The verdicts
Unit ≤3 tons / 36,000 BTU, no ducts, factory-installed electrical cord and plug
No license required
Exempt — no contractor license required.
§489.103(14) specifically exempts the sale, service, and installation of HVAC units ≤3 tons / 36,000 BTU with no ducts and a factory-installed electrical cord and plug.
Statutory citation:§489.103(14) — small-unit HVAC exemption.
General information about this type of work — not legal advice, and possibly not current or specific to your locality. Confirm with the Florida DBPR and your local building department (or a licensed Florida attorney) before acting; provided as-is, at your own risk.
Up to 25 tons / 500,000 BTU in any one system
Licensed contractor required
Class B Air-Conditioning Contractor required.
Up to 25 tons cooling and 500,000 BTU heating in any one system — Class B AC Contractor under §489.105(3)(g). Scope includes the system, ductwork, controls, and minor electrical on the dedicated HVAC circuit.
Statutory citation:§489.105(3)(g) — Class B Air-Conditioning Contractor.
General information about this type of work; your specific situation may differ. Confirm with DBPR or a Florida attorney before acting.
Larger than 25 tons / 500,000 BTU, or commercial scale
Licensed contractor required
Class A Air-Conditioning or Mechanical Contractor required.
Unlimited HVAC scope — Class A AC Contractor (§489.105(3)(f)) or Mechanical Contractor (§489.105(3)(i)). Mechanical adds pressure piping, fuel transmission lines, and additional gas-line work.
Statutory citation:§489.105(3)(f) — Class A Air-Conditioning. §489.105(3)(i) — Mechanical Contractor.
General information about this type of work; your specific situation may differ. Confirm with DBPR or a Florida attorney before acting.
Servicing existing system only
Borderline — check
Class C only valid if grandfathered pre-1988.
Class C AC Contractor (servicing only) is a grandfathered category — only persons registered or certified before October 1, 1988 may hold a Class C license. New entrants must hold Class A or Class B.
Statutory citation:§489.105(3)(h) — Class C Air-Conditioning Contractor (closed to new entrants).
General information about this type of work; your specific situation may differ. Confirm with DBPR or a Florida attorney before acting.
Law last reviewed: June 14, 2026, against the 2025 Florida Statutes. This is general legal information, not legal advice.
Some versions of this are ours — some aren't.
Part of this work can be license-exempt (handyman / painting / flooring) — exactly what 1st Integrity does. The parts that touch a licensed trade are outside what we do; for those you'd engage a Florida-licensed contractor directly and verify their license. We'll always tell you which side a job falls on.
Doing the work yourself? Operating lawfully in this scope
- Registered Florida entity (LLC, corp, or fictitious name via sunbiz.org).
- Local business tax receipt — a tax registration, not a license.
- General liability insurance appropriate to the scope.
- Workers' compensation if you have employees (or a §440.05 exemption).
- Never advertise a state contractor license you don't hold — §489.127 makes that independently actionable.
With those in place and only preempted-scope work, you're operating lawfully without a state contractor license — insured and operating under statutory preemption, not "licensed." Advertise accordingly.
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Common questions
What is Florida HB 735?
HB 735 (2021) began preempting local occupational licensing for many job scopes. It's codified mainly at §163.211 and §489.117(4)(a). Follow-up laws extended it, and the changes fully took effect in July 2025.
How do I check if a Florida contractor is licensed?
Search the name or license number at myfloridalicense.com, confirm it's active and in the right category, and request insurance certificates directly from the carrier.
Is a business tax receipt the same as a contractor license?
No. A business tax receipt is a local tax registration. It is not a contractor's license and does not authorize licensed-trade work (§489.127).