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How to become an HVAC technician in Georgia
Georgia technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants need the federal EPA Section 608 certification, except for an apprentice closely and continually supervised by a certified technician; contracting requires a Georgia Conditioned Air Contractor license, either Class I (up to 175,000 BTU heating / 60,000 BTU cooling) or Class II (unrestricted). Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in Georgia earned a median $56,390 a year in May 2025 ($27.11 an hour).
HVAC technician licensing in Georgia
The licensing authority is Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Conditioned Air Contractors. The pages each row was read from are listed under the table, with the date each was read.
| License | What it takes | Experience | Exam | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA Section 608 Certification (federal) | Required nationwide for technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants, except apprentices closely and continually supervised by a certified technician: Type I (small appliances), Type II (high- and very-high-pressure, other than small appliances and motor-vehicle air conditioners), Type III (low-pressure) or Universal (all). Pass an EPA-approved test; the credential does not expire. | — | EPA-approved Section 608 test (Type I / II / III / Universal) | not published |
| Conditioned Air Contractor, Class I (restricted) | Restricted to systems up to 175,000 BTU heating and 60,000 BTU cooling. Four years' documented conditioned-air experience (two years as a lead mechanic on residential installations, one as a service technician and one in residential supervision), evidence of EPA certification, a Board-approved heat-loss/gain and duct-design course, and a passing exam (minimum 70). Three references are required, each from an architect, professional engineer, inspector or licensed conditioned air contractor. A technical-school diploma in engineering or engineering technology can count for up to two of the years, a vocational certificate for one. Application fee $30 plus a $10 processing fee. | — | Georgia Conditioned Air Class I exam (minimum 70) | $40 |
| Conditioned Air Contractor, Class II (unrestricted) | No BTU limit. Five years' documented conditioned-air experience (two years as a lead mechanic, at least one of them commercial only, one as a service technician or service supervisor, and two in commercial supervision), including installations over 175,000 BTU (net) of heating and 60,000 BTU of cooling, evidence of EPA certification, a Board-approved heat-loss/gain and duct-design course, and a passing exam (minimum 70). Three references are required, each from an architect, professional engineer, inspector or licensed conditioned air contractor. A technical-school diploma in engineering or engineering technology can count for up to two of the years, a vocational certificate for one. Application fee $30 plus a $10 processing fee. | — | Georgia Conditioned Air Class II exam (minimum 70) | $40 |
Reciprocity. Conditioned Air reciprocity agreements are under review by the Board.
Renewal. Biennial (licenses expire November 30 of odd-numbered years).
Licensing sources: EPA Section 608 Technician Certification (retrieved 2026-09-24) · GA Rules 121-3-.04 (Conditioned Air Contractor) (retrieved 2026-09-16) · Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board: fee schedule (retrieved 2026-09-23). Requirements change; confirm with Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Conditioned Air Contractors before you act.
The steps in order, with exams, fees and renewal → · Every fee here, itemised and totalled → · Compare time and cost across trades and states →
Common questions
Do you need a license to work as an HVAC technician in Georgia?
Georgia technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants need the federal EPA Section 608 certification, except for an apprentice closely and continually supervised by a certified technician; contracting requires a Georgia Conditioned Air Contractor license, either Class I (up to 175,000 BTU heating / 60,000 BTU cooling) or Class II (unrestricted).
What does it cost to get licensed as an HVAC technician in Georgia?
Each of the 2 published fees in the table above is $40, one for each step that lists it. Read each tier's requirements for any exam or license-issue fee charged on top.
How long does it take to become an HVAC technician in Georgia?
It depends on which credential you need and the training and testing each step takes; the full path is in the table above.
How much do HVAC technicians make in Georgia?
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in Georgia earned a median $56,390 a year in May 2025, $27.11 an hour. That median is 8% below the national figure of $61,010, and Georgia ranks 43 of 51 by pay for this trade.
How much do apprentice HVAC technicians make in Georgia?
In fiscal 2023 (October 2022 to September 2023), among registered apprentices in Georgia under the occupation titles the U.S. Department of Labor maps to heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers, 92 apprentices started, at a median $16.45 an hour across the 89 whose starting wage DOL counts. Of those who completed that year, 18 have an exit wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs. Wages are in that year's dollars.
What HVAC technicians earn in Georgia
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in Georgia earned a median $56,390 a year in May 2025, $27.11 an hour. 12,290 people held the job, 2.5 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 8% below the national figure of $61,010, and Georgia ranks 43 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in Georgia
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $17.78 | $36,990 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $22.24 | $46,250 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $27.11 | $56,390 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $31.82 | $66,180 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $38.05 | $79,130 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $27.44 | $57,080 | The average. Pulled up by the top earners. |
Annual figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, BLS's full-time year. Overtime is inside the survey's earnings but not separated out.
Pay by metro area in Georgia
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA employs the most HVAC technicians of the 14 metro areas based in Georgia that BLS publishes, 7,060, at a median $58,970 a year. The best-paid is Dalton, GA at $65,560.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 7,060 | $58,970 | $38,310 | $82,740 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 620 | $48,900 | $36,240 | $72,850 |
| Savannah, GA | 450 | $51,770 | $36,940 | $76,860 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | 330 | $46,780 | $33,680 | $66,180 |
| Gainesville, GA | 330 | $53,310 | $37,540 | $73,610 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | 240 | $48,890 | $35,790 | $69,010 |
| Warner Robins, GA | 220 | $48,670 | $36,600 | $74,650 |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | 210 | $48,980 | $36,430 | $69,090 |
| Dalton, GA | 150 | $65,560 | $36,960 | $65,850 |
| Albany, GA | 140 | $48,320 | $35,340 | $76,320 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | 140 | $49,920 | $32,600 | $75,810 |
| Valdosta, GA | 100 | $47,020 | $34,510 | $66,130 |
| Rome, GA | 80 | $52,040 | $35,120 | $76,140 |
| Hinesville, GA | 60 | $59,910 | $31,350 | $63,300 |
Metropolitan statistical areas as BLS publishes them in the same May 2025 estimates. A metro that crosses a state line is listed only under its primary state, so part of a neighboring state's metro can sit outside this table. Areas outside any metro are not shown. Listed under another state but reaching into Georgia: Chattanooga, TN-GA.
Georgia against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | North Carolina | $57,260 | 15,230 |
| 41 | Florida | $56,670 | 39,160 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $56,610 | 6,920 |
| 43 | Georgia | $56,390 | 12,290 |
| 44 | Idaho | $56,240 | 4,550 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $55,490 | 9,740 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $54,700 | 690 |
The complete ranking is on the HVAC technicians page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | Georgia | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $56,390 | $61,010 |
| Median hourly | $27.11 | $29.33 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $36,990 | $40,050 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $79,130 | $95,210 |
| Employed | 12,290 | 409,670 |
Apprenticeships in Georgia
U.S. Department of Labor records list 212 registered apprentices active in Georgia in fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024) under the occupation titles DOL maps to heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers (SOC 49-9021). The file's fiscal 2024 records largely stop after February 2024. In fiscal 2023, the latest year the file holds in full, 92 apprentices started, at a median $16.45 an hour across the 89 whose starting wage DOL counts. Of those who completed that year, 18 have an exit wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs.
Find a registered program: DOL's Apprenticeship Finder → · What those wages come to at your hours a week → · Every state's count and wages for this trade →
Wages are DOL's own hourly figures in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Which wages DOL counts, which titles count and how the state is assigned are on the data page.
Other trades in Georgia
Electricians ($58,320) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($57,200) · Welders ($48,430) · Truck drivers (CDL) ($57,050) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($80,080) · Elevator installers ($83,500) · Ironworkers ($48,090) · Sheet metal workers ($56,800) · Carpenters ($49,350) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($50,650) · Auto service technicians ($49,060) · Diesel mechanics ($61,370) · Heavy equipment operators ($47,880) · Machinists ($52,610)
See all 15 ranked by pay in Georgia.
The pay and employment figures on this page are the May 2025 BLS estimates, apart from the apprenticeship figures, which are DOL's; the licensing detail is read from the pages listed in the licensing section, each with the date it was read. See how the numbers are built.