- System Design is the largest domain, weighted at 55% of the GA-CAC Class II exam.
- The exam has 100 scored questions plus 20 unscored beta items, split across two 3.5-hour parts.
- You need a minimum scaled score of 70 across all four domains combined, not per domain.
- Approved references for exams scheduled May 1-Dec 31, 2026 are the 2024 Georgia Gas and Mechanical Codes and the 2023 NEC.
Exam Format Overview
The Georgia Conditioned Air Contractor Class II (Unrestricted) License Exam is a computer-based, reference-permitted, multiple-choice test administered by PSI on behalf of the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board's Division of Conditioned Air Contractors. Before you can even schedule a seat, the Board must approve your application, which requires five years of full-time qualifying experience, EPA Section 608 Type II and Type III certification, Board-approved heat-loss/gain and duct-design training, and a completed criminal background check. Once approved, the $110 application fee clears you to sit for the exam.
Structurally, the exam is split into two parts of 100 scored questions total, each part running 3 hours and 30 minutes, for a combined 7-hour testing day. An additional 20 unscored beta questions are mixed in to help PSI validate future exam content - you won't know which questions are scored and which are beta, so every question deserves full attention. A minimum final scaled score of 70 is required to pass. For a deeper breakdown of exactly how that scaled score is calculated, see our dedicated guide on the GA-CAC passing score.
These four content areas make up the entire test:
- Regulations, Laws, and Administrative Functions
- System Design
- Installation
- Maintain and Repair System
Domain 1: Regulations, Laws, and Administrative Functions
This domain covers the legal and administrative backbone of running a conditioned air business in Georgia - licensing law, Board rules, permitting requirements, contract obligations, and the regulatory boundaries of what a Class II Unrestricted licensee can and cannot do. Expect scenario-based questions that ask you to apply a rule to a specific business situation rather than recite it verbatim.
Regulations, Laws, and Administrative Functions
Candidates must understand the statutory and administrative framework governing Class II contractors, including licensing prerequisites, renewal timing, and continuing education obligations.
- Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board authority and Division of Conditioned Air Contractors jurisdiction
- License renewal by November 30 of odd-numbered years, with four CE hours per year (eight per renewal cycle)
- Application and documentation requirements, including experience affidavits, references, and lawful-presence documents
- Consequences of exam failure, including the required Board-approved review course after two failed attempts
If you're still confirming that you meet the underlying eligibility criteria before you even get to domain content, review our full GA-CAC requirements breakdown, which walks through the five-year experience structure in detail.
Domain 2: System Design
System Design is the single most important domain on the exam - it carries 55% of the total weight, meaning more than half of your scored questions will come from this content area alone. Any candidate treating this as "just another domain" is planning to fail. This is where heat-loss and heat-gain calculations, duct sizing, load matching, and equipment selection all live.
System Design
Candidates must be able to size equipment and ductwork correctly using standardized manuals, not rules of thumb.
- Manual J heat-loss/heat-gain calculations and how load results drive equipment selection
- Manual D duct design principles for residential and light commercial applications
- Manual N and Manual Q documentation for commercial load calculations and duct systems
- Matching equipment capacity to calculated loads, including BTU heating and cooling thresholds relevant to commercial-scale systems
Key Takeaway
Because System Design is 55% of the exam, your Manual J&D and N&Q training documentation isn't just a licensing prerequisite - it's your single highest-leverage study investment. Budget more prep time here than the other three domains combined.
This domain weighting also explains why the five-year experience path requires two years of commercial supervisory work and at least one commercial year on systems exceeding 175,000 BTU heating and 60,000 BTU cooling - the Board wants candidates who have already sized and matched large commercial loads in the field before they ever see the exam.
Domain 3: Installation
The Installation domain tests your knowledge of correctly putting a designed system into place - equipment setup, ductwork installation, refrigerant line practices, electrical connections, and adherence to mechanical and gas code requirements during the installation phase. This domain draws heavily on the applied, hands-on experience required for licensure, including lead-mechanic installation work.
Installation
Candidates must demonstrate knowledge of proper installation sequencing and code compliance during setup.
- Equipment placement, clearances, and manufacturer specification compliance
- Ductwork installation practices aligned with Manual D design outputs
- Refrigerant line set installation and EPA Section 608 handling requirements
- Gas and mechanical code compliance during installation, per the 2024 Georgia Gas and Mechanical Codes with Georgia amendments
Installation questions often overlap conceptually with System Design - a duct sized incorrectly in Manual D calculations will surface again as an installation compliance issue. Studying these two domains together, rather than in isolation, tends to reinforce both.
Domain 4: Maintain and Repair System
The final domain covers ongoing system maintenance, diagnostic troubleshooting, and repair procedures once a system is operational. This includes refrigerant handling during service calls, component-level diagnostics, and preventive maintenance practices that keep a system code-compliant over its service life.
Maintain and Repair System
Candidates must apply diagnostic reasoning to identify failures and repair systems safely and correctly.
- Troubleshooting airflow, refrigerant charge, and electrical component failures
- EPA Section 608 Type II and Type III refrigerant recovery and handling during service and repair
- Preventive maintenance scheduling and its relationship to code-required system performance
- Repair documentation and code-compliant replacement of failed components
This domain draws directly on the one year of service technician or service supervisor experience required in the licensure pathway, so candidates coming from a strong service background typically find this section reinforces existing muscle memory rather than introducing brand-new material.
Domain Weighting and What It Means for Your Prep
Only one domain weight is publicly documented: System Design at 55%. The remaining 45% is distributed across Regulations, Laws, and Administrative Functions, Installation, and Maintain and Repair System. Rather than guessing at exact splits for those three, treat them as roughly comparable in size and prioritize your study time based on where your own field experience is weakest.
| Domain | Approximate Weight | Core Reference Materials |
|---|---|---|
| System Design | 55% | Manual J, Manual D, Manual N, Manual Q |
| Regulations, Laws, and Administrative Functions | Remaining 45% (shared) | Board rules, licensing statutes, CE/renewal requirements |
| Installation | Remaining 45% (shared) | 2024 Georgia Gas and Mechanical Codes, 2023 NEC |
| Maintain and Repair System | Remaining 45% (shared) | EPA 608 procedures, service/repair standards |
For a broader discussion of how this weighting translates into real difficulty, read How Hard Is the GA-CAC Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026, and if you want documented outcome trends rather than domain content, check GA-CAC Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows.
Mapping Domains to a Study Schedule
Rather than studying domains in the order they're listed, sequence your prep by weight and by how much your field experience already covers each area. Because System Design carries more than half the exam, it deserves the most calendar time and the earliest start, so weaker concepts have time to solidify before test day.
System Design Foundations
- Work through Manual J heat-loss/heat-gain calculations until load figures come without hesitation
- Practice Manual D duct sizing scenarios paired with Manual N and Q commercial documentation
Installation and Code Cross-Reference
- Tab your 2024 Georgia Gas and Mechanical Codes and 2023 NEC copies for quick lookup
- Run installation scenarios that connect directly back to your Week 1-2 design outputs
Maintain and Repair, Plus Regulations
- Review EPA 608 Type II/III recovery procedures and diagnostic troubleshooting logic
- Study Board rules, renewal cycles, and administrative requirements last, since these change least often
For a fully built-out prep plan with pacing checkpoints and reference-tabbing strategy, see the GA-CAC Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt. And if you haven't locked in your test date yet, confirm current windows on the GA-CAC Exam Dates 2026 page before finalizing this schedule.
Approved References and Domain-Specific Lookups
Because this exam is reference-permitted, knowing which book covers which domain is itself a study skill. For exams scheduled May 1 through December 31, 2026, the approved references are the 2024 Georgia Gas and Mechanical Codes with Georgia amendments and the 2023 NEC. Only these approved references may be used in the testing room - permanent tabs, highlighting, and underlining are allowed, but photocopies and handwritten notes are strictly prohibited.
- Regulations, Laws, and Administrative Functions: primarily statutory/Board-rule knowledge, less code-lookup dependent
- System Design: Manual J/D/N/Q are your working documents, not the gas/mechanical codes directly
- Installation: heaviest reliance on the 2024 Georgia Gas and Mechanical Codes and 2023 NEC
- Maintain and Repair System: a mix of EPA procedural knowledge and targeted code references
Practicing under realistic time pressure with these exact references tabbed the way you'll use them on test day is one of the most underrated prep steps. You can build that muscle with full-length simulations on our GA-CAC practice test platform before committing to a scheduled date.
Key Takeaway
Spend part of your prep time simply practicing reference navigation - locating the right Manual J table or NEC section quickly - because on a 3.5-hour timed part, fumbling through an unfamiliar reference costs more time than most candidates expect.
If you're weighing whether the investment of exam fees, training, and study time pays off relative to the license's earning potential, our ROI analysis and certification cost breakdown lay out the full financial picture, while the GA-CAC Salary Guide 2026 and GA-CAC Jobs pages cover what a Class II Unrestricted license opens up on the hiring side. You can also run full-length domain simulations any time at gacacexam.com to see how your current knowledge maps against these four content areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with System Design since it accounts for 55% of the exam. Building strong Manual J, D, N, and Q skills early gives you the most time to reinforce the domain that carries the most weight.
The minimum final scaled score of 70 applies to your overall performance across all 100 scored questions, not domain by domain. See the passing score guide for a full explanation.
No. Only the approved 2024 Georgia Gas and Mechanical Codes and 2023 NEC may be used for exams scheduled May 1-Dec 31, 2026. Permanent tabs, highlighting, and underlining are allowed; photocopies and handwritten notes are not.
No. System Design is documented at 55% of the exam, making it the largest domain by a wide margin. The remaining three domains share the other 45%.
After two failed attempts, a Board-approved review course is required before you can sit for a third exam. Reviewing your weakest domain thoroughly before a retake is essential to avoid that requirement.