HVAC Classes in Hawaii (Top Schools)

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there had been 1,360 employed HVAC technicians in Hawaii as of May 2021.

However, the employment level will increase as the demand for HVAC services continues to rise over the years.

What’s more, the annual average salary for HVAC technicians in Hawaii is among the highest in the country.

So if you aspire to become an HVAC professional in Hawaii, the information on this page will help you get started.

HVAC Programs in Hawaii

At its most basic, being an HVAC technician means performing installation, repair, and maintenance on HVAC systems.

So for you to be able to do that and more, you need to have a knowledge and skills foundation.

To do that, you need to enroll in an approved HVAC program that will prepare you for the HVAC trade and licensure exams.

The table below lists some of the accredited HVAC schools in Hawaii.

How to Get Licensed in Hawaii

In Hawaii, the state doesn’t regulate nor issue licenses to HVAC technicians, provided that they work for a licensed contractor.

For HVAC contractors, they must get a state-issued Class C Specialty Contractor License.

The Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Professional and Vocational Licensing (PVL) Division will issue this license.

There are 2 HVAC-related subclassifications of the Class C Specialty Contractor License that you can get.

• C-40 Refrigeration Contractor
  • Assemble and install devices, machinery, and units including temperature insulation units, ducts, blowers, registers, humidity, and thermostatic controls for the control of air temperature below 50°F in refrigerators, refrigerator rooms, and insulated refrigerator spaces
  • Construct walk-in refrigerator boxes
• C-52 Ventilating and Air Conditioning Contractor
  • Fabricate, assemble, and install warm-air heating and air cooling systems including heating and cooling solar systems
  • Complete ventilating systems and complete AC systems including, but not limited to, piping, controls (other than electrical), instrumentation, building automation, energy management, and trenching, backfilling, patching, and surface restoration in connection with the installation of the AC systems;
  • Install thermal and acoustical insulation necessary to maintain heat or sound, or both, within the systems above
  • Install heat pumps related to the AC systems

Qualifications for the Contractor License 

The requirements for the contractor license vary, depending on the type of business you have.

If you’re a…

• Sole proprietor
  • Must be at least 18 years old
  • Have a good reputation for honesty, truthfulness, financial integrity, and fair dealing;
  • At least 4 years of supervisory experience within the past 10 years
  • Successfully pass the contractor license exam
  • Have workers’ compensation insurance
    • If you have no employees, then you may file a form prescribed by the Board, in lieu of this insurance
  • Have liability and property damage insurance
    • Bodily injury liability
      • $100,000 per person
      • $300,000 per occurrence
    • Property damage liability – $50,000 per occurrence
• Entity (corporation, partnership, joint venture, LLC, LLP)
  • Business registration with the Business Registration Division
  • Have a good reputation for honesty, truthfulness, financial integrity, and fair dealing
  • Have designated a licensed employee as the Responsible Managing Employee (RME)
  • Have workers’ compensation insurance
    • You may file a form prescribed by the Board, in lieu of this insurance if…
      • You’re a single-member, member-managed LLC with no employees
      • You’re a corporation with the RME owning at least 50% of the corporation and there are no other employees
  • Have liability and property damage insurance
    • Bodily injury liability
      • $100,000 per person
      • $300,000 per occurrence
    • Property damage liability – $50,000 per occurrence

Taking the Contractor Exam

The Hawaii Contractors License Board (CLB) has contracted with Prometric to administer the licensure exam.

To obtain your Class C Specialty Contractor License, you need to take and pass 2 exam portions:

• Part I – Business and law (B&L)exam
  • A closed-book exam
  • Consists of 80 questions
  • Exam duration is 3 hours
• Part II – Trade-specific exam
  • May be an open- or closed-book exam, depending on the subclassification
    • C-40 Refrigeration Contractor and C-52 Ventilating and AC Contractor
      • A closed-book exam
      • Consists of 80 questions
      • Exam duration is 3 hours

You need to score at least 75% to pass each exam portion.

If you pass, CLB will mail your score report and any additional licensing information.

But if you fail, you’ll receive the retake information along with your score report.

Renewal Requirements

Your license will expire on September 30 of every even year regardless of the issuance date.

To renew, you must ensure that the following are current or at least valid thru October 1 of the renewal year:

• Sole proprietor and entity
  • Worker’s compensation insurance
  • General liability insurance
  • Bond, if required to maintain
  • Tax clearance from the Hawaii Department of Taxation
  • Designated Principal RME
• RME
  • Employer must be renewed before the license can be renewed

In addition, you must also pay the renewal fee:

• Sole proprietor and entity – $338
• RME – $208

EPA Certification

Under the Clean Air Act, technicians who will handle refrigerant-containing equipment must have the EPA Section 608 Technician Certification.

This mandatory certification ensures that you have the competencies to safely and properly handle these harmful chemicals.

There are 4 certification types, and you can get any one of them depending on the equipment you’ll work with most.

• Type I
• Type II
• Type III
• Universal

To learn which type you should certify for, check out our guide to EPA certification.

Potential Salary

Per BLS, the salary information for HVAC technicians in Hawaii as of May 2021 is as follows:

• Average mean wage – $69,100
• 10th percentile – $39,740
• 90th percentile – $97,990

Do note that how much you can potentially earn varies, depending on several factors, such as:

• Education and training
• Skills and experience
• Certification and licenses
• Workplace location
• Nature of work

The table below shows the salaries in 10 of Hawaii’s cities for your reference.

Regional Salary

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