HVAC work is among the most heavily regulated trades — and for good reason. An improperly installed furnace can produce carbon monoxide. A gas line connected without the proper licence can leak. An AC system charged incorrectly damages equipment, harms the environment, and leaves homeowners sweltering. Licensing in this trade isn’t bureaucracy — it’s the minimum threshold of accountability that keeps people safe.
“I’ve seen the aftermath of unlicensed gas work twice in my career. Both times it was carbon monoxide situations caught before anyone died — but only barely. The licences exist because natural gas and carbon monoxide don’t give you a second chance. Verifying a gas technician licence takes two minutes. It is the most important two minutes in the hiring process.”
— Ravi Menon, licensed HVAC technician and gas fitter with 20 years of experience in residential heating, cooling, and heat pump installation in the local area
Table of Contents
Gas Fitting Licence Questions
Do you hold a gas technician licence for this type of work?
In many regions, anyone working on natural gas or propane equipment — furnaces, boilers, water heaters, gas lines, fireplaces — must hold a licence issued by the relevant gas-fitting safety authority. There are two classes relevant to residential work:
G2 (Gas Technician Class 2): Authorizes work on residential and light commercial gas appliances operating below 400,000 BTU/h. This covers the vast majority of home furnace and boiler work.
G1 (Gas Technician Class 1): The full gas technician licence, authorizing all gas work including industrial applications. Holders of a G1 can do everything a G2 can do, plus more.
Ask for the technician’s gas technician licence number and verify it at tssa.Org. The verification shows the licence class, the holder’s name, and whether the licence is currently valid.
What a good answer looks like: A specific gas technician licence number offered immediately, with the licence class (G1 or G2) specified.
Red flag: Any version of “we don’t need a gas licence for this” or reluctance to provide a number. Natural gas work in many regions without a gas technician licence is illegal.
Is your gas technician licence currently in good standing?
Ask specifically about the current status — not just whether they’ve ever been licensed. A licence that has lapsed or been suspended is not a valid licence for your purposes.
What a good answer looks like: Confirmed active status, verifiable at tssa.Org.
In other regions — what equivalent licences do you hold?
Outside your region, the licensing body and licence classes differ:
- Some regions: Technical Safety BC (Gas Safety)
- Some regions: some regions Boilers Safety Association and Safety Codes Council
- Some regions: Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ)
- Other regions: Equivalent regional safety authorities
Ask for the specific licence and verify it through the relevant regional authority.
Refrigerant Handling Certification
Are your technicians certified to handle refrigerants?
Air conditioner and heat pump installation and service involves handling refrigerants — HFCs and newer alternatives — which are regulated under federal law (the Canadian Environmental Protection Act). Technicians must hold certification from an approved certifying body to purchase, handle, and recover refrigerants.
Ask whether the technicians who will be working on your AC or heat pump hold current refrigerant handling certification.
What a good answer looks like: Confirmed certification, with the certifying body named (HRAI — Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of your country — is the main certifying body).
Business and Insurance Questions
Are you a member of HRAI or a regional HVAC association?
Membership in the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of your country (HRAI) or a regional association signals a contractor who takes professional standards seriously. HRAI members are held to codes of conduct and have access to ongoing training. Ask whether the company holds active membership.
What a good answer looks like: Active HRAI or regional association membership, verifiable on the association’s website.
Do you carry general liability insurance?
Liability insurance covers damage the contractor causes to your property during the job — a refrigerant leak that damages flooring, a gas connection that affects neighboring appliances, damage during equipment installation. Ask for a certificate of insurance with adequate limits.
What a good answer looks like: A current certificate of insurance with a minimum of $2 million in coverage, provided within 24 hours.
Do you carry workers’ compensation coverage for your technicians?
HVAC technicians work in attics, on rooftops, in tight mechanical rooms, and around electrical panels. Injury risk is real. If a technician is injured on your property without workers’ compensation coverage, you may face liability for their medical costs and lost income.
Request a workers’ compensation coverage Clearance Certificate and verify it at your workers’ compensation board’s website.
What a good answer looks like: A current workers’ compensation coverage Clearance Certificate verified independently.
Permit Questions
Will you pull the required permits for this installation?
HVAC installations — particularly furnace replacements, new AC systems, and heat pump installations — require building permits and the relevant gas-fitting safety authority notifications in most local municipalities. The contractor, not the homeowner, is responsible for pulling these permits.
Ask specifically whether permits are required for your job and who is responsible for obtaining them.
What a good answer looks like: “We pull all required permits and arrange all required inspections as standard. It’s part of how we do business.”
How to Verify What You’ve Been Told
The relevant gas-fitting safety authority Gas Technician Licence: Search tssa.Org — click “Licence Lookup” under Gas Safety. Search by name or licence number.
HRAI Membership: Search hrai.Ca member directory.
Workers’ compensation coverage Clearance: Verify at your workers’ compensation board’s website using the company name or account number.
Insurance: Call the insurer on the certificate directly and confirm the policy is active.
Related Questions
- Questions to Ask an HVAC Contractor Before You Hire One
- Questions to Ask an HVAC Contractor About Warranties
- Red Flags When Hiring an HVAC Contractor
- What to Do If an HVAC Contractor Does Bad Work
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