The HVAC industry offers great career opportunities states-wide.
According to the Bureau of Labor there is a growing demand for HVAC technicians and contractors in New Jersey.
If that is not enough, HVAC technicians are people with great earning opportunities and are the most highly paid in the industry.
To conduct work as a HVAC technician in New Jersey, you will need to obtain a license.
Here is all the information you need about the requirements you have to meet, as well as what you need to do to renew your license.
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Certification
If you are planning to start a business and work in the HVAC industry as a contactor then you will have to get certified.
This is not the sole reason a HVAC technician should get certified.
Certification offers you the possibility to earn higher, professional recognition; and of course flexibility to start your business.
Salary
HVAC technicians do have great earnings. However the height of salaries heavily depends on your education, licenses, skills, and experience.
With experience and development of your career your salary will rise.
Here is a table of the salaries you can expect as a HVAC technician in the ten largest cities in New Jersey.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of HVAC Techs in New Jersey
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Newark | $53,364 |
| Jersey City | $56,541 |
| Paterson | $53,878 |
| Elizabeth | $53,364 |
| Edison | $52,429 |
| Woodbridge | $52,429 |
| Dover | $53,704 |
| Hamilton | $44,539 |
HVAC Contractors
A requirement you will have to meet in order to apply for a license is to either be a qualified (experienced) HVACR technician from out of state that wants to work in New Jersey, or a college student that is on the path to pursue a HVAC career.
Here, we will focus on how a technician or a journey person can acquire a license.
Contractor Licensing Requirements
Eligibility criteria are such that you will have to satisfy not only educational requirements, but also complete an application form.
An applicant must be at least 21 years of age.
Here are the educational requirements:
- A bachelor’s degree in HVACR studies from accredited college or university and at least 1 year hands-on experience installing, servicing and repairing HVAC systems.
- A bachelor’s degree in a field closely related to the HVAC industry plus a minimum of 3 years practical experience installing, servicing and maintaining HVAC systems.
- Completion of a vocational training college program or through a trade school, county college or community college will also count towards certification is equivalent to two years field experience (see work experience requirements below).
- There are cases in which you do not have to meet the education requirement stated above. Those cases are the ones where technicians already have relevant field experience. Here are the requirements: You hold 5 years’ experience working as an HVACR contractor, with at least four years served as an HVACR apprenticeship or undergoing an approved training program.
- You will also need to have spent at least one year as a HVACR journeyperson upon completion of your apprenticeship.
After meeting the requirements you can submit your application to the State Board.
The application fee you will need to pay is $100.
You can pay it on the day of application as well.
Schools
As it was mentioned, you will need to meet educational requirements in order to obtain a license as a HVAC contractor.
Therefore, you should take a look at our table of schools and opt for the one that suits you the most.
All of the schools offer a perfect ratio of theory and practice over the course of the approved HVAC training program.
26 HVAC Schools in New Jersey
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Ashworth College | 6625 The Corners Pkwy NW #500, Norcross, GA 30092 |
| Lincoln Technical Institute | Mahwah, NJ 11111 |
| A.C.I.T.-Atlantic Co. Voc'l Techl School | 5080 Atlantic Avenue, Mays Landing, NJ 08330 |
| Bergen County Technical Schools | 11 Carrol Court, Hackensack, NJ 07601 |
| Burlington County Institute of Technology | 10 Hawkins Road, Medford, NJ 08060 |
| Camden County Technical School/gloucester Township Campus | 343 Berlin Cross Keys Road, Sicklerville, NJ 08081 |
| Cumberland County TEC-Adult Division | 601 Bridgeton Avenue, Bridgeton, NJ 08302 |
| Essex County Vo-Tech Career Center | 900 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona, NJ 07044 |
| Fortis Institute | HVAC Training | 2 Locations in New Jersey | 2 Locations in New Jersey, Lawrenceville & Wayne, NJ 08648 |
| HoHoKus School Of Trade & Technical Services | 634 Market Street, Paterson, NJ 07513 |
| Hudson County Area Vo-Tech School | 8511 Tonelle Avenue, North Bergen, NJ 07047 |
| HVAC Career Training Center | Accepts Statewide - Newark, Paterson, Elizabeth, Edison, Toms River, Clifton, Trenton..., NJ 11111 |
| hvacredu.net (Online Training) | P.O. Box 77, Heron, MT 59844 |
| Mercer County Technical Schools | 1085 Old Trenton Road, Trenton, NJ 08550 |
| Middlesex County Vocational School | 457 High Street, Perth Amboy, NJ 08861 |
| Middlesex County Vocational School | 112 Rues Lane, East Brunswick, NJ 08816 |
| Monmouth County Vocational School | 4000 Kozloski Road, Freehold, NJ 07728 |
| Morris County School of Technology | 400 E. Main Street, Denville, NJ 07834 |
| Ocean County Vocational Technical School-Brick Center | 350 Chambers Bridge Road, Brick, NJ 08723 |
| Passaic County Technical Institute | 45 Reinhardt Road, Wayne, NJ 07470 |
| Paterson Technical Institute | 51 Market Street, Paterson, NJ 11111 |
| Pennco Tech | 99 Erial Road, Blackwood, NJ 08012 |
| Raritan Valley Community College | Rt. 28 & Lamington Road, Somerville, NJ 08876 |
| Somerset County Technical High School/Institute | PO Box 6350, Bridgewater, NJ 08807 |
| TCI College of Technology | New York, NY 11111 |
| Union County Vo Tech | 1776 Raritan Road, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076 |
Exam and Bonding
Upon your application’s approval, you are allowed to take the exam.
You must take preparation and the exam seriously.
If you fail the exam, then you will have to wait six months to be able to make an attempt at passing the exam again.
The exams take place four times a year, which means that the wait between approval of your application and testing is not long.
When you pass the exam, the State Board awards you the Master HVACR Contractor license.
Once you obtain the license you will have to pay a $3,000 bond which ensures that you will uphold and abide by the rules and regulations set forth by your license.
You will need to renew your license biannually.
To effectively renew the license you must supply proof that you have taken part in continuous development activities during that two year period in an approved facility.
Insurance and Tax
Once you decide that you want to be a HVAC professional, and not a HVAC employee, you are starting your own business.
When you do that, however, you have to take out an insurance bond that has a minimum cover of $500,000 and supply proof of insurance to the State Board.
You will need to give your Federal Tax Identification Number to acquire a license.
That means that you will be able to advertise and offer your HVACR maintenance, servicing and installation service in the State of New Jersey.
Conclusion
The HVAC industry is growing and the demand for HVAC technicians is high.
This demand is expected to grow.
In the state of New Jersey there are certain requirements you have to meet.
Licensing is obligatory, but the process is not that complicated if you do have relevant education.
If you do not meet those criteria, you can become eligible by fulfilling the experience criteria.
There are even HVAC classes that can help you meet those criteria.
Be sure to take preparation seriously. Study enough before you make an attempt at passing the exam.
If you fail to do this, and fail to meet the passing mark, you will have to wait six months before you can make another attempt.
