Do You Need a Permit to Replace a Furnace or AC? 30 Cities Compared

Short answer: yes, almost everywhere. Replacing a central AC condenser or heat pump with the same size and type needs no permit in only three of the 30 largest U.S. cities we cover: Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, each on conditions. Two more depend on the equipment (Milwaukee, New York), and in Kansas City a permit is issued but the licensed contractor certifies the work instead of a city inspection. The other 24 require a mechanical permit for any equipment replacement. A gas furnace swap needs one in 28 cities; Chicago exempts it in kind and Miami's page does not name furnaces. The city's own figure for a permitted single-unit change-out runs from $39 in Fort Worth to $315 in San Jose, with a median of $105, and an owner-occupant may pull the permit in 15 cities while five (Albuquerque, Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia and San Antonio) allow only a licensed contractor. We read each city's exemption list, fee schedule and licensing rule and recorded the city's own reading.

3 / 24cities exempt a like-for-like AC or heat pump swap / cities that permit every one; 2 depend on the equipment and Kansas City lets the contractor certify the work

28cities say a like-for-like gas furnace swap needs a permit; Chicago exempts it in kind and Miami's page does not name furnaces

$39–$315the range of the lowest permitted single-unit change-out figure on each city's page; the median is $105 among the 27 cities that charge one

15cities let an owner-occupant pull the HVAC permit; 10 allow it only in part or after a test, and 5 want a licensed contractor only

Every row links to the city page that quotes the rule, so you can read the source language yourself. The table sorts by any column.

All 30 cities

City	AC or heat pump swap	Gas furnace swap	The city's own fee for a change-out	Who pulls it	Rule the city cites, and notes
Albuquerque, NM	Permit for every replacement	Permit: mechanical permit, $47 + $14 = $61 on the existing gas line. A new gas outlet adds $6.	$61 for a furnace, $83 for a condenser up to 36,000 BTU with a new coil or air handler ($47 + $22 + $14), $103 for a full split system with new ducts and a gas outlet. A new circuit or disconnect is a separate electrical permit ($47 + items).	A New Mexico CID-licensed mechanical contractor, and only a contractor. There is no homeowner mechanical exam, though owners can take one for electrical and plumbing.	2024 Uniform Administrative Code Table 112-C; 2021 New Mexico Mechanical Code; Building Safety permits page Only a component part that does not alter the original approval, and portable units, are exempt. Mini-splits are permitted. The permit is void if no inspection is requested within 180 days.
Baltimore, MD	Permit for every replacement ⚠	Permit: $30 per unit up to 200,000 Btu/h, $57 with the $25 application fee and 5% tax. New or replacement gas piping ($25) needs a licensed gas fitter.	$57 for a furnace or a 3-ton AC condenser ($30 + $2 tax + $25 application) and $115 for a furnace, AC and new duct system. The condenser circuit adds $6 on the electrician's permit.	A licensed HVACR contractor only (city license and Maryland HVACR license). A gas fitter does gas piping and a licensed electrician the circuit. There is no homeowner mechanical permit.	BFRCBC 2802.1, 2802.3 and 109.6.3; DHCD exempt-work list Replacement units are charged the same as new. A ground unit in an interior-side yard sits 3 ft from the lot line. Work without a permit risks a surcharge of the greater of $1,000 or 50% of the fee.
Charlotte, NC	Permit for every replacement ⚠	Permit: county mechanical and electrical permits, $89.55 combined through TIP plus $3 each. Carbon monoxide alarms are required outside each sleeping area.	$89.55 for the mechanical and electrical permits together (1.5 times the $59.70 minimum) plus a $3 technology charge on each, when the contractor buys them through the County's TIP system; bought any other way they are charged double. New systems are priced on contract value ($145.03 on $10,000).	A mechanical contractor licensed by the NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors, or an owner-occupant doing the work personally at a primary residence with the Homeowner Trade Work Certificate of Ownership.	North Carolina $40,000 exemption (not available for HVAC equipment); LUESA Fee Ordinance; UDO 17.2.F Mecklenburg County issues the permits; the City only applies placement rules: no outdoor unit in the frontage setback, and no more than 50% into a side or rear setback. A licensed contractor can swap a like-for-like water heater without a permit, but an owner cannot.
Chicago, IL	No permit for a like-for-like swap	No permit for an in-kind gas furnace, boiler or ductwork swap (same type, size and shape) at a residential building up to 4 stories. Extending gas piping is an express permit, $75 per dwelling unit.	$0 for an exempt in-kind swap. When a permit is needed: $75 per equipment type (for example furnace to heat pump), $150 for new AC, $75 each for ducts or gas piping, plus a separate electrical permit ($150 for up to 10 circuits). A $25 review fee can apply online.	No permit is needed for the in-kind swap. Permitted work lists a licensed general contractor (an owner may act as general contractor once a year on a primary residence). Any hardwired connection needs a Chicago-licensed electrical contractor, and refrigerant work needs EPA Section 608 technicians. Chicago issues no HVAC trade license.	DOB list of work not requiring a permit (Mechanical); Table 14A-12-1204.2; Express Permit Program Changing the type or fuel, a bigger unit, central air where there was none, or a building over 4 stories is an express mechanical permit with a Manual J load calculation. New equipment must meet the Chicago Energy Transformation Code and the outdoor noise limits.
Cincinnati, OH	Permit for every replacement ⚠	Permit: flat HVAC replacement line, $118 first unit + about $13 in surcharges (about $131). No separate IBI electrical permit on an existing branch circuit.	About $131 for a furnace or an AC ($118 + surcharges) and about $184 for both ($118 + $48). A new circuit adds an IBI electrical permit ($60 processing + $45; about $95.95 to $106.05 for replacements). New systems are by valuation ($249 at $5,000).	An OCILB-licensed HVAC contractor registered with the city. Building Code 1106 lets an owner-occupant of a 1-3 family home work personally, but the handout does not say the department issues the permit to an owner, so ask.	HVAC handout; Cincinnati Building Code 1101-17.4 and 1106; FY2027 B&I fee schedule (eff. 2026-07-01) Window units and replacing a part that does not alter approval are exempt. Replacements apply online in ezTrak with no plans and no $49 processing fee; Tier 2 review targets 5 workdays.
Dallas, TX	No permit for a like-for-like swap	Permit: Residential Mechanical Permit. Only maintenance or repair of a gas furnace is exempt, not replacement. Gas piping changes need a plumbing permit from a registered Master Plumber.	$0 for a like-for-like electric AC or heat pump swap with no rough-in change. A gas furnace or new system is $321 ($181 + $125 per trade inspection + $15 technology fee), and a plumbing trade for gas piping makes it $446. Planned development, SUP or deed-restricted lots add 10%.	A TDLR-licensed air conditioning contractor registered through DallasNow, or a homestead owner (Texas Occupations Code 1302.053) whose homestead is recorded with the appraisal district. Gas piping: a registered Master Plumber.	Chapter 52 Sec. 301.2.3 items 2, 8 and 9; Table B-II; fee schedule eff. 2025-07-01 The exemption ends if the ducts, refrigerant route, condensate line or electrical supply change; a new circuit or disconnect is permit work. New duct systems need a duct blaster test and may need a third-party energy code provider. The page does not address window units.
Fort Worth, TX	Permit for every replacement ⚠	Permit: standalone mechanical permit; a furnace up to 100,000 BTU is $6.10 on top of the $33.08 application fee ($39.18), and $10.34 from 100,000 to 400,000 BTU.	$39.18 for a 2-ton condenser alone ($33.08 + $6.10); $55.64 for a 4-ton AC with an 80,000 BTU furnace; $72.51 if the $16.87 technology fee applies. New wiring is a separate electrical permit.	A TDLR-licensed contractor registered with the city (no registration fee), or a homestead owner-occupant at a primary residence.	Fee Ordinance 26-28781 (eff. 2026-10-01); Administrative Code exemptions; residential permitting page Only minor parts and portable units are exempt. A simple change-out usually needs only a final inspection. A permit expires after 180 days without an approved inspection.
Houston, TX	Permit for every replacement ⚠	Permit: mechanical permit by a registered A/C contractor with an inspection; no local exemption for a like-for-like furnace swap. A new gas line needs a gas permit by a registered master plumber ($45.53 up to 4 openings).	About $125 all in for a 3-ton system ($91.06 minimum + $33.56 admin) and about $138 for 5 tons ($11.41 per ton + $47). Alterations to an existing system are 2% of job cost + $47. New wiring is a separate electrical permit.	An A/C contractor with a TDLR Class A or B license registered with the city (form CE-1307). The residential guide says a homeowner may obtain the permit in some instances and does not list them.	HPC Mechanical Inspections; Top 10 sheet item 1; 2026 Building Code Enforcement fee schedule Replacement equipment and ducts must meet the Texas energy code. The inspection is completed the next business day after the request. The page prices a window or self-contained unit installed as equipment at $11.41 per ton + $47.
Indianapolis, IN	Permit for every replacement	Permit: heating permit, $153 for a structure up to 2,500 sq ft. Only an identical water heater swap and a duct extension are exempt.	$153 for a heating permit or a cooling permit and $185 combined (furnace and AC) for a structure up to 2,500 sq ft, plus $23 per additional 1,000 sq ft ($208 at 3,500 sq ft). No application fee. A circuit up to 60 A is covered by the HVAC permit.	A city-licensed heating and cooling contractor, or an owner who occupies a one- or two-family home with the licensing board's written approval of their skill (Sec. 875-321, handled as a homeowner exam).	Sec. 536-201(b) as amended; Sec. 875-301 and 875-321; DBNS fee schedule of 2026-01-05 Window units, fan swaps and ordinary repairs are exempt. Electrical contractors may install all-electric equipment under the electrical permit ($178 combined) but cannot do refrigerant work. Air conditioners need no zoning permit.
Jacksonville, FL	Permit for every replacement	Permit with inspection: $22 for the first 200,000 BTU an hour, so the $60 minimum applies. Gas, propane and oil equipment is not eligible for the inspection waiver.	The $60 minimum covers most change-outs (a 3-ton heat pump is $33, raised to $60). A 5-ton AC with a gas furnace and new ducts is $94, and $174 with new gas piping. Florida's 1% and 1.5% surcharges apply.	An HAR contractor certified by the Construction Trades Qualifying Board or the State, or an owner-builder on the deed who applies in person with proof of homestead exemption.	Ordinance Code 320.408(f)(8) and 320.409; Building Inspection Division FAQ A homeowner may ask in writing for the inspection to be waived on an electric swap of $5,000 or less at a single-family home; the permit is still required and the city may deny the request. No Notice of Commencement under $15,000.
Kansas City, MO	Contractor self-certifies	Permit: a regular mechanical permit and city inspection. The LSR program does not cover furnace replacements outside its categories.	$70.99 for a $5,000 job and $101.30 for a $12,000 furnace and AC job ($58 + $4.33 per $1,000 above $2,000). A new circuit adds an electrical permit from $52.	A city-licensed mechanical contractor. An owner who lives in a single-family home may pull it and do the work personally (IB146 affidavit); on a two-family home only licensed contractors.	KCBRC 18-16(b)(2) and 18-20(b)(2); IB108 (LSR program); IB146 Under LSR a licensed contractor certifies AC replacement in an existing system, regardless of cost, instead of waiting for a city inspection: the LSR permit is due within 7 days of starting and the certification within 7 days of finishing. Window units and grills are exempt.
Long Beach, CA	Permit for every replacement ⚠	Permit: express permit M6 for a single gas furnace in a closet or attic that does not open into a sleeping room, with the IB-018 install checklist.	About $215: the $100 minimum mechanical fee (a $53 itemized split-system changeout rounds up) plus the $115 processing fee. Systems over 33,000 Btu/hr need plan review, about $541. A new circuit is a separate electrical permit.	A CSLB-licensed contractor with a Long Beach business license, or the homeowner of a one- or two-family principal residence (IB-029) at an in-person appointment.	IB-058 items M1, M2, M5 and M6; LBMC 18.04.020.F; IB-018; Mechanical Permit and Plan Check Fee schedule A like-for-like swap of units totaling 33,000 Btu/hr or less is express item M1, and every changeout needs a CF-1R and HERS verification. No express service in the Coastal Zone or a Historic District.
Los Angeles, CA	Permit for every replacement	Permit: express HVAC permit with no plan check, $19 furnace item, $65.95 total. A seismic or excess-flow gas shutoff valve is required once the permit valuation reaches $10,000.	$65.95 for a single item (an AC change-out alone, a furnace alone or ducts alone) and $107.91 for furnace plus AC or a split system with air handler; 3% and 6% surcharges are included and cards add 2.7%. A new circuit is a separate express electrical permit.	A C-20 HVAC contractor (CSLB), or the homeowner after 12 months of residence, limited to two structures in three years.	LADBS Express Permits (items 5, 6, 7 and 10); Mechanical HVAC fee schedule; LADBS Permit Fee Calculator Replacing a capacitor, motor or thermostat is not on the permit list. Inspection is requested a day ahead before 2 PM, and ducts are inspected before they are covered. The page does not address window or portable units.
Louisville, KY	Permit for every replacement ⚠	Permit: HVAC Residential - Replacement, $105 for the first system; a furnace and AC replaced together read as one combination system. A water heater is a $50 state plumbing permit.	$105 for the first system and $50 for each additional ($155 for two separate systems); a furnace and AC together are $105. A new circuit may need a separate Metro electrical permit ($75 up to $750 of work, $100 above); the page says to ask.	A state-licensed master HVAC contractor. State law exempts an owner who owns and occupies the property, but the page found no document saying whether Construction Review issues the permit to an owner; call first.	LMCO 150.096 (rev. 2024-02-06); Kentucky Residential Code R105.2; KRS 198B and 815 KAR 8 Window units and replacing a part that does not alter approval are exempt. The inspector checks the installer's license, and three inspections are included in the schedule's HVAC section.
Miami, FL	Permit for every replacement ⚠	Not named on the page. One rule covers any mechanical system: a permit above a $2,500 contract; a licensed contractor's coil, compressor, refrigerant line and duct repair is exempt at any value.	About $180 for a $9,000 split-system replacement ($110 minimum + $40 application + $26 solid waste minimum + about $4 state surcharges) and about $198 for a $20,000 two-system job. Exempt repairs cost nothing. The SAVE pilot halves city fees for efficient HVAC until 2027-02-12.	A Florida Class A or B air-conditioning contractor with a Miami-Dade certificate of competency or state license. An owner-occupant of a one- or two-family home may file as owner-builder (FS 489.103(7)).	City Code 10-5(b) and 10-18; FBC Mechanical; SAVE pilot in City Code 10-20 Contracts of $2,500 or less are exempt, and so is a licensed contractor's coil, compressor or refrigerant-piping swap at any value, but replacing the condenser and air handler as a system above $2,500 is not. No sealed drawings for a residential replacement.
Milwaukee, WI	Depends on the equipment ⚠	Permit even like for like for gas or oil: $55 per heating unit up to 150,000 BTU, $80.88 with the $25 processing fee and surcharge.	$80.88 for a like-for-like 80,000 BTU gas furnace; $96.12 for a new 4-ton central AC ($60 + $10 + $1.12 + $25); $192.64 for furnace, 3-ton AC and new ducts, $319.24 with electrical. Each permit adds a $25 processing fee and DNS's 1.6% surcharge.	An HVAC business registered with the State of Wisconsin and holding a City Home Improvement Contractor License, or an owner who lives in the home. New wiring needs a licensed electrical contractor.	MCO 200-24-1.5-f-4 and 200-33-23; DNS checklist and homeowner page New central AC, a heat pump added to a furnace and new ductwork always need a permit. For a straight condenser swap the page says to call the Permit and Development Center. Window units need no permit.
Minneapolis, MN	Permit for every replacement	Permit, Level 2: flat $132.40 + $1 state surcharge ($133.40). Gas piping and venting need a licensed gas installer on a separate permit.	$85.20 for a central AC or heat pump replacement (Level 1: $84.20 + $1 state surcharge) and $133.40 for a furnace or boiler (Level 2), which also covers the AC when done together. A whole new system is $217.60 (Level 3).	A city-licensed mechanical contractor. An owner who lives in a single-family home may do their own mechanical work (Section 85.80) but not gas-fired heating equipment; gas piping and venting go to a licensed gas installer.	Minn. R. 1300.0120; city mechanical permit application (Levels 1 to 3); Section 85.80 Window units and part replacements are exempt. Concealed and attic work gets a rough-in inspection with duct blaster results, and new fuel-burning equipment needs an ORSAT heat test record and a heat loss calculation on site.
New York, NY	Depends on the equipment ⚠	Permit: a boiler or furnace replacement is filed by the licensed trade, and a boiler also needs a DOB first-test inspection before use.	DOB filing fee only: $130 minimum for the first $5,000 in a 1-3 family home plus $2.60 per $1,000 ($140 for a $9,000 central-air job); $225 minimum plus $10.30 per $1,000 over $3,000 in other buildings under seven stories. The PE or RA's fee to prepare the filing is separate.	A Registered Design Professional (PE or RA) files in DOB NOW: Build and the permit goes to a Registered General Contractor, plus a DCWP Home Improvement Contractor license in 1-4 family homes. NYC has no HVAC contractor license. A new circuit needs a licensed master electrician.	1 RCNY 101-14 Tables 1 and 2; Admin. Code Table 28-112.2 (LL 128 of 2024); DOB NOW mechanical filing guide Packaged AC units up to 5 tons in a 1-2 family home, and up to 3 tons in any existing building (window and sleeve units included), need no filing. A central or split system or mini-split is not a packaged unit, so it is filed. The exemption covers the mechanical filing only: the Energy Conservation Code and asbestos rules still apply.
Philadelphia, PA	Permit for every replacement ⚠	Permit: EZ mechanical permit with no plans, $69 per appliance + $7.50 ($76.50). A gas piping extension is $189 flat.	$76.50 for a straight condenser or furnace swap ($69 + $3 city + $4.50 state surcharges); $196.50 for a ducted system with its equipment ($189 flat); about $267 with the electrical permit at its $63 minimum. The $100 filing fee is credited toward the permit.	A licensed contractor only; there is no homeowner mechanical permit. Sheet metal by a registered technician; a licensed electrical contractor pulls the electrical permit.	L&I mechanical permit page; fee summary PG_012 (Rev 7.2026); EZ Ductwork and Warm-Air Appliances standard PB_029 Ordinary repairs and small appliances are exempt. A Manual J load report, Manual S selection and a Duct and Envelope Testing form go to the inspector, and refrigerant piping is pressure-tested before it is covered. Boilers are also regulated by the state.
Phoenix, AZ	No permit for a like-for-like swap	Permit: indoor furnaces and air handlers need a mechanical permit even like for like; a gas furnace or gas line is a mechanical or gas permit and licensed trade work only.	$0 for an in-kind outdoor swap. A permitted furnace or AC replacement is valued at $4,500 and costs $243 (Table A: $195 + $12 per $1,000); a rooftop unit needing new support is valued at $6,600, about $534 with plan review. A higher contractor invoice sets the fee.	A city-licensed journeyman installer or apprentice, a state-licensed (ROC) contractor, or the owner-occupant of a single-family home. Gas connections are never covered by the state small-job exemption.	2024 Phoenix Building Construction Code 105.2 Mechanical item 8; Permit Guide TRT 00823; 2026 Fee Schedule App. A.2 The exemption covers an outdoor unit of 5 tons or less in the same location at the same or lower weight, with ducts, roof framing and wiring unchanged. A change of refrigerant class needs a permit. Emergency replacements may start first with the application filed within 72 hours.
Pittsburgh, PA	Permit for every replacement ⚠	Permit: EZ mechanical permit with no plans, issued within one business day; the usual fee is $141.50.	$141.50 for a $6,000 furnace; $191.50 for an $8,000 condenser (zoning review adds $50 for exterior equipment); $333 for a $20,000 heat pump with a new circuit. PLI charges no extra fee for an EZ permit.	A licensed HVAC contractor in practice (PLI trade license for mechanical systems). PLI's EZ page also lists homeowners at a primary residence, so confirm before buying equipment.	PLI mechanical permit page and EZ Permit pilot; 2026 PLI fee schedule; City Code 1002.02 R105.2.1 Outdoor units within 5 ft of a side lot line must be screened to stay EZ eligible, and a front-yard unit closer to the street than the house needs a standard permit. Emergency no-heat replacements may be made first and filed by the next working business day.
Portland, OR	Permit for every replacement	Permit: mechanical permit; the furnace line is $91, billed at the $167 minimum ($187.04 with the 12% surcharge). New gas piping gets a rough-in inspection before walls close.	$187.04 for a furnace swap or a single heat pump or AC line ($167 minimum + 12% Oregon surcharge). An AC or heat pump also needs an electrical permit ($174 + 12% = $194.88), about $382 in all.	The recorded owner (not an LLC) may do their own mechanical work; contractors need an Oregon CCB license. The new circuit: the owner only if they live there and are not selling or renting within six months.	PP&D 2026 mechanical fee schedule; PP&D residential mechanical permit page; electrical permit list PP&D publishes no repair exemption for mechanical work, so a thermostat or blower motor swap is a call to Residential Inspections. Outdoor units stay out of the front setback and, in a side or rear setback, under 5 ft tall and screened. Permits issue within 24 hours on DevHub.
Sacramento, CA	Permit for every replacement	Permit: HVAC minor permit, a flat $175 plus surcharges (about $214), with no plans.	About $214 for an $8,000 owner-builder furnace and AC change-out ($175 + $17.50 technology + $20.80 General Plan + $1 green) and about $254 for a $20,000 heat pump job by a contractor. A cut-in uses the same permit. HERS rater fees are separate.	Homeowners can pull it online as owner-builders for a single-family home or duplex (state law: 12 months of residence); licensed contractors can too.	Fee Table B.1 (eff. 2025-07-19); Building Division minor permit page; Planning Express form HERS documentation is required to close the permit, and testing may be mandatory. Minor HVAC inspections have been virtual since 2026-01-12. A condenser in a new spot must be screened from the street. The page does not address window units.
San Antonio, TX	Permit for every replacement	Permit: mechanical permit, gas furnace item $11.04 on top of the $57.50 base fee. A motor, solenoid valve or control swap by a licensed mechanical contractor is exempt.	$71.88 for a heat pump and air handler change-out ($57.50 + $7.19 + $7.19) and $82.92 for a split system with a gas furnace; two 4% surcharges make them $77.63 and $89.55. A first central system in a home with none is $88.55.	A State of Texas mechanical license (Class A or B) registered with the city. DSD says homeowners must use licensed trade contractors for new HVAC work.	City Code 10-6(a) and 10-6(e); DSD FY 2027 Development Fee Schedule (revised Sept 2026) Starting before the permit issues doubles the fee. The application lists each unit and its SEER2 rating. A new circuit is a separate electrical permit and a new gas line a separate gas permit.
San Diego, CA	Permit for every replacement	Permit: Simple Permit with no plans, $176.57 for a furnace or forced-air unit.	$131.52 for a condenser, $176.57 for a furnace or heat pump, $308.09 for a furnace and condenser together. No General Plan Maintenance Fee because a Simple Permit has no plan review.	A contractor licensed in California, or the property owner or lessee (SDMC 129.0406) with the Owner-Builder Verification Form DS-3042; tenants cannot sign the form.	SDMC 129.0402(b), 129.0404 and 129.0406; IB 103 Table 1B A HERS rating is required for major HVAC changes and for more than 40 ft of new duct, or when a replaced unit serves more than 40 ft of duct in unconditioned space. In-place repairs, controls, filters and recharging are exempt. Smoke and CO alarms must be brought to code.
San Francisco, CA	Permit for every replacement	Permit: Category 1M mechanical permit, $290 with up to two inspections. A new or moved gas line is a separate plumbing permit.	$290 for a furnace or heat pump in one home (Category 1M). A heat pump with a new circuit adds an electrical permit of $305 for up to 10 devices, about $595, or roughly $710 past 10 devices. Two to six units: $420.	A registered C-20 contractor (or a B contractor after DBI approves the scope). A homeowner only for a stand-alone single-family house and only for work they do themselves, after seeing an inspector who may require a contractor.	DBI Tables 1A-C and 1A-E (eff. 2026-07-12); mechanical permit worksheet; SF Electrical Code 89.121 Only appliance repair or replacement with no change in wiring is exempt from the electrical permit. Equipment that needs a building permit, such as a rooftop unit, takes plans on top of the trade permits. The page does not address window units.
San Jose, CA	Permit for every replacement ⚠	Permit: online mechanical permit, Furnace - Replacement, with no plans; about $315 in permit fee.	About $315 for a one-inspection change-out ($315 per hour of inspection time, $315 minimum), or about $526 with the $211 processing line on a counter-filed permit. A new AC or heat pump circuit adds a $315 electrical permit, roughly $840 in all.	The installing contractor with a state license (required for jobs of $1,000 or more), or a homeowner of a principal residence occupied for 12 months as owner-builder.	SJMC 24.02.100 and 24.02.140; FY2026-27 Schedule of Fees and Charges; SJPermits.org online permits Component parts and portable units are exempt. The 2025 California Mechanical and Energy Codes apply from 2026-01-01. A heat pump may project 2 ft into a setback if a 3 ft side setback remains. Work found without a permit is charged two times the fee.
Seattle, WA	Permit for every replacement	Permit: mechanical permit, $60.35 + 5% = $63.37. No electrical permit if the furnace is reconnected to an unaltered circuit, and no gas permit if the gas line is untouched.	$63.37 for a furnace or heat pump ($60.35 + 5% technology fee), online for houses and duplexes. A heat pump adds an SDCI electrical permit (about $169), near $232 in all; a gas furnace with new piping adds a $164 Public Health permit; all three near $400.	SDCI does not restrict who applies for the mechanical permit. The electrical permit goes to an electrical contractor licensed in Washington or the owner-occupant doing the wiring; the gas permit to a registered contractor or a homeowner doing the work.	2026 Fee Subtitle Table D-8; SRC R105.2; Seattle Electrical Code 80.50(B) Portable units up to 10,000 Btu and like-in-kind thermostats, controls and motors of 10 HP or less need no permit. Exterior units must show their distance to the property line, and units over 400 lb need engineered anchorage.
St. Louis, MO	Permit for every replacement ⚠	Permit: $25 application + $40 per furnace, condensing unit or combination unit, so $65 to $105 depending on how the Mechanical Section bills it.	$65 for a furnace, a condensing unit or a combination unit ($25 + $40), or $105 if billed as two items. A new circuit adds an electrical permit of $85 ($25 + $60), about $150 to $190 in all. Failing to request an inspection costs $50.	A city-licensed mechanical contractor with a City business license, or the owner-occupant of a single-family dwelling holding a Homeowners Permit after showing the Mechanical Equipment Inspection Section sufficient knowledge (EPA Universal Technician certification if refrigerant is handled).	Mechanical Code 106.1 and 106.2 (2018 IMC, Ord. 70800); residential fee table Portable appliances and minor parts that do not alter approval are exempt. Most permits are approved in 1 to 3 business days, and an emergency replacement may start once the application is filed.
Tucson, AZ	Permit for every replacement	Permit: trade permit, $150 for the AC or heater repair or replace item (covers up to two units) plus a 1% filing fee. Load and sizing calculations are required.	About $169 for an AC or furnace, or both together ($150 + $18.54 filing fee), and about $219 with a new circuit ($150 + $50 + $18.54). Two inspections are included; extra review time is billed hourly.	A licensed contractor, or an owner who occupies the home via the Owner/Builder Affidavit (A.R.S. 32-1121.A.5). Rental properties need a licensed contractor.	PDSD fee schedule (eff. 2026-07-01); PDSD permit guidance; Owner/Builder Affidavit A same-size, same-type swamp cooler swap is exempt outside Historic and Neighborhood Preservation Zones, and portable plug-in units are exempt. Switching an appliance between propane and natural gas needs a permit and inspection.

The AC or heat pump status says what a same-location, same-capacity replacement of a central AC condenser or heat pump unit needs from the city, as the city page reads it on the date it was last verified. The furnace column says what the page says about a like-for-like gas furnace or boiler swap, including any gas-piping trigger, and sorts exempt first, then permit with no inspection, then permit with inspection, then not addressed. The fee is the lowest all-in figure the page gives for a permitted single-unit change-out and sorts by that figure, with $0 where the AC or heat pump swap is exempt (Chicago, Dallas and Phoenix); the cell says what it covers, whether a separate electrical permit is extra, and the figure for a gas furnace where it differs. The pulls-it column sorts an owner-occupant may pull it, then an owner for part or after a test, then a licensed contractor only. Contractors' own prices are never included. A flag marks a row where the city's documents disagree, leave a gap or are superseded. Download the table as CSV.

What the comparison shows

A like-for-like AC or heat pump swap needs no permit in 3 cities and a permit in 24

Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix exempt it, each on conditions. Chicago exempts an in-kind replacement (same type, size and shape) of a furnace, boiler, ductwork or air conditioning appliance at a residential building up to 4 stories. Dallas exempts a like-for-like swap of permanent electric AC or heat pump equipment only while the rough-in (ducts, refrigerant route, condensate line, electrical supply) does not change. Phoenix exempts an outdoor unit of 5 tons or less in the same location at the same or lower weight, while indoor units need a permit even like for like. Milwaukee, New York depend on the equipment: New York exempts packaged AC units up to 5 tons in a one- or two-family home and up to 3 tons in any existing building but files a central or split system through a PE or RA, and Milwaukee's code exempts non-gas appliance swaps while its own checklist says air conditioners need a permit. In Kansas City the AC swap still gets a permit, but a licensed contractor certifies it under the LSR program instead of waiting for a city inspection. The other 24 require a mechanical or trade permit for any equipment replacement, and many make it quick: Los Angeles, Long Beach (express), Philadelphia (EZ), Pittsburgh (EZ, issued within one business day), San Diego (Simple Permit), San Jose, Sacramento and Seattle are online or over-the-counter permits with no plans. Miami is counted among them for a system change-out: contracts of $2,500 or less and a licensed contractor's coil, compressor or refrigerant-piping swap are exempt, but replacing the condenser and air handler as a system above $2,500 is not.

A gas furnace swap needs a permit in 28 cities, and gas piping often adds a second one

Only Chicago exempts an in-kind gas furnace swap, and Miami's page does not name furnaces; it applies one rule to any mechanical system, a permit above a $2,500 contract. Dallas and Milwaukee treat the furnace more strictly than the AC. Dallas exempts only maintenance or repair of a gas furnace, not replacement, and Milwaukee requires a permit for a gas or oil furnace or boiler even in kind. Phoenix permits indoor furnaces and air handlers even like for like. New or moved gas piping is a separate scope on many pages: a plumbing permit from a registered Master Plumber in Dallas, a gas permit from a registered master plumber in Houston ($45.53 up to 4 openings), Public Health's gas piping permit in Seattle ($137 + $27 per outlet), a plumbing permit in San Francisco, a licensed gas installer's separate permit in Minneapolis and a licensed gas fitter in Baltimore ($25 for new or replacement piping). Albuquerque ($6 per outlet), Chicago ($75 per dwelling unit), Jacksonville ($80) and Philadelphia ($189 flat) list gas piping as a fee line. Jacksonville's inspection waiver for small electric swaps does not apply to gas, propane or oil equipment. Water heaters are not HVAC on these pages: Louisville sends them to a $50 state plumbing permit and Los Angeles to a plumbing permit, while Indianapolis exempts an identical water heater swap.

Window units are exempt on 22 pages; mini-splits and new systems are not

Twenty-two pages name window, portable or small self-contained units (10 lb of refrigerant or less) as exempt. Houston is the exception that prices them: a window or self-contained unit installed as equipment is $11.41 per ton + $47. Charlotte, Dallas, Los Angeles, Portland, Sacramento and San Francisco do not address them, and Philadelphia exempts only small appliances and ordinary repairs. New York exempts window and through-wall units up to 3 tons in an existing sleeve, and the page notes NYC311 requires a permit above 3 tons. A ductless mini-split is named as permit work on 19 pages: Albuquerque, Baltimore, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Long Beach, Louisville, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis and Tucson, usually with an electrical permit for its circuit. Adding a system where none existed is priced differently from a swap: Sacramento uses the same $175 permit for a cut-in, Chicago charges $150 per dwelling unit with a load calculation and site plan, Cincinnati prices new systems by valuation ($249 at $5,000), Charlotte by contract value ($145.03 on $10,000) and San Antonio charges a first central system $88.55. Evaporative coolers: Albuquerque requires a permit ($61 for a rooftop swap), Tucson exempts a same-size, same-type swap outside preservation zones, and Phoenix's permit guide exempts replacing an existing cooler without changing its size, capacity or location.

The permit fee for a change-out runs from $39 to $315, with a median of $105

Using the lowest figure each page gives for a permitted single-unit change-out, nine cities are under $75: Fort Worth $39, Baltimore $57, Jacksonville $60, Albuquerque $61, Seattle $63, St. Louis $65, Los Angeles $66, Kansas City $71 and San Antonio $72. Ten are $75 to $149: Philadelphia $77, Milwaukee $81, Minneapolis $85, Charlotte $90, Louisville $105, Houston $125, New York $130, Cincinnati $131, San Diego $132 and Pittsburgh $142. Six are $150 to $249: Indianapolis $153, Tucson $169, Miami $180, Portland $187, Sacramento $214 and Long Beach $215. Two are $250 or more: San Francisco $290 and San Jose $315. Chicago, Dallas and Phoenix are $0 for the exempt swap, but Dallas charges $321 for a gas furnace ($181 + $125 per trade inspection + $15 technology fee), more than the headline figure on any other page (San Jose's $315 is next). Five cities price the permit on job value (Kansas City, Miami, New York, Phoenix and Pittsburgh), San Jose on inspection time ($315 an hour), and the other 24 flat or per item: per ton in Houston, per unit in Baltimore, Fort Worth, Milwaukee, Seattle and St. Louis, per level in Minneapolis, a flat category in San Francisco and Sacramento. A new circuit or disconnect is usually a separate electrical permit: Chicago $150, Philadelphia $63 minimum, Portland $194.88, San Francisco $305, San Jose $315, St. Louis $85. Cincinnati (existing branch circuit), Seattle (unaltered circuit) and Indianapolis (up to 60 A) fold it in, and Charlotte prices its mechanical and electrical change-out permits together at $89.55 through TIP.

Energy-code and refrigerant add-ons: HERS and duct tests, load calculations, refrigerant class

The permit is not always the whole cost. HERS verification or duct testing is named for Long Beach (CF-1R and HERS verification on every changeout, a duct test above 40 linear ft), San Diego (a HERS rating for major HVAC changes or more than 40 ft of new duct), Sacramento (HERS documentation to close the permit), Philadelphia (a Duct and Envelope Testing form), Minneapolis (duct blaster results on concealed work) and Dallas (a duct blaster test for new or rerouted ducts). Load or sizing calculations are required for replacement equipment in Tucson and Philadelphia (Manual J and S, with cooling capped at 1.15 times the design load), New York calls for Manual J and S sizing, Chicago wants a load calculation for new AC or a heat pump, and Kansas City asks for Manual J, S and D data on new ducts in an alteration. Refrigerant rules appear in New York (A2L refrigerants such as R-32 and R-454B carry placement and ventilation rules), Philadelphia (A1 or A2L refrigerants required for comfort cooling since 2026), Phoenix (a change of refrigerant class needs a permit), Tucson (ANSI/ASHRAE 15 and 34 for alternative refrigerants) and Chicago and St. Louis (EPA Section 608 or Universal Technician certification). Los Angeles adds a seismic or excess-flow gas shutoff valve once the permit valuation reaches $10,000, Charlotte requires carbon monoxide alarms for a fuel-fired furnace and San Diego brings smoke and CO alarms to code whenever a permit is pulled. San Antonio's application asks for the new equipment's SEER2 rating, and Phoenix has deferred enforcement of the GFCI requirement for HVAC equipment until 2027-03-01.

Who may pull it: an owner-occupant in 15 cities, part of it in 10, a licensed contractor only in 5

An owner-occupant may pull the HVAC permit in Los Angeles, Seattle, Miami, Portland, Dallas, San Diego, San Jose, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Sacramento, Fort Worth, Milwaukee, Tucson, Kansas City and Long Beach. The conditions vary: 12 months of residence in Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Jose, a recorded homestead in Dallas and Fort Worth, an in-person application with proof of homestead exemption in Jacksonville, a single-family home only in Kansas City, and a recorded owner who is not an LLC in Portland. Ten cities allow it only in part or after a test: Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Indianapolis, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Louisville, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. Chicago lets an owner act as general contractor once a year on a primary residence but never wire the connection; Indianapolis requires the licensing board's written approval; Minneapolis and Phoenix exclude gas equipment; St. Louis requires showing the Mechanical Equipment Inspection Section sufficient knowledge; San Francisco allows only a stand-alone single-family house and lets the inspector require a contractor; and Houston, Louisville, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh say an owner route exists but their pages could not confirm how it works. Only a licensed contractor may pull it in New York, San Antonio, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Albuquerque. The licenses the pages name: a TDLR license (Class A or B in Houston and San Antonio), a C-20 in Los Angeles and San Francisco, an ROC license in Phoenix, an Oregon CCB license in Portland, a CSLB license in Long Beach, an OCILB license in Cincinnati, a Florida Class A or B license in Miami, a Construction Trades Qualifying Board certificate in Jacksonville, a New Mexico CID license in Albuquerque, a North Carolina State Board license in Charlotte and a city-issued license in Baltimore, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. New York and Chicago issue no HVAC trade license; New York files through a PE or RA and a Registered General Contractor.

Where the city's documents disagree or leave a gap

New York: 1 RCNY 101-14 exempts packaged units up to 5 tons in a one- or two-family home, while the page says NYC311 requires a permit above 3 tons. Milwaukee: the code and DNS's homeowner page exempt like-for-like swaps of non-gas appliances such as air conditioners, but the DNS checklist says air conditioners need a permit. Charlotte: the page says a capacitor or blower motor repair falls under the $40,000 exception, while its scenario table says general repair is not among the exceptions and sends the reader to RTAC. St. Louis: an older Revised Code chapter from 1992 exempts minor repairs up to $25,000, while the 2018 Mechanical Code requires a permit for any mechanical work, and the page follows the newer code. Pittsburgh: PLI's licensing rules require a city trade license while its EZ page lists homeowners among those who may do EZ work, and its permitting page puts attached houses in the commercial category with a $605 minimum. Philadelphia: L&I's processing sheet says 20 business days, the Start Right guide says same day to 5 business days for no-plan applications. Baltimore reads a heat pump under the air-conditioning rate because Section 109 has no heat-pump line. Fort Worth shows $55.64 or $72.51 for the same job depending on the $16.87 technology fee. San Jose gives about $315 or about $526 depending on the $211 processing line. Houston does not say whether a condenser swap is priced as a complete system or an alteration, and leaves its homeowner instances unlisted. Cincinnati and Louisville do not say whether the department issues the permit to an owner. Miami prints the residential rate as 0.50 without a percent sign, which the page reads as 0.5%, and does not state the county surcharge. Long Beach's fees are those in force before 2026-10-01, with a new schedule approved on 2026-09-08. The table flags these rows rather than resolving them.

Method

The 30 cities are the ones whose BuildPermitGuide pages have been rewritten from primary sources as of October 2026: the city's adopted code and exemption list, its permit page or bulletin, its current fee schedule or ordinance and its contractor licensing rule, each fetched and quoted on the city's HVAC permit page. The status in the table is the city page's own reading of what a same-location, same-capacity replacement of a central AC condenser or heat pump needs; the furnace, fee and who-pulls-it columns are the page's own scenario table, worked examples and licensing paragraph. The fee is the lowest all-in figure the page gives for a permitted single-unit change-out, with the cell saying what it covers and whether a separate electrical permit is extra; a city whose AC or heat pump swap is exempt sorts as $0. Nothing in this table is taken from a model code alone unless the row says so, and nothing is estimated from another city's schedule; where a city's documents disagree or a figure is superseded, the row carries a flag instead of a resolution. Each city page carries the date its sources were last verified, and the change log records when a cited document changes.

Use this data. The table and CSV are published under CC BY 4.0. Cite it as:

BuildPermitGuide, “Do You Need a Permit to Replace a Furnace or AC? 30 Cities Compared” (2026), https://buildpermitguide.com/research/hvac-replacement-permit-rules/

Questions, corrections or a city you want added: contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Usually yes. A like-for-like swap of a central AC condenser or heat pump needs a permit in 24 of the 30 largest cities we compared. Chicago, Dallas and Phoenix exempt it on conditions: the same type, size and shape in Chicago, electric equipment with no rough-in change in Dallas, and an outdoor unit of 5 tons or less in the same spot at the same or lower weight in Phoenix. New York and Milwaukee depend on the equipment, and in Kansas City a licensed contractor certifies the work under the LSR program.

In 28 of the 30 cities, yes, even like for like. Chicago exempts an in-kind replacement at a home up to 4 stories, and Miami's page does not name furnaces but exempts mechanical contracts of $2,500 or less. Dallas exempts only repair of a gas furnace, and Milwaukee always requires a permit for gas or oil equipment. Fees for the furnace itself run from $39 in Fort Worth to $321 in Dallas.

Yes on the 19 pages that name a ductless mini-split (including Albuquerque, Houston, Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle and Tucson), and on nearly every page for a heat pump. The new circuit is usually a separate electrical permit: about $195 in Portland, $305 in San Francisco and $315 in San Jose, which brings a heat pump install to about $382 in Portland, $595 in San Francisco and $840 in San Jose.

Using the lowest permitted single-unit figure on each city's page: $39 in Fort Worth, $57 in Baltimore, $63 in Seattle, $66 in Los Angeles, $85 in Minneapolis, $105 in Louisville, $125 in Houston, $130 in New York, $153 in Indianapolis, $214 in Sacramento, $290 in San Francisco and $315 in San Jose. The median among the 27 cities that charge one is $105, and the electrical permit for a new circuit is extra in most cities.

In 15 of the 30 cities an owner-occupant may, sometimes with a residence rule: Charlotte, Dallas, Fort Worth, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Portland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Jose, Seattle and Tucson. Ten allow it in part or after a test, usually excluding gas equipment or electrical work. Albuquerque, Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia and San Antonio allow only a licensed contractor.

Not on the 22 pages that name window, portable or small self-contained units as exempt, and not for a capacitor, blower motor or control board on most pages. Houston prices a window or self-contained unit installed as equipment at $11.41 per ton + $47, and its Top 10 sheet says any work to repair or replace mechanical equipment needs a permit. Portland publishes no repair exemption, and Charlotte sends owners to RTAC to settle borderline repairs.

Only when the wiring or gas piping changes. Cincinnati waives the electrical permit for replacement equipment on an existing branch circuit, Seattle exempts reconnecting a furnace to an unaltered circuit and Indianapolis covers a circuit up to 60 A under the HVAC permit. A new circuit or disconnect is a separate electrical permit on most other pages, and new or moved gas piping adds a gas or plumbing permit in Dallas, Houston, Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis and Baltimore.

The city pages behind this table

Each page quotes the code section, exempt-work list and fee schedule it relies on and records the date they were last verified.