"Image of a person wearing a tool belt and conducting air conditioning contractor license work, examining equipment and making adjustments.

AC & MECHANICAL CONTRACTOR LICENSE

Need a Florida Air Conditioning Contractor License? Indeed, many successful Florida AC Contractors have received their exam prep from BTES!

Here is what you can expect after you register for the AC Contractors license Exam Prep course from BTES:

  • Focused trade classes: In essence, no mixing of unrelated trades.
  • Smaller class size: This ensures that you receive personal attention.
  • Virtual Classes: Notably, our Virtual Classes will save on the expense and travel time of going to a live class. Furthermore, participate from the comfort of your home or office with our virtual AC/Mechanical classes led by a live BTES instructor. It’s both cost-effective and convenient.
  • Courses are intensive and in-depth: In other words, we make SURE you know your reference books and how to use them.
  • We show you how and where to tab/highlight your reference books.
  • Learn simple ways to turn difficult math problems into easy-to-answer questions.
  • Up-to-date workbooks: In effect, they provide questions and answers that mirror prior exams so you gain experience practicing on realistic exam material.

EXPERT INSTRUCTORS

Every BTES instructor with whom you work within our classes has actually taken the time to learn, study, and pass numerous contractor trade and business exams. Not only do you get the opportunity to work with an expert test-taker, but you also get the chance to learn the exact same methods that make over 95% of our students pass this test the very first time, with a reliable “No Pass – No Pay” Guarantee.

Did you know that BTES includes the mandatory Business and Finance Course? Simply put, you will have everything you need to pass this state exam and be one step closer to becoming a Florida-licensed Air Conditioning and mechanical contractor!

SUCCESS WITH BTES

What is the secret formula? With a success rate of over 95%, “how do our students become air conditioning contractors?” Are there any trade secrets? Special magic formulas? “No.” You are pretty much guaranteed to pass any state exam because our instructors are experts at making the complicated, simple.

BTES students have over a 95% pass rate AND a No Pass – No Pay Guarantee.

For further information, or to register for a class call 800.832.2496, or use our contact form and we will get right back to you.

EXAM INFORMATION

All construction examinations, except Plumbing Contractor, are administered in computer-based testing format. After a candidate has been approved by Professional Testing, Inc., they may schedule to sit for their examination(s) by contacting the department’s examination vendor, Pearson VUE. To locate a Pearson VUE Test Center near you, as well as to check that site’s availability, use this link to view the vendor website for more details: https://home.pearsonvue.com/fl/construction

Admission to the Examination
When registering at the test center, you will be required to have the following items:

Two forms of valid signature identification, one of which is government issued: driver’s license, state identification card, passport or military identification card. Student or employment I.D. cards and photo bearing credit cards are not acceptable as picture bearing identification. Candidates will not be admitted without showing proper identification. Your name and address must match what was submitted on your application.

Download the complete Candidate Information Booklet for the Construction Licensure Examinations.

To apply online: http://www.floridaexam.com/
To apply by phone: 407.264.0562

Required Reference Books

State Reference Books

  • Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Troubleshooting Handbook, 2nd Edition, 2003
  • Code of Federal Regulations, (OSHA) 29 Part 1926, July 2022
  • Pipefitters Handbook, 3rd Edition
  • NFPA 90A: Installation of A/C & Ventilating Systems, 2015
  • NFPA 90B: Installation of Warm Air Heating and A/C Systems, 2021
  • NFPA 96: Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Operations, 2017
  • SMACNA Fibrous Glass Duct Construction Standards, 8th Edition, 2021
  • SMACNA HVAC Duct Construction Standards, Metal & Flexible, 4th Edition, 2020
  • SMACNA Energy Systems Analysis & Management, 2nd Edition, 2014
  • Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Technology, 9th Ed.
  • Trane Ductulator, 1976 or later
  • Energy Efficient Building Construction in Florida, 2020
  • Florida Building Code: Mechanical, 2020
  • Florida Building Code: Energy Conservation, 2020

Additional Reference Books For Mechanical

  • NFPA 99: Health Care Facilities 2018
  • Florida Building Code: Fuel Gas, 2020

State Business & Finance

  • AIA 201: General Conditions of the Contract for Construction, 2017
  • AIA 401: Standard Form of Agreement between Contractor-Subcontractor, 2017
  • AIA 701: Instructions to Bidders, 2018
  • Builder’s Guide to Accounting, 2001
  • Florida Statutes Chapter 455, 2021
  • Florida Contractor’s Manual, 2021

The examination reference book lists are complete and represent the current information for exams. As always, it is the student’s responsibility to obtain the latest reference list and to insure that the books that they have match the list. At BTES, we make every effort to be up-to-date and complete with our materials. But it is always a good idea to verify the accuracy of those materials.

 


How to Get an AC Contractors License in Florida

Air Contractor's License

  • Be 18 years of age.
  • Pass all parts of the exam(s) (within four years of the first attempt).
    If an applicant has a Bachelor’s degree in building construction or a related field, as well as a 3.0 GPA or higher, the applicant is only required to take the business exam.
  • Pay the fee for the Application.
  • Complete the application form using the Online Services, or the Printable Application.
  • Be of good moral character.
  • Obtain worker’s compensation and general liability coverage.
  • Demonstrate financial responsibility by submitting a Credit Report :
    • 660 FICO credit score or higher (applicant must submit a bond or irrevocable letter of credit if below 660 – FICO derived).
    • If the FICO score is less than 660, the applicant must take a 14-hour financial responsibility course.
    • If applicable, provide proof of satisfaction of liens, judgments, and bankruptcy discharge.
  • Background check with Electronic Fingerprints.
  • Obtain public liability and property damage insurance.
    • Obtain workers’ compensation or exemption from workers’ compensation insurance within 30 days of issuance of their license.
  • Satisfy one of the experience requirements set forth by the CILB:
    • A combination of Experience and Education
      • One year of proven experience that applies to the category for which you are applying and a four-year construction-related degree from an accredited college (equivalent to 3 years. of experience), or
      • No less than three years of credits from accredited college-level courses, and One year of experience as a foreman, or
      • Two years of credits from accredited college-level courses, one year experience as a foreman, and One year experience as a worker, or
      • One year of experience as a foreman, one year of credits from accredited college-level courses, and two years of experience as a worker, or
      • Four years of experience as a foreman or worker of which at least one year must have been as a foreman.
      • The board expects the applicant to have experience in the following areas of the Class A Air Conditioning trade:
        • Heating Equipment
        • Air Conditioning Equipment
        • Sheet Metal Ductwork
        • Refrigeration Equipment
        • Systems in excess of 25 tons of cooling and 500,000 BTU heating capacity (1 year of experience)
    • Upgrade an Existing Class B license (must have held the license for a minimum of 1 year).
    • Military Service
      Note: As part of the application applicant must submit the Fee Waiver and Military Service Verification for licensure
  • One year of experience as a foreman applicable to the category for which you are applying, and three years of military service.
  • One year of experience as a worker or foreman applicable to the category for which you are applying, one year of experience as a foreman, and two years of military service.
  • Two years of experience as a worker or foreman applicable to the category for which you are applying, and one year of military service.
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