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HVAC Permits by City

Whether HVAC replacement needs a permit depends on your city. Here is the official answer for each city we cover, ranked by how many HVAC permits the city issued in the last 12 months.

An outdoor heat pump unit mounted beside a house
CityPermit needed?Permits (12 mo)
Los Angeles HVAC PermitsYes
Replacing an A/C unit with one of the same size and type, and gas furnaces under 500,000 Btu/h, are on the LADBS Express Permit list: you still need a mechanical permit, but no plan check..		15,923
Seattle HVAC PermitsYes
Furnaces and heat pumps need a mechanical (furnace) permit in Seattle, and split systems with refrigerant piping also need a refrigeration permit, which only a licensed contractor can get.		12,661
New York HVAC PermitsUsually yes
Most heating and central air work needs a DOB permit.		4,485
Baltimore HVAC PermitsYes
Under Baltimore Building Code §2802, no HVACR work may start before a permit is issued, including like-for-like replacement.		3,942
Orlando HVAC PermitsYes
Installing or replacing a permanently installed air-conditioning or heating system in Orlando needs a Mechanical (MEC) permit.		3,765
New Orleans HVAC PermitsYes
New Orleans requires a mechanical permit to install, repair, replace or alter air conditioning, electric or gas furnaces and heaters, or gas lines.		2,755
Kansas City HVAC PermitsYes
Kansas City requires a permit for most heating and ventilating work, including replacing a furnace.		2,600
Philadelphia HVAC PermitsYes
HVAC work needs a building (mechanical) permit in Philadelphia but no zoning permit, and it can usually be issued as an EZ permit without plans..		2,434
Austin HVAC PermitsYes
Replacing a central heat and air system, a packaged unit or a mini-split in a one- or two-family home requires a Residential Change-Out permit, pulled by a licensed mechanical contractor.		2,212
Cincinnati HVAC PermitsYes
Cincinnati requires an HVAC permit for all new installations and replacement units, including furnaces, furnace add-ons, wood stoves and duct re-work.		1,798
Chicago HVAC PermitsYes
Replacing residential heating or cooling equipment, and installing a new single-unit heat pump or air conditioner, is done with an Express Permit.		401
Pittsburgh HVAC PermitsYes
A residential mechanical permit is required to install, repair, extend or modify heating, ventilation or fuel gas systems in Pittsburgh homes.		391
San Francisco HVAC PermitsYes
A mechanical permit is needed to install or replace gas appliances such as a furnace, hydronic heat or a heat pump, and to cut into or replace pipes carrying gas, hot air or cool air.		329
Nashville HVAC PermitsYes
New and replacement air-conditioning units, condenser replacements and furnaces changing size or fuel need a gas/mechanical permit in Nashville.		178
Raleigh HVAC PermitsYes
North Carolina's $40,000 permit exemption does not apply to the addition, replacement or change in design of heating or air-conditioning equipment, so an HVAC replacement in Raleigh needs a permit..		61

Go Deeper

For the patterns behind these rules, read HVAC Replacement Permit Rules in 10 US Cities.

Written and maintained by the Home Permit Guide Editorial TeamPlaceholder profile

Reviewed by: named reviewer to be added · Last updated

This is a placeholder editorial profile. A named reviewer with verifiable experience will be added here. Until then, every rule on this page links to the official government source it was checked against. Read our editorial policy.

Sources

Official sources checked on . Rules change; confirm with the department before you start work.

  1. LADBS Information Bulletin P/GI 2020-003: Express Permits (dbs.lacity.gov)
  2. Seattle SDCI: Furnace & Refrigeration Permits (seattle.gov)
  3. Seattle SDCI: Mechanical Permit (seattle.gov)
  4. 1 RCNY §101-14: Work that may or may not require a permit (codelibrary.amlegal.com)
  5. Baltimore Building Code §2802 (codes.baltimorecity.gov)
  6. Baltimore Building Code §109 (fees) (codes.baltimorecity.gov)
  7. City of Orlando: Mechanical (MEC) Permit Forms (orlando.gov)
  8. City of Orlando: Residential Permitting Requirements (orlando.gov)
  9. City of New Orleans: Mechanical Permit (nola.gov)
  10. KCMO: Electrical, Plumbing and Mechanical Permits (kcmo.gov)
  11. KCMO: Building Permit Exempt Work (kcmo.gov)
  12. Philadelphia L&I: Start Right guide (June 2026) (phila.gov)
  13. Philadelphia L&I: Get permits without plans (EZ permits) (phila.gov)
  14. Austin Residential Change-Out Permit Application (austintexas.gov)
  15. Austin DSD: Work Exempt from Building Permits (austintexas.gov)
  16. Cincinnati Buildings & Inspections: HVAC Informational Handout (cincinnati-oh.gov)
  17. Cincinnati: Residential Permit Guide (cincinnati-oh.gov)
  18. Chicago DOB Express Permit Program: Mechanical (HVAC) Work (chicago.gov)
  19. Pittsburgh PLI: Residential Mechanical Permit (pittsburghpa.gov)
  20. SF.gov: Apply for a plumbing and mechanical permit (sf.gov)
  21. SF DBI Plumbing/Mechanical Issuance and Inspection Fees (July 2024) (sf.gov)
  22. Metro Nashville Codes: Projects That May or May Not Require a Permit (filetransfer.nashville.gov)
  23. N.C. General Statute 160D-1110 (ncleg.gov)
  24. Raleigh: How to Get a Residential Permit (raleighnc.gov)