Texas HVAC CE provider guide to TDLR rules

A Texas HVAC CE provider must register with TDLR, get every course approved before offering it, count 50 minutes of instruction as one CE hour, verify attendance, issue certificates within 15 days and report completions within 7 days. LMS Advisor is our top pick for the delivery work: minimum lesson times, live-session attendance, automatic certificates with verification and completion exports for your own TDLR filing.

This page is for Texas HVAC associations and chapters, community colleges and career schools, distributor training centers, independent CE trainers and large contractors running a certification training program. It covers who needs air conditioning and refrigeration (ACR) continuing education, the provider rules in 16 TAC Chapter 59, the ACR rules in Chapter 75, online and live delivery, the 2,000-hour certification training program and how Texas HVAC differs from Texas plumbing. LMS Advisor is our platform. It is not a TDLR-approved provider and does not report anything to TDLR: you hold the approvals and file. We have built, fixed and migrated LMS platforms for years, and we quote rule text rather than paraphrase it where the wording matters. Treat this as a planning aid, not legal advice, and confirm details with TDLR. For the wider trade picture, see our HVAC training software guide.

Who needs Texas ACR continuing education?

Licensed ACR contractors: 8 hours, including 1 hour of law and rules

16 TAC 75.25 (amended effective September 1, 2024) says that to renew an ACR contractor license "a licensee must complete eight hours of continuing education in courses approved by the department, including one hour of instruction in Texas state law and rules." Approved topics include Occupations Code Chapter 1302, applicable mechanical codes, ethics, business practices and technical requirements.

Timing. 75.25 also sets when hours must be completed for a timely or a late renewal. As of September 2026, check the current wording with TDLR before you advise learners on deadlines.
No repeats. Taking the same course more than once does not earn credit twice.
Proof. The licensee keeps each certificate of completion for one year after the completion date.

TDLR's ACR continuing education page adds the warning your learners care about: "If you complete coursework from a non-approved provider, or if you complete the same course more than once, it will not count toward your required hours."

Registered and certified technicians: no CE to renew

Under 16 TAC 75.29, a technician registration or ACR technician certification renews with a completed application and the required fees. The rule text does not mention continuing education. 16 TAC 75.120 sets the path to certified technician: a career and technology education program, a certification training program or 24 months of ACR-related work, plus a passed exam, and the certification "expires on the first anniversary of the date of issuance." So your CE buyers are contractors, while technicians are the audience for exam prep and certification training programs.

How do you become a TDLR-approved ACR CE provider?

16 TAC 59.3 applies TDLR's general continuing education rules in Chapter 59 to "Air conditioning and refrigeration contractors, as provided by Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1302." The steps, from the rule text and TDLR's ACR provider page:

Register as a provider and renew every year. "Each year the provider must renew their registration in order to offer continuing education courses."
Get each course approved before you offer it. 16 TAC 59.30 requires a subject matter outline "including time allotted for each segment" and copies of course materials such as textbooks, videos, handouts and study materials, with the fee. TDLR calls this the timed topic outline.
Get a separate approval for each occupation. A course you also want to count for another TDLR program needs its own approval for that program.
Resubmit every year. "Course approvals are valid for one year and must be submitted annually for approval."
Plan around the 50-minute hour. "One hour of continuing education credit is equivalent to 50 minutes of actual instruction time." TDLR decides the credit hours and can approve fractional hours.
Leave the product pitch out. "Courses designed specifically to promote a manufacturer's product will not be considered for approval."
Expect unannounced audits. 59.30 lets TDLR auditors attend a course without identifying themselves, and you cannot charge them.

Two advertising rules in 16 TAC 59.51 catch new providers. Every advertisement must show your provider number and the course number, and "Provider web page announcements concerning courses are considered advertisements." If an ad shows a fee, all fees for the course, including required materials, must appear together with the same prominence. 59.51 also limits enrollment for a provider that is behind on fees or penalties owed to TDLR, so keep the account current.

What must a provider do after every Texas HVAC CE course?

Verify attendance and instructor performance

59.51 makes providers responsible for the administration of their courses, including "verification of participant attendance and instructor performance." Instructors must have both the subject knowledge and the teaching ability for the material, and the course you deliver should match what you described in your approval application.

Issue certificates within 15 days

"No later than 15 days after the course completion date," you issue a certificate to each participant "who attended the entire course." It must show the course name and number, completion date, provider name and number, approved CE hours, the signature of the provider representative, and the participant's name, license type and license number.

Report completions within 7 days

You submit a course completion report to TDLR, in the format TDLR requires, no later than seven days after the course completion date. It lists the course name and number, completion date, provider name and number, the location where the course was taught, the number of certificates issued, each certified participant's name, license type and license number, and any CE record fees owed. TDLR is blunt about who owns this: "The reporting of continuing education hours is the responsibility of the continuing education provider." Contractors check their hours in TDLR's course lookup and call you first when something is missing.

Keep records for two years and answer requests in ten days

Keep participant completion records for two years after the course. Give a participant copies of their records within ten days of a request, and give TDLR requested records within ten days.

Here is how those duties split between the software and your staff (rules as of September 2026):

Duty	Rule	What LMS Advisor does	What the provider still does
Course approval before offering	16 TAC 59.30	Hosts the approved course version	Apply, and renew approval yearly
1 CE hour = 50 minutes	16 TAC 59.30	Lesson minimum time and sequential progression	Match timing to the approved outline
Verify attendance	16 TAC 59.51	Live session attendance (manual or QR), progress records, optional proctored exam	Review exceptions, confirm full attendance
Certificate within 15 days	16 TAC 59.51	Certificate designer, automatic issue on completion, public verification page	Confirm in a demo which required fields the template can print
Report within 7 days	16 TAC 59.51	CSV, Excel or PDF completion exports and a certificate-issued webhook	Submit on TDLR's form
Keep records 2 years	16 TAC 59.51	Data retention settings and audit logs	Set and follow a retention policy

Can Texas HVAC CE be delivered online?

Yes, with a caveat. TDLR's ACR CE page points licensees to approved providers that offer internet courses, and several approved providers sell online packages. As of September 2026 we found no delivery-format section in 59.30 or 59.51, and the rules do not say whether an approval for a classroom course also covers online delivery. Our reading is that you describe the delivery method in your course approval application, so do not assume a classroom approval carries over. Check with TDLR before you convert a course.

Self-paced courses that honor the 50-minute hour

Set a lesson minimum time so each credit hour takes at least 50 minutes, turn on sequential progression and add required blocks and knowledge checks so learners work through the material instead of clicking past it.

Live webinars with attendance

Schedule sessions on Zoom or Google Meet through the virtual classroom, and take attendance manually or by QR check-in for in-room days. Because a certificate goes only to participants who attended the entire course, check attendance at the start and again at the end, and confirm in a demo how a late join or early exit shows in the attendance report.

Optional proctored final tests

We found no Texas ACR rule requiring a CE test, so treat one as optional unless your approval includes it. If it does, run it as a Test Center exam with ID photo capture, webcam snapshots and lockdown. Proctoring covers the exam, not lesson viewing. Our post on proctored continuing education exams covers the settings.

Spanish sections and phone access

Course and lesson translations support a Spanish section, and one-time-code login by SMS or WhatsApp, in the iOS and Android app or a phone browser, suits contractors who study on a phone. Ask TDLR whether a translated version needs its own course approval before you sell it.

What should a Texas HVAC CE provider look for in an LMS?

Timed lessons that enforce the 50-minute hour.
Attendance you can defend for live and in-room sessions.
Certificates issued automatically, well inside the 15-day window, with a verification page.
Same-day exports or webhooks so the 7-day report is routine.
Retention settings and audit logs covering the two-year record rule.
Company views for contractors who send several licensees.
A way to sell seats with fees shown the way 59.51 requires.

How do Texas HVAC CE options compare?

Facts are from each vendor's public pages as of September 2026. TradesmanCE and RocketCert are approved providers selling seats, included because they set what contractors expect.

Option	Type	Texas ACR CE	TDLR reporting	Best for
LMS Advisor (our platform, top pick)	LMS and exam platform, cloud or self-hosted	Delivers your approved courses, self-paced or live	Exports and webhooks, you file	Approved providers, associations and schools
TradesmanCE	Provider #1883	Online courses, including ACR Laws and Rules (1 hour)	Says it reports automatically	Individual contractors
RocketCert	Provider #2226	8-hour online package, course #31352 for 2025-2026	Says next business day	Contractors and groups
SkillCat	Mobile HVAC training app	Not stated	Not stated	Technician upskilling and EPA 608 testing
BlueVolt	Channel industries LMS	Not stated	Not stated	Manufacturers training a channel

LMS Advisor: best overall for approved providers running their own catalog

It covers timed delivery, attendance, certificates and exports in one system and gives contractor companies their own view. It does not file with TDLR, sell seats natively or supply course content.

TradesmanCE and RocketCert: the learner's benchmark

TradesmanCE lists a 2024 IMC Update (7 hours), Residential HVAC System Replacements (2 hours) and ACR Laws and Rules (1 hour), says it "automatically reports completion to TDLR," and notes CE "applies only to ACR contractors." RocketCert sells an 8-hour package covering "IMC, IFGC, OSHA, Project Management, Laws, and Rules" and says it notifies TDLR "the next business day after course completion." Seven days is the legal limit, but contractors comparing providers will expect that pace.

SkillCat: best for technician skills and EPA 608 testing

SkillCat offers self-paced courses, simulations and "Self-proctored exams with printable certificates," with Spanish options and company dashboards. EPA lists it as a Section 608 certifying program with "Online testing only." Its pages do not describe Texas contractor CE.

BlueVolt: best for manufacturers

BlueVolt is "The Learning Management System for Channel Industries." For brand training, see our HVAC dealer training platform guide, and remember that promotional product courses will not be approved as Texas CE.

How to run TDLR ACR CE in LMS Advisor

Create one course per approved course and approval year, with the TDLR course number in the title.
Build lessons from the timed outline. Set lesson minimum times at 50 minutes per credit hour, turn on sequential progression and mark key blocks as required.
Keep the law and rules hour as its own section, or its own course if that is how it was approved.
Schedule live sessions and check attendance at start and finish.
Capture license type and number. Decide where learners enter them and confirm in a demo how that data reaches your exports and certificate.
Design the certificate in certificates and compliance, issue it automatically on completion and switch on the verification page. Confirm in a demo that the template can print the course and provider numbers, approved hours, signature and license fields.
Set up reporting. Pull a daily completion export from reporting and analytics or use the certificate-issued webhook, and give one staff member the TDLR filing.
Set retention so completion records are kept at least two years. Our training records retention guide compares other rules.
Sell and group seats. Sell through WooCommerce with token SSO, and give each contractor company an organization so its manager sees who finished.

Want to see a 50-minute lesson timer, a live-session attendance report and the completion export together? Ask us for a walkthrough.

Can you run a certification training program under 16 TAC 75.122?

A certification training program is one route to the certified technician credential, and it has its own approval. 16 TAC 75.122 (effective May 1, 2018) says "A certification training program provider must receive approval from the department before offering or providing a certification training program."

2,000 hours of classroom and supervised practice

The program needs at least 2,000 hours combining classroom instruction (at a secondary school, an institution of higher learning or an apprenticeship program) and practical experience under a licensed ACR contractor. Approval "is valid for one year, and may be renewed." Our reading is that an independent trainer needs a school or apprenticeship partner for the classroom portion. Confirm with TDLR.

Ten days for certificates and records

Under 16 TAC 75.123, within ten days of completion the provider issues each completer a certificate and submits electronic records to TDLR. Check the rule for the certificate fields, and confirm in a demo that your template can print them.

Two-year records and performance verification

Records stay for two years, and providers verify "participant attendance and performance." LMS Advisor fits the classroom portion: live evening classes, attendance and proctored end-of-level exams. Practical hours stay with the supervising contractor, because LMS Advisor has no apprentice hour logbook.

How is Texas HVAC CE different from Texas plumbing CE?

Many Texas trade associations serve both trades, and the rules differ more than people expect. Plumbing CE runs under TSBPE, not TDLR. Details for plumbing come from our Texas plumbing CE provider guide.

Item	HVAC (TDLR, ACR contractors)	Plumbing (TSBPE)
Rules	16 TAC Chapters 59 and 75	22 TAC Chapter 365
Hours	8 per renewal, including 1 of law and rules	6 per annual renewal
Hour length	50 minutes of instruction	Segments of at least one hour
Provider reporting	Within 7 days of completion	Within 3 business days of issuing a certificate
Product promotion	Promotional manufacturer courses not approved	No promotion during instruction

Outside Texas, Georgia's Rule 121-4-.03 requires conditioned air contractors to take four hours of CE a year and keep proof for at least five years, with a similar ban on promotional manufacturer courses.

Setup checklist for a Texas HVAC CE provider

Register as a TDLR CE provider and renew each year.
Submit each course with a timed outline and materials.
Keep product promotion out of CE courses.
Show provider and course numbers in every ad and course web page.
Set lesson minimum times to match approved hours.
Schedule live sessions with attendance at start and finish.
Collect license type and number at enrollment.
Design the certificate with every 59.51 field.
Export and file completions within 7 days.
Retain completion records for two years.
Review instructor performance each cycle.

In the first 30 days, load one approved course and its certificate. By day 60, run a pilot and time your export-to-filing step. By day 90, add contractor company organizations and start selling seats.

Limits to plan around

No TDLR filing. LMS Advisor does not submit completions. You file within 7 days.
No approvals. It holds no provider or course approval and does not decide credit hours.
Certificate fields need checking. Confirm license, course number and signature fields in a demo before you rely on them.
No CE-credit ledger. It cannot see a contractor's hours from other providers or stop a repeat taken elsewhere.
No course content or native checkout. You write the approved material, and seats sell through WooCommerce.
No practical-hours logbook for a 75.122 program.

Associations building a wider catalog should also read our member training page.

Frequently asked questions

How many CE hours does a Texas HVAC contractor need?

Eight hours per renewal, including one hour of Texas law and rules, under 16 TAC 75.25. Courses must be TDLR-approved, and repeating the same course earns no credit.

Do Texas registered or certified HVAC technicians need CE?

No. Under 16 TAC 75.29, technicians renew with an application and fees. The 8-hour rule applies to ACR contractors.

How do I become a TDLR-approved ACR CE provider?

Register as a provider, then submit each course with a timed outline, materials and the fee before offering it. Provider registration and course approvals both renew yearly.

How fast must a provider report CE completions to TDLR?

No later than seven days after the course completion date, on TDLR's form. Participants must receive their certificates within 15 days.

Can Texas ACR CE be taken online?

Yes, some approved providers offer internet courses. The rules we read do not say whether a classroom approval covers online delivery, so as of September 2026 confirm with TDLR before converting a classroom course.

Can a manufacturer's product class count as Texas CE?

Not if it is designed to promote the product. 16 TAC 59.30 says such courses "will not be considered for approval."

What is the best LMS for a Texas HVAC CE provider?

LMS Advisor is our pick for approved providers, associations and schools. It handles timed lessons, live attendance, certificates and exports, while you keep TDLR approval and file completions, since it does not report to TDLR automatically.

Preparing your next course approval? Request a demo and bring your timed outline.