Before you let anyone touch the air conditioning system in your South Florida home, confirm they hold a valid Florida license. Under Florida Statute 489.113(2), “A person must be certified or registered in order to engage in the business of contracting in this state.” That single rule protects your home, your permits, and your wallet.
Verifying a license takes about three minutes on the state’s website. Most homeowners skip it. That’s a mistake, and this guide walks you through the exact steps so you don’t have to.
TL;DR
To verify a Florida HVAC contractor, search the license on the Florida DBPR Licensing Portal by name or license number, confirm the status reads active, and check the license class. Air conditioning contractors hold a CAC (Certified Air Conditioning Contractor) or registered class. A Class A license carries no capacity limit. A Class B license caps out at 25 tons of cooling and 500,000 BTU of heating per system, per Florida Statute 489.105(3)(d)-(e). Always pair a license check with proof of general liability and workers’ compensation insurance, and make sure the contractor pulls a permit for any system replacement.
Why Does a Florida HVAC License Matter?
A Florida HVAC license matters because it proves the contractor passed a state competency exam, carries required insurance, and can legally pull the permits your job needs. Hiring an unlicensed person voids many warranties, blocks permit approval, and leaves you liable if someone gets hurt on your property.
The state treats unlicensed contracting as a real crime, not a paperwork slip. Florida Statute 489.127 makes a first offense of unlicensed contracting “a misdemeanor of the first degree,” and a second or subsequent offense “a felony of the third degree.” Do the same work during a declared state of emergency, common after a South Florida hurricane, and even a first offense becomes a third-degree felony under that same statute.
So what does that mean for you as a homeowner? If your AC dies in August and you grab the cheapest handyman off a flyer, you may be paying someone breaking state law. When their work fails inspection, the cost of ripping it out and redoing it lands on you.
What Is the Difference Between a Certified and Registered Contractor?
A certified contractor holds a state certificate of competency and can work anywhere in Florida. A registered contractor met the competency requirements of one local jurisdiction and can work only there. Both are legal, but the certified license travels statewide while the registered one does not.
Florida Statute 489.105(8) defines a certified contractor as one “who possesses a certificate of competency issued by the department and who shall be allowed to contract in any jurisdiction in the state without being required to fulfill the competency requirements of that jurisdiction.” A registered contractor, under 489.105(10), “may contract only in such jurisdictions” where the registration was issued.
Here’s the practical takeaway. In Broward County, many air conditioning contractors hold a local registration issued through the county’s Certificate of Competency program rather than a statewide certification. That’s still valid for work inside Broward. Just confirm the registration is current and matches the city where your home sits.
What Are the CAC Air Conditioning License Classes?
Florida air conditioning contractors fall into two main classes based on system capacity. A Class A license is unlimited. A Class B license is capped. The state uses the prefix CAC, which stands for Certified Air Conditioning Contractor, on certified licenses in this trade.
Per Florida Statute 489.105(3)(d), a Class A air-conditioning contractor’s services are “unlimited in the execution of contracts requiring the experience, knowledge, and skill to install, maintain, repair, fabricate, alter, extend, or design” central air-conditioning, refrigeration, heating, and ventilating systems. There’s no tonnage ceiling.
A Class B contractor, defined in 489.105(3)(e), is “limited to 25 tons of cooling and 500,000 Btu of heating in any one system.” For a typical single-family home in Pompano Beach or Davie, a Class B license usually covers the job, since most residential systems run well under 25 tons. Larger homes, small commercial buildings, and multi-zone setups may need a Class A contractor.
| License item | What it means | Capacity limit |
|---|---|---|
| CAC (certified) | Statewide air conditioning contractor | Set by class A or B |
| Class A | Unlimited AC/refrigeration/heating work | None |
| Class B | Residential and light commercial | 25 tons cooling, 500,000 BTU heating |
| Registered | Valid only in the local jurisdiction | Set by class |
Step 1: Open the Florida DBPR License Search
Go to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation license search and open the license search page. This is the single official source for verifying any Florida contractor, and it’s free to use. Bookmark it, because you’ll want it every time you hire a trade.
The DBPR search page offers four ways to look someone up. Pick whichever detail you already have from the contractor.
- Search by Name (individual or business)
- Search by License Number
- Search by City or County
- Search by License Type
If the contractor gave you a license number, use that. It’s the fastest and most exact route. No number yet? Ask for it directly. A licensed pro will hand it over without hesitation.
Step 2: Enter the Contractor’s Name or License Number
Type the contractor’s business name or their license number into the matching field, then run the search. A Florida air conditioning license number typically appears in the form CACxxxxxxx, where the letters mark the trade and the digits identify the individual. That format above is illustrative only. Never trust a number a contractor “remembers” without checking it against the state record.
Why does the exact match matter so much? Because scammers sometimes borrow a real license holder’s name or number. When the name on the DBPR record doesn’t match the person standing in your driveway, stop and ask questions.
If a business search returns several results, match the address and the qualifying agent’s name to the person you’re actually dealing with. One company can have multiple licensees attached to it.
Step 3: Confirm the License Status Reads Active
Open the license record and read the status line first. You want it to say active or current, with an expiration date in the future. A status of null, delinquent, expired, suspended, or void means the contractor cannot legally do your work today, no matter what they promise.
Florida contractor licenses run on a two-year renewal cycle, so an expiration date buried in the past is a bright red flag. Check the license type too. It should read as an air conditioning class, not a plumbing, roofing, or general contractor license that doesn’t cover HVAC.
Print or screenshot the record. If a dispute ever lands in front of a Broward County judge or a state board, that dated proof of what you verified becomes evidence.
Step 4: Verify Insurance and Workers’ Compensation
Ask for a certificate of insurance showing both general liability and workers’ compensation coverage, then call the insurer listed to confirm it’s real and active. A license proves competency. Insurance protects you financially if a technician falls off your roof or a botched install floods your home.
Florida requires licensed contractors to carry public liability and property damage coverage as a condition of licensure. Don’t accept a photo of an old certificate. Request one issued within the last few weeks, and confirm your name or address appears on it as the certificate holder when possible.
Would you let an uninsured stranger climb onto your roof in Hollywood in July? Neither would we. Skip this step and one accident can turn into a lawsuit against you.
Step 5: Make Sure the Contractor Pulls a Permit
For any AC system replacement or new installation, a licensed contractor must pull a mechanical permit from your local building department before the work starts. In Broward County, permits run through the Broward County Building Code Division, which administers the Florida Building Code across the county and its municipalities.
A pulled permit triggers an independent inspection that confirms the install meets code. That inspection is your safety net. A contractor who suggests skipping the permit “to save you money” is asking you to accept uninspected work and to shoulder the risk if it fails.
Permit records are public. After the job, you can confirm with the Broward County Building Code Division that a permit was pulled and the final inspection passed. No permit on file usually means no accountability.
What Are the Red Flags of Unlicensed HVAC Work?
The clearest red flag is a refusal to share a license number you can verify on the DBPR site. Others include cash-only demands, no written contract, no permit, and a price far below every other quote. Any one of these should make you pause. Two or more, and you walk away.
Watch for these warning signs when vetting an AC contractor in South Florida:
- Won’t provide a license number, or the number fails to match on DBPR
- Pressures you to skip the permit or pay cash to “avoid the paperwork”
- Has no certificate of insurance, or shows an expired one
- Uses a different business name than the one on the license record
- Offers a quote dramatically lower than licensed competitors
- Can’t give a physical business address in Broward County
Unlicensed work isn’t just risky. It can wreck a future home sale, since unpermitted AC installations often surface during inspection and force expensive corrections before closing.
When you’re ready to compare vetted options, browse our directory of AC repair companies in Broward County or jump straight to local listings in Pompano Beach, Hollywood, Coral Springs, and Pembroke Pines. Our recommended partner, Air Nifty, has served South Florida since 1997, and is a licensed and insured Florida contractor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I check if a Florida HVAC contractor is licensed?
Visit the Florida DBPR Licensing Portal license search and look the contractor up by name, license number, city, or license type. Confirm the status reads active, the expiration date is in the future, and the license type is an air conditioning class. The whole check takes a few minutes and costs nothing. Screenshot the record so you have dated proof of what you verified before the work begins.
What does CAC mean on a Florida license?
CAC stands for Certified Air Conditioning Contractor. It’s the prefix Florida uses on certified statewide air conditioning contractor licenses. A CAC license holder can work anywhere in the state without meeting separate local competency rules, under Florida Statute 489.105(8). The digits that follow the letters identify the specific licensee, and you confirm them on the DBPR site rather than taking the contractor’s word.
What’s the difference between a Class A and Class B AC contractor?
A Class A air conditioning contractor has no capacity limit and can work on systems of any size, per Florida Statute 489.105(3)(d). A Class B contractor is capped at 25 tons of cooling and 500,000 BTU of heating in any one system, under 489.105(3)(e). Most single-family homes in Broward County fall well within Class B limits, so either class can typically handle standard residential AC replacement.
Is it illegal to hire an unlicensed AC contractor in Florida?
Doing unlicensed contracting is illegal for the contractor, and it puts you at risk. Florida Statute 489.127 makes a first offense of unlicensed contracting a first-degree misdemeanor and a repeat offense a third-degree felony. During a declared state of emergency, even a first offense becomes a third-degree felony. Hiring one can also void warranties, block permits, and leave you liable for injuries.
Do I need a permit to replace my AC unit in Broward County?
Yes. A full AC system replacement or new installation requires a mechanical permit from the Broward County Building Code Division, which administers the Florida Building Code locally. Your licensed contractor pulls the permit, and an independent inspector confirms the work meets code. Permit records are public, so you can verify after the job that a permit was pulled and the final inspection passed. Skipping it can cause problems when you sell your home.
Verifying a license is the single best hour of homework you can do before an AC project. Search the DBPR record, read the status, confirm the insurance, and require a permit. Do those four things and you’ve filtered out nearly every bad actor operating in South Florida. For a local reference on more vetting steps, homeowners in Davie can start with the county directory and work outward from there.