HVAC Contractor Permit Requirements in Manchester, NH

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. New Hampshire — No Sales Tax

   New Hampshire has no state sales tax and no local sales taxes, so businesses need no sales tax permit or resale registration for sales tax purposes. Businesses may instead owe the Business Enterprise Tax and the Business Profits Tax, both administered by the NH Department of Revenue Administration; BET paid can be credited against BPT. Restaurants, caterers and lodging operators separately collect the Meals and Rooms (Rentals) Tax and must hold a DRA license for it. Filing and payment are handled through DRA's Granite Tax Connect portal.

   Official government source

   No fee to register for business taxes with DRA. For taxable periods beginning on or after January 1, 2025, a BET return is due from any enterprise with more than $298,000 in gross receipts or an enterprise value tax base above $298,000; the BET rate is 0.55%·Immediate — registration and filing are done online through Granite Tax Connect

   No fee to register for business taxes with DRA. For taxable periods beginning on or after January 1, 2025, a BET return is due from any enterprise with more than $298,000 in gross receipts or an enterprise value tax base above $298,000; the BET rate is 0.55%

   Immediate — registration and filing are done online through Granite Tax Connect

2. EPA Section 608 Certification (for refrigerants)

   Technicians who purchase, recover, or handle refrigerants must hold EPA Section 608 certification. Required by federal law regardless of state.

   Official government source

   $20–$100 (exam)·1–2 days

   $20–$100 (exam)

   1–2 days

1. New Hampshire OPLC Mechanical Licensing Board — Trade Licenses for HVAC Work

   New Hampshire has no general HVAC contractor or HVAC technician license. The OPLC Mechanical Licensing Board licenses the specific trades involved: Fuel Gas Fitters (piping installer, installation technician, service technician), Hearth Installers, Domestic Appliance Technicians, Oil Heating Technicians, plumbers, and mechanical business entities. Federal EPA Section 608 certification is separately required to handle refrigerants, and a local mechanical permit is required for each installation.

   Official government source

   $50 application fee for Oil Heating Technician certification, $198 for a Fuel Gas Fitter or Hearth Installer license, $176 for a Domestic Appliance Technician, and $275 for a Mechanical Business Entity license·No processing time is published by OPLC

   $50 application fee for Oil Heating Technician certification, $198 for a Fuel Gas Fitter or Hearth Installer license, $176 for a Domestic Appliance Technician, and $275 for a Mechanical Business Entity license

   No processing time is published by OPLC

2. Manchester City Clerk — Business License (activity-specific, not general)

   Manchester does NOT require a general business license for all businesses. The City Clerk's Business Licensing and Enforcement Division licenses only specific activities: food-service establishments, high-impact retail selling tobacco/vape/lottery products, peddlers, hawkers, dealers of junk/secondhand goods, pawnbrokers, hotels/motels/B&Bs, tattoo and body-piercing establishments, farmers markets, taxicab companies/drivers, non-consensual towing companies, employment offices, and circuses/carnivals/fairs/festivals/entertainment venues. Businesses outside these categories are not required to hold this license; call (603) 624-6348 to confirm applicability to your specific business.

   Official government source

   Varies by license type; call (603) 624-6348·1-3 weeks (if applicable)

   Varies by license type; call (603) 624-6348

   1-3 weeks (if applicable)

3. City of Manchester — Mechanical Permit (per project)

   A mechanical permit must be obtained from the City of Manchester Planning and Community Development Department's Building Division for each HVAC installation or major repair; Hillsborough County has no permitting role. Inspections are required upon completion, and all associated permits must be closed out before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued.

   Official government source

   $25 permit application fee plus a fee based on the estimated cost of the work under the City's published Building Fees schedule; confirm the mechanical permit amount with the Building Division (603-624-6450)·Confirm with the Manchester Building Division (603-624-6450)

   $25 permit application fee plus a fee based on the estimated cost of the work under the City's published Building Fees schedule; confirm the mechanical permit amount with the Building Division (603-624-6450)

   Confirm with the Manchester Building Division (603-624-6450)

Official Sources

• New Hampshire HVAC Technician Licensing — HVAC Contractor
• City of Manchester City Clerk

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