HVAC Tech Classes in Oklahoma (Top Schools)

There has never been a better time to consider a career in the HVAC industry.

Currently, the job outlook is projected to have 5% growth from 2020 to 2030 and salaries have become more competitive.

So if you want to be an HVAC technician in Oklahoma, the information below can help you.

HVAC Programs in Oklahoma

Employers look for HVAC professionals who have the education and practical training in the trade.

That’s why most aspirants would enroll in approved HVAC programs to learn everything about the trade.

The table below lists some of the accredited HVAC schools in Oklahoma that you can check out.

How to Get Licensed in Oklahoma

For you to legally provide HVAC services, the state requires HVAC professionals at all levels to be certified.

The Oklahoma Construction Industries Board (OCIB) will regulate and issue the following licenses:

• Mechanical Apprentice
• Mechanical Journeyman, with the following categories:
  • HVAC Limited Journeyman
  • HVAC Unlimited Journeyman
  • Limited Residential Journeyman
  • Refrigeration Journeyman
• Mechanical Contractor, with the following categories:
  • HVAC/R Limited Contractor
  • HVAC/R Unlimited Contractor
  • Refrigeration Contractor
• Temporary Mechanical Journeyman

HVAC Limited license holders can work on…

• Cooling product, system, or equipment, including process piping, with a cooling capacity of up to 25 tons
• Heating equipment, including process piping, with a heat input of up to 500,000 BTU/h per appliance
• Sheet metal, natural gas piping, and refrigeration

HVAC Unlimited license holders can work on the equipment listed above without any cooling or heating limit.

Refrigeration license holders can work on refrigeration products, systems, or equipment, including process piping.

Limited residential journeyman license holders can work on…

• Installing complete new systems in new construction for detached 1- or 2-family dwellings and multiple single-family dwellings not more than 3 stories high with a separate means of egress
• Installations include up to 5 tons of cooling systems and 150,000 BTU/h of heating systems

Application Requirements for Licensure

Mechanical Apprentice

As an apprentice, you must meet these qualifications:

• Must be at least 14 years old
• Must work under the direct supervision of a licensed Mechanical Contractor

To obtain the registration card, you must submit to OCIB the following:

• Completed Apprentice Application form with a notarized Affidavit Verifying Lawful Presence in the U.S. form
• Payment of the required fees
  • Registration fee – $20
  • Application fee – $5

Mechanical Journeyman

After becoming an apprentice, you’ll want to become a licensed Mechanical Journeyman.

To become one, you must meet these qualifications:

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Must work under the direct supervision of a licensed Mechanical Contractor
• Must meet one of the education and experience requirements:
  • At least 3 years of trade experience in the chosen category
  • Have an associate’s degree or vocational diploma certifying the completion of at least 1,000 hours of an approved HVAC program plus 1 year of trade experience
  • Have a vocational diploma certifying completion of either…
    • At least 500 hours of an approved HVAC program plus 2 years of trade experience
    • At least 375 hours of an approved HVAC program plus 2 ¼ years of trade experience
    • At least 334 hours of an approved HVAC program plus 2 ⅓ years of trade experience
    • At least 250 hours of an approved HVAC program plus 2 ½ years of trade experience
  • Equivalent trade experience while in the U.S. military
  • Sufficient experience to obtain the special certification required for the chosen category
  • Holds a current, valid out-of-state license in the chosen category and has met equivalent education and experience qualifications listed above

To obtain the journeyman license, you must complete the following:

• Submit the completed and notarized application form to OCIB
• Payment of the required fees
  • License fee – $50
  • Application fee – $25
• Successfully pass the licensure exam for the chosen category

Mechanical Contractor

If you no longer want to be a technician, then you can apply for a contractor license.

To become one, you must meet these qualifications:

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Must have worked under the direct supervision of a licensed Mechanical Contractor
• Must have met the education and experience requirements of a journeyman plus 1 year of additional trade experience

To obtain this license, you must complete the following:

• Submit the completed and notarized application form to OCIB
• Payment of the required fees
  • License fee – $300
  • Application fee – $30
• Successfully pass the licensure exam for the chosen category
• Obtain the following:
  • Corporate surety bond of $5,000
  • Certificate of insurance with at least $50,000 commercial general liability insurance coverage

Temporary Mechanical Journeyman

This license is only open and valid for use when the state governor declares a state of emergency.

You can apply for this license if you meet these requirements:

• Holds a current out-of-state mechanical journeyman license
• Within 10 days of working in OK, you have submitted the following:
  • Completed and notarized application form
  • Payment of the mechanical journeyman exam fee – $25
• Successfully pass the licensure exam
• After passing the exam, payment of the license fee – $50

Do note that this license is nonrenewable and will expire in 1 year from the date of declaration.

Should you wish to work in Oklahoma afterward, you can proceed with obtaining the OK mechanical journeyman license.

Taking the Licensure Exam

OCIB has contracted with PSI to administer the licensure exams.

You can schedule and sit for the exam once you’ve received the approval to test from OCIB.

In addition, you have 3 years within the approval date to successfully pass the exam.

Here are the exam details:

• You’ll take 2 exam portions
  • Mechanical business and law – 50 questions in 120 minutes
  • Mechanical trade
    • HVAC Limited Journeyman – 60 questions in 180 minutes
    • HVAC Unlimited Journeyman – 70 questions in 180 minutes
    • Limited Residential Journeyman – 40 questions in 100 minutes
    • Refrigeration Journeyman – 60 questions in 150 minutes
    • HVAC/R Limited Contractor – 80 questions in 210 minutes
    • HVAC/R Unlimited Contractor – 90 questions in 240 minutes
    • Refrigeration Contractor – 80 questions in 210 minutes
• You’ll take a computer-based exam
• It’s an open-book exam where you can use approved reference materials at the testing center
• Exam fee – $92 per exam portion, except for combination exams with $92 for both portions
  • Mechanical business and law and HVAC/R Limited Contractor
  • Mechanical business and law and HVAC/R Unlimited Contractor
• Passing rate – 70%
• If you fail the first time, you can apply for a retest after 30 days
• If you fail the second time (and successively), you can apply for a retest after 90 days

Renewal Requirements

Here are the details as to when your license will expire:

• Apprentice registration – 1 year from the issuance date
• Journeyman license – 3 years from the issuance date
• Contractor license – 3 years from the issuance date
• Temporary license – nonrenewable, 1 year from the declaration date

To renew, you must complete and submit the following to OCIB:

• Apprentice registration
  • Same requirements as the initial application
• Journeyman license
  • Complete 6 hours of approved continuing education every 36 months
  • Complete the license renewal application form
  • Renewal fee -$75
• Contractor license
  • Complete 6 hours of approved continuing education every 36 months
  • Complete the license renewal application form
  • Renewal fee – $200
  • Maintain corporate surety bond and liability insurance requirements
  • Follow apprentice requirements of 3 apprentices to 1 contractor
  • Follow proper display of license requirements

EPA Certification

One of the vital components of HVAC systems is refrigerants.

However, these can produce harmful chemicals that can damage the environment.

That’s why, to ensure that technicians have the competency to properly and safely handle refrigerants, the Environmental Protection Agency requires them to be certified.

The EPA Section 608 Technician Certification has 4 types you can apply for:

• Type I
• Type II
• Type III
• Universal

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

Potential Salary

HVAC technicians in Oklahoma can earn good salaries according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Here’s the salary information as of May 2021:

• Annual mean wage – $48,770
• 10th percentile – $29,010
• 90th percentile – $75,410

Meanwhile, the table below shows the salaries in 10 of the state’s cities for your reference.

HVAC Schools by City

• Oklahoma City
• Tulsa