HVAC licensing in Montana: what you actually need

Licensing office Montana Department of Labor & Industry: Construction Contractor License (CCL) Program · (406) 444-6880 [1]

The license pathway in Montana

1. 1

   HVAC apprentice or employee

   • At least 144 hours a year recommended for registered apprentices under state law

   No state license. You work for an HVAC contractor, ideally in a registered apprenticeship such as DLI's HVAC Installer program or a UA program; you need EPA 608 (the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's refrigerant rule) certification before handling refrigerant. [4][7][11][16]

2. 2

   Construction contractor (business)

   • $70 application; $70 renewal

   Required for contractors with employees and for corporations and manager-managed LLCs (short for limited liability company). You show workers' compensation coverage and business details; there's no exam or experience requirement. [1][2][8]

No state HVAC license

Montana's Department of Labor & Industry licenses many trades, including electricians, plumbers, boiler operators, elevator mechanics and fire protection workers, but its list of boards and programs has no HVAC, refrigeration or mechanical license. HVAC technicians don't take a state exam or carry a state HVAC card.

What you do need depends on your role. As an employee, you need EPA 608 certification to handle refrigerant. As a business, you need the Construction Contractor License. Electrical wiring falls under the electrical licensing law, and gas piping and equipment installations go through mechanical permits. [1][3][4][5]

Construction Contractor License (new in 2026)

House Bill 239 (2025) turned Montana's construction contractor registration into a licensing program run by DLI. Since January 1, 2026, construction contractors must be licensed; contractors with an active registration on December 31, 2025 were converted automatically.

DLI's FAQ says the license targets contractors with employees, plus corporations and manager-managed LLCs regardless of employee count. Independent contractors with no employees are exempt under state law, but they need workers' compensation coverage or an Independent Contractor Exemption Certificate ($125, no test). The license costs $70 to apply and $70 to renew, and requires proof of workers' compensation coverage. There's no trade exam. [1][2][6][7][8][9]

Mechanical permits

Montana's mechanical permits cover heating, ventilating, cooling, refrigeration systems and other heat-producing appliances, including gas piping. The work must meet the International Mechanical Code and the International Fuel Gas Code, and permit holders call for gas pressure tests, rough-in and final inspections.

Certified local governments can run their own mechanical permits; elsewhere the state issues them. In the state's jurisdiction, residential buildings with fewer than five dwelling units are among the buildings exempt from a state mechanical permit. Ask the Building Codes Program at (406) 841-2056 which jurisdiction you're in. [3][10]

Apprenticeships

Montana Registered Apprenticeship lists an HVAC Installer apprenticeship among the trades it supports with hour books. Union training is available through the UA (United Association) pipe trades locals: UA Local 41 in Butte, whose 5-year program includes HVAC, and UA Local 30 in Billings, whose members include HVACR (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration) technicians. See how to get an apprenticeship and helper jobs. [11][12][13]

If you're licensed in another state

There's no Montana HVAC license to transfer into. Your EPA 608 certification is federal and works in Montana. If you run a business, you apply for Montana's Construction Contractor License like any other contractor. See our reciprocity guide. [1][4]

Steps to get licensed in Montana

1. Get hired by an HVAC contractor

   Apply to heating and cooling contractors or a UA program. Ask whether the employer will register you as an HVAC Installer apprentice with Montana Registered Apprenticeship. [11][12][15]

2. Get EPA 608 certified

   Pass an EPA-approved Section 608 test for the equipment types you'll work on before you handle refrigerant. See the EPA certification page. [4]

3. Leave line-voltage wiring to licensed electricians

   Montana requires an electrical license for electrical work, with exemptions such as work at 90 volts or less. If you want to do the wiring yourself, look at the Montana electrician license. [5][14]

4. Get a contractor license to run your own business

   If you'll have employees or operate as a corporation or manager-managed LLC, apply for the Construction Contractor License online through the CCL program and pay the $70 fee. [1][2]

5. Pull mechanical permits

   Where a mechanical permit applies, heating, cooling, ventilation and gas piping installations need one from the state Building Codes Program or a certified city or county, with inspections. In the state's jurisdiction, homes with fewer than five dwelling units are among the buildings exempt from a state mechanical permit. [3]

Where to get the hours

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

• State program

  Montana Registered Apprenticeship (HVAC Installer)

  The state apprenticeship agency at DLI. It keeps HVAC Installer hour books; you apply to employers, who register you. [11][15]

• Union

  UA Local 41 / Silver Bow JATC (Butte)

  A 5-year apprenticeship covering plumbing, HVAC, pipefitting and welding, with at least 7,500 on-the-job hours and 450 classroom hours. Applications are taken online twice a year. [12]

• Union

  UA Local 30 (Billings)

  The Billings plumbers and pipefitters local, whose members include HVACR technicians; it runs five-year apprenticeship programs. [13]

Licensed in another state?

Questions people ask