New Jersey HVACR Contractor Exam Prep

About the New Jersey HVACR Contractor license

New Jersey licenses HVACR contractors through the State Board of Examiners of Heating, Ventilating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) Contractors (Division of Consumer Affairs), under N.J.S.A. 45:16A-1 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 13:32A. New Jersey issues one state contractor license — the Master HVACR Contractor — rather than separate state-issued apprentice or journeyperson licenses; "HVACR apprentice" and "HVACR journeyperson" are statutorily defined roles that work under the direct supervision of a licensed Master HVACR Contractor, not stand-alone state licenses. A Master HVACR Contractor may design and install HVACR systems, pull permits, supervise journeypersons and apprentices, and serve as the qualifying individual for a licensed HVACR contracting business.

Your exam is built on the adopted mechanical code. New Jersey's Uniform Construction Code Mechanical Subcode adopts the International Mechanical Code (IMC) together with the International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — the 2021 editions named on PSI bulletin 3986 (updated 9/3/2026). That bulletin does not put a 2024 code in the examination center — plus the state energy code and the federal EPA Section 608 refrigerant rules. Always confirm the edition currently in force on the board's bulletin before you test.

Know these scope facts cold: the license is held by the individual; most work requires a permit and inspection (rough-in and final); you must work within the classification you hold; and unlicensed or out-of-scope work is a violation that can cost the license and carry penalties. The mechanical code exists to deliver safe combustion and venting, adequate ventilation, and safe refrigeration — the exam keeps returning to those safety purposes.

How New Jersey licensing works

• Experience/education pathway (pick one): a four-year U.S. DOL-approved HVACR apprenticeship plus 1 year of journeyperson experience under a licensed Master HVACR Contractor; a bachelor's degree in HVACR plus one year of practical work installing, servicing, or maintaining HVACR systems; a bachelor's degree in a field related to HVACR plus three years of that practical work; or an accredited technical, trade, county-college, or community-college HVACR program, which N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.2 counts as two of the four apprenticeship years, with the remaining apprenticeship time and one year as a journeyperson. Minimum age 21.
• Insurance and bond: before licensure you must carry commercial general liability insurance (commonly cited at a $500,000 minimum) and post a $3,000 surety bond — confirm the current figures on the application, since minimums can change.
• EPA certification: handling refrigerant requires federal EPA Section 608 certification (Type I, II, III, or Universal) — separate from the state license, and required for anyone who services refrigerant-containing equipment.
• Application: submit the Application for HVACR License with the application fee to the board before you're approved to sit for the exams.
• Exams and vendor: PSI bulletin 3986, updated 9/3/2026, gives two separate exams. The HVACR trade exam is 50 questions, 130 minutes, 70 percent (35 correct). Business and Law is a separate 50 questions, 130 minutes, 70 percent (35 correct). A first attempt takes both the same day. This course trains the trade paper. Fees printed in that bulletin: trade $84, Business and Law $47, not refundable, valid one year from payment. A failed attempt waits six months (N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.3 and the same bulletin).
• Renewal: the Master HVACR Contractor license renews on a biennial cycle. N.J.A.C. 13:32A-4.1 requires five continuing-education credits each biennial period after the first renewal (the first biennial renewal is exempt) and requires you to keep verification of attendance for four years.