Original research
Research
We check hundreds of HVAC businesses against the North Carolina state licensing board. That work surfaces patterns nobody has measured before. We publish them here — free to cite, with the methodology in full and the numbers scoped to exactly what they support.
- 64%no license matchAugust 2026
The State of HVAC Licensing in North Carolina, 2026
We checked 854 businesses listed as HVAC contractors across the Triangle and Greater Charlotte against the state board. 64% could not be matched to an active license by name — a verification gap homeowners have no easy way to see.
Read the report → - 47%no match, even at 500+ reviewsAugust 2026
A Five-Star Rating Doesn’t Tell You If They’re Licensed
Does a higher Google review count mean an HVAC contractor’s license is easier to verify? Across 859 NC businesses, barely — 47% of those with 500+ reviews still had no matchable license. Reviews and licensing are nearly independent signals.
Read the report →
Using this research
Every report is free to cite and republish under CC BY 4.0 with attribution to HVAC Registrar and a link. Each carries its full methodology and states plainly what the figures do and don't support — "no match found" is a name-based search result, not a determination that any business is unlicensed. For press inquiries, metro-level figures, or a walk-through of the data, reach us at team@hvacregistrar.com.