Florida Certified Class A Air-Conditioning Contractor License

The Class A air-conditioning license is the unlimited-tonnage version of Florida's HVAC credential under DBPR's Construction Industry Licensing Board. If the work pushes past the 25-ton cooling or 500,000 Btu heating ceiling that limits the Class B license, the contractor has to hold Class A — or have a Class A on the qualifier line for the business.

What the application turns on

• Experience: The application uses the section 489.111 qualification paths, with the common 4-year worker or foreman route requiring at least 1 year as a foreman, plus accepted degree, military, and upgrade alternatives.
• Exams: Initial applicants must complete the Florida air-conditioning Class A exam process.
• Fingerprints: DBPR requires electronic fingerprints for the initial filing.
• Financial responsibility: The packet requires a credit report with a FICO-derived score; applicants below 660 must complete the board-approved 14-hour financial responsibility course.

Insurance, renewal, and fee timing

• Insurance minimums: DBPR's FAQ requires non-general/building certified contractors to maintain at least $100,000 liability and $25,000 property damage coverage, plus workers' compensation compliance.
• Renewal cycle: Certified construction licenses renew on August 31 of even-numbered years.
• Renewal fee: The current certified-contractor active renewal fee is $205, or $255 with a qualified business. The DBPR Current Status insert shows late-renewal totals of $230 (or $280 with qualified business) when filed after August 31, 2026 — a $25 effective late penalty over the on-time fee.
• Continuing education: 14 hours each renewal cycle under the standard CILB topic mix.

Scope and why Class A matters

Florida Statute 489.105 says a Class A air-conditioning contractor's services are unlimited in installing, maintaining, repairing, fabricating, altering, extending, or designing central HVAC, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems — including connected ductwork, boiler and unfired pressure-vessel systems, and any appurtenances used with them. The statute carves out fuel-gas lines inside buildings, potable water and sanitary sewer piping, pool piping/filters, and electrical power wiring, which fall to other licensed trades.

What happens if you work without it

Florida's unlicensed-contracting statute is structured: a first offense is generally a first-degree misdemeanor, and repeat violations or violations during a declared state of emergency can escalate to third-degree felonies under section 489.127.