Michigan HVAC License Requirements
Michigan doesn't license individual HVAC technicians. HVAC contractors need a state license from the Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes. Some cities license HVAC technicians. Anyone who handles refrigerant also needs federal EPA 608 certification.
Contractor only · By BrazeJobs Team · Updated
License tiers
| Apprentice | No state license |
| Journeyman | No state license |
| Master | No state license |
| Contractor | Mechanical Contractor (by work classification) |
Requirements
| Contractor experience | 3 years / 6,000 hours with a mechanical contractor |
| Exam | State exam |
| Renewal | 3 years |
| Local license | Workers may need local license |
| Board | Michigan LARA Bureau of Construction Codes |
Local licenses in Michigan
Detroit
CityBoiler/refrigeration licenses (city exam); contractor license registration
Detroit BSEED Construction Division
Detroit requires contractors doing certain construction work to be licensed and registered, renewed annually. City exams cover boiler/refrigeration and electrical licenses, among others; mechanical contractors register a license.
- Source: detroitmi.gov · checked November 5, 2026
Federal: EPA 608 certification
| Rule | Federal certification required to service or dispose of refrigerant equipment and to buy refrigerant |
Who: anyone who maintains, services, repairs or disposes of equipment that could release refrigerant (attaching gauges, adding or removing refrigerant). Types: Type I (small appliances), Type II (high- and very high-pressure), Type III (low-pressure), Universal (all types). Expiry: credentials do not expire. Buying refrigerant: sellers may sell only to certified technicians or employers of one, with limited exceptions (e.g. small cans of MVAC refrigerant). EPA does not issue cards; approved certifying organizations do. Universal requires a proctored core exam.
Exam
| Exam provider | PSI (for LARA Bureau of Construction Codes) |
Bureau of Construction Codes contracts PSI; approved applicants hear from PSI within 10 business days; application valid one year to pass all required exams.
- Source: michigan.gov · checked November 6, 2026
Apprenticeship
| Registering agency | U.S. Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship (no state agency) |
Programs register through the Office of Apprenticeship; use the Partner Finder for local sponsors.
- Source: apprenticeship.gov · checked November 6, 2026
Mechanical code
| Code in force | 2021 IMC (as 2021 Michigan Mechanical Code) |
Effective March 12, 2024. Residential work follows the 2015 Michigan Residential Code.
- Source: michigan.gov · checked November 5, 2026