HVAC Tech Classes in Virginia (Top Schools)

Choosing an HVAC career is a good choice for the work can never be outsourced and replaced by AI.

The reason lies in the immediate need for highly technical skills from human hands to service HVAC systems.

As a result, this job offers employment stability and competitive salaries to aspiring HVAC professionals.

On this page, you’ll learn how to become and work as an HVAC professional in Virginia.

HVAC Programs in Virginia

As mentioned, HVAC work involves high technical skills, which is why the industry has high demands for its professionals.

You must be able to perform jobs such as the ones listed below before entering the industry:

• Install, repair, and maintain the HVAC systems
• Inspect and test components or troubleshoot issues of the HVAC systems
• Recommend solutions to increase system performance
• Knowledge of the federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and codes

You can acquire the necessary knowledge and skills when you enroll in an approved HVAC program.

Here, you’ll have the practical training and field experience to properly learn the trade.

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

How to Get Licensed in Virginia

The state requires…

• Apprentices to enroll in an approved apprenticeship program
• HVAC technicians and contractors to obtain their respective state-issued licenses

The VA Board for Contractors will regulate and issue the following licenses:

• Journeyman HVAC
• Master HVAC
• HVAC Contractor, with the following classifications
  • Class A HVAC Contractor
  • Class B HVAC Contractor
  • Class C HVAC Contractor

Application Requirements for Licensure

Journeyman and Master HVAC

To obtain your chosen HVAC technician license, you must meet the following:

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Complete the Tradesman and Exam Application form
• Pay the nonrefundable application fee – $130
• Provide a copy of your government-issued ID
• Must meet one of the education and experience requirements
  • For Journeyman HVAC
    • 4 years of trade experience and 240 hours of formal vocational training
    • 5 years of trade experience and 160 hours of formal vocational training
    • 6 years of trade experience and 80 hours of formal vocational training
    • 7+ years of trade experience and 40 hours of formal vocational training
    • 10 years of verified trade experience
    • Associate’s degree or diploma from a 2-year HVAC program from an accredited school and 2 years of trade experience
    • Bachelor’s degree or diploma in an HVAC-related engineering curriculum from an accredited school and 1 year of trade experience
  • For Master HVAC
    • 1 year of trade experience as a licensed Journeyman HVAC
    • 10 years of verified trade experience
• Provide proof of verifiable experience
  • Experience Verification Form
  • Certificate/s of completion
  • Transcript/s of record
• If you’re from out-of-state, include the following:
  • Certifications of Licensure or Letter of Good Standing from the originating state
  • A copy of your current, valid journeyman/master license or certification
• If you have any recorded disciplinary action or criminal convictions, include a…
  • Disciplinary Action Reporting Form for disciplinary action/s
  • Criminal Conviction Reporting Form for misdemeanor/s or felony/ies
• Successfully pass the required exam

HVAC Contractor

You’ll only need a contractor’s license if you take on projects over $1,000.

In addition, the class of your license will determine the monetary limit of the contract or project you’ll take.

• Class A – no limit
• Class B – less than $120,000 per contract/project, with a total of less than $750,000 in a 12-month period
• Class C – less than $10,000 per contract/project, with a total of less than $150,000 in a 12-month period

To obtain your chosen contractor license, you must meet the following:

• Set up and register your business with the VA State Corporation Commission
• Complete the 8-hour board-approved pre-license education course
• Complete the Board for Contractors License Application form
• Pay the initial license fee
  • Class A – $385
  • Class B – $370
  • Class C – $235
• Provide one of the following identification numbers
  • Federal Employer Identification Number
  • Social Security Number or VA DMV Control Number (for sole proprietor or solely-owned LLC)
• Provide the information required and the government-issued IDs of the following:
  • Responsible Management (RM)
  • Designated Employee (DE) (for Class A and B only)
  • Qualified Individual (QI)
• QI must meet the education and experience requirements
  • Must be a full-time employee, working at least 30 hours a week, or listed as an RM member
  • Must have the minimum experience
    • Class A – at least 5 years
    • Class B – at least 3 years
    • Class C – at least 2 years
  • Must have been a licensed Master HVAC
• Provide proof of the QI’s experience – completed Experience Verification Form
• If the business, RM, DE, or QI has any recorded disciplinary action or criminal convictions, include either a Disciplinary Action or Criminal Conviction Reporting Form
• If DE or QI is not an RM member, include proof of employment (I-9, W-2, etc.)
• If RM has an adverse financial history, include an Adverse Financial History Reporting Form
• Must meet the minimum net worth/equity requirements
  • Class A – at least $45,000
  • Class B – at least $15,000
  • Class C – N/A
• Provide proof of financial responsibility, either of the following:
  • Completed Financial Statement Form
  • CPA review or audit
  • Surety bond of $50,000
• Successfully pass the required exam

Note:
Either the RM or DE will complete the board-approved pre-license education course.
The DE will complete the exam requirement.
Class C applicants will not be required to take the exam and provide proof of QI’s experience.
You can apply for a Class C license if you don’t meet the minimum net worth/equity.

Taking the Licensure Exam

The Board has contracted with PSI to administer the exams.

You’ll need to wait for the Board’s approval before you can sit for the required exams.

You must successfully pass all exams within 1 year of exam application.

Here are the exam details:

• Journeyman and Master HVAC
  • Both Journeyman and Master HVAC exams will consist of 85 items to be completed in 210 minutes
  • Exam fee
    • Journeyman HVAC – $100
    • Master HVAC – $125
  • Passing score
    • Journeyman HVAC – 60
    • Master HVAC – 64
• HVAC Contractor
  • You’ll take VA Contractor Business exam
  • For Classes A and B only
  • Has 3 exam portions
    • Part 1 – VA Portion (rules and regulations) – 24 questions in 48 minutes
    • Part 2 – General Portion – 50 questions in 100 minutes
    • Part 3 – Advanced Portion (optional for Class B) – 24 questions in 60 minutes
  • Exam fee
    • 1 exam portion – $40
    • 2 exam portions – $72
    • 3 exam portions – $85
  • Passing score
    • Part 1 – 18
    • Part 2 – 35
    • Part 3 – 17
• It’s an open-book exam where you can use authorized reference materials in the testing center
• You’ll use computers to take the exam

Renewal Requirements

Your license will expire after 2 years, on the last day of the issued month.

To renew, you must submit the following:

• Completed applicable license renewal form via the online portal
• Payment of the required renewal fee
• For Journeyman and Master HVAC, complete 3 hours of continuing education from a Board-approved provider

EPA Certification

Per the Environmental Protection Agency:

…technicians who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants into the atmosphere must be certified.

So, in addition to the licenses above, you need to obtain the EPA Section 608 Technician Certification.

To learn how you can get certified, check out our guide to the EPA certification.

Potential Salary

HVAC technicians in Virginia enjoy decent salaries according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

BLS reported the following salary information as of May 2021:

• Annual mean wage – $53,460
• 10th percentile – $36,620
• 90th percentile – $75,760

The table below shows the salaries in 10 of the state’s cities that you can use for reference.

HVAC Schools by City

• Richmond
• Virginia Beach