HB 431FLORIDA · STATEWIDESession 2026dead

Proposed Changes to HVAC and Mechanical Contractor Licensing Rules

Original title: Air-conditioning and Mechanical Contractors

March 13, 2026

construction licensing HVAC contractors professional regulation regulation of professions and occupations

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The Frame

What this does

The bill would have defined the legal boundaries for HVAC and s when working on pool heaters, potentially impacting the types of repairs homeowners could hire these specific professionals to perform.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Class A air-conditioning contractors

The bill would have expanded the range of services these professionals are legally authorized to perform.

Mechanical contractors

The bill would have expanded the range of services these professionals are legally authorized to perform.

Florida homeowners

Homeowners would have had a broader set of licensed professionals authorized to perform specific repairs on existing pool heaters.

What changed

Last recorded activity March 13, 2026.

What's next

Introduced.

Summary

This bill would have expanded the scope of work permitted for Class A air-conditioning and s to include the repair and replacement of existing s. It also clarified the specific tasks these contractors are authorized to perform regarding electrical wiring, condensate drains, and system testing.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Would this bill have allowed HVAC contractors to install new pool heaters?

No. The bill would have only allowed for the replacement or repair of existing s using the same make and model, without modifying the pool's existing piping or .

Did this bill become law?

No. Although the bill passed the House of Representatives, it died in the Senate Rules Committee.

Why It Matters

The bill would have defined the legal boundaries for HVAC and s when working on pool heaters, potentially impacting the types of repairs homeowners could hire these specific professionals to perform.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Voting Record

Motion succeededlower2/25/2026openstates_bulkOfficial roll call ↗

Passage, Third Reading

Total

117

Yes

Present

Not Voting

Abstain

How they voted (117)

+ 93 more

Full roll-call analysis →

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Clarification of Licensing for Testing Services

The bill explicitly states that while contractors may test HVAC systems, the state does not mandate a license for those specific testing services, highlighting a distinction between installation/repair and diagnostic services.

Class A air-conditioning contractor Mechanical contractor