STATE LICENSE
RequiredHVACR Licensing Board (Arkansas Departmen…
The HVACR Licensing Board, in the Department of Labor and Licensing's Code Enforcement Section, licenses heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration work under Ark. Code Ann. § 17-33-101 et seq. Class A is unlimited; Class B covers air conditioning up to 25 tons per unit (or 1,000,000 BTUH heating input) and refrigeration up to 15 horsepower; Class D is duct sheet metal; Class E is refrigeration. New applicants need two years of experience as or for an HVACR contractor and must pass a board exam; employees doing HVACR work under a license holder register as registrants.
Act 746 of 2025 repealed Class C (existing holders grandfathered to Class B), repealed the HVAC/R electrician license, let HVACR licensees run line voltage up to 75 feet from a disconnect to an outdoor unit and do up to 75 feet of final gas piping, raised continuing education to 8 hours per International Mechanical Code cycle, and set penalties up to $1,000 per violation. Refrigerant handlers also need EPA Section 608 certification.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
HVACR licensing is state-only. The Department of Labor and Licensing may charge fees for HVACR inspections it performs under § 17-33-204 ($25 per installation in the 2025 draft rules), and municipal mechanical inspectors register with the board; city mechanical permits and inspections still apply.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Arkansas county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
Act 746 of 2025 repealed Class C; active Class C licenses were grandfathered to Class B, which now covers equipment up to 25 tons.
HVACR licensees may run line-voltage wiring up to 75 feet from a disconnect to an outdoor unit and install up to 75 feet of final gas piping to a heating unit.
After 36 months expired, a class holder must pay all back fees and penalties and retake the exam.
A practical sequence for a new HVAC contractor in Arkansas. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
The board may assess penalties for violating the HVACR statutes, rules, or the International Mechanical Code.
In addition to civil penalties, the board may petition a court to stop unlicensed or unlawful HVACR work.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Whether the August 2025 draft of 17 CAR Part 261 (fees, $250,000 insurance minimum, Class L terms) has been finally adopted — the ADLL memo says the statutes and memo govern enforcement while rules are finalized · Official HVACR program web page URL on labor.arkansas.gov (authority link points to the department home page) · Current text of Ark. Code Ann. § 17-33-101 et seq. after Act 746 of 2025 (provisions here come from the ADLL memo, not the statute text)
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.