HVAC Schools in Virginia (Top Programs Listed)

Are you interested in getting an HVAC job in Virginia?

In that case, check out below for the training process and steps you need to take to get a license.

Virginia Certification Requirements

In Virginia, you can get one of the next licenses: journeyman, master, and contractor.

You can also get a type A, B or C contractor license.

If you decide to take on a project over $1,000, you need a contractor license.

Before taking the exam, you will need to be approved by the board.

You don’t need the exam if you are licensed in another state, but a copy of your certification is required.

Journeyman certification requirements

To become a journeyman, you need to:

• Have an experience of 2 years in the field and a 2-year degree from an HVAC program
• An experience of 4 years and 240 hours of classroom education
• An experience of 5 years and 160 hours of classroom education
• An experience of 6 years and 80 hours of classroom education
• One year of practical experience and a 2-year degree in engineering
• A verified experience of 10 years in the industry

Requirements for a master certification

To get a master’s license, you will either need an experience of one year as a journeyman or 10 years of proven experience working in the industry.

Class A Contractor Certification Requirements

This license allows you to work on any type of HVAC task.

Requirements:

• Finish a licensing course totaling 8 hours
• Send in an application
• Proof of 5 years of experience and a $45,000 net worth
• Take the trade exams
• Take the General, Advanced, and Law exams
• Obtain insurance
• Submit a $385 application fee

Class B Contractor Certification Requirements

This license allows you to work on projects not larger than $120,000 per project and $750,000 per year.

You also need to:

• Finish a licensing course totaling 8 hours
• Send in an application
• Proof of 3 years of experience and a $15,000 net worth
• Take the trade exams
• Take the General, Advanced, and Law exams
• Obtain insurance
• Submit a $370 application fee

Class C Contractor Certification Requirements

This license allows you to work on projects not larger than $10,000 per project and $150,000 per year.

• Finish a licensing course totaling 8 hours
• Send in an application
• Proof of 2 years of experience
• Take the trade exams
• Take the General, Advanced, and Law exams
• Obtain insurance
• Submit a $235 application fee

Below you can find places where to complete the educational requirements for these licenses.

Applying process

Reach out to the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation State Board for Contractors at 1-804-367-8511.

The licensing exam

After you are approved to take the exam, you have to schedule it.

This exam is split into 2 sections, from which one is the vocational exam and the other is the statutory and regulatory test.

Virginia HVAC Exam Master + Journeyman

This exam has 85 questions and lasts for 3.5 hours.

For the journeyman test, you need to pay a $100 fee, while for the master exam the fee totals $125.

The journeyman exam requires a 60% passing score, and the master’s test needs a 64%.

The subjects include:

• Warm air heating
• Ventilation
• Air conditioning
• Ducts
• Chimneys
• Flues
• Vents
• Piping
• Combustion air
• Insulation
• Refrigerants
• Standards for conduct
• Standards for practice
• Fire safety
• Licensure procedures

If you plan on obtaining the class A certification, you need to pass at least 2 other exams that cost $72 together.

If you take the 3 exams, the fee is $85.

Besides these exams, you also have to pass a specialty test.

Contractor Exam A + B

This test lasts for 48 minutes, has 24 questions and it requires a 75% score to pass.

The subjects cover regulations, board rules, codes, and transaction recovery fund.

General Section Exam A + B

This exam lasts for 100 minutes, has 50 questions and it requires a 70% score.

Subjects cover:

• business organization,
• estimation,
• bidding,
• project and contract management,
• risk management,
• general safety,
• state labor laws,
• fiscal responsibility,
• taxes,
• lien laws.

Advanced Class A Test

This test lasts for 60 minutes, has 24 questions and it requires a 71% score to pass.

Subjects cover:

• business organization,
• estimation,
• bidding,
• project and contract management,
• risk management,
• general safety,
• state labor laws,
• fiscal responsibility,
• taxes, and
• lien laws

Class C

There is no test for this class, but you are required to take a specialty exam.

HVAC job prospects

The average salary in Virginia is $47,370 a year while the income for the top 10% is around $52,633 per year.

These salaries are a little higher than the national ones which are $46,731 and $52,951 per year, respectively.

HVAC job prospects in Virginia keep increasing annually, which provides even more options for a successful career.

Regional Salary in Virginia

Conclusion

Obtaining a certification will increase your chances of finding a well-paid job in the industry.

Becoming a contractor gives you the chance to start your own company, so it’s worth the time and effort put into training.

HVAC Schools by City

HVAC Schools by State