California
HVAC in California
164 HVAC companies in its metro areas within about 25 to 35 miles of Los Angeles and Riverside and San Francisco and San Diego and Sacramento and San Jose and Fresno and Bakersfield – plus how California licenses HVAC work.
California rules
Do HVAC contractors need a license in California?
How California licenses HVAC work
HVAC contractors are licensed by the state.
Who licenses: Contractors State License Board (CSLB)
License types: C-20 – Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning, C-38 – Refrigeration Contractor, C-43 – Sheet Metal Contractor.
Companies: California requires a contractor license for contracting work above the minor-work exemption in Business and Professions Code 7048 (see also 7026 and 7028). The CSLB says the C-20 classification is the one authorized to install HVAC systems and heat pumps, although a B – General Building contractor may take a prime contract involving two or more unrelated trades and subcontract the HVAC to a C-20.
Local rules: CSLB guidance says local building departments must verify a contractor's license and workers' compensation coverage before issuing a permit; We could not open the statute text on the legislature's site (robots block), so the licensing threshold wording is from CSLB pages only.
Check a license: www2.cslb.ca.gov
Use CSLB License Check to confirm the license is active with a C-20 classification (not just a general or handyman listing) and that bond and workers' comp are on file.
Federal rule: in every state, technicians who handle refrigerant must hold EPA Section 608 certification, whatever the state or city requires.
We could not confirm every detail from California’s own sources, so treat this as a starting point and check with the agency.
Sources: cslb.ca.gov, cslb.ca.gov, cslb.ca.gov, web.cslb.ca.gov. Checked October 2026 from official sources. This is not legal advice.
Before you hire
Ask for the license number and check it on the official lookup where one exists. Ask for proof of insurance and a written, itemized estimate, and ask who pulls the permit if the job needs one – a new furnace, heat pump or air conditioner usually does.
Questions
California HVAC questions
Do HVAC contractors need a license in California?
California licenses HVAC contractors statewide through the Contractors State License Board (CSLB). You can check a license at www2.cslb.ca.gov.
Where in California do you list HVAC companies?
In California: Los Angeles (20), Riverside (22), San Francisco (19), San Diego (20), Sacramento (26), San Jose (16), Fresno (22), Bakersfield (21). Each city page lists companies based within about 25 miles – 35 in smaller metro areas – whose own website names that city or nearby towns.
Do technicians need EPA certification?
Yes, in every state: federal rules require technicians who handle refrigerant to hold EPA Section 608 certification. A state or city license is a separate requirement.
How do I get an HVAC company listed in California?
HVAC companies can add their business free. We check every listing against the business’s own website.
Request an HVAC company
Ask us to find an HVAC company in California
Tell us the job and your ZIP code. We pass it to listed companies that serve your area.
No heat in freezing weather, or no cooling in dangerous heat? Call a company from the list that says it takes emergency calls – a form is not fast enough. If you smell gas or a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, leave first and call 911 or your gas utility from outside.