- What the Acronym Actually Stands For
- Who Governs and Administers the Exam
- Why the Full Name Matters for Your Prep
- What "Unrestricted" Means: Exam Format and Scope
- The Four Domains Behind the Name
- Who Qualifies to Sit for the GA-CAC
- Fees, References, and Scheduling Mechanics
- What Happens After You Pass
- Mapping Study Time to the Name and the Domains
- Frequently Asked Questions
- GA-CAC stands for the Georgia Conditioned Air Contractor Class II (Unrestricted) License Exam.
- It's governed by the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board and administered by PSI.
- The exam has 100 scored questions plus 20 unscored beta items across two 3-hour 30-minute sessions.
- System Design is the heaviest domain at 55% of scored content.
What the Acronym Actually Stands For
GA-CAC stands for the Georgia Conditioned Air Contractor Class II (Unrestricted) License Exam. Each part of that name tells you something concrete about the credential: "Georgia" ties it to a specific state licensing framework, "Conditioned Air Contractor" identifies the trade (HVAC installation, service, and design at a contracting level), "Class II" identifies the license tier, and "Unrestricted" tells you this version of the license does not cap the size or type of system you can legally contract to install or service.
That last word matters more than people expect. Georgia's licensing structure separates contractors by scope, and the Class II Unrestricted designation is the version that lets a licensee take on commercial-scale work without the tonnage or BTU ceilings that apply to more limited license classes. If you're comparing this exam to other HVAC credentials you've heard of, start with What Is GA-CAC? for a broader orientation before diving into exam mechanics.
Who Governs and Administers the Exam
The GA-CAC exam sits under the authority of the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, specifically its Division of Conditioned Air Contractors. The Board sets eligibility rules, approves candidates before they can schedule a test date, and defines renewal requirements. Actual test delivery is handled by PSI, the third-party testing vendor that runs the computer-based sessions.
This two-party structure matters practically: you don't just register with a testing company and show up. You must first satisfy the Board's application requirements - experience documentation, background check, EPA certifications, and design training - before you're cleared to schedule anything with PSI. For a full breakdown of that qualification path, see GA-CAC Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Why the Full Name Matters for Your Prep
Understanding what GA-CAC stands for isn't trivia - it shapes what you should expect on test day. Because this is the Class II Unrestricted exam, the content assumes you're operating at a level that includes commercial-scale systems, not just small residential units. That's reflected directly in the experience prerequisites (commercial supervisory time, and installation experience on systems exceeding 175,000 BTU heating and 60,000 BTU cooling) and in the technical depth of the design domain.
Candidates sometimes confuse this credential with lower-tier or restricted license exams that cover a narrower scope. If your study materials talk about small residential-only systems as the ceiling of the exam's scope, you're using the wrong resource. The GA-CAC Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt is built specifically around the unrestricted, commercial-inclusive scope this exam actually tests.
What "Unrestricted" Means: Exam Format and Scope
The GA-CAC exam is computer-based and multiple-choice, and it is reference-permitted - you're allowed to bring approved code books and reference material into the testing session rather than working purely from memory. The exam is delivered in two parts, each running 3 hours and 30 minutes, for a combined testing block of 7 hours.
- 100 scored questions count toward your final result.
- 20 unscored beta questions are mixed in to test future exam content; you won't know which questions are which.
- A minimum final scaled score of 70 is required to pass.
Because the exam is reference-permitted, the skill being tested isn't pure recall - it's the ability to locate, interpret, and apply code and design manual information quickly under time pressure. That distinction changes how you should practice. For a deeper look at how the scoring and pass threshold actually work, read GA-CAC Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass, and for a realistic sense of the challenge level, see How Hard Is the GA-CAC Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Key Takeaway
Because references are allowed, memorizing exact code text is less valuable than practicing fast navigation through your approved references under a timed format that mirrors the real two-part, 7-hour structure.
The Four Domains Behind the Name
The "Conditioned Air Contractor" part of the name is tested through four content domains. Each one maps to a real-world responsibility a licensed Class II contractor takes on.
Domain 1: Regulations, Laws, and Administrative Functions
Covers the legal and administrative framework a licensed contractor operates under in Georgia, including code adoption and contractor obligations.
- Know how Georgia amendments modify the base mechanical and gas codes
Domain 2: System Design
The largest domain at 55% of the scored exam, this covers heat-loss/heat-gain calculation and duct design using Manuals J, D, N, and Q.
- Expect the heaviest weighting of questions here - plan study time accordingly
Domain 3: Installation
Focuses on correctly installing conditioned air systems, including commercial-scale equipment consistent with the Unrestricted scope of the license.
- Ties directly to the lead-mechanic installation experience required for eligibility
Domain 4: Maintain and Repair System
Covers service, troubleshooting, and repair responsibilities across the systems a Class II contractor is licensed to touch.
- Draws on the service technician/supervisor experience requirement
Given that System Design carries more than half the scored weight, it deserves proportionally more of your prep time than the other three domains combined. For a domain-by-domain breakdown with specific subtopics, see GA-CAC Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 4 Content Areas.
Who Qualifies to Sit for the GA-CAC
Because this is an Unrestricted commercial-capable license, Georgia requires substantial verified field experience before the Board will approve you to schedule the exam. Current Class II law requires five years of full-time qualifying experience, broken down as:
- 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 heating and 60,000 BTU cooling
Beyond raw hours, applicants must submit experience affidavits and references, pass a criminal background check, hold both EPA Section 608 Type II and Type III certification, and complete Board-approved heat-loss/gain and duct-design training with Manuals J&D and N&Q documentation. Identity and lawful-presence documents round out the paperwork. None of this is optional - the Board must approve you before PSI will let you schedule a seat.
Fees, References, and Scheduling Mechanics
The Class II licensure-by-examination application fee is $110. That fee covers the Board's review of your application - it does not guarantee a scheduling slot until approval is granted. 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. No other reference materials are permitted in the testing room.
Reference handling rules are strict and worth internalizing before test day:
- Permanent tabs are allowed
- Highlighting and underlining are allowed
- Photocopies are prohibited
- Handwritten notes are prohibited
If you fail the exam twice, Georgia requires you to complete a Board-approved review course before you're permitted to attempt it a third time - so it pays to prepare thoroughly the first time rather than treating early attempts as practice runs. For the full cost picture across application fees, exam fees, and prerequisite training, see GA-CAC Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown, and for scheduling windows and deadlines specific to 2026, check GA-CAC Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Application fee (Class II) | $110 |
| Scored questions | 100 |
| Unscored beta questions | 20 |
| Exam duration | Two parts, 3 hrs 30 min each |
| Minimum passing score | 70 (scaled) |
| Qualifying experience | 5 years full-time |
| Largest domain | System Design (55%) |
What Happens After You Pass
Passing the exam is not the final step - it's the gateway to actually holding the Class II Unrestricted license. Once licensed, Georgia requires renewal by November 30 of odd-numbered years, with a continuing education obligation of four CE hours per year, totaling eight hours per renewal cycle. Building a CE plan early prevents a scramble near the renewal deadline.
The credential itself opens doors with commercial mechanical contractors, design-build firms, and larger HVAC operations that specifically need someone licensed to sign off on unrestricted-scope commercial work. If you're trying to decide whether the time and experience investment is worth it before you even start the application process, read Is the GA-CAC Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and GA-CAC Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis. For where licensed contractors typically find work, see GA-CAC Jobs.
Mapping Study Time to the Name and the Domains
Once you understand what GA-CAC stands for and what its domains weigh, your prep schedule should reflect that structure rather than a generic study calendar. A practical way to sequence it:
System Design foundations
- Work through Manual J and Manual D calculations repeatedly since this domain is 55% of the scored exam
- Practice locating relevant sections in your 2024 Georgia code references quickly
Regulations and Administrative Functions
- Review Board rules, licensing structure, and how Georgia amendments modify base codes
Installation and Maintain/Repair
- Connect these domains back to your own lead-mechanic and service experience
- Drill commercial-scale scenarios consistent with the Unrestricted scope
Timed full-length practice
- Simulate the two 3-hour 30-minute sessions with only approved references at hand
Spacing your review this way - heaviest early investment in System Design, then a controlled ramp toward full-length timed practice - respects how the exam is actually weighted instead of splitting your hours evenly across four domains that don't carry equal weight. For a one-page reference to keep facts straight in the final days, use the GA-CAC Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts, and consider timed practice sessions through our practice test platform to get comfortable with the pacing before your real appointment.
Key Takeaway
Study time should mirror the exam's own weighting: System Design earns the most hours because it's the largest domain, not because it's arbitrarily "hardest."
If you want to see how your current knowledge stacks up against realistic scoring before committing to a scheduling date, run a full diagnostic on the main practice test site and compare your results against the domain breakdown in the exam domains guide. Historical performance data and how outcomes trend across attempts is covered in GA-CAC Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows.
Frequently Asked Questions
GA-CAC stands for the Georgia Conditioned Air Contractor Class II (Unrestricted) License Exam, governed by the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board and administered by PSI.
It refers to the license scope, not the exam length. Unrestricted means the Class II license, once earned, allows contracting on commercial and larger systems without the size caps applied to more limited license classes.
There are 100 scored questions and 20 unscored beta questions, delivered across two parts of 3 hours 30 minutes each, for a total of 7 hours of testing time.
Yes, the GA-CAC exam is reference-permitted. For exams scheduled May 1 through December 31, 2026, approved references are the 2024 Georgia Gas and Mechanical Codes with Georgia amendments and the 2023 NEC. Photocopies and handwritten notes are prohibited, but permanent tabs, highlighting, and underlining are allowed.
After two failed attempts, Georgia requires completion of a Board-approved review course before you're permitted to schedule a third attempt.