ARC is an acronym for the Australian Refrigeration Council, an independent body appointed in 2005 by the Minister for Environment and Heritage to administer the national refrigeration and air conditioning permit scheme. ARC is responsible for granting Refrigerant Trading Authorisations and Refrigerant Handling Licences, approved under the regulations to businesses and individuals who acquire, posses, handle or dispose of ozone depleting substances (ODS) or synthetic greenhouse gases (SGG) as they apply to air conditioning and refrigeration. These refrigerants are commonly known as fluorocarbon refrigerants. The ARC website is www.arctick.org.
By complying with the fluorocarbon refrigerant regulations, you not only help protect the environment, you may be protecting the validity of your warranty. In some cases, a product’s warranty may be dependent on the unit being installed by a licensed technician.
So make sure you do the right thing, and look for the tick.
The best way to check if a technician holds a current ARC Refrigerant Handling Licence is to use the ARC Licence Check facility on this website.
You can enter a technician’s licence number and surname and the search facility will advise you if the licence is current. If the licence is current, the search will also tell you what type of licence the technician holds, so you can always know if they are the right person for the job you need done.
For further assistance call ARC on 1300 884 483.
The tick identifies businesses and licensed individuals who are authorised under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Regulations 1995, to install, service and repair fridges, freezers and air conditioners, in your home, office or car.
Both a business licence or individual’s licence display the tick which identifies the holder as complying with the law with regards fluorocarbon refrigerants.
ARC, the Australian Refrigeration Council was appointed in August 2005 by the then Minister for Environment and Heritage to administer the national refrigeration and air conditioning permit scheme. ARC is an independent body. It does not have any commercial relationships with industry bodies, manufacturers or retailers. Its job is to administer the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning regulations related to the minimisation of avoidable emissions to the atmosphere of ozone depleting substances and synthetic greenhouse gases, like fluorocarbon refrigerants.
ARC is responsible for granting Refrigerant Trading Authorisations and Refrigerant Handling Licences, approved under the regulations.
Any business or individual that holds an authorisation and/or licence has the tick of approval.
The best way to find an authorised business to install, repair or upgrade your fridge, freezer or air conditioner, is to use the business search facilities provided on this website.
The search facility is separated into different industry sectors - home air conditioning, home fridges and freezers, car air conditioning, commercial services and refrigerant recovery. The reason for this is that different fields of expertise require different licences.
For example, if a technician only installs split-system air conditioners, the minimum licence required is a Restricted Split System Air Conditioning Installation and Decommissioning Licence. Similarly, if a technician only works with vehicles, their licence must be endorsed as an Automotive Air Conditioning Licence.
Every business listed on this website has the tick of approval and has been listed under their various area (or areas where known) of expertise. For more information on licence types, visit the ARC Industry Website.
Air conditioning, in your home or in your car, can cost you more than it needs to and potentially harm the environment.
Find out more about how you can save money, and the environment, in our free guides.
The tick identifies a business or individual as being authorised to install, service and repair fridges, freezers and air conditioners, depending on the type of ARC licence they hold.
Without it they may be operating illegally, so always ask to see their licence before they begin their work.
Find answers to the most common questions about air conditioning, refrigeration and the role the ARC plays in the industry.