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HVAC · Local (city/county) licenses

How HVAC licensing works in Missouri

State law and licensing-board sources · Last reviewed October 11, 2026

Journeyman level Licensed by cities or counties, not the state What's a journeyman?

Missouri has no statewide HVAC license; heating and air conditioning work is licensed by cities and counties. Kansas City requires a licensed mechanical contractor whose work is done by or under a Mechanical Supervisor, a certificate that takes 3 years of experience, age 21 and an exam. The City of St. Louis issues mechanical permits only to mechanical contractors it licenses. Anywhere in Missouri, servicing equipment that can release refrigerant requires federal EPA Section 608 certification. [1][2][3][4]

New to the trade?

Starting from zero in Missouri

No state HVAC card is needed in Missouri, so your first step is to get hired by a heating and cooling contractor as a helper, or to apply to an apprenticeship such as Sheet Metal Workers Local 36's JATC, UA Local 562 (pipefitters) or ABC Heart of America's HVAC program. Before you handle refrigerant, pass an EPA-approved Section 608 test. [1][4][8][10][11]

  • High school diploma or GED

    No statewide rule was found. Programs require it: UA Local 562 says each applicant must have a diploma or the equivalent, and ABC Heart of America asks for a copy of your diploma, GED certificate or transcript. Kansas City's Mechanical Supervisor certificate requires a diploma or GED, or one extra year of experience for each year of high school you're missing. [2][10][11]

  • Minimum age

    ABC Heart of America: 18. Kansas City's Mechanical Supervisor certificate: 21. [2][11]

  • EPA Section 608 certification

    Federal rules require technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants to be certified by passing an EPA-approved test (Type I, II, III or Universal). The certification doesn't expire. See our EPA 608 guide. [4]

  • Register before you start work

    No state registration. In Kansas City, mechanical work, including refrigerant piping and air conditioning installs, must be done by a licensed mechanical contractor and performed by or under the supervision of a Mechanical Supervisor certificate holder. [1][2]

  • Drug test, physical, driver's license, math

    UA Local 562 requires a math exam, a drug test, a physical and a valid driver's license. ABC Heart of America asks for a copy of your driver's license. [10][11]

  • Application windows

    As of October 2026, UA Local 562's apprenticeship application process is closed while it sets new application periods An interest form is open and updates will be posted this fall. [10]

  • Credit for prior training

    Sheet Metal Workers Local 36's JATC invites people who have finished an HVAC or welding certificate to apply, and says it can assess prior experience or training and place you where you belong in the apprenticeship. [8][14]

  • Pay while you learn

    Local 36's JATC says apprentices pay no tuition and are paid a living wage as they learn. ABC Heart of America lists an average skilled wage of $30.51 an hour for its HVAC program's trade. [8][11]

  • Still in high school?

    Missouri's Registered Youth Apprenticeship program, overseen by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), lets high school students do paid on-the-job training and earn industry credentials and college credit while still in school In July 2026 the state counted 69 registered youth apprenticeship programs. Trades classes fall under DESE's Skilled Technical Sciences program area, which links an approved program directory. Local 36 welcomes graduates of HVAC certificate programs. [14][15][17][18]

Where to apply in MissouriHow to get an apprenticeshipHelper jobs

Missouri HVAC license at a glance

Who issues licenses
Cities and counties Missouri has no state HVAC or mechanical board [1][3][5]
Kansas City Mechanical Supervisor
3 years in the field, age 21, diploma or GED, Prometric (31325) or ICC master mechanical (W29) exam, $60 application [2]
City of St. Louis
Mechanical permits only for city-licensed mechanical contractors A Mechanical Contractors Board of Examiners reviews qualifications [3][6]
St. Louis County
IAPMO gives the county's journeyman and master pipefitter exams [7]
Refrigerant work
EPA Section 608 certification required Federal [4]
Universal license recognition
Missouri's law doesn't cover city or county licenses, and it excludes pipefitters and sheet metal workers [12][13]
On this page
  1. At a glance
  2. Starting from zero
  3. The license pathway
  4. Who licenses HVAC work in Missouri
  5. Kansas City
  6. St. Louis
  7. Union and open-shop apprenticeships
  8. If you're licensed in another state
  9. Steps to get licensed
  10. Where to get the hours
  11. Licensed in another state?
  12. Questions people ask

The license pathway in Missouri

  1. 1

    Helper or apprentice (no state license)

    • EPA Section 608 test before refrigerant work

    No state license. You work for a mechanical contractor; in Kansas City, the work is performed by or under a Mechanical Supervisor. Pass an EPA-approved Section 608 test to work on equipment that can release refrigerant. [1][2][4]

  2. 2

    Mechanical Supervisor (Kansas City)

    • 3 years of experience
    • Yes: heating, air conditioning, refrigeration and ventilation (Prometric 31325) or master mechanical (ICC W29)
    • $60 application

    Qualifies a licensed mechanical contractor in Kansas City. Needs 3 years of full-time experience verified by two notarized reference questionnaires, a diploma or GED, and age 21. [2]

  3. 3

    Mechanical contractor (Kansas City)

    A business license, then a contractor license through CompassKC once a Mechanical Supervisor is in place. The license covers heating, ductwork, ventilation, refrigeration and air conditioning work. [2][5]

Who licenses HVAC work in Missouri

Missouri's Division of Professional Registration, which runs most state licensing boards, has a statewide license for electrical contractors but no board for HVAC or mechanical contractors. HVAC licensing is local, so check with the city or county where you'll work.

The federal EPA Section 608 rule applies everywhere: technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants must pass an EPA-approved test given by an approved certifying organization. The certification never expires. [1][4]

Kansas City

Kansas City's City Planning and Development Department licenses mechanical contractors. The license covers installing, servicing, replacing and repairing heating, duct, ventilation, refrigeration and air conditioning systems, and all of that work must be done by or under the supervision of a Mechanical Supervisor certificate holder.

For the certificate you need two notarized reference questionnaires from companies in the field showing at least 3 years of full-time experience, a diploma or GED (or an extra year of experience per missing year of high school), age 21, a $60 application fee, and a passing score on Prometric's heating, air conditioning, refrigeration and ventilation exam (31325) or ICC's standard master mechanical exam (W29). The city also issues a separate Gas-Fired Appliance Supervisor certificate. See the contractor licensing page. [2][5]

St. Louis

The City of St. Louis issues mechanical permits (for boilers, furnaces, exhaust fans and hoods, and ventilation systems) only to mechanical contractors licensed by its Building Division. New mechanical contractors start by calling the Mechanical Section at (314) 622-3313. The city's Mechanical Contractors Board of Examiners governs mechanical and pipefitting contractors and reviews applicants' qualifications for licensing.

St. Louis County gives its journeyman and master pipefitter license exams through IAPMO; board approval comes first. [3][6][7]

Union and open-shop apprenticeships

Sheet Metal Workers Local 36's JATC trains apprentices in HVAC installation, service, and testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB) at its St. Louis training center, with offices in Fulton and Springfield. It says apprentices pay no tuition and earn a wage, and that you can get college credit through its Apprentice Credit Option Program.

UA Local 562 trains pipefitters and plumbers in a five-year program; it requires a diploma or equivalent, a math exam, a drug test, a physical and a driver's license. ABC Heart of America's open-shop HVAC program asks for age 18, a diploma, GED or transcript, and a driver's license. [8][9][10][11]

If you're licensed in another state

Missouri's universal license recognition law (RSMo 324.009) doesn't apply to licenses issued by cities or counties, and it excludes the occupations in RSMo 290.257(6), which include pipefitters and sheet metal workers. Kansas City accepts current certification in the same classification from another jurisdiction with equal or higher standards in place of reference letters, and may waive its exam for a comparable Prometric or ICC exam. Confirm with the city. Your EPA 608 certification is federal and valid in every state. [2][4][12][13]

Steps to get licensed in Missouri

  1. Get hired or join an apprenticeship

    Start as a helper with a heating and cooling contractor, or apply to Local 36's JATC, UA Local 562 or ABC Heart of America. [10][11][14]

  2. Pass the EPA 608 test

    Pass an EPA-approved Section 608 test for the equipment you'll service (Type I, II, III or Universal) before working with refrigerants. [4]

  3. Check local rules

    Ask the city or county where you'll work. Kansas City and the City of St. Louis license mechanical contractors; St. Louis County's license exams, given by IAPMO, include journeyman and master pipefitter. [3][5][7]

  4. Qualify as a Mechanical Supervisor (Kansas City)

    After 3 years in the field and at 21, apply through CompassKC with two notarized reference questionnaires and $60, then pass the Prometric or ICC mechanical exam. [2][5]

Where to get the hours

Programs that train HVAC technicians in or for Missouri, from their own official pages. Listed by type, not ranked.

Licensed in another state?

We didn't find a reciprocity agreement published by the licensing office for this license. Ask the office how it treats an out-of-state license or experience before you apply.

Open the reciprocity map · How reciprocity works

AlaskaAK MaineME VermontVT New HampshireNH WashingtonWA IdahoID MontanaMT North DakotaND MinnesotaMN IllinoisIL WisconsinWI MichiganMI New YorkNY Rhode IslandRI MassachusettsMA OregonOR NevadaNV WyomingWY South DakotaSD IowaIA IndianaIN OhioOH PennsylvaniaPA New JerseyNJ ConnecticutCT CaliforniaCA UtahUT ColoradoCO NebraskaNE MissouriMO KentuckyKY West VirginiaWV VirginiaVA MarylandMD DelawareDE ArizonaAZ New MexicoNM KansasKS ArkansasAR TennesseeTN North CarolinaNC South CarolinaSC District of ColumbiaDC OklahomaOK LouisianaLA MississippiMS AlabamaAL GeorgiaGA HawaiiHI TexasTX FloridaFL
MO Listed here (agreement or endorsement)

Questions people ask

Do I need a license to do HVAC work in Missouri?

Not from the state; Missouri has no state HVAC board. Cities and counties license mechanical contractors, and federal EPA Section 608 certification is required to work on equipment that can release refrigerant. [1][2][4]

What does Kansas City require for an HVAC license?

The business needs a mechanical contractor license, qualified by a Mechanical Supervisor: 3 years of experience, age 21, a diploma or GED, and a passing Prometric or ICC mechanical exam. [2][5]

Sources (18)
  1. Boards (Division of Professional Registration), Missouri Division of Professional Registration. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  2. Mechanical Supervisor Certificate of Qualification Requirements, City of Kansas City, Missouri, City Planning and Development. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  3. Apply for a Mechanical Permit, City of St. Louis Building Division. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  4. Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  5. Contractor Licensing, City of Kansas City, Missouri, City Planning and Development. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  6. Mechanical Contractors Board of Examiners, City of St. Louis. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  7. St. Louis County License Testing, IAPMO. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  8. FAQ, Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 JATC. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  9. About, Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 JATC. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  10. Apprentice Program, UA Local 562. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  11. HVAC Program, Associated Builders and Contractors, Heart of America Chapter. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  12. RSMo 324.009 Licensure reciprocity (effective Aug. 28, 2026), Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  13. RSMo 290.257 Determination of prevailing wage, occupational titles, Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  14. Become a Member, Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 JATC. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  15. Apprenticeship Missouri, Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  16. Apprenticeship Finder, U.S. Department of Labor. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  17. Registered Youth Apprenticeships (RYA), Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  18. Skilled Technical Sciences, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.