NATE stands for North American Technician Excellence, Inc. which is the organization responsible for administering the leading Testing & Certification program for Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration (HVAC/R) Technicians. NATE is the only testing organization supported by the entire HVAC/R industry.
NATE-Certified technicians have passed one, or more, of the five North American Technician Excellence Tests that validates and verifies their knowledge of Heating and/or Cooling Systems. Technicians who are NATE know Heating & Cooling!
The NATE tests are more than just book learning — they are tests of applied knowledge. No one can guarantee how someone else will apply the knowledge they possess, but you can be assured that a technician who passes the NATE test has the required knowledge to do the job.