Austin HVAC in numbers
| What we measured | Austin |
|---|---|
| HVAC permits, three years | 18,237 |
| Firms | 819 |
| Firms with a permit in the last 12 months | 479 |
| Firms matched to an active TDLR license | 63.7% |
| Usual days from permit to completion | 118 |
| Completed (permits a year or more old) | 80.7% |
| 10th / 90th-percentile firm (10+ permits) | 60.3% / 96.2% |
| Firms under 70% completed | 27 of 167 |
| Share of permits held by the five busiest firms | 31.7% |
Filing peaks in June (index 129) and bottoms out in February (73): a replacement you can plan is easier to schedule, and to negotiate, in late winter than in the first heat wave. For prices, see HVAC replacement cost.
Which license an Austin HVAC contractor needs
Texas licenses heating and air conditioning work through TDLR's Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractor program, and TDLR says the license applies even to a mini-split (TDLR FAQ, read 20 October 2026). The license belongs to a person, so ask for the license holder's name and number. Austin then requires trade contractors to hold "a state license and registration" for each trade, with the City registration matching the state license and renewed every year (City of Austin, read 22 October 2026).
Separately, the EPA requires Section 608 certification for technicians who "maintain, service, repair, or dispose of equipment" that could release refrigerant; Universal covers all types and the card does not expire (US EPA, read 21 October 2026). It is a person's card, not on any license record, so ask to see it.
The five-minute check: search the number on TDLR License Search, check the expiry date, and make sure the company matches your quote. More in the Austin contractor license lookup.
The permit rule for an Austin HVAC replacement
Austin's Work Exempt from Building Permits list includes "A portable cooling unit", replacing a minor part and "Replacing supply and return duct runs" at a house. The condenser, furnace, air handler or heat pump itself is not on the list (City of Austin, read 22 October 2026), so a replacement needs a permit, and the contractor pulls it. Search your address in Austin Build + Connect (Public Search needs no account) once the job is booked; the permit should name your contractor.
Red flags in the Austin record
- A completed share under 60.3%. That is the 10th-percentile line among Austin's 167 HVAC firms with 10 or more permits; 27 of them complete fewer than 70%. Busy firms are not exempt, so check the big names too.
- A TDLR license that is not active. 24 HVAC firms on Austin permits matched a TDLR record that has expired or lapsed.
- No license holder named. 33.3% of firms had no TDLR match by name, often because the license sits with a person under a different business name. That makes the name and number from the quote the whole check.
- A firm that stopped filing. 26 HVAC firms with 5 or more permits filed none in the last 12 months; a labour warranty is only as good as the firm behind it.
- "You pull the permit." Austin's registration rule covers homeowners acting as contractors, which makes the permit and its inspections yours.
The busiest Austin HVAC firms in the last 12 months
Ranked by Austin HVAC permits in the last 12 months of the window. Volume, not quality.
| Firm | Permits, last 12 months | Permits, three years |
|---|---|---|
| Stan's Heating, Air, Plumbing, & Electrical | 516 | 1,678 |
| Radiant Plumbing and Air Conditioning | 514 | 1,294 |
| McCullough Heating & Air | 419 | 1,356 |
| American Residential Services (ARS) | 258 | 879 |
| Service Wizard LLC | 229 | 321 |
Austin HVAC is concentrated: the busiest firm alone filed 9.2% of the city's HVAC permits. The compare list shows each firm's completed share and TDLR status beside its volume; the spread between the large firms is wide.
See every Austin HVAC contractor by completed permits and TDLR license →
What the Austin record does not tell you
A completed permit means the City's inspection passed; it does not check that the system was sized with a load calculation for your house or that the refrigerant charge is right. Austin's HVAC permits record no job value, so we cannot show what Austin firms charge. License status is a name match to TDLR's file, and unmatched is not unlicensed. Insurance never appears on a permit. The national checklist with ten questions is in hiring an HVAC contractor, and the repair-or-replace decision in HVAC repair vs replacement.
How we know this
Permits are City of Austin issued construction permits classified as HVAC, 2023-10 to 2026-09, snapshot 10 October 2026. "Completed" uses permits a year or more old; days to completion is the median from issue to completion. Percentile and under-70% figures use HVAC firms with 10 or more permits. The busiest-firm table ranks by permits in the last 12 months. License status is our name match to TDLR's air conditioning and refrigeration contractor file. Rules are quoted from TDLR (read 20 October 2026), the City of Austin (read 22 October 2026) and the US EPA (read 21 October 2026).
Numbers come from City of Austin issued construction permits, data through October 10, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- How do I choose an HVAC contractor in Austin?
Check the TDLR air conditioning and refrigeration contractor license, ask whose EPA 608 card covers the refrigerant work, make sure the firm pulls the City mechanical permit, and read its Austin record. 80.7% of Austin HVAC permits a year or more old were completed; among firms with 10 or more permits, the 10th-percentile firm completed 60.3%.
- Does an HVAC contractor need a license in Austin?
Yes. Texas licenses air conditioning and refrigeration contractors through TDLR, and TDLR says that includes mini-splits. The City of Austin also requires trade contractors to register, with the registration matching the state license and updated every year.
- Do I need a permit to replace my AC in Austin?
Yes. Austin's list of work exempt from building permits covers a portable cooling unit, minor parts and replacing supply and return duct runs; the unit itself is not on it. The contractor pulls the permit and you can see it in Austin Build + Connect.
- How long does an HVAC permit take to close in Austin?
The usual Austin HVAC permit was completed 118 days after it was issued, much longer than a typical install takes. Ask the contractor who books the final inspection and to send you the result.
- Who are the biggest HVAC companies in Austin?
By permits in the last 12 months, Stan's Heating, Air, Plumbing, & Electrical led with 516. The five busiest firms hold 31.7% of Austin HVAC permits. Size is not quality: read each one's completed share on the compare list.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Hiring an HVAC contractor: 5 red flags and 10 questions, checked against HVAC permits in 43 cities
- Hiring an HVAC contractor in Boulder: the City mechanical license, the permit, and what 4,500 HVAC permits show
- Hiring an HVAC contractor in Cary, NC: the state heating license, the permit, and what 9,900 HVAC permits show
- Hiring an HVAC contractor in Cincinnati: the OCILB license, City registration, and what 5,700 HVAC permits show
- Hiring an HVAC contractor in Colorado Springs: the PPRBD mechanical license, the permit, and what 22,000 HVAC permits show
- Hiring an HVAC contractor in Columbus, Ohio: two licenses, the permit, and what 21,000 HVAC permits show
For one city
- Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors FAQs — TDLR (accessed 2026-10-20)
- License Search — Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (2026-10-22)
- Contractor Registration — City of Austin Development Services (2026-10-22)
- Work Exempt from Building Permits — City of Austin Development Services (accessed 2026-10-22)
- Austin Build + Connect (AB+C) — City of Austin Development Services (2026-10-22)
- Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements — US EPA (accessed 2026-10-21)