Step One: Choose your technician type.
NATE offers tests to Installation, Service, and Senior level technicians. Read the descriptions, and choose the technician type that seems most like you. Remember, Service technicians are automatically certified as Installation technicians.

Step Two: Choose a specialty.
To earn certification you must take a Core exam and one Specialty exam of your choice. Choose a specialty based on the equipment and systems you work on. There are ten specialties available:

• Air Conditioning
• Air Distribution
• Gas Heating
• Heat Pumps
• Oil Heating
• Hydronics Gas
• Hydronics Oil
• Light Commercial Refrigeration
• Commercial Refrigeration
• HVAC Efficiency Analyst (Additional Requirements Needed)

The Core Exam covers Safety, Tools, Soft Skills, Principles of Heat Transfer and Total Comfort, and Electrical questions. The exam consists of 50 questions and 70 percent correct is a passing grade. These exams consists of 100 questions each and 70 percent correct is a passing grade (75% for Efficiency Analyst). A well-trained, experienced technician should be able to take and pass both a Core exam and one Specialty exam in a single testing session (maximum of four hours). Even if you don't pass both exams and earn certification, you will receive credit for the exam you did pass. You can register to re-take any exam you didn't pass after a 30-day study and training period. You have two years to take and pass the missing exam you need for certification.

Step Three: Register for a testing session.
NATE has a network of hundreds of Testing Organizations across the country. You may register at any testing location. Testing takes place year 'round. Please check NATE's web site for your nearest local testing organization for test sites, schedules, and pricing information.