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How to become an HVAC technician in Washington
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; in Washington the electrical side of HVAC and refrigeration work also needs an L&I specialty electrician certificate, HVAC/refrigeration (06A) or its restricted form (06B). Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in Washington earned a median $75,660 a year in May 2025 ($36.38 an hour).
HVAC technician licensing in Washington
The licensing authority is Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). 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 |
| Electrical Trainee (training certificate) | At least 16; work under a certified electrician on the same jobsite (in general, one trainee to one journey level electrician on journey-level work, two to one specialty electrician) and renew every two years after 48 hours of basic trainee classes. Fee $48.10 online or $56.00 by mail or in person. | — | — | $48.10 |
| HVAC/Refrigeration Restricted Specialty Electrician (06B) | Work under 100 percent supervision by a certified specialty or journey level electrician until you pass the exam, which you may take at 1,000 hours; after you pass, a nonrenewable zero percent supervision certificate lets you work without supervision in the specialty until it expires. Certification needs 2,000 hours of work experience and 24 hours of basic trainee classes. Application fee $114.60, which includes the original certificate. | 2,000 hrs (≈ 1 yr) | HVAC/refrigeration restricted (06B) specialty exam | $114.60 |
| HVAC/Refrigeration Specialty Electrician (06A) | 4,000 hours of work experience in the specialty (the 2,000 hours for 06B can count toward them) and 48 hours of basic classroom instruction, then pass the exam. Application fee $114.60, which includes the original certificate. | 4,000 hrs (≈ 2 yrs) | HVAC/refrigeration (06A) specialty exam | $114.60 |
Renewal. Every three years, on your birthdate (the EPA 608 credential does not expire), with 24 hours of continuing education.
Licensing sources: EPA Section 608 Technician Certification (retrieved 2026-09-24) · L&I: Electrician certificates (retrieved 2026-09-23) · L&I: Electrical trainee (retrieved 2026-09-23) · WAC 296-46B-909 (electrical certificate fees) (retrieved 2026-09-23) · WAC 296-46B-945 (experience hours, Table 945-1) (retrieved 2026-09-23). Requirements change; confirm with Washington Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) before you act.
Years to this license at your hours a week → · 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 Washington?
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; in Washington the electrical side of HVAC and refrigeration work also needs an L&I specialty electrician certificate, HVAC/refrigeration (06A) or its restricted form (06B).
What does it cost to get licensed as an HVAC technician in Washington?
The published fees in the table above run from $48.10 to $114.60 depending on the tier. 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 Washington?
HVAC/Refrigeration Restricted Specialty Electrician takes 2,000 hours of on-the-job experience; the pages read do not say whether a worker needs a license to do the work, and the table above has each license's own requirement.
How much do HVAC technicians make in Washington?
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in Washington earned a median $75,660 a year in May 2025, $36.38 an hour. That median is 24% above the national figure of $61,010, and Washington ranks 7 of 51 by pay for this trade.
What HVAC technicians earn in Washington
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in Washington earned a median $75,660 a year in May 2025, $36.38 an hour. 7,370 people held the job, 2.1 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 24% above the national figure of $61,010, and Washington ranks 7 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in Washington
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $23.47 | $48,810 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $28.93 | $60,170 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $36.38 | $75,660 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $45.18 | $93,970 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $57.86 | $120,360 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $37.91 | $78,860 | 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 Washington
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA employs the most HVAC technicians of the 11 metro areas based in Washington that BLS publishes, 3,940, at a median $80,100 a year.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,940 | $80,100 | $51,380 | $129,390 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 610 | $62,840 | $45,690 | $94,380 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 520 | $75,660 | $47,530 | $109,220 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | 270 | $76,260 | $46,980 | $135,580 |
| Bellingham, WA | 240 | $72,190 | $48,070 | $99,260 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 180 | $74,650 | $47,690 | $97,130 |
| Yakima, WA | 160 | $65,900 | $42,050 | $94,080 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 150 | $77,010 | $48,900 | $110,500 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | 120 | $61,630 | $37,840 | $80,080 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | 80 | $64,400 | $46,920 | $99,270 |
| Walla Walla, WA | 80 | $62,530 | $46,180 | $79,850 |
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 Washington: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Lewiston, ID-WA.
Washington against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Massachusetts | $77,300 | 8,200 |
| 5 | Connecticut | $76,610 | 3,800 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $76,350 | 4,200 |
| 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 |
The complete ranking is on the HVAC technicians page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $75,660 | $61,010 |
| Median hourly | $36.38 | $29.33 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $48,810 | $40,050 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $120,360 | $95,210 |
| Employed | 7,370 | 409,670 |
Apprenticeships in Washington
U.S. Department of Labor records list 10 registered apprentices active in Washington 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, 6 apprentices started; 6 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 Washington
Electricians ($95,220) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($81,030) · Welders ($63,020) · Truck drivers (CDL) ($64,760) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($133,060) · Elevator installers ($137,180) · Ironworkers ($107,660) · Sheet metal workers ($98,550) · Carpenters ($74,190) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($83,190) · Auto service technicians ($57,270) · Diesel mechanics ($77,900) · Heavy equipment operators ($81,700) · Machinists ($66,160)
See all 15 ranked by pay in Washington.
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.