Texas registers and licenses air conditioning and refrigeration (ACR) work through TDLR. Federal law also asks for EPA Section 608 certification to handle refrigerants.
Facts from the official pages, checked October 26, 2026. Rules change: confirm on the linked page before you apply.
An apprenticeship is a paid job with training, and your pay goes up as you learn.
Check their site for when applications open
HVAC Tech · 4 years
Sheet Metal Workers Local 68 · DFW Sheet Metal JATC (817-267-3379, Mon–Fri 8:30–4:30)
You'll need: Driver's license or state ID, Social Security card, high school diploma or GED; the program is free
What HVAC techs do all day, the training and the pay nationwide, in about 90 seconds.
Video from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. Tap CC on the player for captions. On CareerOneStop ↗
Issued by TDLR
Register to help a licensed ACR contractor with maintenance and repair. No exam. $20.
| Where | Middle half (25th–75th) | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Houston | $22.61 – $35.53 | $28.34 |
| Dallas–Fort Worth | $23.01 – $35.71 | $28.63 |
| San Antonio | $22.38 – $35.58 | $28.17 |
| Austin | $23.59 – $35.97 | $29.24 |
| All of Texas | $22.50 – $33.59 | $27.77 |
An hour, for all workers in the occupation, not by license level. BLS: “Someone new to the field may expect wages near the 10th or 25th percentile, whereas those with more experience and education could expect wages near the 75th or 90th percentile.” BLS
Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers). bls.gov/oes
U.S. Department of Labor and the Texas Workforce Commission
An apprenticeship is a paid job with classes. Texas helps pay for the classes, but programs may still charge an application fee, tuition or books.
Texas Workforce Commission
If you qualify, your local Workforce Solutions board can pay a school for an approved training program. Each board sets its own limit, and money depends on its budget.
Office of the Texas Governor
Federal student aid for short-term programs. Texas's first approved programs include HVAC and machining at Weatherford College, welding at Texas Southmost College and electric power technology at Kilgore College. Ask the college's financial aid office how to apply.
the mikeroweWORKS Foundation
A scholarship for trade school programs of two years or less. You'll need a tuition bill from your school, a short video and references.
Make a free account, tell us your licenses, and we'll show you your next step and the jobs that fit it.
Sign up with your phone →Next deadlines not announced yet
Questions? Just text us
Text your trade and city to 424-5TR-ADES (424-587-2337). English or Spanish.
Text 424-587-2337 to ask the SkillsTradeJobs assistant about trade jobs, training, pay and licenses. Replies come from an AI assistant, only when you text us. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. SMS terms.
Jobs that list this level: 2 in Texas
Issued by TDLR
Optional, a step above registered: 24 months of work under a licensed contractor (or an approved program), then an exam. $50.
Jobs that list this level: Houston (3) · Austin (1) · San Antonio (1) · Dallas–Fort Worth (1)
Get ready for the exam
Apply and register on TDLR's site ↗36 free practice questions, with official sources →Issued by TDLR
48 months of experience under a licensed contractor (or 12 months certified plus 36 months), insurance, then an exam. $115.
We're not connected with the mikeroweWORKS Foundation. Apply on their site.
Checked Oct 2026 from each program's own site. Amounts and rules can change; their page has the final word.