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Home / HVAC Technicians / District of Columbia
How to become an HVAC technician in District of Columbia
District of Columbia licenses HVAC technicians at the state level through DLCP.1 You start as an apprentice or trainee and work toward the exam.
Pick your way in
Earn while you learn
A program hires you, pays you on the job and runs your classes.
- Pay
- From day one
- In DC
- 2 registered programs
Classroom first
Learn the basics, then find work to log your hours.
- Pay
- You pay tuition
- In DC
- Community colleges nearby
Start on a crew
Get hired as a helper by a licensed HVAC contractor and log hours on the job.
- Pay
- Paid on the job
- Start
- No experience needed
The license steps
Start as an apprentice or trainee
Join a registered apprenticeship, take a trade school program, or work as a helper for a licensed contractor.
- Issued by
- District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Board of Industrial Trades
Journeyman license3 yrs
3 years of experience, plus CFC Universal certification
- Time
- 3 yrs
Master license5 yrs
5 years of experience, plus CFC Universal certification
- Time
- 5 yrs
Run your own shop
To bid and contract on your own you need a HVAC contractor license or registration.
- Issued by
- DLCP - Board of Industrial Trades (electricians, plumbers, HVAC)
$84,390
a year is the median for HVAC technicians in District of Columbia ($40.57 an hour, May 2025).4
Pay by city and percentileQuestions
Do you need a license to work on your own as an HVAC technician in District of Columbia?
Yes. District of Columbia licenses HVAC contractors through DLCP.1
Are HVAC technicians in demand in District of Columbia?
Projections Central expects about 40 HVAC technician openings a year in District of Columbia through 2034, counting new jobs and people leaving the trade.3
Find an apprenticeship near you
2 registered programs in District of Columbia. Enter your ZIP to see the closest ones and what they ask for.
Find a programMore for HVAC technicians in District of Columbia
Sources
- District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Board of Industrial Trades (dlcp.dc.gov, 2026-10-27)
- District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), Board of Industrial Trades: experience requirements (dlcp.dc.gov, 2026-10-27)
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2024-2034 (projectionscentral.org, 2024-2034)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, District of Columbia, May 2025 (bls.gov, May 2025)