How to Become an HVAC Technician in Texas

Step 1: Start Preparing for an HVAC Career in High School

Vocational education, math, and physics courses give future HVAC techs a head start, since the work involves load calculations, electrical troubleshooting, and reading wiring diagrams. Exposure to basic plumbing and electrical concepts helps too, even before formal HVAC training begins.

Step 2: Graduate from High School or Earn Your GED

A high school diploma or GED is the baseline requirement for HVAC training programs and most entry-level HVAC jobs in Texas.

Step 3: Complete an HVAC Program at a Trade School

Postsecondary HVAC programs generally run from six months to two years. Tulsa Welding School’s Refrigeration Technologies program covers the fundamentals of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration in as little as seven months, with morning, afternoon, and evening class options for students balancing work or family.

Step 4: Earn EPA Section 608 Technician Certification

Federal law requires nearly every HVAC technician to hold EPA Section 608 certification before handling refrigerants. The exam is typically built into a postsecondary HVACR program, so most students complete it before graduation.

Step 5: Prepare Your Resume and for Job Interviews

This step is pretty universal to the job search process. Fortunately, there are many online resume building tips for skilled trades school graduates. You may also be able to receive help with job interview prep from your trade school’s Career Services Department.

Step 6: Network and Use Job Boards

Local HVAC contractors, trade associations, and your school’s career services office are usually faster routes to a first job than general job boards alone.

Step 7: Land an HVAC Job

Securing a position under a licensed contractor is the step that unlocks state registration in Texas, since registration requires sponsorship from an employer.

Step 8: Meet Texas HVAC Certification and Licensing Requirements

HVAC certification in Texas works on two tracks through the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR):

• Registered Technician. Anyone assisting a licensed contractor with air conditioning and refrigeration maintenance or repair must register as a technician for a $20 fee. This is the entry point for most new HVAC techs and does not require prior experience.
• Certified Technician. After 24 months of supervised experience or a department-approved 2,000-hour training program, technicians can apply for a certified technician designation, a voluntary step that often leads to higher pay and more responsibility.

A Texas HVAC license at the contractor level requires 48 months of supervised experience (or 36 months plus 12 months as a certified technician) and is a separate credential from the technician registration above. Most new graduates work for years as registered or certified technicians before reaching that point.

Step 9: Complete On-the-Job Training

New HVAC techs typically start with basic tasks, like insulating refrigerant lines or cleaning furnaces, before moving on to soldering pipe and checking electrical circuits as they gain experience.

Step 10. Continuing HVAC Education and Industry Certifications

Manufacturer training and NATE certification keep working technicians current on new equipment and refrigerants. Tulsa Welding School’s guide to continuing HVAC education covers how graduates typically build on their initial training.