- The ACR exam is the Texas Environmental Air Class A test administered by PSI on behalf of TDLR.
- It has 120 scored items plus 5 non-scored items, a 4-hour limit, and a 70% passing score.
- The FY2026 first-time pass rate through May 31, 2026 was 36.62%.
- Air Distribution is the heaviest domain at 15% of scored content.
What Is a ACR License Exam?
In the context of Texas HVAC licensing, "ACR" refers to the Texas Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (ACR) Contractor License Exam, specifically the Environmental Air Class A examination. This is not a national certification badge or a manufacturer-issued credential - it is a state licensing exam overseen by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) and delivered through PSI's testing network. Passing it is a required step for anyone seeking a Class A Environmental Air Conditioning contractor license in Texas, which permits work on environmental air-conditioning systems with no equipment-size limit.
If you've landed here after searching "What Is ACR?" or "ACR Meaning," it's worth being precise: this acronym is shared by other unrelated credentials in different industries. On this site, and in this article, ACR always means the Texas contractor license exam described above - nothing else.
Who Runs the Exam: TDLR and PSI
TDLR is the state agency that licenses air conditioning and refrigeration contractors in Texas. It sets the eligibility rules, collects the application fee, and issues the license once a candidate qualifies. PSI is the third-party testing vendor TDLR contracts with to write, administer, and score the actual examination. Candidates apply through TDLR first, then schedule their test session with PSI once approved.
Because two organizations are involved, it helps to think of the process in two lanes: the paperwork/eligibility lane (TDLR) and the testing lane (PSI). Mixing these up - for example, trying to schedule a test before TDLR approval - is one of the most common avoidable delays candidates run into. For a full breakdown of what "counts" toward eligibility, see ACR Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Exam Format and Scoring
The Environmental Air Class A exam is a multiple-choice, computer-based test taken in person at a PSI test center. It is offered in both English and Spanish. Key structural facts:
- 120 scored questions plus 5 non-scored (pretest) questions mixed in, for 125 total items
- 4-hour time limit
- 70% required to pass
- Open-book format - approved references may be brought in with preexisting notes, highlighting, underlining, and permanent tabs
- A compliant nonprogrammable calculator is permitted
The open-book element surprises some candidates into under-preparing, but the exam is timed tightly enough that flipping through unfamiliar material during the test is not a workable strategy. You still need to know where information lives in your references and, more importantly, understand the underlying concepts well enough to recognize the right answer quickly. A detailed look at exactly what 70% means in practice, and how scoring is calculated across 120 items, is covered in ACR Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
Key Takeaway
Being "open-book" does not lower the bar - with only 4 hours for 125 questions, you have roughly two minutes per question, which leaves little time to search references cold.
Fees and Registration Mechanics
Budgeting for the ACR exam involves two separate payments to two separate organizations:
| Item | Amount | Paid To |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $115 | TDLR |
| Examination fee | $74 | PSI |
| License renewal (annual) | $65 | TDLR |
Note that the PSI candidate bulletin governing test-day rules was updated July 9, 2026, and that 2024 IMC, IFGC, and UMC code references take effect September 1, 2026 - so make sure any prep materials or references you study from reflect the current code editions rather than an outdated cycle. For a complete line-item cost picture, including what happens if you need to retest, see ACR Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown. If you're trying to map out when to sit for the exam around these code-reference changes, ACR Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling walks through the scheduling logistics.
Eligibility and Experience Requirements
You must be at least 18 years old to sit for the exam. Beyond that, TDLR generally recognizes two experience pathways:
- 48 months of supervised practical experience within the preceding 72 months, or
- 12 months as a certified technician plus 36 months of qualifying experience within the preceding 48 months
Approved substitutions may apply depending on your background, so candidates with related trade or military experience should confirm their specific situation with TDLR before assuming they don't qualify. This experience requirement is one of the biggest differences between the ACR exam and many other trade credentials - you cannot simply study your way in without documented field time. A full walkthrough of substitution rules and documentation is available in ACR Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
The 14 Exam Domains
PSI's official outline breaks the 120 scored items across 14 content domains. Understanding the weight of each domain is essential for prioritizing study time - a candidate who spends equal hours on every topic is misallocating effort, since some domains carry three times the weight of others.
Domain 1: Air Distribution (15%)
The single largest domain on the exam. Expect questions on ductwork design, airflow calculations, and distribution system components.
- Duct sizing and airflow balancing concepts
- Distribution system components and their function
Domain 5: Equipment Requirements and Design (11.67%)
The second-heaviest domain, covering how equipment must be selected, sized, and installed to meet code and manufacturer requirements.
Domain 6: HVAC Systems (9.17%)
System-level knowledge spanning how components work together, not just isolated parts.
Domain 10: Service & Domain 11: Testing (10% each)
Together these represent a fifth of the exam, covering diagnostic procedures, service practices, and testing methods used in the field.
The remaining domains - Basic Refrigeration Components, Combustion Air, Controls, Piping, Refrigeration Principles, Safety, Texas Laws and Rules, Ventilation, and Venting - each carry 4.17% to 5% of the exam. None of them are safe to skip, since a handful of missed points across several smaller domains adds up quickly against a 70% threshold. For the complete list with study guidance for every single domain, see ACR Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 14 Content Areas.
Licensing, Renewal, and Insurance
Passing the exam is not the finish line - it's the gateway to holding an active Class A contractor license. Once licensed, contractors face ongoing obligations:
- Annual renewal fee: $65
- Continuing education: 8 hours per year, including 1 hour specifically on Texas law and rules
- Insurance minimums: Class A contractors must carry commercial general liability coverage of $300,000 per occurrence, $600,000 aggregate, and $300,000 for products and completed operations
These requirements underscore that the ACR exam is part of a larger regulatory framework, not a one-time hoop to jump through. Anyone weighing whether the licensing path is worth pursuing given the ongoing costs and obligations should read Is the ACR Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026.
Building a Domain-Based Study Plan
Rather than studying topics in the order a textbook presents them, it makes more sense to sequence your prep around domain weight and difficulty. A simple, ACR-specific schedule might look like this:
Air Distribution & Equipment Requirements and Design
- These two domains together represent over a quarter of the exam - start here while your energy is highest
- Build a reference tab system in your approved materials specifically for duct sizing tables and equipment sizing charts
HVAC Systems, Service, and Testing
- Focus on how components interact as full systems rather than in isolation
- Practice diagnostic scenario questions, since Service and Testing combined equal 20% of the exam
Remaining smaller domains
- Cover Basic Refrigeration Components, Combustion Air, Controls, Piping, Refrigeration Principles, Safety, Texas Laws and Rules, Ventilation, and Venting
- Treat each as roughly equal priority since none exceeds 5%
Timed practice and reference organization
- Run full 120-question timed simulations to build pacing for the 4-hour window
- Finalize tabs and highlighting in your open-book references so nothing is a cold search on test day
This is not a generic study framework - it's built around the actual PSI outline weighting. For a more detailed week-by-week plan with specific practice question targets, see ACR Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. And if you're still calibrating how much time you'll realistically need, How Hard Is the ACR Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 puts the 36.62% first-time pass rate in context.
Who Hires Class A Environmental Air Contractors
A Texas Class A Environmental Air Conditioning license opens the door to work without equipment-size restrictions, which matters for contractors who want to bid on larger commercial and light-industrial jobs rather than being limited to residential-scale systems. Employers and clients who look for this license include HVAC contracting firms, commercial mechanical contractors, facilities management companies, and property developers who need a licensed contractor of record on larger installations. Some technicians pursue the license to open their own contracting business rather than working under someone else's license number.
If you're evaluating career paths or trying to understand how this license affects earning potential, ACR Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis and ACR Jobs both dig into where license holders typically work. And if you want structured coursework before attempting the exam, ACR Training covers what preparatory programs generally include.
Key Takeaway
The Class A designation specifically removes equipment-size limits - this is the practical, real-world reason most candidates pursue it over a more limited license class.
Where This Leaves You
The ACR exam is a well-defined, state-regulated test: 120 scored questions, a 4-hour window, a 70% passing score, and a 14-domain outline weighted heavily toward Air Distribution and Equipment Requirements and Design. The eligibility path requires real field experience, not just study time, and the license itself comes with ongoing renewal and insurance obligations. None of that is exotic or mysterious once you see the mechanics laid out - the challenge is simply covering all 14 domains thoroughly enough to clear 70% on a single attempt. You can run full-length practice tests modeled on the PSI outline, review domain-specific questions, and check your readiness against realistic timed conditions before you ever sit for the real exam at a PSI center. Working through practice exams repeatedly is one of the more reliable ways to close the gap between "familiar with the material" and "ready to pass under time pressure."
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The Texas ACR exam is a state-specific licensing test administered by PSI on behalf of TDLR for the Class A Environmental Air Conditioning contractor license. It only applies to contracting in Texas.
Yes, it's an open-book exam. Approved references may include preexisting notes, highlighting, underlining, and permanent tabs, and a compliant nonprogrammable calculator is allowed.
There are 120 scored questions plus 5 non-scored questions, for 125 total, with a 4-hour time limit and a 70% passing requirement.
TDLR charges a $115 application fee and PSI charges a $74 examination fee. Once licensed, annual renewal is $65 with 8 hours of continuing education, including 1 hour on Texas law and rules.
Air Distribution, at 15%, is the largest single domain, followed by Equipment Requirements and Design at 11.67% and HVAC Systems at 9.17%. These three together make up over a third of the scored content.