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How to become an HVAC technician in New York
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; New York City's FDNY issues the Q-01 certificate for refrigerating systems. The pages read do not say whether New York State licenses HVAC technicians. Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in New York earned a median $74,430 a year in May 2025 ($35.78 an hour).
HVAC technician licensing in New York
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 |
| NYC FDNY Refrigerating System Operating Engineer (Q-01, local example) | A New York City credential, not statewide: a refrigerating system that needs an FDNY permit must be supervised by a Q-01 holder while it runs. Shown as a local example; other New York localities differ. | — | FDNY written and practical exam | not published |
Renewal. The EPA 608 credential does not expire; New York City's Q-01 renews every three years.
Licensing sources: EPA Section 608 Technician Certification (retrieved 2026-09-24) · NYC FDNY Q-01 Certificate of Qualification (retrieved 2026-09-16). Requirements change; confirm with the city or county where you will work 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 New York?
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; New York City's FDNY issues the Q-01 certificate for refrigerating systems. The pages read do not say whether New York State licenses HVAC technicians.
What does it cost to get licensed as an HVAC technician in New York?
Fees are set by the issuing authority; each tier's fee, where published, is in the table above.
How long does it take to become an HVAC technician in New York?
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 New York?
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in New York earned a median $74,430 a year in May 2025, $35.78 an hour. That median is 22% above the national figure of $61,010, and New York ranks 10 of 51 by pay for this trade.
What HVAC technicians earn in New York
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in New York earned a median $74,430 a year in May 2025, $35.78 an hour. 24,430 people held the job, 2.5 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 22% above the national figure of $61,010, and New York ranks 10 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in New York
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $23.35 | $48,560 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $28.71 | $59,720 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $35.78 | $74,430 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $42.37 | $88,130 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $48.40 | $100,680 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $35.94 | $74,760 | 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 New York
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ employs the most HVAC technicians of the 13 metro areas based in New York that BLS publishes, 21,820, at a median $77,990 a year.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 21,820 | $77,990 | $50,690 | $108,780 |
| Rochester, NY | 1,850 | $63,570 | $45,860 | $91,190 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 1,450 | $66,040 | $47,510 | $97,810 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 1,370 | $62,180 | $39,240 | $91,820 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | 1,150 | $65,530 | $43,370 | $92,900 |
| Syracuse, NY | 970 | $66,600 | $47,320 | $96,780 |
| Binghamton, NY | 380 | $62,020 | $46,650 | $87,710 |
| Kingston, NY | 260 | $61,470 | $36,900 | $92,110 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | 260 | $61,880 | $43,220 | $89,990 |
| Glens Falls, NY | 160 | $60,780 | $43,940 | $82,050 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | 130 | $62,850 | $42,180 | $83,560 |
| Ithaca, NY | 120 | $64,690 | $46,960 | $92,450 |
| Elmira, NY | 80 | $62,400 | $46,570 | $84,720 |
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.
New York against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Washington | $75,660 | 7,370 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $74,490 | 970 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $74,450 | 10,330 |
| 10 | New York | $74,430 | 24,430 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $73,850 | 2,560 |
| 12 | California | $72,560 | 35,130 |
| 13 | Maryland | $70,020 | 8,560 |
The complete ranking is on the HVAC technicians page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | New York | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $74,430 | $61,010 |
| Median hourly | $35.78 | $29.33 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $48,560 | $40,050 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $100,680 | $95,210 |
| Employed | 24,430 | 409,670 |
Apprenticeships in New York
U.S. Department of Labor records list 16 registered apprentices active in New York 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, 5 apprentices started; 4 have a starting wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs here. No apprentice who completed that year has an exit wage DOL counts.
Find a registered program: DOL's Apprenticeship Finder → · Every state's count and wages for this trade →
Which wages DOL counts, which titles count and how the state is assigned are on the data page.
Other trades in New York
Electricians ($78,750) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($77,490) · Welders ($59,140) · Truck drivers (CDL) ($62,050) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($121,280) · Elevator installers ($135,720) · Ironworkers ($92,610) · Sheet metal workers ($73,760) · Carpenters ($72,330) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($84,410) · Auto service technicians ($54,120) · Diesel mechanics ($70,100) · Heavy equipment operators ($80,980) · Machinists ($60,920)
See all 15 ranked by pay in New York.
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.