In my state they require:

>160 hours of education/vocational training and 2 years’ verifiable experience in the trade

To get the license to install minisplits (two years experience generally means working an apprenticeship).

It's no wonder install costs are so much in the US. And as you've experienced, they're hardly rocket science to install. The 160 hours training would be more than enough, I'm not sure why 2 years experience gets tacked on the end.

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stronglikedan an hour ago | parent | next [-]

Thankfully, the training is only required if you're doing the installs for/as a business.

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ApolloFortyNine 36 minutes ago | parent [-]

I think in pretty much every state releasing the refrigerant 'requires' a license (if it's not a DIY model).

And in my state, I copy pasted what was required for a 'residential' HVAC license (idk if you meant commercial HVAC or just making money on installs).

	▲	zie 22 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Not Montana apparently. They don't even have an HVAC contractor license anymore that I can find.

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orthoxerox 17 minutes ago | parent | prev | next [-]

What will they do if they learn you installed your minisplit yourself?

	▲	lstodd 11 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		See the Brazil movie :) Idk for Americas, but here in rural EU no one would give a fuck. Some will ask for help.

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psadauskas 35 minutes ago | parent | prev [-]

Protection racket. They guys doing the installs now would make much less money if just anyone with some tools could start competing with them.