HVAC Companies in San Antonio: How to Compare and Choose
Free quotes from independent local HVAC contractors, plus a plain-English guide to checking any HVAC company in San Antonio before you hire. We connect San Antonio-area homeowners with independent, TDLR-licensed local HVAC contractors for free, no-obligation quotes. The contractor you choose diagnoses, quotes, pulls the permit and does the work directly with you.
Get a Free Quote Call (727) 300-6656The short version
There are many AC companies in San Antonio, from one-truck shops to large firms. The ones worth hiring can all pass the same basic checks. Before you sign with any HVAC contractor in San Antonio, TX:
Verify the TDLR license
Look up the TACLA or TACLB number and confirm it is active.
Confirm who does the work
TDLR-registered or certified technicians, EPA 608 certified for refrigerant.
Confirm the permit
The contractor pulls the city mechanical permit; CPS rebates in San Antonio need the number.
Compare 2–3 written quotes
Itemized, with model numbers, so you are comparing the same thing.
Get free quotes
Step 1: Check the company’s TDLR license
In Texas, anyone who installs, repairs or maintains air conditioning, heating or refrigeration systems for the public needs a license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Each company must employ a license holder full time in each permanent office.
Reading the number. Under 16 TAC §75.22, license numbers follow the form TACL / class / number / endorsement. TACLA means Class A and TACLB means Class B. The final letter is the endorsement: E for environmental (comfort) air conditioning, R for commercial refrigeration, and C for combined. For home AC and heating, look for a number ending in E or C.
Looking it up. Enter the number or company name in the TDLR license search. Confirm the license is active and the name matches the company quoting you; licenses run for one year, so an expired one matters.
Where the number should appear. Texas rules (16 TAC §75.71) require the license number on the company’s advertising, on both sides of its work vehicles in letters at least two inches high, and on every proposal and invoice, along with a notice that the company is regulated by TDLR. A company that cannot show you its number is a company to skip.
Class A vs Class B licenses
A Class A license covers air conditioning and refrigeration work on equipment 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. Almost every home system is under 5 tons, so a Class B license is enough for residential work — a Class A is not a sign of better service on a house.
The class also sets the insurance minimum. Under 16 TAC §75.40, a Class A contractor must carry at least $300,000 per occurrence in liability coverage and a Class B contractor at least $100,000. Ask for a certificate of insurance and read the dates and limits.
Registered vs certified technicians
The person who comes to your house may not be the license holder. Texas requires technicians who assist with maintenance work to be registered or certified with TDLR and supervised by a licensed contractor:
- Registered technician: at least 16 years old; no exam or experience requirement.
- Certified technician: at least 18, with a training program or 24 months of supervised experience, and a passed competency exam.
Both are legal. Asking which one is coming, and who the supervising licensed contractor is, tells you how the company staffs its jobs.
EPA Section 608 certification
Federal rules require anyone who maintains, services, repairs or disposes of equipment that could release refrigerant to hold EPA Section 608 certification. Home split systems are high-pressure equipment, so technicians typically hold Type II or Universal certification. The credential does not expire. If a job involves refrigerant — a leak repair, recharge, compressor or new system — ask whether the technician is 608 certified.
City registration and the CPS permit requirement
State licensing is only half of it. San Antonio’s Development Services Department says “Trade contractors that are licensed by the City or State and registered with the City may obtain trade permits,” and mechanical permits are not on the homeowner list. So the HVAC company must register its state license with the City to pull the permit for a replacement.
- New Braunfels requires contractor registration with a $300,000 minimum certificate of insurance naming the city.
- Boerne requires registration through its online permitting portal (since July 2025).
- Universal City requires its own registration; registrations from other cities are not accepted.
- Live Oak requires a permit to replace an AC condenser, air handler or ducts, with a final inspection.
- Schertz, Converse, Helotes and Cibolo: check with the city.
The permit also affects your rebate. CPS Energy requires the permit number for HVAC rebates on projects inside San Antonio city limits, along with installation by a Texas-licensed contractor and an AHRI certificate. A company that offers to skip the permit can cost you the rebate and the inspection. See our San Antonio HVAC permit guide. This is general information, not legal advice.
Red flags when comparing HVAC companies
- Pressure to replace on the first visit. A replacement may be the right call, but you should get a written diagnosis and time to compare. Texas rules bar contractors from misrepresenting the need for services (16 TAC §75.71(b)).
- “$29 service call” offers. A published San Antonio cost guide (2026) cautions that $29 service-call offers are often a sales tactic. San Antonio guides put a typical diagnostic at about $75–$150, so a very low fee may be recovered elsewhere.
- No license number on the ad, truck, proposal or invoice.
- No written, itemized quote, or a quote without model numbers.
- Offering to skip the permit to save money or time.
- Refrigerant with no leak repair. Published cost guides note a system should only need refrigerant after a leak is fixed. Repeated top-offs, or adding a different refrigerant than the system uses, are warning signs.
- Sizing by rule of thumb for a new system, with no load calculation.
- Unclear fees for after-hours visits or whether the diagnostic is credited to the repair.
Questions to ask any San Antonio HVAC contractor
- What is your TDLR license number, and whose license is it?
- Will the technician be TDLR-registered or certified, and EPA 608 certified?
- Can you send a current certificate of insurance?
- Are you registered with my city, and will you pull the mechanical permit?
- Is the diagnostic fee credited toward the repair? What is the after-hours rate?
- For a replacement: will you do a Manual J load calculation, and can I see the AHRI certificate for the matched system?
- Which refrigerant does the quoted system use — R-454B, R-32 or pre-2025 R-410A stock?
- What warranty applies to parts and labor, in writing?
- Will the invoice list model and serial numbers for a CPS Energy rebate application?
Comparing quotes side by side
Line quotes up by equipment size (tons), SEER2 rating, refrigerant, what is included (permit, haul-away, thermostat, ductwork changes) and warranty. A quote that is far below the others may leave out work the others include. Published ranges help you spot outliers:
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Service call / diagnostic | $75–$200 (San Antonio guides: about $75–$150) |
| Typical AC repair | $250–$700 (average about $375) |
| New central AC, installed (3 tons) | $5,000–$12,000 |
| AC + furnace replacement, San Antonio (3 tons, minimum efficiency) | $9,000–$12,000 |
| AC tune-up / maintenance | $150–$350 (CPS Energy offers a no-cost tune-up to eligible customers) |
| After-hours / weekend | often 2–3× the normal rate, about $150–$300 per hour |
Typical ranges from published cost guides (2024–2026) — estimates, not quotes. National figures unless marked San Antonio.
More ranges and a calculator are on the San Antonio HVAC cost page. For a step-by-step license walkthrough, read how to check a Texas HVAC license.
How this free quote service fits in
San Antonio Residential HVAC is not an HVAC company. We connect San Antonio-area homeowners with independent, TDLR-licensed local HVAC contractors for free, no-obligation quotes. You tell us what is going on, independent contractors can contact you with quotes, and you decide whether to hire anyone. The contractor you choose diagnoses, quotes, pulls the permit and does the work directly with you.
We do not rank or endorse companies, and the checklist above applies to every contractor who contacts you. The service is free for homeowners; participating contractors may pay us for referrals.
San Antonio Residential HVAC is an independent quote service and is not affiliated with any HVAC company of a similar name. San Antonio Residential HVAC is not an air conditioning contractor, does not perform HVAC work, and holds no TDLR contractor license. Each contractor is responsible for its own licensing, permits, insurance, pricing and work.
See how the quote process works or browse services: emergency AC repair, AC replacement, AC maintenance, heating repair, heat pumps, mini splits and duct cleaning and ductwork.
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HVAC companies in San Antonio: FAQ
How do I check if a San Antonio HVAC company is licensed?
Ask for the company’s TDLR air conditioning contractor license number, which looks like TACLA… or TACLB… followed by digits and an endorsement letter. Enter it in the TDLR license search at tdlr.texas.gov and confirm the license is active and the name matches. Texas rules also require the number on the company’s ads, vehicles, proposals and invoices.
What is the difference between a Class A and Class B HVAC license in Texas?
A Class A license covers air conditioning work on systems of any size. A Class B license covers systems up to 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. Required insurance minimums are higher for Class A.
Do HVAC technicians need their own license in Texas?
Technicians who help a licensed contractor with maintenance work must be registered or certified with TDLR and supervised by a licensed contractor. Registered technicians need no exam; certified technicians have completed training or supervised experience and passed an exam. Anyone handling refrigerant must also hold EPA Section 608 certification, which does not expire.
Is a $29 AC service call a good deal?
Be cautious. A published San Antonio cost guide warns that $29 service-call offers are often a sales tactic, and San Antonio guides put a typical diagnostic fee at about $75–$150. A low entry fee can be fine if the repair price is fair, so ask for the diagnosis and the full repair price in writing before approving any work.
Does this site recommend specific HVAC companies?
No. San Antonio Residential HVAC does not rank or endorse any company. It is a free quote service: you describe the job, and independent local HVAC contractors can contact you with no-obligation quotes. You decide whether to hire anyone. Use the checklist on this page to compare every company, including ones you find elsewhere.
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