You can handle refrigerant before you hold a full ARCtick licence, but only if you hold a trainee refrigerant handling licence, you are enrolled in a qualifying course, and you are supervised by someone whose own licence covers the work you are being trained in. Handling fluorocarbon refrigerant without a licence is a strict liability offence.
That’s the short version. The rest of this article covers what the trainee licence actually permits, who is allowed to sign for you, and what your supervisor takes on when they do. Information is current as at August 2026.
For which licence a particular job needs, see our ARCtick licensing information and FAQ. For state-by-state requirements, see our guide to refrigeration licensing in Australia.
Table of Contents
What a Trainee Refrigerant Handling Licence Permits
The Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) issues two trainee licences:
- TL000 Trainee Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Licence lets you work on RAC equipment and handle refrigerant in a classroom setting and at your workplace, under supervision. Your supervisor must hold a licence that entitles them to do the work you are being trained in.
- CL000 Trainee Classroom Licence lets you handle refrigerant in a classroom setting only. If you hold this one, you cannot handle refrigerant outside the classroom until you hold a full licence.
Both are valid for the period of your training, up to one year. Rather than seeing a trainee licence as a lesser version of a full licence, think of it as a permission tied to a specific course, a specific supervisor and a specific period. Step outside any of those three and the permission does not apply.
Licences at a Glance
| What you can work on | Supervision required | Validity | What you need to get it | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TL000 Trainee | RAC equipment in the classroom and at your workplace, within the scope of the training you are enrolled in | Yes, by a licence holder entitled to do the work you are being trained in | Period of training, up to one year | Proof of enrolment, supervisor's licence number, signed supervisor declaration, photo |
| CL000 Trainee Classroom | RAC equipment in a classroom setting only | Classroom training and assessment only | Period of training, up to one year | Proof of enrolment including course code, photo |
| RSS03 Restricted (Splits) | Install and decommission single head split air conditioners, two-part hot water heat pumps and two-part swimming pool heat pumps, each under 18kW | No | 2 or 3 years | Completed qualification, for example UEE20120 |
| RAC01 Full | Air conditioning and refrigeration work other than automotive | No | 2 or 3 years | Completed qualification, for example UEE32225 |
Who Can Act as Your Supervisor
Your supervisor must hold a current refrigerant handling licence that entitles them to engage in the same scope of work you are being trained or assessed in.
A restricted split system licence holder cannot supervise an apprentice working toward a full refrigeration and air conditioning licence, because their own licence does not cover that work. The supervisor’s licence sets the ceiling on what you can legally be supervised doing.
The supervisor also has to be someone you actually work with. The ARC declaration form requires them to confirm they are currently working with you at the workplace listed on the form.
What Your Supervisor Is Signing
By signing the ARC supervisor declaration, your supervisor is confirming all of the following:
- That they are currently working with you at the nominated workplace and have been nominated to supervise you through a named course.
- That they have read and understand their obligations under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995.
- That they understand a trainee’s entitlement is limited to the training or assessment the licence was granted for.
- That the supervision must come from a licence holder entitled to engage in the same scope of work.
- That they are responsible for ensuring any work carried out by the trainee is performed in accordance with the standards set out in the Regulations.
They also need to supply their own ARCtick licence number, the employer’s name and business address, the business ABN and the employer’s Refrigerant Trading Authorisation permit number.
The declaration must be signed in front of a witness aged 18 or over, and the witness cannot be the applicant.
How much supervision is enough?
There is no published rule requiring a supervisor to be within arm’s reach, and no published limit on how many trainees one licence holder can supervise.
Its published position is that the appropriate level of supervision varies with working conditions and the trainee’s progress, confidence, and abilities, which are best judged by the supervisor.
How to Get the Declaration Lodged
- Confirm your course qualifies: The trainee licence attaches to training or assessment leading to an endorsed qualification in refrigeration or air conditioning. You’ll need proof of enrolment showing your name, the course title, the course code and the training dates.
- Nominate a supervisor whose licence covers the work: Check the scope on their licence, not just that they hold one.
- Download the current supervisor declaration form from the ARC trainee licences page.
- Have your supervisor complete their section: Including their ARCtick licence number, the employer’s details, ABN and RTA permit number, and the full title and code of the course they are supervising you through.
- Get it signed and witnessed: Supervisor signs and dates. A witness signs and dates as well.
- Lodge it with your ARC application: The 2026 application fee for a one year trainee licence is $37, with no GST. Fees are indexed annually on 1 January.
- Wait for the licence to be issued before you handle refrigerant on site: Being enrolled is not the same as being licensed.
How Long It Lasts and What Happens Next
A trainee licence runs for the period of your training, up to one year from issue. If your qualification takes longer than that, you reapply.
There’s no automatic conversion to a full licence. When you complete your qualification, you apply for the licence class your qualification supports. Two common pathways:
- UEE20120 Certificate II in Split Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Systems supports the RSS03 restricted split system licence.
- UEE32225 Certificate III in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration supports the RAC01 full licence.
If your trainee licence expires before the next one is issued, you’re handling refrigerant without a licence. The obligation to hold a current licence is yours.
Common Mistakes
- The supervisor’s licence does not cover the work: A restricted licence holder cannot supervise training toward a broader licence class.
- Changing supervisor or workplace without telling ARC: If your supervisor or trainer changes, you must notify ARC. The declaration on file names a specific person at a specific workplace.
- Treating a classroom licence as a site licence: A CL000 holder cannot handle refrigerant outside the classroom.
- Working in the gap between licences: Expired is expired.
- Assuming the trainee licence covers buying refrigerant: It doesn’t. Acquiring, storing and disposing of refrigerant sits with the business under a Refrigerant Trading Authorisation, which is a separate permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Handling fluorocarbon refrigerant without a refrigerant handling licence is a strict liability offence.
ARC does not prescribe a fixed level of supervision. It says the level varies with the working conditions and the trainee’s progress, and that the supervisor determines what’s appropriate
Only for work their licence entitles them to do. If you are training toward a full licence and they hold a restricted one, they cannot sign for that scope.
Notify ARC. Your licence was issued on the basis of a declaration from a named supervisor at a named workplace, and that has changed.
No. You apply for the licence class your completed qualification supports.
Get Your Licence Sorted
If you need to gain or upgrade a refrigerant handling licence, Get Skilled Training delivers the qualifications that get you there.
- UEE20120 Certificate II in Split Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Systems: The pathway to a restricted licence for split system installation and decommissioning.
- UEE32225 Certificate III in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration: The full trade qualification and pathway to a full refrigerant handling licence.
Not sure which one fits where you are? Get in touch with our team and we’ll help you work out what you’ll need.
