Colorado HVAC license requirements and insurance
To work for yourself as an HVAC contractor in Colorado, you need the Mechanical Contractor License (Denver) license. Colorado has 5 HVAC license types, and which one you need depends on the work you take on. The state sets no minimum liability insurance, and workers' comp is required from the first employee. The state does not ask for a bond.
Who it applies to
1Who needs a heating and air conditioning license in Colorado? What is this?
Mechanical Contractor License (Denver): the company. Denver licenses in two steps. First a person earns a supervisor certificate, then the company applies for the contractor license with that person as its supervisor
| License | Who needs it | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Heating and Ventilating Class A Supervisor Certificate (Denver) | The person who stands behind a Denver mechanical contractor that does heating, ventilation and comfort cooling in any building | Warm air heating, venting, ventilation, evaporative cooling, exhaust systems, ductwork, range hoods, gas piping, burners and controls. Also exterior sheet metal, duct insulation, low voltage wiring, and comfort cooling up to 50 tons in self-contained systems |
| Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Supervisor Certificate, Residential Only (Denver) | The person behind a Denver contractor that works only on one- and two-family homes and townhomes | Warm air heating systems and air conditioning of 5 tons or less in one- and two-family homes, townhomes and small utility buildings |
| Refrigeration Class A Supervisor Certificate (Denver) | The person behind a Denver contractor that installs or repairs refrigeration systems of any size, including cooling towers | Refrigeration systems and their cooling towers, pipe insulation, and low voltage wiring up to 48 volts not run in conduit |
| Heating and Ventilating Journeyman Certificate (Denver) | Anyone who installs heating and ventilating systems in Denver for a licensed contractor without being the supervisor | Installing warm air heating, ductwork, ventilation, evaporative cooling, exterior sheet metal, gas piping, burners, venting, controls, exhaust systems and air conditioning refrigeration systems |
| Mechanical Contractor License (Denver) | The company. Denver licenses in two steps. First a person earns a supervisor certificate, then the company applies for the contractor license with that person as its supervisor | Set by the supervisor certificate the company holds. A Class A heating supervisor gives the company Class A heating work |
| Outside Denver | Anyone doing HVAC work anywhere else in Colorado | There is no state license. Your city or county decides whether you need one, what it costs, and which exam you sit. Aurora licenses HVAC contractors itself, and in the Colorado Springs area the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department does it. Ask your building department first |
Who runs it
2Who issues HVAC contractor licenses in Colorado? What is this?
Colorado has no state HVAC board. In Denver the Community Planning and Development department licenses mechanical contractors issues HVAC licenses in Colorado.
See how this compares in every state: How to check a contractor's license, state by state
| Name | Colorado has no state HVAC board. In Denver the Community Planning and Development department licenses mechanical contractors |
|---|---|
| Website | denvergov.org |
| Look up a license | denvergov.org |
| The law | None at state level. Title 12 of the Colorado statutes has a plumbers article and an electricians article and no heating or air conditioning article |
| The rulebook | Denver Building and Fire Code, chapter 1, which every applicant must read before applying |
| Does the state license this trade? | None. Colorado does not issue an HVAC or mechanical contractor license, so there is no state exam and no state license number |
| City rules |
|
Checked by a person against the official page
·4 official pages
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_title_12
- dpo.colorado.gov/OccupationalProfessions
- denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Community-Planning-and-Development/Contractor-Licensing/Supervisor-Certificates/Mechanical-Certificates
- denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Community-Planning-and-Development/Contractor-Licensing/Contractor-Licenses/Apply-for-a-Contractor-License
Getting licensed
3How to become an HVAC contractor in Colorado What is this?
Colorado has 6 licenses that matter to an HVAC contractor: Heating and Ventilating Class A Supervisor Certificate (Denver), Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Supervisor Certificate, Residential Only (Denver), Refrigeration Class A Supervisor Certificate (Denver), Heating and Ventilating Journeyman Certificate (Denver), Mechanical Contractor License (Denver), Outside Denver. Each is below, with what you need before you apply.
| License | Experience required | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Heating and Ventilating Class A Supervisor Certificate (Denver) | Eight years in commercial heating and ventilating. Four as a journeyman mechanic and four as a designer, draftsman or supervisor. Projects must fall within the last ten years | Yes, ICC exam F29, National Standard Master Mechanical |
| Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Supervisor Certificate, Residential Only (Denver) | Six years. Four as a journeyman mechanic and two as a designer, draftsman or supervisor, in both heating and refrigeration. Projects must fall within the last ten years | Yes, ICC exam F32, National Standard Residential Mechanical |
| Refrigeration Class A Supervisor Certificate (Denver) | Eight years in commercial refrigeration. Four in field installation of at least 7,000 hours and four as a designer or supervisor | Yes, ICC exam F29, National Standard Master Mechanical |
| Heating and Ventilating Journeyman Certificate (Denver) | Four years of field installation through an apprenticeship or on-the-job training, at least 7,000 hours | Yes, ICC exam F31, National Standard Journeyman Mechanical |
| Mechanical Contractor License (Denver) | — | No. The supervisor has already passed it |
| Outside Denver | — | — |
What it costs
4How much does an HVAC license cost in Colorado? What is this?
The government fees on this page, added up.
| License | First license | First certificate | Replacement license |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating and Ventilating Class A Supervisor Certificate (Denver) | — | $60 | $25 |
| Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Supervisor Certificate, Residential Only (Denver) | — | $60 | — |
| Refrigeration Class A Supervisor Certificate (Denver) | — | $60 | — |
| Heating and Ventilating Journeyman Certificate (Denver) | — | $40 | — |
| Mechanical Contractor License (Denver) | $250 | — | $25 |
Added up
| Government fees, added up | Not listed yet |
|---|---|
| City license fees, added up | $310 |
Denver only, and before the ICC exam fee, which the city page does not list. No state fee exists because there is no state license. Insurance, the EPA card, tools, a vehicle and permit fees come on top. Outside Denver the cost depends on your city or county.
Our estimate
Insurance
5How much HVAC insurance do you need in Colorado? What is this?
Colorado sets no minimum liability insurance for this license. Customers and general contractors usually ask for $1,000,000 anyway. Workers' comp is required from the first employee.
| Minimum liability insurance | None required by the state |
|---|---|
| Type of policy | None found. The state has no HVAC license to attach one to, and Denver's application page does not list an insurance amount |
| Who this applies to | Not applicable at state level. Check with your city before you apply, and expect customers and builders to ask for a certificate |
| Who must be named on the certificate | Not applicable |
| Workers' comp required? | Yes |
| Workers' comp: what to know | Every employer with one or more employees must carry it, through Pinnacol Assurance, a private insurer, or a self-insurance permit. There is no license step where the state checks, so the duty is on you. |
| Who can opt out | A corporate officer or an LLC member who owns at least 10 percent of the business and runs it can reject cover in writing, sent by certified mail. In construction, a contractor with no employees must still be covered, unless they file a rejection of coverage with the state |
| Workers' comp: if you skip it | Up to $250 a day for a first failure to carry cover, and $250 to $500 a day for any later one |
Checked by software against the official page
·7 official pages
- denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Community-Planning-and-Development/Contractor-Licensing/Contractor-Licenses/Apply-for-a-Contractor-License
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_8-40-203
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_8-44-101
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_8-41-202
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_8-43-409
- cdle.colorado.gov/dwc/employers/insurance-coverage
- cdle.colorado.gov/dwc/employers/independent-contractors-and-coverage-exemptions
Money checks
6Does Colorado check your credit for an HVAC contractor license? What is this?
Colorado does not check your credit for this license.
| Credit score you need | None. There is no state license, and Denver's application asks for experience, an exam and company papers, not for your credit or net worth |
|---|---|
| If your score is lower | Not needed |
Bonds
7Does an HVAC contractor need a bond in Colorado? What is this?
Colorado does not require a state bond for this license. Some cities ask for one before they issue permits.
| Does the state require a bond? | No |
|---|---|
| Amount | None required by the state |
Colorado has no state bond because it has no state license. Denver's application page does not ask a mechanical contractor for one. Other cities may, so ask before you apply.
Federal rules
8Federal rules that also apply What is this?
Rules from the US government that apply to an HVAC contractor in Colorado on top of the state's own.
| EPA refrigerant certification |
|
|---|
Showing your number
9Where must a Colorado HVAC contractor show the license number? What is this?
In Colorado: no state rule, because there is no state license. Denver's contractor licensing pages do not set a rule on showing the license number on ads, bids, invoices or trucks. If you also hold a Colorado plumbing contractor registration, that number and your master plumber's number must be on your vehicles, bids, bills and website.
| The rule |
|
|---|---|
| If you forget | None found at state level |
Checked by a person against the official page
Tax
10Does an HVAC contractor charge sales tax on labor in Colorado? What is this?
In Colorado, colorado does not tax your labor. The tax falls on the equipment and materials, and how it is paid depends on how you bill. The rest of the rules are below.
See how this compares in every state: Can you charge sales tax on labor? The rule in 25 states
| Labor | Colorado does not tax your labor. The tax falls on the equipment and materials, and how it is paid depends on how you bill |
|---|---|
| Materials | You are treated as the final buyer of furnaces, condensers, ductwork and parts that become part of a building. You pay sales tax when you buy them |
| When you quote one total price | You pay tax at the supply house on what the equipment and materials cost you, and you do not charge the customer any tax |
| When you bill time and materials | You become a retailer for that job. You need a sales tax license, and you charge the customer tax on the marked-up price of the equipment and materials |
| When you are the subcontractor | A subcontractor is the user of the materials it buys and pays the tax on them |
| Homes versus businesses | No difference. The rule looks at how you bill, not at the kind of building |
| New buildings versus repairs | No difference. The same materials rule applies to a new system and to a repair |
| Tax-exempt customers | Materials that go into a building owned by a government body, a charity or a public school can be bought tax-free with an exemption certificate from the Department of Revenue |
| Do you register to collect tax? | Only if you bill time and materials or sell equipment over the counter. The state does not issue a sales tax license to a contractor who only quotes fixed prices |
| Tax rate | 2.9 percent state, plus city, county and special district rates that vary by address. Denver collects its own sales and use tax on top |
Checked by software against the official page
·5 official pages
- law.cornell.edu/regulations/colorado/title-1/agency-201/division-5
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_39-26-708
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_39-26-106
- denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/571/documents/TaxGuide/Tutorial_ConstructionTax.pdf
- tax.colorado.gov/sites/tax/files/documents/FYI_Sales6.pdf
Getting paid
11Getting paid: lien and notice deadlines for a Colorado HVAC contractor What is this?
If you are not paid in Colorado, a lien on the property is your backstop, but only if your notice goes out on time: serve a notice of intent on the owner and on the main contractor at least ten days before you file the lien. To file on October 1 you serve it by September 21 at the latest. You file proof of service with the lien.
| Who has to send a notice | Everyone who wants to file a lien. Colorado has no notice at the start of a job, but a lien cannot be filed until a notice of intent has been served |
|---|---|
| Send your notice by |
|
| File your lien by | Within four months after your last day of work or your last delivery (last day of work June 1 means you file by October 1). A worker claiming wages only has two months after the building is finished |
| File a lawsuit by | Within six months after your last day of work or the completion of the building (last day of work June 1 means you sue by December 1). A notice of the lawsuit is filed with the county clerk in the same window |
| What the owner can argue back | On a single-family home the owner lives in, or one the owner is building to live in, the owner can beat a subcontractor's lien by showing the main contractor was paid in full |
| Who can file a lien | Contractors, subcontractors, workers, suppliers, and the architects and engineers who drew the plans |
Checked by software against the official page
Keeping it
12How do you renew an HVAC license in Colorado? What is this?
The Mechanical Contractor License (Denver) renews every three years.
| License | Renewal |
|---|---|
| Heating and Ventilating Class A Supervisor Certificate (Denver) | Every three years. Once approved you have 90 days to pay and collect the certificate |
| Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Supervisor Certificate, Residential Only (Denver) | Every three years |
| Refrigeration Class A Supervisor Certificate (Denver) | Every three years |
| Heating and Ventilating Journeyman Certificate (Denver) | Every three years |
| Mechanical Contractor License (Denver) | Every three years |
Renewal fees are in what the license costs. The official page for each license is linked under how you get it.
Watch out
13What catches people out in Colorado What is this?
The things people get wrong or do not expect about Colorado, in a few sentences.
- Colorado does not license HVAC work. The state's own list of licensed trades has electricians and plumbers and nothing for heating or cooling, so your license comes from the city or county you work in.
- Denver and Aurora each run their own contractor licensing, and the rules change at the city line. Ask the building department before you quote a job in a city you have not worked in.
- Denver works in two steps. A person earns a supervisor certificate by proving years of experience with notarized letters and passing an ICC exam, and the company's license names that certified person.
- Denver's top heating certificate takes eight years, four as a journeyman and four designing or supervising, and it still caps comfort cooling at 50 tons in self-contained systems.
- The EPA refrigerant card is federal, never expires, and applies in every Colorado city whatever the local license says. An apprentice does not need one while a certified technician closely and continually supervises them.
- Colorado does not tax your labor on its own. On a fixed-price job you pay the tax on the equipment when you buy it and charge the customer none. Bill labor and materials separately and you charge the customer tax on the materials.
- You must carry workers' comp from your first employee, and no state license step checks it because there is none. The fine is up to $250 a day for a first breach, and $250 to $500 a day after that.
Checked by a person against the official page
·5 official pages
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_title_12,_business_professions_and_occupations
- denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Community-Planning-and-Development/Contractor-Licensing/Supervisor-Certificates/Mechanical-Certificates
- epa.gov/section608/section-608-technician-certification-requirements
- law.cornell.edu/regulations/colorado/title-1/agency-201/division-5
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_8-43-409
14Where these numbers come from
The labels under each table are explained on how to read a page.
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_title_12
- dpo.colorado.gov/OccupationalProfessions
- denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Community-Planning-and-Development/Contractor-Licensing/Supervisor-Certificates/Mechanical-Certificates
- denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Community-Planning-and-Development/Contractor-Licensing/Contractor-Licenses/Apply-for-a-Contractor-License
- denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Community-Planning-and-Development/Contractor-Licensing/CL-Resources-and-Downloads/Fees-for-Contractor-Licenses-and-Supervisor-Certificates
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_8-40-203
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_8-44-101
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_8-41-202
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_8-43-409
- cdle.colorado.gov/dwc/employers/insurance-coverage
- cdle.colorado.gov/dwc/employers/independent-contractors-and-coverage-exemptions
- epa.gov/section608/section-608-technician-certification-requirements
- denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Community-Planning-and-Development/Contractor-Licensing
- law.cornell.edu/regulations/colorado/3-CCR-720-1.4
- law.cornell.edu/regulations/colorado/title-1/agency-201/division-5
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_39-26-708
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_39-26-106
- denvergov.org/content/dam/denvergov/Portals/571/documents/TaxGuide/Tutorial_ConstructionTax.pdf
- tax.colorado.gov/sites/tax/files/documents/FYI_Sales6.pdf
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_38-22-109
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_38-22-110
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_38-22-102
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_38-22-101
- colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_title_12,_business_professions_and_occupations