Air Conditioning Repair in Fort Worth

AC out? Call and we'll connect you with a licensed Fort Worth AC repair company.

Below: what repairs cost, the Fort Worth permit rule, Oncor's incentives, and renter rights in Texas. Last updated October 2, 2026.

Check the license before work starts

Texas requires a license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) to do air conditioning work for pay. Ask the company for its TDLR license number and look it up on TDLR's license search. A Class B license covers systems up to 25 tons of cooling, which includes almost every house. Class A has no size limit. Complaints go to TDLR through its online complaint form.

2026 has been a hard year on AC units

DFW normally sees about 20 days a year at 100°F or hotter. As of September 22, 2026 it had logged 52, according to the National Weather Service. That's the most since 2023, when the count reached 55. The record is 71, set in 2011. Units that ran through a summer like that are the ones that tend to fail in the next heat wave, so fall is a good time to have yours checked.

North Texas hail adds its own damage: it flattens the thin aluminum fins on the outdoor coil, which cuts airflow. If a storm did it, check your homeowners policy. Hail damage is commonly covered as storm damage, minus your deductible.

Typical repair prices

No one publishes Fort Worth-only prices. HomeGuide's 2026 national averages are a fair starting point: a diagnostic visit runs $75 to $200, most repairs land between $150 and $650, and a contactor or fan motor runs $200 to $700. The expensive failures are the compressor ($1,800 to $2,800 out of warranty) and the indoor evaporator coil ($1,000 to $4,500). Nights and weekends cost more, often $160 to $250 an hour in labor. Get the price in writing first.

Replacing a unit? Fort Worth requires a permit

The City of Fort Worth requires a mechanical permit to change, move or repair heating and air conditioning equipment, including replacing a condenser or furnace. The permit has to be pulled by a contractor who is registered with the city and holds a TDLR air conditioning license. The exception is a homeowner working on their own homestead. A company that offers to skip the permit is skipping the city inspection too. Questions: Development Services, (817) 392-2222.

Oncor's efficiency incentives

Fort Worth sits in Oncor's delivery area, and Oncor's Take A Load Off, Texas program pays incentives for efficient heat pumps, AC equipment, insulation and smart thermostats. Oncor pays the incentive to the participating contractor, and the contractor decides how much of it reaches your bill. So ask two questions: is the company a participating contractor, and how much of the incentive is in your quote? The amount depends on the equipment and changes from year to year.

If you rent

Texas Property Code 92.052 requires a landlord to make a diligent effort to repair a condition that materially affects an ordinary tenant's health or safety, once you've given notice and as long as your rent is current. A dead AC in a Texas summer can meet that bar, but the law doesn't require a landlord to install AC where there wasn't any. We found no Fort Worth rule setting indoor temperatures for rentals. Dallas has one, so advice written for Dallas may not apply. A 2025 bill to set a statewide 85°F limit (HB 1099) did not pass.

Give notice in writing, keep a copy, and stay current on rent. Paying for the repair yourself and deducting it has its own steps under Texas law, so read them before you try it.

Sources

1. TDLR license search and complaints.
2. National Weather Service Fort Worth, 100°F day rankings and DFW normals.
3. City of Fort Worth, residential permit information.
4. Oncor, Take A Load Off, Texas (residential).
5. Texas Property Code 92.052; HB 1099 (2025) history.
6. HomeGuide, AC repair cost (2026 national averages).