Florida regulates HVAC through the Air Conditioning Contractor (CAC) license under DBPR Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB). The state offers two tiers: CAC Class A (no limit on system size or contract value) and CAC Class B (limited to systems under 25 tons and projects under $250,000). Most owner-operators pursue Class A from the start because Class B caps revenue at small-residential work.
Florida is the largest HVAC market in the US by service revenue, generating an estimated $11.4 billion annually as of 2025. Three structural factors drive this: continuous coastal development, the hottest cooling load environment in the country (Miami, Tampa, Orlando average 5,000+ cooling degree days annually), and the hurricane recovery economy that recurs every 18-36 months. After Hurricane Ian (2022), Idalia (2023), and Helene (2024), Florida HVAC contractors in affected counties saw 6-9 months of premium billing rates.
This guide covers both CAC tiers, the DBPR application process, the three-part exam, the EPA 608 prerequisite, workers comp for HVAC class code 5537, and the post-license operational reality including the Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) system that affects equipment selection in 7 South Florida counties.
No limit on system size, contract value, or geography (statewide). Required for commercial work, large residential, and any system above 25 tons.
Bond minimum: $20,000 or financial responsibility test
Insurance: $300K general liability + $50K property damage
Limited to residential or commercial systems under 25 tons capacity AND projects under $250,000 total. Cannot do high-rise commercial or large industrial.
Bond minimum: $10,000 or financial responsibility test
Insurance: $100K general liability minimum
Broader than HVAC. Includes HVAC plus process piping, hydronic heating, commercial refrigeration. Some Florida HVAC contractors hold CMC instead of CAC for full-service capability.
Bond minimum: $20,000 or financial responsibility test
Insurance: $300K general liability
Federally required prerequisite. Same as California - covers Type I, II, III refrigerant handling. Lifetime certification.
Bond minimum: N/A
Insurance: N/A
Prerequisite for all HVAC work, federally mandated by EPA. Test administered by ESCO Institute, RSES, HVAC Excellence, or other approved providers. Cost $150-250 for Universal package. Pass rate approximately 65%. Lifetime certification with no renewal.
Florida requires 4 years of practical experience in HVAC trade work within the 10 years before application. At least 1 year must be in supervisory capacity. Document with W-2s showing HVAC tech classification, Form CILB 18 (Verification of Experience), and signed affidavits from prior employers. College or technical school HVAC training (Florida community colleges have strong HVAC programs at Hillsborough CC, Valencia, Miami-Dade College) can substitute for up to 3 of the 4 years.
PTI administers for DBPR. Three sections: Business and Finance (120 questions, 6.5 hours, open-book), HVAC Trade Volume 1 (load calculations, equipment selection, ductwork, refrigeration cycle), HVAC Trade Volume 2 (Florida-specific code, Miami-Dade NOA, wind load requirements for rooftop equipment, hurricane straps and tie-downs). All open-book, 75% to pass each section. $80 per section ($240 total). Must pass all three within rolling 4-year window.
Same as plumbing CFC: either (a) post a contractor bond ($20K for Class A, $10K for Class B) OR (b) demonstrate net worth of $10,000+ plus 660 FICO plus pass the Business and Finance exam. Bond is faster for most new contractors; annual premium 1-3% of face value with decent credit.
Submit Application for Certified Contractor License with proof of insurance ($300K GL + $50K PD for Class A), proof of workers comp coverage (or exemption for sole proprietor with no employees), 4 years experience documentation, exam pass results, FBI Live Scan ($60), and $249 application fee. DBPR processing is 4-8 weeks.
After approval, DBPR issues your CAC number. Most Florida counties accept state CAC for permit pulling, but Miami-Dade and Broward require additional local registration ($50-150 per county per year). Hillsborough, Orange, Lee, Pinellas typically accept state license alone. Always verify with local building department before bidding work.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| EPA Section 608 Universal certification | $150-250 | Lifetime, no renewal |
| CAC application fee | $249 | Non-refundable |
| Three exam sections (Business/Vol 1/Vol 2) | $240 total ($80 each) | Per attempt |
| FBI Live Scan fingerprinting | $60 | |
| Class A bond ($20K) annual premium | $200-600/year | Class B is $10K bond, half the premium |
| General liability ($300K + $50K) | $1,800-3,200/year | Class A minimum |
| Workers comp (HVAC class 5537) | Variable | ~$8-12 per $100 of payroll for HVAC class code |
| CAC issuance fee | $200 | After exam pass |
| CAC renewal (every 2 years) | $200 + 14 hrs CE | |
| Miami-Dade local registration (if working there) | $75/year | |
| Broward local registration | $50-100/year | |
| Approximate first-year total (Class A) | $2,800-4,800 |
Passing score: 75% per section. All sections must be passed within 4 years.
Cost: $80 per section ($240 for all three)
Provider: Professional Testing Inc. (PTI), DBPR-contracted
Florida requires 14 hours of approved CE every 2-year renewal cycle for CAC licensees. Specific: 1 hour workplace safety, 1 hour workers comp, 1 hour business practices, 1 hour Florida Building Code Advanced Mechanical module (specific to HVAC), plus 10 elective hours. CE must be completed by August 31 of each renewal year. Top providers: Gold Coast School of Construction, ACCA Florida chapter online, Construction Career Group. The Florida Building Code Mechanical update modules are heavily attended after each code cycle change.
Get Class A unless you are absolutely certain you will only do small residential work forever. The Class A application requires the same effort as Class B but with no revenue cap. Class B contractors who get a larger commercial opportunity must apply for Class A upgrade, which means retaking exams and re-paying fees. Most successful Florida HVAC contractors regret starting with Class B.
Florida has limited reciprocity through SREB compact with Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee. CAC holders in those states with 2+ years of clean record can apply for Florida CAC with waiver of trade exam (must still take Business and Finance + pay $249 + post bond + insurance). All other states must take all three Florida exam sections.
Florida cooling loads are the highest in the US. Manual J calculations in Florida require careful attention to latent load (humidity removal) since systems run 10+ months per year at near-saturation outdoor conditions. Underestimating latent load leads to short-cycling and customer complaints about humidity control. Most successful Florida HVAC contractors over-size SHR (Sensible Heat Ratio) by 10-15% vs Manual J recommendations to account for latent load reality.
The Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance system is a product approval database specific to South Florida counties (Miami-Dade, Broward, Monroe, Palm Beach, Martin, Indian River, St. Lucie) that requires every HVAC product, condensate fitting, refrigerant line component, and rooftop tie-down installed in those counties to have current NOA approval. Equivalent to a state product safety certification but stricter, designed for hurricane wind loads up to 180 mph. Look up NOA status at the Miami-Dade Building Code Compliance Office website before equipment selection.
After major hurricanes (Ian, Idalia, Helene), Florida activates emergency protocols allowing out-of-state HVAC contractors to work for 90-180 days. Recovery work pays 35-65% premium over normal market rates for 6-9 months after the storm. Florida CAC contractors in affected counties typically bill $185-265/hr for hurricane recovery vs $115-145/hr for normal residential. Demand persists 18-30 months post-hurricane as insurance claims are processed.
Median net income operating own HVAC company: $135,000-205,000 in 2025 Florida IRS Schedule C data, with top quartile in Miami-Dade, Palm Beach, Tampa Bay markets exceeding $325,000 net. Hurricane recovery years can push median up 25-40%. Employed CAC licensees (working under another company) typically earn $85,000-115,000.
Same federal rule (R-410A phased out for new installs starting January 2025, R-454B and R-32 as replacements), but Florida-specific complication: hurricane recovery work using existing equipment frequently involves refrigerant top-off on legacy R-410A systems. Florida contractors must maintain meticulous EPA 608 service logs because hurricane recovery work creates audit-attention triggers from the insurance side.
Yes. KaamCam tracks GPS-tagged photos for hurricane recovery insurance claims (high-value for Florida), EPA 608 refrigerant service logs, signed estimates from the field, invoice generation with NOA product references, and crew time tracking on workers comp class code 5537. Particularly useful for multi-county Florida HVAC operations and hurricane recovery scaling. $12/seat/mo, 30-day trial.
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