GA-CAC Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling

How GA-CAC Exam Scheduling Actually Works

The Georgia Conditioned Air Contractor Class II (Unrestricted) License Exam is not a walk-up test. Scheduling only becomes possible after the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Conditioned Air Contractors, reviews and approves your application. Once approval is issued, the exam itself is delivered by PSI, the third-party testing administrator, at a computer-based testing center on a date and time you select from PSI's available slots.

This two-step structure - Board approval, then PSI scheduling - is the single most misunderstood part of the process. Candidates sometimes assume they can register with PSI first and sort out paperwork later. In reality, PSI will not let you book a seat until the Board has cleared your file. If you're still working through eligibility documentation, our GA-CAC Requirements guide breaks down exactly what the Board wants to see before it signs off.

The 2026 Testing Window and Reference Update

For exams scheduled from May 1 through December 31, 2026, the approved reference materials shift to the 2024 Georgia Gas and Mechanical Codes with Georgia amendments, alongside the 2023 NEC. This matters for scheduling because the effective date of a reference set is tied to when your exam is scheduled, not when you started studying. If you've been preparing from an older code cycle and you book a seat that falls inside this window, you need to be reviewing the 2024 code language and amendments, not a prior edition.

Only Board-approved references may be brought into the testing room. Permanent tabs, highlighting, and underlining are allowed on those approved materials, but photocopies and handwritten notes are prohibited. That means your prep work - tabbing your code books, marking key tables - has to happen before test day, using the exact edition that will be current for your scheduled window.

Before You Can Pick a Date: Board Approval Checklist

The Class II licensure-by-examination application carries a $110 fee, and that payment is just the entry point. Behind it sits a documentation package the Board reviews before granting exam eligibility. For Class II, current law requires five years of full-time qualifying experience, broken down specifically:

• Two years of commercial supervisory experience
• One year as a service technician or service supervisor
• Two years of installation as a lead mechanic, with at least one commercial year on systems exceeding 175,000 BTU of heating and 60,000 BTU of cooling

Alongside the experience record, applicants must submit experience affidavits and references, pass a criminal background check, hold EPA Section 608 Type II and Type III certification, complete Board-approved heat-loss/gain and duct-design training with Manual J, Manual D, Manual N, and Manual Q documentation, and provide identity and lawful-presence documents. Any gap in this packet delays Board approval - and until approval is granted, PSI scheduling simply isn't an option.

If you're unsure how your work history maps to these categories, review the full breakdown in our GA-CAC Requirements 2026 guide before you submit anything to the Board. Getting the affidavits right the first time is the fastest way to avoid a scheduling delay.

What to Expect Inside the Testing Appointment

Once you're scheduled, plan your day around the exam's actual structure. The GA-CAC Class II exam is computer-based and multiple-choice, delivered in two parts of 3 hours and 30 minutes each. Across both parts you'll answer 100 scored questions plus 20 unscored beta questions that PSI uses to evaluate future exam content - you won't be able to tell scored from unscored questions during the test, so every item deserves full attention.

Because this is a reference-permitted exam, your ability to navigate the approved code books quickly matters as much as memorized knowledge. Tabbed sections, properly highlighted tables, and a clear mental map of where key load-calculation and code sections live inside your references can save significant time across two long sessions.

For a full breakdown of what each domain actually tests, see the GA-CAC Exam Domains 2026 guide. Since System Design carries more than half the scored weight, it deserves proportionally more of your prep hours no matter which 2026 date you eventually book.

Passing Score, Retakes, and the Review-Course Trigger

A minimum final scaled score of 70 is required to pass. If you don't clear that threshold, you can reschedule and attempt the exam again - but the rules change after a second failure. After two failed attempts, the Board requires completion of a Board-approved review course before you're permitted to sit for a third attempt. That course requirement adds real time to your scheduling plan, so it's worth treating your first attempt as the one that counts rather than a "practice run."

For a precise look at how the 70 scaled score translates into exam performance across both parts, our GA-CAC Passing Score 2026 breakdown walks through what that number actually requires. And if you want a broader sense of how demanding the two-part format is before you commit to a date, the How Hard Is the GA-CAC Exam guide covers the difficulty picture without the guesswork.

Building a Study Timeline Around Your Test Date

Once you have a target date on the calendar, work backward. Because Domain 2: System Design carries the heaviest weight, it should anchor the middle weeks of your plan, with Domain 1's administrative rules and Domain 4's service topics bracketing it, and Domain 3's installation content woven throughout since it overlaps heavily with System Design's load calculations.

This kind of staged approach only works if you know exactly what's inside each domain, which is why it pairs well with the GA-CAC Study Guide 2026. Running full-length practice sets on GA-CAC Exam Prep's practice tests during week seven gives you a realistic read on whether your booked date is actually the right one or whether it's worth pushing back a week or two.

Renewal Dates After You Pass

Scheduling doesn't end once you pass. Georgia Class II licenses renew by November 30 of odd-numbered years, and license holders must complete four continuing education hours per year, totaling eight per renewal cycle. If your exam date lands you a license shortly before a renewal deadline, factor that into your CE planning immediately rather than waiting until the following year.

Understanding the full cost picture - application fee, potential retake costs, and ongoing CE - is worth reviewing before you commit to a testing date. Our GA-CAC Certification Cost breakdown lays out the pricing components so there are no surprises once you're licensed. And if you're weighing whether the entire process is worth the time investment, the Is the GA-CAC Certification Worth It analysis looks at the return from a career standpoint.

Frequently Asked Questions