully passing the exams, you can now process your license application.

Applying for the Specialty Contractor License

Here’s what you need to do to obtain your specialty contractor license:

• Submit the QP’s exam results to RoC
• Set up a legal entity for your business
  • Partnerships must register with the Arizona Secretary of State
  • Corporations and LLCs must register with the Arizona Corporation Commission
• You and the QP will undergo complete background checks online through PeopleG2
• Present government-issued IDs
  • For sole proprietorships, yours and the QP
  • For partnerships, corporations, and LLCs, each individual listed in the application form and the QP
• Proof of contractor’s license bond (amount will depend on the type of license)
• Complete and submit the applicable license application form (according to the business entity) and required fees
  • SRC
    • Application fee – $80
    • License fee – $270
    • Recover fund assessment – $370
  • SCC
    • Application fee – $100
    • License fee – $480
    • Recover fund assessment – N/A
  • SDLC
    • Application fee – $100
    • License fee – $380
    • Recover fund assessment – $370

Renewal Requirements

Your specialty contractor license is only valid for 2 years.

To renew, you must pay the required fees:

• SRC
  • License fee – $270
  • Recover fund assessment – $270
• SCC
  • License fee – $480
  • Recover fund assessment – N/A
• SDLC
  • License fee – $380
  • Recover fund assessment – $270

EPA Certification

Under the Clean Air Act, any technician handling refrigerant-containing equipment must be certified.

So you need to obtain the EPA Section 608 Technician Certification, which has 4 types:

• Type I
• Type II
• Type III
• Universal

Getting such certification won’t expire and will last a lifetime.

To learn more, check out our guide to the EPA certification.

Potential Salary

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the following salary information for HVAC technicians in Arizona:

• Annual mean wage – $50,420
• 10th percentile – $29,670
• 90th percentile – $77,110

Do note that salary varies depending on several factors, like education, experience, certification, etc.

In the table below, you’ll find the salary information of 10 of Arizona’s cities for reference.

Regional Salary

HVAC Schools by City

• Phoenix & Mesa3 Schools
• Tucson3 Schools

This page is also available in Spanish.