Oregon: HVAC contractor licensing, reciprocity and contract rules.

This page lists what Oregon publishes about licensing an HVAC or mechanical contractor and contracting with homeowners: who issues the licence, whether one is required statewide, the classes and qualifications, insurance or bond minimums, reciprocity with other states, renewal and continuing education, and the state's home-improvement contract statute if it has one.

It is built for owners of residential HVAC companies, especially those hiring across a state line or opening a second territory. Every entry is a snapshot of what the cited source published on the verification date; it is a research starting point, not legal advice.

Oregon, field by field.

Contractor licensing authority

Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) — licenses contractors (a business licence with an endorsement) under ORS Chapter 701. The Building Codes Division (Department of Consumer and Business Services) states it "issues electrical, plumbing, boiler, elevator, and manufactured dwelling licenses" and issues the separate Limited Maintenance Specialty Contractor HVAC/R (LHR) business licence under OAR 918-282-0040, which "May maintain, service, repair or replace commercial and industrial electrical products"; the State License Directory entry for the LHR licence lists "Hold an active Construction Contractor Board (CCB) license" and "Employ an appropriate full time signing supervisor" as prerequisites.

HVAC licence required

Statewide — ORS 701.021(1): "a person or joint venture that undertakes, offers to undertake or submits a bid to do work as a contractor must have a current license issued by the Construction Contractors Board and possess an appropriate endorsement"; a "contractor" is a person that, "for compensation or with the intent to sell, arranges or undertakes or offers to undertake or submits a bid to construct, alter, repair, add to, subtract from, improve, inspect, move, wreck or demolish, for another, a building, highway, road, railroad, excavation or other structure, project, development or improvement attached to real estate, or to do any part thereof" (ORS 701.005(5)(a)); CCB licensing page: Oregon law "requires anyone who works for compensation in any construction activity involving improvements to real property to be licensed". Exemption, ORS 701.010(4), read in full: "A person working on one structure or project, under one or more contracts, when the aggregate price of all of that person's contracts for labor, materials and all other items is less than $1,000 and such work is of a casual, minor or inconsequential nature. This subsection does not apply to a person who advertises or puts out any sign or card or other device that might indicate to the public that the person is a contractor" — all three conditions apply together; ORS 701.010(10) exempts "A person who performs work subject to this chapter as an employee of a contractor." The Building Codes Division's licensing index lists electrical, plumbing, boiler, elevator and manufactured dwelling licences; its LHR licence (OAR 918-282-0040) covers electrical maintenance work on commercial and industrial HVAC/R products and is held in addition to the CCB licence.

Licence classes & qualifications

CCB residential endorsements: Residential General Contractor, Residential Specialty Contractor, Residential Limited Contractor (ORS 701.021(2); ORS 701.081), each with a responsible managing individual (ORS 701.081(1)(c)-(3)(c); ORS 701.091). CCB 'How To Get a License' page: applicant at least 18; the responsible managing individual (an owner, officer, partner or supervising employee) completes "16 hours of pre-license training" from an approved provider and passes the Oregon examination (80 multiple-choice questions, open book, three hours, "a passing score is 70 percent (56 correct answers)", $60 paid to PSI); applicants who passed the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors "do not have to complete the 16-hour pre-license training" but still take the Oregon examination; the RMI may be listed on only one licence at a time; "$400 fee for a two-year license" (fee schedule: $325 if received by 6/30/2025, $400 beginning 7/1/2025). Building Codes Division Limited Maintenance Specialty Contractor HVAC/R (LHR), OAR 918-282-0040: "May maintain, service, repair or replace commercial and industrial electrical products" that use fuel or other energy to produce heat, power, refrigeration or air conditioning; the rule text also requires proof of "at least two years (4,000 hours) experience" and an electrical training record within 60 days of hiring each employee; State License Directory entry (updated 02/11/2026): prerequisites "Hold an active Construction Contractor Board (CCB) license" and "Employ an appropriate full time signing supervisor"; "No exam"; fee "$75.00"; "License renewal is every three years on July 1"; "Exempt from continuing education requirements." Minor labels under the LHR licence (OAR 918-309-0220(5)(a); BCD scope sheet dated October 2024) cover repair or replacement of an oil or gas furnace or a fan not exceeding 20 amps, and of an electrical furnace, air conditioning unit or refrigeration unit, where the installation does not exceed 150 volts to ground, single-phase, with no individual installer licence required.

Insurance / bond minimum

ORS 701.081 (amounts also shown on the CCB licensing page): Residential General Contractor — "a surety bond under ORS 701.068 in the amount of $25,000" and general liability insurance "in an amount of not less than $500,000"; Residential Specialty Contractor — $20,000 bond and not less than $300,000 insurance; Residential Limited Contractor — $15,000 bond and not less than $100,000 insurance; Residential Developer — $25,000 and $500,000. ORS 701.068(1) requires the bond with a corporate surety in the ORS 701.081 or 701.084 amount; ORS 701.073(1) requires public liability, personal injury and property damage insurance "including the covering of liability for products and completed operations". CCB page for commercial endorsements (ORS 701.084): Commercial General Level 1 — $80,000 bond, $2,000,000 aggregate insurance; Commercial General Level 2 — $25,000, $1,000,000 aggregate; Commercial Specialty Level 1 — $55,000, $1,000,000 aggregate; Commercial Specialty Level 2 — $25,000, $500,000 per occurrence. The insurance certificate names the Construction Contractors Board as certificate holder and includes "a statement that products and completed operations coverage is included" (CCB page).

Reciprocity

Not stated in this pass — the CCB 'How To Get a License' page contains no reciprocity or out-of-state endorsement statement; it states that applicants who passed the NASCLA Accredited Examination for Commercial General Building Contractors skip the 16-hour pre-license training but still pass the Oregon examination.

Renewal & continuing education

Two-year licence; renewal fee $400 (CCB fee page: the $400 fee applies to renewals beginning July 1, 2024 and to new applications beginning July 1, 2025, under OAR 812-003-0142). CE for residential contractors, ORS 701.082(1): "eight hours of continuing education during the two-year licensing period preceding the renewal" — three hours "regarding laws, regulations and business practices" offered by the Board or an approved provider, and five hours from approved providers in listed subjects; ORS 701.082(2)(a): "an additional eight hours" if the contractor "was not licensed by the board as a residential contractor during any part of the six-year period immediately preceding the renewal"; CCB Continuing Education page: 3 hours of CCB laws, regulations and business practices plus 5 hours of other approved courses if licensed six or more years (8 total) or 13 hours if licensed less than six years (16 total). Exemptions: home services, residential locksmith services and home energy performance score contractors (CCB page); the requirement does "not apply to a residential contractor endorsed only as a residential developer" (ORS 701.082(5)). Contractors endorsed for both residential and commercial work follow the commercial key-employee requirements (ORS 701.086; CCB page).

Home-improvement contract rule

ORS 701.305(1): "A contractor may not perform work to construct, improve or repair a residential structure or zero-lot-line dwelling for a property owner without a written contract if the aggregate contract price exceeds $2,000"; where a contract initially under $2,000 rises above it, the written contract is delivered "not later than five days after the contractor knows or should reasonably know that the contract price will exceed $2,000"; "Failure to have a written contract will not void the contract." Required terms, OAR 812-012-0110(1) (also the CCB Residential Contract Checklist, Rev. 2020): the contractor's name, address, phone number and CCB licence number as shown on board records; acknowledgment of a written warranty offer where ORS 701.320 requires one; an explanation of the owner's rights including the ability to file a complaint with the board and the existence of any mediation or arbitration provision set forth conspicuously; customer name and address; jobsite address; description of the work; price and payment terms; all legible and in dark ink. Cancellation, ORS 701.310(1): the owner "may cancel the contract by delivery of a written notice of cancellation anytime prior to 12 midnight at the end of the next business day", except where both parties agree work is to begin before the period ends, after the contractor substantially begins the work, or when an initial contract is modified after the period (701.310(2)); ORS 83.720(1): a buyer in a home solicitation sale "has the right to cancel a home solicitation sale until 12 midnight of the third business day" after signing (CCB Contractor Tools page: applies to remodel or repair contracts solicited in person and accepted away from the contractor's permanent place of business). Notices: ORS 701.330 — Board-adopted consumer notice and notice of procedure forms; CCB Contractor Tools page: when the contract exceeds $2,000 the contractor delivers the Information Notice to Owner About Construction Liens, the Consumer Protection Notice and the Notice of Procedure, keeps proof of delivery "for two years after the contract is entered into", and without a written contract "may not be able to claim a lien per ORS 87.037" (ORS 87.037: an original contractor "may not claim a lien" where ORS 701.305 requires a written contract and none exists); a contractor keeps a list of subcontractor names, addresses and licence numbers (ORS 701.345). Deposits: ORS 701.312 — the Board may place a contractor on probation if it offers to perform a home improvement, "accepts a deposit of more than 50 percent of the total contract price" and fails to perform diligently per the contract, or fails to perform and "fails to return the deposit within 10 days after a reasonable demand". No home-improvement contractor registration separate from the CCB licence was located on the pages read.