In Texas, anyone who installs, repairs or maintains a home's air conditioning or heating system for the public needs a state license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Checking it takes about two minutes. Here is how the license number is built, where to look it up, what Class A and Class B mean, who the technician should be, and what Texas requires on ads, trucks and invoices.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Who needs a TDLR license
TDLR's Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors program states: "Contractors who install, repair, or maintain systems related to air conditioning, refrigeration, or heating must have a TDLR license and ACR companies must employ an ACR contractor in each permanent location." Texas Occupations Code §1302.252 adds teeth: a company that does not employ a license holder when the contract is signed and when the work is done "may not collect a fee or otherwise enforce the contract." The license is statewide, so the same TDLR license is valid in San Antonio, Boerne or anywhere else in Texas, although many cities also require contractors to register locally.
Mini splits are covered too. TDLR's FAQ says a mini split "is not self-contained, it is a split AC system," so installing one for the public requires a contractor license. Window units and other self-contained products of three tons or less are exempt.
How to read a Texas AC license number
Under 16 TAC §75.22, license numbers take the form TACL / class / number / endorsement, written together, for example TACLA000000C or TACLB000000E:
- TACL: Texas Air Conditioning License.
- A or B: the license class.
- The digits: the license number itself.
- The final letter: the endorsement. E is environmental air conditioning (home and office comfort systems), R is commercial refrigeration and process cooling or heating, and C is combined. For a home AC or heat pump, look for a number ending in E or C.
A license holder may not do a type of work their license is not endorsed for, so an "R"-only license is not the right fit for your home system.
How to look it up
- Ask the company for its TDLR license number, or find it on the ad, truck or proposal.
- Go to TDLR's license search at tdlr.texas.gov/LicenseSearch and search the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration program.
- Confirm the name matches the company or its licensed contractor, that the license is active, and that the endorsement is E or C.
Contractor licenses run for one year, so a number that was active last summer may not be today. If a company can't or won't give you its number, treat that as your answer.
Class A vs. Class B
Texas Occupations Code §1302.253 sets the difference by system size. A Class A license covers systems of any size. A Class B license covers systems of not more than 25 tons of cooling or 1.5 million Btu per hour of heating. Almost every home system is under 5 tons, so a Class B license is enough for residential work.
The classes also carry different insurance minimums under 16 TAC §75.40: at least $300,000 per occurrence for Class A and $100,000 per occurrence for Class B. Ask the company for a certificate of insurance before work begins.
The technician who shows up
The licensed contractor does not have to be the person at your door, but the person who is should be credentialed. Under Texas law, an AC technician must be registered or certified with TDLR and supervised by a licensed contractor:
- Registered technician: at least 16 years old; no experience or exam required.
- Certified technician: at least 18, with a training program or 24 months of supervised work, and a passed competency exam. Only these technicians may call themselves "certified technician."
16 TAC §75.71(k) says a company may only use licensed contractors, registered or certified technicians, or qualifying students to perform maintenance work.
EPA Section 608
Separately, federal rules require anyone who maintains, services, repairs or disposes of equipment that could release refrigerant to hold an EPA Section 608 certification. These credentials do not expire. Ask whether the technician handling refrigerant on your job is EPA 608 certified. More on this in our refrigerant change guide.
The ad, vehicle and invoice rule
Texas makes the license number hard to hide. Under 16 TAC §75.71:
- Ads (§75.71(h)): advertising by AC contracting companies designed to solicit business "must include the affiliated licensee's license number," with narrow exceptions such as national TV ads, bare phone-book listings and promotional items like caps and T-shirts.
- Vehicles (§75.71(g)): the company name and license number in letters at least two inches high on both sides of every vehicle used for AC work.
- Proposals and invoices (§75.71(i)): the company name, address, phone and license number, plus the notice "Regulated by The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, P.O. Box 12157, Austin, Texas 78711, 1-800-803-9202, 512-463-6599, www.tdlr.texas.gov." An invoice must be provided for all work performed.
The same rule bars companies from misrepresenting the need for services or making false statements to win a job, which is worth remembering if a quote seems built on pressure rather than a clear diagnosis.
The homeowner exemption
Texas exempts AC work done by an owner in a building "owned solely by the person as the person's home" (Occupations Code §1302.053). TDLR's rule narrows it: the exemption "applies only to the homeowner and not to others who may attempt to assist the homeowner" (16 TAC §75.30). A handy friend or an unlicensed side business is not covered.
Two other limits apply. The exemption does not lift the federal EPA 608 requirement for refrigerant work. And the City of San Antonio says homeowners "must use licensed trade contractors for new electrical, plumbing and/or HVAC project components," with mechanical permits available only to licensed, city-registered trade contractors. Live Oak is one exception locally: a homestead owner may pull their own mechanical permit there. See HVAC permits in San Antonio for details.
One more distinction: under TDLR rules, plain duct cleaning that makes no cuts to ducts or plenums can be done without an AC license, but duct repair or replacement cannot. Our duct cleaning and ductwork repair page explains the difference.
A quick pre-hire checklist
- Get the TACLA or TACLB number and confirm it is active, ending in E or C.
- Check that it matches the ad, truck and written proposal.
- Ask whether the technician is TDLR-registered or certified and EPA 608 certified.
- Ask for a certificate of insurance.
- For a replacement, confirm the contractor will pull the city permit.
- Get a written, itemized quote, and compare two or three.
Our guide to comparing HVAC companies in San Antonio goes further, and the HVAC cost guide shows typical price ranges so you can sanity-check a quote. Facing a breakdown tonight? The emergency AC repair page covers what to ask before an after-hours visit.
Start with free quotes
We connect San Antonio-area homeowners with independent, TDLR-licensed local HVAC contractors for free, no-obligation quotes. San Antonio Residential HVAC is not an air conditioning contractor and holds no TDLR contractor license; always verify the license of the company you choose. Request your free quote.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if an HVAC contractor is licensed in Texas?
Ask for the company's TDLR license number, which looks like TACLA or TACLB followed by digits and an endorsement letter. Search it at TDLR's license search under the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration program. Confirm the license is active, the name matches, and it ends in E or C, the endorsements that cover home comfort systems.
What is the difference between a Class A and Class B HVAC license in Texas?
A Class A license covers systems of any size. A Class B license covers systems of up to 25 tons of cooling or 1.5 million Btu per hour of heating. Since almost every home system is under 5 tons, a Class B license is enough for residential work. Insurance minimums are higher for Class A.
Can a homeowner do their own AC work in Texas?
Texas exempts AC work by an owner in a home owned solely by them, but TDLR says the exemption does not cover anyone helping them. Refrigerant work still requires EPA 608 certification. In San Antonio, mechanical permits go only to licensed, city-registered contractors, so a replacement there needs a licensed contractor. Rules differ in some suburbs.