Independent guide to Texas TDLR licenses. Not affiliated with TDLR or the State of Texas. Data: TDLR public license file, 20 Sep 2026What's new at TDLR
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Data refreshed 20 Sep 2026 · Not affiliated with TDLR

Technician servicing an outdoor air conditioning unit

Texas license lookup / Get licensed / A/C technician

How to become an A/C technician in Texas

Anyone who helps a licensed A/C contractor with maintenance or repair in Texas must hold a technician credential. There are two levels, and the second one shortens the road to your own contractor license.

Reviewed 8 October 2026 against TDLR's application page

At a glance

Registered technicianAge 16+, $20, no experience requirement stated
Certified technicianAge 18+, 24 months supervised (or a 2,000-hour approved program), exam, $50
SupervisionBoth work under a licensed ACR contractor and may not advertise ACR services
Term1 year
Continuing educationNone for technicians

Official TDLR application page Exam guide and pass rates

Step by step

  1. Register first. Apply online or with form ACR-LIC-001 and pay $20. You must be at least 16.
  2. Work under a licensed contractor. Log supervised experience. The contractor will later sign your experience verification.
  3. Get certified at 24 months. With 24 months of supervised work, or a TDLR-approved 2,000-hour training program (apply within 48 months of finishing it), apply as a certified technician, pay $50 and pass the PSI exam within a year.
  4. Move up to contractor. After 12 months as a certified technician and 36 months of experience in the last 48, you qualify for the contractor license.

Why certify at all?

Certification is optional on paper, since registered technicians can work. But it does two things: only certified technicians may use the title, and holding certification for a year cuts the contractor experience requirement from 48 months to 36. Military A/C experience can count toward certification.

How many people hold this license

The public TDLR license file dated 20 September 2026 shows 40,840 active A/C technician licenses, of which 39,624 come up for renewal in the next twelve months.

Where they are: Harris County (7,868), Dallas County (3,720), Bexar County (3,356), Tarrant County (2,808), Travis County (1,384).

See the full county breakdown and renewal calendar

After you are licensed

Before you apply

  • Criminal history. TDLR runs a background check on every applicant. With any conviction other than a minor traffic offence, or a guilty or no-contest plea with deferred adjudication, include the Criminal History Questionnaire. Reviews take one to six weeks. You can ask TDLR in advance whether a conviction would bar you, through a criminal history evaluation letter.
  • Lawful presence. TDLR may ask for proof of lawful presence in the United States. Send documents only if it asks. What TDLR accepts.
  • Military. Service members, veterans and spouses may qualify for fee waivers and other provisions.

Questions

Do HVAC technicians need a license in Texas?

They need a TDLR technician registration, or the higher certified technician credential, to assist a licensed ACR contractor.

How old do you have to be to be an HVAC technician in Texas?

16 to register as a technician; 18 for certified technician.

How many people hold this license in Texas?

The public TDLR license file dated 20 September 2026 shows 40,840 active A/C technician licenses.

Related licenses

Sources

TDLR: Apply for a Technician Registration; TDLR: Apply for Certified Technician. License counts compiled from the public TDLR license file dated 20 September 2026.

Reviewed 8 October 2026. Written by an independent site; not an official TDLR publication and not legal advice. Fees and requirements change: confirm them on the TDLR page before you apply.

Cite this page

PermitPulled (2026). How to become an A/C technician in Texas. Retrieved from https://permitpulled.com/get-licensed/ac-technician-certification-texas

Figures compiled from the public TDLR license file and published under CC BY 4.0. Attribution required.

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