Early preview. We're still finishing this site, so some details shown are placeholders.
Installers aim to call you within the hour.
Find my aircon

Licences and rules

Heating and cooling in South AustraliaWhat we could confirm, and what to ask for.

We couldn't confirm South Australia's own licensing for heating and cooling work at the source, so we won't guess at it here. What is certain: the national refrigerant licence and the business's Refrigerant Trading Authorisation apply in SA as they do everywhere. Ask any installer to put every licence number they work under on the written quote.

Which licences can you check in SA?

Start with the two national ones. The technician needs an ARC refrigerant handling licence: RAC01 covers any system and any work, while RSS03 stops at installing and decommissioning single-head splits under 18kW. The business needs an RTA, and its number, starting with AU, belongs on quotes and invoices.

The ARC tells its licence holders to check their state's rules for contractor, electrical and other licences on top. We haven't been able to confirm how SA's apply to air conditioning, so check each state licence number with the state regulator before you sign.

What to get in writing from an SA installer

  • The technician's ARC licence number, which starts with L, and its type.
  • The business's RTA number.
  • Each state licence or registration number for the electrical, plumbing or gas work, and whose it is.
  • For a REPS offer, the retailer behind it and the activity it falls under.

REPS offers come through energy retailers

The Retailer Energy Productivity Scheme puts yearly energy productivity targets on energy retailers. They can contract other businesses to deliver activities, so any REPS heating or cooling offer should name the retailer it's for.

The revised REPS Code tightened things from 1 January 2026. Contractors a retailer hires directly must belong to the Energy and Water Ombudsman of South Australia, a deposit is only allowed if the activity happens in that calendar year, and retailers have to audit at least 5 percent of REPS activities.

We couldn't confirm which heating and cooling activities REPS includes right now. Ask for the activity in writing, and see our rebates guide for what other states offer.

Noise: the nuisance test

In SA, noise from fixed machinery at a home, such as an air conditioner, is a local nuisance if it travels to a habitable room, or an outdoor courtyard or entertainment area, on the neighbouring property. Most domestic noise sits under the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act 2016, so agree the outdoor unit's spot at the quote with the neighbours' side in mind.

Adelaide's dry heat and the system you choose

Bureau of Meteorology averages at Kent Town put Adelaide's January mean daily maximum at 30.0 degrees, with afternoon humidity of 36%. That's the hot, dry air CHOICE says evaporative coolers handle best. Frosts are common in the Adelaide Hills valleys but rare elsewhere, so heating carries more weight up there.

What we'd do

What we'd do

We'd ask for every licence number on the quote, check each one before agreeing to a start date, and walk away from vague answers. For a REPS offer, we'd want the retailer's name and the activity on paper first. Then we'd pick an installer who works on South Australian homes every week.

What this work looks like

Photos from real jobs in Melbourne, to show what the work looks like. They aren't from an installer near you.

A slimline ducted outdoor unit in a side passage
A slimline ducted outdoor unit in a side passage. Jul 2023. A job in Melbourne.
Wiring a new outdoor unit
Wiring a new outdoor unit. A job in Melbourne.
A ducted outdoor unit on wall brackets under a window
A ducted outdoor unit on wall brackets under a window. Sep 2019. A job in Melbourne.

More job photos

Cities in South Australia

Questions people ask

Who licenses air conditioning work in South Australia?
We couldn't confirm SA's licensing arrangements at the source, so we haven't named a regulator here. The national ARC licence and RTA apply in SA, and you can ask the installer for each state licence number and check it with the state.
Is REPS a rebate I apply for myself?
No. REPS is an obligation on energy retailers, who deliver approved activities themselves or through contractors. Eligible households may be able to access those activities whatever their retailer.
Can my neighbour's air conditioner be a nuisance in SA?
Yes. Under SA's rules, an air conditioner at a home is a local nuisance if its noise reaches a habitable room, courtyard or entertainment area next door. We'd start with a friendly word over the fence.

Ready for the right installer to take a look?

Your postcode and three quick questions. Licence-checked local installers who specialise in your kind of job see it, and the one who takes it gets in touch to quote.

Free for you. Installers pay us for each job we pass on.

Read next

  1. 01How to check an installer's licenceRun the ARCtick check, read RAC01 and RSS03, and check the state licence too.
  2. 02Heating and cooling rebates by stateWhat we could confirm in each state, how each scheme reaches you, and the warning signs.
  3. 03Aircon noise rules and neighboursQuiet hours, decibel limits by state, and how to place an outdoor unit so the neighbours don't notice.
  4. 04Evaporative or refrigerated cooling?How each kind of cooling works, why humidity matters, and what each one needs from your home.
  5. 05Reading an air conditioning quoteWhat a complete heating or cooling quote includes, and how to compare two fairly.
  6. 06How we check installersThe licence, insurance, ABN and review checks, and how to repeat most of them yourself.

Where this information comes from

We don't publish prices. Every home is different, so an installer's written quote is the only real number. How we write and check these pages.

Find my aircon