HVAC Contractor Permit Requirements in Hartford, CT

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Connecticut Department of Revenue Services — Sales Tax Permit

   Required for all businesses selling tangible personal property or taxable services in Connecticut. Connecticut charges a 6.35% state sales tax and taxes certain services (broader base than many states). Register with the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services via myconneCT; a $100 registration fee applies.

   Official government source

   $100 (registration fee)·Immediate (online via myconneCT)

   $100 (registration fee)

   Immediate (online via myconneCT)

2. EPA Section 608 Certification (for refrigerant handling)

   Federal law requires that any technician who purchases or handles refrigerants must be certified under EPA Section 608. Certification is required for all work on equipment that uses refrigerants (air conditioners, heat pumps, refrigeration systems).

   Official government source

   $20–$100 (exam)·1–2 days

   $20–$100 (exam)

   1–2 days

1. Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection - Heating, Piping and Cooling Contractor License (G-1)

   HVAC work in Connecticut is licensed by the Department of Consumer Protection under CGS Chapter 393. The contractor class DCP actually uses for heating, piping and cooling work is G-1, with G-2 for journeypersons; sheet metal work is a separate license category, so 'S-1/S-2' is not DCP's designation for an HVAC contractor. Only individuals may apply - DCP does not accept company applications - and the applicant must pass a trade examination given by DCP's exam vendor. Technicians who buy or handle refrigerants must also hold EPA Section 608 certification under 40 CFR Part 82.

   Official government source

   $150 non-refundable initial contractor license fee and $150 annual renewal set by CGS Sec. 20-335 (journeyperson $90 initial, $120 renewal); the exam vendor charges a separate fee at exam registration·All heating, cooling and sheet metal licenses expire annually on August 31, so the first term is prorated; the license issues once the applicant passes the DCP trade exam

   $150 non-refundable initial contractor license fee and $150 annual renewal set by CGS Sec. 20-335 (journeyperson $90 initial, $120 renewal); the exam vendor charges a separate fee at exam registration

   All heating, cooling and sheet metal licenses expire annually on August 31, so the first term is prorated; the license issues once the applicant passes the DCP trade exam

2. No general Hartford business license (category-specific licenses only)

   Hartford does not require a general business license. The Licenses & Inspections Division licenses only specific regulated categories - food establishments, mobile vendors, laundromats, amusement devices, parking lots and similar activities. Service businesses such as plumbing, salons, tutoring, pet sitting or photography are not licensed by the city, though they may need a state license, zoning approval, or a certificate of occupancy for commercial space.

   Official government source

   No fee - Hartford issues no general business license·Not applicable

   No fee - Hartford issues no general business license

   Not applicable

3. City of Hartford Mechanical Permit (per project)

   A mechanical permit must be obtained from the City of Hartford's building department, through the city's Accela permitting portal, for each HVAC installation, replacement or major repair, and a final inspection is required on completion. Connecticut abolished county government in 1960, so there is no Hartford County building department. The permit is pulled by the licensed heating, piping and cooling contractor performing the work - Connecticut licenses those trades at state level through the Department of Consumer Protection, and CGS Sec. 29-263(a) bars the building official from issuing a permit to a contractor required to be registered unless that contractor's name, business address and DCP registration number appear on the application.

   Official government source

   Set by the municipality's adopted permit fee schedule and scaled to the declared value of the work; every Connecticut building permit also carries a state code-education fee assessed per $1,000 of declared construction value (CGS Sec. 29-263(b))·The building official must issue or refuse the permit within 30 days of the application (CGS Sec. 29-263(a)); a final inspection is required when the work is complete

   Set by the municipality's adopted permit fee schedule and scaled to the declared value of the work; every Connecticut building permit also carries a state code-education fee assessed per $1,000 of declared construction value (CGS Sec. 29-263(b))

   The building official must issue or refuse the permit within 30 days of the application (CGS Sec. 29-263(a)); a final inspection is required when the work is complete

Official Sources

• Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection — S-1/S-2 HVAC Contractor License
• City of Hartford Licenses and Inspections Division
• EPA Section 608 Certification

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