In its 20th year of operation, Australia’s Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (RAC) permit scheme administered by the Australian Refrigeration Council (ARC) has reported record-breaking licensing activity and compliance outcomes for 2024–25.
According to ARC’s latest annual report, the permit scheme now supports over 113,000 licensed technicians and businesses. A total of 60,538 licence applications were processed this year—marking the busiest period since the scheme began in 2005. The total includes 11,967 new Refrigerant Handling Licences (RHLs) and 2,214 new Refrigerant Trading Authorisations (RTAs), the highest single-year growth on record.
The automotive sector led licence growth with a 7.8% increase, while the number of approved trainee licences reached an all-time high of 8,051. This reflects strong industry expansion and an increasing demand for skilled technicians.
The ARC also introduced automated RHL renewals in 2024–25, streamlining application processing. The average assessment time fell from six days to just 2.6 days, improving customer service efficiency by 56.7%. Of the total applications, 23,906 used the automated renewal feature.
Compliance and education remained key priorities. ARC field officers conducted 9,079 audits—a 64% increase over the previous year. While initial compliance among RTA holders stood at 64%, 98% achieved compliance within 90 days. The most common non-compliance issues involved record-keeping and failure to display permit numbers in advertising.
Efforts to address unlicensed activity also expanded. The ARC identified 92 unlicensed operators during the year, with 98% brought into compliance within 90 days. A coordinated outreach strategy, including 2,850 introductory calls to new RTA holders and a strengthened field engagement team, supported these results.
The ARC’s communications program delivered over 1 million emails to permit holders and reached wider audiences through its “Look for the Tick” campaign. During the 2024–25 summer campaign, the consumer website received 136,106 visits and over 13,000 guide downloads.
“This year marks two decades of environmental stewardship and service excellence,” said Dr Greg Picker, Chair of the Australian Refrigeration Council. “Record licence growth, automation, and expanded outreach show our sector’s crucial role in supporting Australia’s transition to a low-emissions economy.”
The permit scheme operates under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Program, supporting Australia’s obligations under the Montreal Protocol and Kigali Amendment.