What does an HVAC license check show?
An HVAC license check shows the license number, status (Active, Suspended, Expired, Revoked), classification (Class A unlimited, Class B limited tonnage, refrigerant handling only), EPA 608 refrigerant certification status, bond amount, workers compensation coverage, qualifying party, and any open complaints. Groundcheck (earthmove.io/trust) returns this across all states in one search.
An HVAC license check returns a six-field record from the state mechanical/HVAC board — CSLB C-20 in California, TDLR Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor in Texas (Class A, B, or Environmental), Florida DBPR CAC/CMC, Oregon BCD HVAC, Arizona ROC C-39, North Carolina NCBEEC. HVAC also overlaps with federal EPA 608 refrigerant certification, which is separately verifiable.
Identity: license number, legal business name, qualifying party (the human holding the master/contractor credential), DBA names, address. The qualifying party name is the highest-signal field — quoting a real license number under a fake company name is the most common HVAC scam.
Status: Active, Inactive, Suspended, Expired, or Revoked. Only "Active" is acceptable. An expired license means any new install or replacement cannot legally be permitted.
Classification is more variable in HVAC than in any other trade. Texas has Class A (unlimited tonnage), Class B (under 25 tons cooling / 1.5M BTU heating), and Environmental (refrigerant only). Florida distinguishes Certified Air Conditioning Contractor (CAC, unlimited) from Certified Mechanical Contractor (CMC). California's C-20 is broader. A Class B HVAC contractor in Texas cannot legally install a 30-ton commercial RTU; a refrigerant-only license cannot install or replace ductwork.
Federal layer: EPA 608 certification is required for any technician handling refrigerant. Type I (small appliances), Type II (high-pressure), Type III (low-pressure), and Universal. Without 608, the technician cannot legally recover or charge refrigerant — a common skirt around it is the "just topping off" upsell, which is itself a sign of either an unlicensed tech or an undisclosed leak (see HVAC red flags).
Financial responsibility: bond amount (varies $5,000-$25,000 by state), workers compensation policy/carrier, general liability insurance. Most states publish the bond status directly.
Disciplinary history: complaints, citations, consent orders, and any prior suspensions. HVAC boards frequently cite for unpermitted work and for refrigerant-handling violations.
What the check does NOT show: live insurance certificate validity (call the carrier), Manual J load calculation competency, specific equipment pricing, references, or technician-level skill. Groundcheck (earthmove.io/trust) bundles the state license record, EPA 608 status where available, Secretary of State registration, court filings, OSHA citations, and BBB complaints into a single verdict; for state-specific lookup paths and license-class thresholds, see earthmove.io/trust/license/hvac/[state].
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