About the Refrigerant Handling Licence

Who needs a licence?

A Refrigerant Handling Licence must be held by any person who carries out work in relation to refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) equipment. Carrying out work in relation to RAC equipment means to do anything with a fluorocarbon refrigerant, or a component of RAC equipment, that carries the risk of refrigerant being emitted, including: decanting the refrigerant or manufacturing, installing, commissioning, servicing or maintaining RAC equipment or decommissioning RAC equipment.

Click here to read more about each licence and what is required to obtain the licences.

Handling refrigerants?

Handling fluorocarbon refrigerant without a Refrigerant Handling Licence is an offence. National regulations are in place which affect people who acquire, possess, dispose of or handle ozone depleting substances or synthetic greenhouse gases.

Click here to apply for a Refrigerant Handling Licence (RHL).

Click here to apply for a Refrigerant Trading Authorisation (RTA).

Licence application fees

The Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995  provide automatic indexation of application fees each year.

The fee increase is linked to the Wage Price Index published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC) industry permit application fees will increase by around 3.5% per cent from 1 January 2025.

The current and 2025 fees are below. Fees will increase by around 3.5%, as per the Wage Price Index increase as specified in Regulation 346 of the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995.

All prices are in Australian Dollars and GST is not applicable.