Tip from a proHVAC

From the inspection side: whose license belongs on a heat pump swap

I get some version of this question every week this time of year, so I'll put it in one place. Not legal advice; your local construction office has the final word. As I understand the current rules, a condenser or heat pump replacement in NJ usually touches more than one subcode. The mechanical work goes on a permit from a contractor holding the HVACR license. The new disconnect, the whip and any circuit changes are electrical work, which means an Electrical Contractor pulls that permit or the work is done under one. Some companies have both licenses in-house. Plenty don't, and that's where I see trouble: the HVAC crew runs a new circuit because the panel was right there, and nobody pulled the electrical. The HVACR license is also newer than a lot of people assume. If I remember right it became required around 2014, so you'll still meet techs who talk like it doesn't exist. If you're a helper and you don't know whose license a job is under, it's a fair thing to ask. And find out which edition of the code the permit falls under; it changes what I look for.