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How to become an HVAC technician in Wisconsin
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. Wisconsin also says no person, entity or business may engage or offer to engage in installing or servicing heating, ventilating or air conditioning equipment without a state registration as an HVAC Contractor, with narrow exceptions for an owner's own property and home; a business that uses a certified HVAC Qualifier (an optional certification) may not need a local HVAC license. Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in Wisconsin earned a median $61,710 a year in May 2025 ($29.67 an hour).
HVAC technician licensing in Wisconsin
The licensing authority is Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). 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 |
| HVAC Contractor (registration) | Required to install or service heating, ventilating or air conditioning equipment, except for servicing existing equipment on property the person or business owns, installing or servicing equipment in a home the person owns and lives in (or will), and the electrical or plumbing work that goes with an HVAC job. The business's owner, a partner, the chairman of the board or the chief executive officer applies. There is no required exam. DSPS lists a $160 credential fee and a $15 application fee. The registration renews every four years for $160. | — | — | $175 |
| HVAC Qualifier (certification, optional) | An individual certification for the business of installing or servicing HVAC equipment: at least 1,000 hours a year for four years supervising or doing HVAC design, installation, servicing or maintenance, four years of HVAC-related schooling, or a combination, then the qualifier exam (open book, passing score 70%). A business that uses a certified qualifier may not need a local certification or license. DSPS lists a $60 credential fee, a $15 application fee and a $25 exam fee paid to DSPS. The qualifier exam is given only at Pearson centers in Wisconsin, where the candidate also pays Pearson $95. The certification renews every four years for $60. | — | HVAC Qualifier exam | $100 |
Renewal. Every four years from issuance (HVAC Contractor $160, HVAC Qualifier $60); the EPA 608 credential does not expire.
Licensing sources: EPA Section 608 Technician Certification (retrieved 2026-09-24) · Wisconsin DSPS: HVAC contractor (retrieved 2026-10-03) · Wisconsin DSPS: HVAC contractor, new licensure (retrieved 2026-10-03) · Wisconsin DSPS: HVAC qualifier, licensure by examination (retrieved 2026-10-03) · Wisconsin DSPS: credential fees and renewal dates (retrieved 2026-10-03) · Wisconsin DSPS: trades exam information and fee schedule (retrieved 2026-10-03) · Wis. Admin. Code s. SPS 305.70 (HVAC contractors) (retrieved 2026-10-03) · Wis. Admin. Code s. SPS 305.71 (HVAC qualifiers) (retrieved 2026-10-03). Requirements change; confirm with Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) 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 Wisconsin?
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. Wisconsin also says no person, entity or business may engage or offer to engage in installing or servicing heating, ventilating or air conditioning equipment without a state registration as an HVAC Contractor, with narrow exceptions for an owner's own property and home; a business that uses a certified HVAC Qualifier (an optional certification) may not need a local HVAC license.
What does it cost to get licensed as an HVAC technician in Wisconsin?
The published fees in the table above run from $100 to $175 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 Wisconsin?
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 Wisconsin?
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in Wisconsin earned a median $61,710 a year in May 2025, $29.67 an hour. That median is 1% above the national figure of $61,010, and Wisconsin ranks 23 of 51 by pay for this trade.
What HVAC technicians earn in Wisconsin
Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers in Wisconsin earned a median $61,710 a year in May 2025, $29.67 an hour. 6,630 people held the job, 2.3 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 1% above the national figure of $61,010, and Wisconsin ranks 23 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in Wisconsin
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $22.08 | $45,930 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $24.44 | $50,840 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $29.67 | $61,710 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $38.03 | $79,100 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $47.15 | $98,070 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $32.41 | $67,410 | 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 Wisconsin
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI employs the most HVAC technicians of the 13 metro areas based in Wisconsin that BLS publishes, 1,620, at a median $62,930 a year. The best-paid is Madison, WI at $63,150.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 1,620 | $62,930 | $46,350 | $99,740 |
| Madison, WI | 1,020 | $63,150 | $45,450 | $100,900 |
| Green Bay, WI | 420 | $61,340 | $44,840 | $101,290 |
| Appleton, WI | 320 | $61,600 | $45,020 | $102,100 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | 270 | $62,400 | $46,450 | $94,910 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | 170 | $61,740 | $45,420 | $101,560 |
| Eau Claire, WI | 150 | $61,280 | $45,520 | $95,690 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | 150 | $59,770 | $40,670 | $91,280 |
| Wausau, WI | 140 | $59,110 | $45,370 | $91,560 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 130 | $60,530 | $48,210 | $81,880 |
| Kenosha, WI | 120 | $61,260 | $44,300 | $96,290 |
| Sheboygan, WI | 120 | $61,580 | $46,630 | $95,210 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | 100 | $59,510 | $39,880 | $82,420 |
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 Wisconsin: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Duluth, MN-WI.
Wisconsin against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $62,400 | 15,880 |
| 21 | Delaware | $62,320 | 1,730 |
| 22 | Vermont | $62,150 | 970 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $61,710 | 6,630 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $61,390 | 1,610 |
| 25 | Michigan | $60,850 | 12,590 |
| 25 | Montana | $60,850 | 1,230 |
The complete ranking is on the HVAC technicians page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $61,710 | $61,010 |
| Median hourly | $29.67 | $29.33 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $45,930 | $40,050 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $98,070 | $95,210 |
| Employed | 6,630 | 409,670 |
Apprenticeships in Wisconsin
U.S. Department of Labor records list 28 registered apprentices active in Wisconsin 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, 13 apprentices started; 9 have a starting wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs here. Of those who completed that year, 2 have an exit wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs.
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 Wisconsin
Electricians ($76,540) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($81,210) · Welders ($58,410) · Truck drivers (CDL) ($58,610) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($105,820) · Elevator installers ($77,640) · Ironworkers ($92,820) · Sheet metal workers ($77,760) · Carpenters ($61,660) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($80,120) · Auto service technicians ($54,350) · Diesel mechanics ($62,450) · Heavy equipment operators ($75,280) · Machinists ($59,110)
See all 15 ranked by pay in Wisconsin.
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.