INDUSTRY RESOURCE GUIDE

Complete Florida HVAC Industry Resource Guide

Your comprehensive directory of essential resources for Florida HVAC professionals including licensing requirements, building codes, trade associations, training programs, equipment suppliers, and regulatory compliance information.

500+

Industry Resources

67

Counties Covered

25+

Trade Organizations

Updated

August 2025
Licensing & Permits Building Codes Trade Associations Training & Education Equipment Suppliers Regulations Additional Resources
Quick Navigation
🏛️ Licensing & Permits 📋 Building Codes & Standards 🤝 Trade Associations 🎓 Training & Certification 🔧 Equipment Suppliers ⚖️ Regulations & Compliance 💰 Business & Financing 🚨 Emergency Resources 💻 Technology & Software 📚 Additional Resources

Licensing & Permits

Quick Reference

Primary Authority: Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR)
License Types: CAC (Certified AC Contractor), CCC (Certified General Contractor)
Renewal: Every 2 years
Continuing Education: 14 hours biennially

Florida DBPR - Construction Industry Licensing Board

Website: myfloridalicense.com

Phone: (850) 487-1395

Services:

  • CAC license applications and renewals
  • Contractor verification and lookup
  • Continuing education requirements
  • Complaint filing and resolution
  • Examination scheduling

License Types & Requirements

CAC (Certified Air Conditioning Contractor)

  • 4 years experience or equivalent education
  • Pass business & finance and trade examinations
  • $5,000 contractor bond
  • General liability insurance

CCC (Certified General Contractor)

  • Allows HVAC as part of general construction
  • 4 years experience in construction management
  • Higher bonding requirements
  • Additional insurance coverage
Local Permit Offices
  • Miami-Dade: (305) 372-6799
  • Broward: (954) 765-4500
  • Orange (Orlando): (407) 836-5550
  • Hillsborough (Tampa): (813) 274-3100
  • Duval (Jacksonville): (904) 255-8555
  • Palm Beach: (561) 233-5000
Important Dates
  • License Renewal: July 31 (odd years)
  • CE Deadline: Same as renewal
  • Late Penalty: After August 31
  • Examination Dates: Monthly (varies by location)
Fees & Costs
  • CAC Application: $300
  • Examination: $50 per section
  • Initial License: $75
  • Biennial Renewal: $75
  • Late Renewal: $150

Building Codes & Standards

Current Code Information

Current Edition: 2020 Florida Building Code (8th Edition)
HVAC Chapter: Chapter 14 - Mechanical Systems
Energy Code: Florida Energy Efficiency Code for Building Construction
Hurricane Standards: High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) requirements

Florida Building Code Resources

Website: floridabuilding.org

Code Development: Florida Building Commission

Key Resources:

  • Complete 2020 FBC - Mechanical (Free download)
  • Code interpretations and clarifications
  • Hurricane zone requirements
  • Energy efficiency standards
  • Accessibility compliance (ADA/FAS)

HVAC Code Requirements

Equipment Installation

  • Minimum SEER 15 for central air systems
  • Duct leakage testing requirements
  • Refrigerant line insulation standards
  • Electrical disconnect requirements

Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) Requirements

  • Impact-resistant equipment housings
  • Enhanced anchoring systems
  • Surge protection devices
  • Secondary drainage systems

Florida Energy Efficiency Code

Residential Requirements:
  • Air Conditioning: Minimum 15 SEER, 12.2 EER
  • Heat Pumps: Minimum 15 SEER, 8.2 HSPF
  • Duct Systems: Maximum 6 CFM25/100 sq ft leakage
  • Thermostats: Programmable required for central systems
  • Refrigerant Lines: R-6 minimum insulation
Commercial Requirements:
  • Packaged Units: Minimum efficiency per AHRI standards
  • Controls: Automatic temperature controls required
  • Ventilation: ASHRAE 62.1 compliance
  • Economizers: Required for units >54,000 BTU/h
  • Commissioning: Systems >480,000 BTU/h

Trade Associations & Organizations

Florida Air Conditioning Contractors Association (FACCA)

Website: facca.org

Phone: (800) 356-HVAC (4822)

Membership Benefits:

  • Industry advocacy and representation
  • Continuing education programs
  • Networking events and trade shows
  • Technical bulletins and updates
  • Group insurance programs
  • Legal and business resources

Annual Conference: FACCA Convention & Trade Show

Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA)

Website: acca.org

Phone: (703) 575-4477

Services:

  • Manual J/D/S load calculation software
  • Quality installation standards
  • Business management resources
  • Technical training programs
  • Industry standards development
  • Certification programs

Florida Chapters: Multiple regional chapters statewide

Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES)

Website: rses.org

Focus: Technical education and certification

Florida Chapters:

  • Miami Chapter
  • Tampa Bay Chapter
  • Orlando Chapter
  • Jacksonville Chapter
Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC)

Website: abc.org

Florida Chapters:

  • ABC Florida East Coast
  • ABC Florida Gulf Coast
  • ABC North Florida

Focus: Construction industry advocacy, safety training, apprenticeship programs

Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA)

Website: fhba.com

Services:

  • Industry advocacy
  • Building code updates
  • Trade contractor resources
  • Networking opportunities

Training & Certification Programs

Continuing Education Requirement

Florida HVAC contractors must complete 14 hours of continuing education every 2 years to maintain their CAC license. This includes 1 hour of advanced code instruction and 1 hour of business practices.

State College & University Programs

Broward College (Fort Lauderdale)
  • HVAC Technology Program
  • Refrigeration & Air Conditioning
  • Continuing Education Courses
Valencia College (Orlando)
  • Air Conditioning, Refrigeration & Heating Technology
  • Energy Management Systems
  • Commercial HVAC Systems
Hillsborough Community College (Tampa)
  • HVAC Technology Certificate
  • Energy Efficiency Specialist
  • Smart Building Systems

Professional Certifications

EPA Section 608 Certification
  • Required: For refrigerant handling
  • Types: I, II, III, Universal
  • Testing: Multiple providers statewide
NATE Certification (North American Technician Excellence)
  • Installation specialist
  • Service technician
  • Senior technician
  • Heat pump specialty
Manufacturer Certifications
  • Carrier Factory Authorized Dealer
  • Trane Comfort Specialist
  • Rheem Pro Partner
  • Goodman Factory Authorized Dealer

Online Training Providers

HVAC Excellence

Professional development and certification programs

Interplay Learning

3D simulation training for HVAC technicians

SkillMill

Interactive HVAC training modules

TPC Training

Industrial and commercial HVAC courses

Equipment Suppliers & Distributors

Major Distributors

Watsco (Multiple Locations)

Brands: Carrier, Bryant, Payne, Totaline

Locations: Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Fort Myers

Services: Equipment, parts, training, financing

Johnstone Supply

Brands: Goodman, Amana, Daikin, Mitsubishi

Florida Locations: 15+ branches statewide

Specialty: Contractor support, delivery, technical assistance

Manufacturer Regional Offices

Carrier Corporation - Florida Region

Contact: (800) CARRIER

Services: Dealer support, training, warranty

Trane - Florida District

Contact: (813) 623-8500 (Tampa)

Focus: Commercial systems, service

Rheem Manufacturing

Contact: Regional sales representatives

Specialty: Residential and light commercial

Specialty Suppliers

Parts & Controls
  • Standard Motor Products (SMP)
  • Honeywell Controls
  • White-Rodgers
  • ICM Controls
Ductwork & Accessories
  • Ductmate Industries
  • Metal-Fab, Inc.
  • Spiral Manufacturing
  • McGill AirFlow

Financing Partners

Equipment Financing
  • Wells Fargo Equipment Finance
  • Synchrony Financial
  • EnerBank USA
  • GoodLeap (formerly Loanpal)
Customer Financing Programs
  • Service Finance Company
  • Hearth Financing
  • FTL Finance
  • Mosaic Financing

Regulations & Compliance

Environmental Regulations

EPA Refrigerant Regulations
  • Section 608: Stationary equipment
  • Section 609: Motor vehicle AC
  • Recovery Requirements: All refrigerants
  • Leak Repair: Commercial equipment thresholds
Florida DEP Air Quality
  • Refrigerant emission standards
  • Commercial boiler regulations
  • Indoor air quality guidelines

Safety Regulations

OSHA Requirements
  • Confined Spaces: Permit-required entry
  • Electrical Safety: NFPA 70E compliance
  • Fall Protection: Roof work requirements
  • Respiratory Protection: Refrigerant exposure
Workers' Compensation
  • Required for all employees in Florida
  • HVAC classification codes
  • Safety program discounts available

Florida Specific Requirements

Hurricane Preparedness
  • High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) compliance
  • Impact-resistant equipment requirements
  • Enhanced anchoring and tie-down systems
  • Emergency shutdown procedures
Energy Efficiency Mandates
  • Minimum SEER 15 for new installations
  • Duct testing and sealing requirements
  • Refrigerant line insulation standards
  • Programmable thermostat requirements

Emergency Resources

Emergency Contacts

  • DBPR Complaints: (850) 487-1395
  • EPA Hotline: (800) 424-9346
  • OSHA Emergencies: (800) 321-6742
  • Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
  • FL Emergency Management: (850) 413-9969

Hurricane Resources

  • National Hurricane Center: nhc.noaa.gov
  • FL Division Emergency Mgmt: floridadisaster.org
  • Business Damage Assessment: Online reporting
  • SBA Disaster Loans: sba.gov/disaster
  • FEMA Business Recovery: Ready.gov/business

Safety Resources

  • HVAC Safety Training: FACCA.org
  • Electrical Safety: NECA-IBEW
  • Fall Protection: OSHA Training Institute
  • Refrigerant Safety: EPA Section 608 Training
  • First Aid/CPR: American Red Cross

Technology & Software Resources

Design & Calculation Software

Load Calculation
  • Elite Software: RHVAC, Duct Sizer
  • Wrightsoft: Right-Suite Universal
  • ACCA Manual J: Official load calculation
  • CoolCalc: Online load calculator
Duct Design
  • Manual D: Duct design procedures
  • DuctMate: Ductwork calculations
  • McQuay Duct Sizer: Free calculation tool

Business Management Software

Field Service Management
  • ServiceTitan: Comprehensive platform
  • Housecall Pro: Small business focused
  • FieldEdge: HVAC-specific features
  • ServiceMax: Commercial focus
Customer Relationship Management
  • JobNimbus: Construction CRM
  • HubSpot: Free CRM with integrations
  • Salesforce: Enterprise solutions
  • Zoho CRM: Small business platform

Mobile Apps for HVAC Professionals

HVAC Check & Charge

Refrigerant calculations and diagnostics

CoolCloud HVAC

Load calculations and equipment selection

Danfoss Refrigerant SlideRules

Pressure-temperature relationships

HVAC Buddy

Reference data and calculations

Additional Resources

Industry Publications

Trade Magazines
  • Contracting Business: contractingbusiness.com
  • HVACR Business: hvacrbusiness.com
  • ACHR News: achrnews.com
  • Supply House Times: supplyht.com
  • Plumbing & Mechanical: pmmag.com

Online Communities

Professional Forums
  • HVAC-Talk: Professional discussion forum
  • ContractorTalk: Multi-trade community
  • Reddit r/HVAC: Technical discussions
  • Facebook Groups: Local HVAC communities
LinkedIn Groups
  • HVAC Professionals Network
  • Florida HVAC Contractors
  • Air Conditioning & Refrigeration

Industry Events

Annual Conferences
  • FACCA Annual Convention (Orlando)
  • AHR Expo (Rotating locations)
  • ACCA Conference (Various)
  • Comfortech (Regional)
Trade Shows
  • Florida Home Show Circuit
  • Regional Builder Trade Shows
  • Green Building Expo
  • Energy Efficiency Summits

Free Downloads & Tools

  • Florida Building Code - Mechanical: Free PDF download
  • EPA Section 608 Study Guide: Refrigerant certification
  • ACCA Manual J Forms: Load calculation worksheets
  • NATE Study Materials: Technician certification prep
  • Hurricane Preparedness Checklist: Business continuity
  • Safety Training Materials: OSHA compliance
  • Business Plan Templates: HVAC-specific formats
  • Customer Service Scripts: Best practices

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