STATE LICENSE
RequiredMaryland Board of Heating, Ventilation, A…
Bus. Reg. § 9A-301 requires a Board license before anyone provides or assists in heating, ventilation, air-conditioning or refrigeration services. Six license types run from apprentice to master; master, master restricted, and limited licensees who sign contracts must carry $300,000 general liability and $100,000 property damage.
Counties that licensed HVACR before January 1, 1990 may keep a local license, but must issue it to any State licensee on application and fee, with no exam — and a State license is required anywhere in Maryland regardless (§ 9A-506). Homeowners working on their own single-family dwelling are exempt (§ 9A-103).
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
State license everywhere (§ 9A-506(d)). Jurisdictions that licensed HVACR on or before January 1, 1990 may keep a local license but cannot discriminate against non-residents, must issue to State licensees on application and fee, and may not test them; a jurisdiction that drops its local license may never re-adopt one.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Maryland 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.
Master restricted and journey restricted licenses are charged per area licensed — $31.50 and $25 respectively.
The insurance certificate must name the State Board of HVACR Contractors as certificate holder.
Licensed HVACR contractors acting within scope — or installing a central heating or air-conditioning system — need no separate MHIC license (Bus. Reg. § 8-301(c)).
A practical sequence for a new HVAC contractor in Maryland. 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.
Any person, including a corporate officer, who violates §§ 9A-501 through 9A-504 commits a misdemeanor.
The Board may fine each violation of the title, with collections paid to the General Fund.
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: HVACR license term and any continuing-education requirement · Whether HVACR fees listed apply identically at renewal (the fee page does not separate original and renewal) · Bus. Reg. § 9A-501.1 restriction on selling HVACR equipment to unlicensed buyers (statute text not fetched; § 9A-505(a)(3) confirms civil penalties for violating it) · PSI exam fees
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.