How to verify a Texas HVAC contractor's license

In Texas, anyone doing air conditioning and refrigeration work for a customer needs an ACR contractor license from TDLR. Before you let an HVAC company replace a system or pull a permit, you can confirm that license is real and active in about 30 seconds. Here's how.

The 30-second verification

1. Ask the company for their license number (often shown as a TACLA or TACLB number) or use their business name.
2. Search on licensed-tx, or check the state's TDLR verification page.
3. Confirm: the license is an ACR contractor license, the status is active, and the name matches the company you're hiring.

What a valid Texas HVAC license looks like

Texas HVAC contractors hold an Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (ACR) contractor license in one of two classes:

• TACLA (Class A) — no tonnage limit; can handle any system size.
• TACLB (Class B) — limited to 25 tons of cooling / 1.5 million BTU/hour of heating. Covers essentially all residential and light-commercial work.

For a home repair or replacement, either class is fully qualified. Class A only matters for large commercial systems. Learn more in our guide to Texas HVAC license types.

The person at your house is usually a technician working under that contractor license — a technician can't contract for the job on their own. Browse licensed HVAC contractors by county or A/C technicians.

What to confirm

1. It's an ACR contractor license (TACLA/TACLB) — not just a technician registration.
2. Status is active — not expired. An expired license means they aren't currently authorized to do the work.
3. The name matches the business you're hiring.
4. Expiration isn't about to lapse mid-project. Texas HVAC licenses renew annually — see how often a Texas HVAC license expires.

Why it matters

Unlicensed HVAC work can void your homeowners insurance, skip required permits, and leave you with little recourse if it goes wrong — and Texas is a hotspot for post-storm "AC repair" crews that vanish. A 30-second license check is the single fastest filter. See red flags when hiring an unlicensed contractor.

A step beyond: check their record

On licensed-tx, an HVAC contractor's profile also shows any TDLR disciplinary actions — penalties, suspensions, or revocations — on record. A contractor who's licensed but has a recent enforcement action is worth a closer look. It's the kind of thing the lead-gen directories won't show you.

Frequently asked questions

What license does a Texas HVAC contractor need?

An ACR (Air Conditioning and Refrigeration) contractor license from TDLR — Class A (TACLA, unlimited) or Class B (TACLB, up to 25 tons). For home work, either is fully qualified.

How do I verify a Texas HVAC license for free?

Search the company by name or license number on licensed-tx or TDLR's verification page. You'll see the license class, status, and expiration.

Is the technician at my house the licensed one?

Usually not directly — technicians work under a licensed contractor. The contractor license (TACLA/TACLB) is the one that authorizes the business. Confirm that license, not just the tech.

What if the HVAC company's license is expired?

They aren't currently authorized to do the regulated work until they renew. Treat an expired status as "not currently licensed."

Can I see if an HVAC contractor was fined or disciplined?

Yes — on licensed-tx, the contractor's profile shows any TDLR disciplinary actions on record, published verbatim from the state order.

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Every license fact on licensed-tx is published from the TDLR All Licenses dataset and refreshed nightly. We don't edit the underlying records — we make them readable and link back to the source.