Boulder HVAC in numbers
| What we measured | Boulder |
|---|---|
| HVAC & mechanical permits, three years | 4,460 |
| Firms | 324 |
| Firms with a permit in the last 12 months | 205 |
| Firms matched to a current City license | 73.1% |
| Usual filed value | $10,572 |
| Middle half of firms' usual value | $7,750 to $15,000 |
| Usual days from permit to final | 76 |
| Passed final (permits a year or more old) | 70.2% |
| 10th / 90th-percentile firm (10+ permits) | 44.9% / 87.4% |
| Firms under 70% passed | 29 of 55 |
Filing peaks in August (index 131, where 100 is an average month) and is lowest in February (72). Prices by job size are on the Boulder HVAC cost page; the heat pump question is in what is a heat pump.
Which license a Boulder HVAC contractor needs
The City of Boulder licenses mechanical contractors itself. Its Contractor Licensing page says "No person shall perform any work as a mechanical contractor in the city without first obtaining a mechanical contractor license to perform such work", that "Boulder does not accept reciprocal licenses from other jurisdictions", and that every licensee carries general liability of "$1,000,000 per occurrence and a $2,000,000 aggregate limit" plus workers' compensation (read 23 October 2026). A Denver or Boulder County license does not count inside city limits.
The five-minute check: ask for the City license number, search it on the City's Customer Self Service portal or in the Licensed Contractors list on Boulder Open Data, and check it is a mechanical license in the firm's name. For a heat pump, also ask who does the wiring: electricians need a Colorado license and City registration. More in the Boulder contractor license lookup.
The permit rule for HVAC work in Boulder
The City's licensing rules tie the permit to the license: "No mechanical permit shall be issued for work to be done by a person who does not have a valid, current mechanical contractor's license", the exception being a homeowner working on their own residence (read 23 October 2026). So a furnace, boiler, AC or heat pump installed by a contractor should show a mechanical permit in that contractor's name. The records page says the portal "has an address and case number search for general viewers" with "contractor names and inspection dates", and that "Inspections in the city of Boulder are pass/fail." Other cities: do I need a permit for HVAC replacement.
Red flags in the Boulder record
- A passed share under 44.9%. That is the 10th-percentile line among the 55 Boulder HVAC firms with 10 or more permits; 29 pass under 70%, some of them busy firms. Put the final inspection in the contract and hold back the last payment until it passes.
- No match to a current City license. 26.9% of HVAC firms on Boulder permits did not match the City's list; that can be a lapse or just a different spelling, so search the number yourself.
- A license from another jurisdiction offered as if it covered work in Boulder.
- One permit and gone. 140 HVAC firms (43.2%) filed exactly one Boulder permit in three years.
- "Pull it as homeowner." The homeowner exception is for work you do on your own residence.
The busiest Boulder HVAC contractors in the last 12 months
Ranked by Boulder HVAC and mechanical permits in the last 12 months of the window. Volume, not quality: compare each firm's passed share on the compare list.
| Firm | Permits, last 12 months | Permits, three years |
|---|---|---|
| Save Home Heat Co Inc | 294 | 848 |
| Meyers Heating and A/C | 112 | 317 |
| Breakers Electric | 82 | 86 |
| Solid Mesa LLC dba Mesa Plumbing Heating & Cooling | 73 | 79 |
| Energy Transition Partners Inc | 70 | 123 |
The busiest firm alone holds 19.0% of Boulder's HVAC permits, and the five busiest 40.3%. Several of the five filed most of their Boulder permits in the last year, so their record is short.
See every Boulder HVAC contractor by license and permits passed →
What the Boulder record does not tell you
"Passed final" means the permit passed its final inspection; a permit that expired without one counts as not finished, and a low share can mean the final was never booked rather than failed work. Our license status is a name match to the City's list of current licenses; DORA's state licenses for electricians and plumbers are not linked. A permit does not record the equipment or its efficiency. The national checklist is in hiring an HVAC contractor, and state rules in how to check a contractor's license in Colorado.
How we know this
Permits are City of Boulder construction permits on homes classified as HVAC or mechanical, 2023-10 to 2026-09. "Passed final" uses permits a year or more old; days are issue to completion from the City's dates. Percentile and under-70% figures use HVAC firms with 10 or more permits; the filed-value range uses firms with 3 or more. The busiest-firm table ranks by permits in the last 12 months. License status is our name match against the City of Boulder's licensed contractors list. City text is quoted from bouldercolorado.gov, read 23 October 2026.
Numbers come from City of Boulder construction permits, data through October 16, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- How do I choose an HVAC contractor in Boulder?
Check the firm holds a current City of Boulder mechanical contractor license, make sure it pulls the mechanical permit, and read how its Boulder permits finished: only 70.2% of Boulder HVAC permits a year or more old passed final inspection, and 29 of 55 busy firms passed under 70%.
- Does an HVAC contractor need a license in Boulder?
Yes, a City of Boulder mechanical contractor license. The City says no person may work as a mechanical contractor in the city without one, that it does not accept licenses from other jurisdictions, and that no mechanical permit is issued to anyone without a valid, current mechanical license.
- Do I need a permit to replace a furnace or install a heat pump in Boulder?
Yes, a City mechanical permit, which only a licensed mechanical contractor or a homeowner working on their own residence can get. A heat pump usually also needs an electrical permit from a state-licensed electrician registered with the City.
- How much does a new HVAC system cost in Boulder?
The usual Boulder HVAC permit was filed at $10,572, and the middle half of firms usually file between $7,750 and $15,000. That is the value written on the permit, not a quote.
- Who are the busiest HVAC contractors in Boulder?
By permits in the last 12 months, Save Home Heat Co Inc led with 294, and alone holds 19.0% of Boulder's HVAC permits. The five busiest hold 40.3%.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
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