General information, not legal advice. The rules are explained by the National Environmental Protection Agency and the Australian Refrigeration Council, linked at the foot of this page.
Why the licence exists
The National EPA warns that many of the gases in air conditioners can be extremely harmful to the environment if released. It says many old refrigerants damage the ozone layer and others are potent greenhouse gases.
Refrigerants leak from faulty or poorly maintained equipment and from equipment that is disposed of improperly. The National EPA’s answer is to use licensed technicians, who are trained to keep these emissions to a minimum, and who it says have the expertise to make sure systems are correctly sized, sited, installed, charged and maintained.
Who runs it
The National Environmental Protection Agency implements the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act, which includes licensing the businesses and technicians who are the major users of these gases. The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) is the industry board that administers the licences and authorisations. There are two kinds:
- A Refrigerant Handling Licence, for a person who handles these substances or works on equipment containing them.
- A Refrigerant Trading Authorisation, for a business or person who acquires, possesses or disposes of them.
The work that needs a licence
The National EPA says: “You need a Refrigerant Handling Licence to do anything with a regulated refrigerant that could cause leakage.” Its examples are decanting refrigerant; manufacturing, installing, commissioning, servicing or maintaining refrigeration and air conditioning equipment; and decommissioning it. The ARC adds that installing and servicing need a licence “whether or not refrigerant is present”. energy.gov.au puts it simply for buyers: all installers are required to be licensed through the ARC.
Two finer points. The Commonwealth regulations do not require a refrigerant handling licence for natural refrigerants such as hydrocarbons, though some states and territories may forbid using hydrocarbons to repair or service air conditioners without their own authorisation or licence. Anyone who removes a fluorocarbon refrigerant from a system to replace it with a natural refrigerant must hold, as a minimum, a Restricted Refrigerant Recoverers Transitional Licence, and strict standards, which vary between states and territories, apply to flammable refrigerants such as hydrocarbons. And at the end of a unit’s life, the refrigerant should be removed by a licensed technician for recycling or disposal.
Your Home says “fixed systems need to be installed by a licensed refrigeration mechanic or electrician”, and that the installer needs to hold a Refrigerant Handling Licence.
Licence types you may be shown
| Licence | What it covers |
|---|---|
| RAC01: full refrigeration and air conditioning | Work on refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, and handling refrigerant, outside the automotive industry. |
| RSS03: restricted, split systems | Handling refrigerant to install and decommission single-head split system air conditioners under 18 kW, and two-part hot water and pool heat pumps under 18 kW. |
| RDR04: restricted domestic appliances | Plug-in domestic refrigeration and air conditioning appliances that need no refrigerant pipework; the ARC notes it does not cover split systems. |
| AAC02: automotive | Air conditioning in the cabin of a motor vehicle. |
| TL000: trainee | Work while training, under the supervision of someone licensed for that work, for up to a year. |
How to check a licence
- Ask to see it before work starts. The ARC’s consumer site, Look For The Tick, says to always ask to see the licence before the job begins, because without one a technician may be operating illegally.
- Look it up. On the ARC licence check, enter the licence number, or the technician’s first name and surname. The search says whether the licence is current and, if it is, which type it is.
- Match the type to the job. The tick marks a business or person as authorised to install, service and repair air conditioners, depending on the type of ARC licence they hold. The table above shows what the common types cover.
- Check the business too. The National EPA points to the ARC authorised business search for authorised businesses in your area, and the ARC says Look For The Tick lists both authorised businesses and licensed technicians.
If something seems wrong
The National EPA says: “Regulatory breaches and poor workmanship should be reported - with evidence - via the ARC’s online form. Serious cases are escalated to us for investigation.” The form sits in the ARC’s section on reporting a breach relating to regulated refrigerants.
A licence is quick to check and worth checking every time. When you ask a licensed installer about your home, ask for their licence number too, and look it up before the work begins.