Iowa
HVAC in Iowa
45 HVAC companies in its metro areas within about 35 miles of Des Moines and Cedar Rapids – plus how Iowa licenses HVAC work.
Metro areas
Iowa cities we cover
Across the state line
Nearby metro areas with Iowa HVAC companies
These city pages include companies based in Iowa.
Iowa rules
Do HVAC contractors need a license in Iowa?
How Iowa licenses HVAC work
HVAC contractors are licensed by the state.
Who licenses: Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board (PMSB), Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL)
License types: Contractor License, Master License, Journey Level License, Apprentice License, Service Technician HVAC Specialty License.
Companies: Under Iowa Code 105.10, a person may not operate as a contractor or install or repair plumbing, mechanical, HVAC, refrigeration, sheet metal or hydronic systems without a license. The Board's contractor license is required of anyone providing those services on a contractual basis. DIAL lists these requirements for it: a permanent place of business, a valid unemployment insurance number, $500,000 minimum public liability insurance, a $5,000 minimum surety bond, and at least one active master licensee for each discipline in which the company works. Section 105.11 exempts an owner doing work on their own principal residence if it is an existing single-family-sized dwelling (or farm property) and not commercial or industrial work.
Local rules: Iowa Code 105.17 says the state licensing provisions supersede and preempt the plumbing, mechanical, HVAC-refrigeration, sheet metal and hydronic licensing provisions of all governmental subdivisions, so cities such as Des Moines cannot add their own HVAC licenses. Cities and counties may still charge permit and inspection fees (105.17(2)), so a local permit may still be required.
Check a license: ia-plb.my.site.com
Search the contractor on the state professional license search and confirm an active contractor license covering HVAC or mechanical work, and ask who the master of record is for the job.
Federal rule: in every state, technicians who handle refrigerant must hold EPA Section 608 certification, whatever the state or city requires.
Sources: dial.iowa.gov, dial.iowa.gov, dial.iowa.gov, legis.iowa.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
Iowa HVAC questions
Do HVAC contractors need a license in Iowa?
Iowa licenses HVAC contractors statewide through the Iowa Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board (PMSB), Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing (DIAL). You can check a license at ia-plb.my.site.com.
Where in Iowa do you list HVAC companies?
In Iowa: Des Moines (20), Cedar Rapids (22). 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 Iowa?
HVAC companies can add their business free. We check every listing against the business’s own website.
Neighboring states: Minnesota · Wisconsin · Illinois · Missouri · Nebraska · South Dakota.
Request an HVAC company
Ask us to find an HVAC company in Iowa
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.