How to find a licensed HVAC contractor in Michigan

What a Michigan mechanical license is

Heating and cooling contractors are licensed under Article 8 of the Skilled Trades Regulation Act (2016 PA 407), MCL 339.5801 to 339.5819. The core rule is MCL 339.5809: nobody may install, alter or service mechanical work covered by the state construction code unless the person, or an employee, holds a mechanical contractor’s license in that classification, and the license holder secures the permit.

LARA’s own summary is shorter. Licensed mechanical contractors can perform installations, alterations and servicing, and can secure permits. That last part is why the license matters to you: the person whose name is on the permit is the person the inspector and LARA can hold to account.

The classes of license

The department issues the license in one or more classes: hydronic heating and cooling and process piping; HVAC equipment; ductwork; refrigeration; limited heating service; limited refrigeration and air conditioning service; unlimited heating service; unlimited refrigeration and air conditioning service; fire suppression; and specialty. LARA’s page also lists specialty licenses such as fuel gas piping, fuel gas piping and venting, and solid fuel and vented decorative gas appliances.

The statute defines some of these. Limited heating service covers gas-fired equipment under 400,000 Btu/h per unit, oil equipment under 5 gallons an hour, gas sectional boilers up to 1 million Btu/h and electric furnaces and boilers. Unlimited heating service has no limit on capacity or fuel. Hydronic work means fluids or vapors circulated in pipes.

Which class a furnace replacement falls under is our inference. We read it as HVAC equipment, with ductwork where ducts change, air conditioners and heat pumps under refrigeration and air conditioning service, and boilers under hydronic or heating service. We found no LARA page that maps a furnace to one class, so ask the company which class it holds and why that class covers your job.

What it takes to get the license

An applicant needs a minimum of 3 years or 6,000 hours of experience in the classification and must pass an exam for each class, run by PSI. A 2-year HVAC program at a trade school, college or Department of Labor approved program can be credited for up to 1 year or 2,000 hours.

Below that there is no step: Article 8 has no journey or apprentice HVAC license, which is our reading of the statute. A technician in your basement may work under a contractor’s license without holding one personally, and the company must name a licensed mechanical contractor as its contractor of record. If that person leaves, the company has 90 days to designate a replacement.

Checking the license on LARA

LARA’s Find or Verify a Licensed Professional or Business page lists Skilled Trades among its license types, and licensing runs through Accela. We verified that the page and the Accela link exist, though we did not run a lookup ourselves. Search the company name or the license number you were given and note the class and the expiration date.

Mechanical contractor licenses expire on August 31 every third year, and they can be renewed by application and fee by October 31. A license that is not renewed is void for obtaining a permit. If the record shows an expired date, ask about it before work starts. The BCC licensing section answers questions at 517-241-9316.

A city may not set its own licensing rules for mechanical work, but a licensed contractor must register the license with the local enforcing agency, and that registration fee may not exceed $15. A company that says it holds a “city license” is describing that registration.

Refrigerant is a separate credential

Anyone who works on air conditioning or heat pump refrigerant needs a federal credential on top of the state license. EPA Section 608 requires technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants to be certified by passing an EPA-approved test. The four types are Type I for small appliances, Type II for high-pressure and very-high-pressure appliances, Type III for low-pressure appliances and Universal for all of them. The credentials do not expire.

The EPA counts as a technician anyone who attaches or detaches hoses and gauges or adds or removes refrigerant. Apprentices are exempt only if closely and continually supervised by a certified technician. Furnace-only jobs may never touch refrigerant, but a heat pump or AC repair call will.

What to ask for in writing

Ask for the license number, the class, the expiration date and the name of the contractor of record. Ask who pulls the permit and whether its cost is in the quote; our permit guide explains why. Ask what the quote covers and what would change the price, and ask for it dated and signed.

If a salesperson comes to your door and you sign at home, Michigan’s Home Solicitation Sales Act lets you cancel until midnight of the third business day after signing. It covers sales over $25 solicited by the seller at your residence, and it excludes sales that follow negotiation at a business location or a published ad. There is an exception when you request the work without delay because of an emergency. Calling a company yourself is different from being solicited, which is our reading of the definition.

If something goes wrong

LARA’s Bureau of Construction Codes Enforcement Section handles complaints about negligence causing physical harm, working without a permit or license, and fraud or deceit. It has no legal authority over contract, money or warranty disputes. Complaints go in writing on a statement-of-complaint form emailed to LARA-BCC-Compliance@Michigan.gov or mailed, and where local enforcement applies, contact that agency first.

For money and contract disputes, the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team informally mediates at 877-765-8388. It cannot act as your private attorney, complaints become public records and it may take a few weeks. The Attorney General’s page suggests small claims court if the business refuses to respond.

Unlicensed practice is a misdemeanor under MCL 339.5601, with a fine of up to $500 or up to 90 days in jail on a first violation. If the furnace is already dead, our furnace repair page explains how a match works, and the cold snap checklist covers what to try first.