An HVAC maintenance agreement is the closest thing to guaranteed recurring revenue a service business can have. A customer on a maintenance plan calls you first when something breaks, renews year after year, and refers more often than one-time clients.
Most HVAC businesses know this — but a lot of them are still closing maintenance agreements on a handshake or with a basic email that has no real contract language behind it. When a dispute comes up about what was included, what wasn't, or what happens if they cancel, there's nothing to fall back on.
This guide gives you a complete maintenance agreement template with copy-paste contract language, pricing structures, and the exact language that protects both you and the customer.
Download the free HVAC maintenance agreement template →
ServiceHub automates maintenance plan renewals, reminder sequences, and recurring billing — so your agreements run themselves. See how →
What Is an HVAC Maintenance Agreement?
An HVAC maintenance agreement (also called a service contract or maintenance plan) is a written agreement between your business and a customer that outlines:
- What preventive maintenance services you'll perform
- How often (typically twice a year — spring AC tune-up, fall furnace tune-up)
- What the customer pays and when
- What discounts or priority benefits they receive as plan members
- What happens if either party cancels
It's different from a warranty or a repair contract. A maintenance agreement is proactive — it covers the scheduled tune-ups and inspections that prevent breakdowns — not the reactive repair calls that happen after something fails. Repairs are typically billed separately, though plan members usually receive a labor discount on repair calls.
Why Every HVAC Business Should Have Signed Agreements
The difference between a maintenance plan that grows and one that quietly churns comes down to whether it's on paper.
Without a signed agreement:
- Customers cancel whenever they want, for any reason, with no notice
- You can't forecast labor or schedule maintenance windows accurately
- Customers forget what they signed up for and dispute charges
- No leverage for auto-renewal pricing
With a signed agreement:
- Defined cancellation terms protect your revenue
- Scheduled visits can be routed and staffed in advance
- Scope is in writing — no disputes about what's included
- Auto-renewal clauses make retention the default
Even for residential customers, a one-page agreement is worth it. It sets professional expectations and signals that your maintenance plan is a real product, not an informal arrangement.
HVAC Maintenance Agreement Pricing (2026)
Before building the contract, you need a pricing structure that's sustainable.
Standard residential maintenance plan pricing:
Standard Residential Maintenance Plan Pricing
| Plan | What's included | Annual price | Per-visit equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic (1 visit/year) | 1 tune-up (heating or cooling) | $89 – $149 | $89 – $149 |
| Standard (2 visits/year) | Spring AC + fall furnace tune-up | $149 – $249 | $75 – $125/visit |
| Premium (2 visits + priority) | 2 tune-ups + priority scheduling + 10–15% repair discount | $249 – $399 | $125 – $200/visit |
Commercial Maintenance Plan Pricing
| System type | Visits per year | Annual range |
|---|---|---|
| Light commercial (rooftop unit, <10 tons) | 2–4 | $350 – $900 |
| Mid-size commercial (10–50 tons) | 2–4 | $900 – $2,400 |
| Large commercial / multi-unit | 4+ | $2,400+ (custom quote) |
What Drives Residential Plan Price Up
- Older systems (10+ years) that take longer to inspect
- Multi-system homes (2+ units)
- Premium tier benefits (priority dispatch, repair discounts)
- Includes filter replacement in visit
- Includes refrigerant top-off if needed
What to Include in Every Maintenance Visit
Spring AC tune-up:
- Check and clean condenser coils
- Check refrigerant levels and look for leaks
- Test capacitors and contactors
- Inspect and clean evaporator coil (if accessible)
- Check thermostat calibration
- Inspect electrical connections
- Replace or inspect air filter
- Check condensate drain line
- Run system and verify proper operation
Fall furnace tune-up:
- Inspect heat exchanger for cracks
- Clean burners and flame sensors
- Check igniter and gas pressure
- Inspect flue and venting
- Test safety controls and limit switches
- Lubricate blower motor (if applicable)
- Replace or inspect air filter
- Check thermostat calibration
- Run system and verify proper operation
Want this running automatically?
ServiceHub automates follow-ups, reminders, and booking confirmations so nothing falls through the cracks.
HVAC Maintenance Service Agreement — Full Copy-Paste Version
<div style='background:#f8fafc; padding:20px; border-radius:8px; border:1px solid #e2e8f0; font-family:monospace; white-space:pre-wrap;'>Agreement between: [Company Name] ("Service Provider") [Address] | [Phone] | [Email] | [License #] And: [Customer Name] ("Customer") [Service Address] [Phone] | [Email] Agreement date: [Date] Agreement number: [#] --- 1. SCOPE OF SERVICE Service Provider agrees to perform the following preventive maintenance services at the address listed above: [ ] Spring Tune-Up (April – June): Air conditioning system inspection and tune-up per the standard checklist attached to this agreement. [ ] Fall Tune-Up (September – November): Heating system inspection and tune-up per the standard checklist attached to this agreement. [ ] Filter replacement included (standard 1" filter up to MERV 8; customer supplies filter or upgrade filters at additional cost) System(s) covered: - Unit 1: [Brand / Model / Serial # / Age / Location] - Unit 2 (if applicable): [Brand / Model / Serial # / Age / Location] Not included in this agreement: - Repair parts or labor for failed components - Refrigerant (charged separately if needed) - Duct cleaning or sealing - Electrical panel work - Any work outside standard maintenance checklist All repairs required as a result of or discovered during a maintenance visit will be quoted separately and require customer approval before work begins. --- 2. PLAN BENEFITS As an active maintenance plan member, Customer receives: [ ] Priority scheduling — plan members receive next-available appointment before non-members [ ] [X]% discount on labor for repair calls during agreement term [ ] No after-hours or emergency dispatch fee for system failures during agreement term [ ] Advance scheduling — visits are booked automatically each season; no need to call --- 3. PRICING AND PAYMENT Plan rate: $[___] per year Payment options: [ ] Annual — $[___] due upon signing [ ] Monthly — $[___]/month, automatically billed to card on file Billing: Customer authorizes Service Provider to bill the payment method on file according to the schedule above. A receipt will be sent within 24 hours of each charge. Late payment: Accounts more than [14] days past due will result in suspension of plan benefits until balance is paid. Service Provider is not obligated to perform scheduled maintenance on suspended accounts. --- 4. SCHEDULING Service Provider will contact Customer [30] days before each scheduled visit to confirm the appointment date and time. If Customer is unavailable for the scheduled visit, Customer must notify Service Provider at least [48] hours in advance to reschedule. If Customer misses a scheduled maintenance visit without notice, Service Provider will attempt to reschedule once. If a second visit cannot be arranged within [60] days of the original scheduled date, that visit is forfeited for the current agreement year. --- 5. AGREEMENT TERM AND RENEWAL This agreement begins on [start date] and covers [one year / two years] of service. Auto-renewal: This agreement automatically renews for successive 12-month terms at the then-current plan rate unless cancelled in writing at least [30] days before the renewal date. Customer will be notified of renewal and any rate change [45] days before the renewal date. --- 6. CANCELLATION Either party may cancel this agreement with [30] days written notice. Early cancellation by customer: If Customer cancels before [one full service year] has been completed and fewer than the included maintenance visits have been performed, Service Provider will refund the prorated unused portion of the plan, less the standard single-visit rate ($[___]) for each completed visit. Example: Customer pays $249 annual plan, receives 1 of 2 visits, then cancels. Single-visit rate is $149. Refund = $249 – $149 = $100. --- 7. LIMITATIONS This agreement covers preventive maintenance only. Service Provider does not guarantee against equipment failure or breakdown during the agreement term. Maintenance agreements reduce the risk of failure but do not eliminate it. Service Provider is not liable for pre-existing conditions, manufacturer defects, or failures caused by factors outside normal wear (flood, fire, power surge, etc.). --- 8. SIGNATURES By signing below, both parties agree to the terms of this HVAC Maintenance Service Agreement. ___________________________ Customer Signature & Date ___________________________ [Your Name], [Company Name] & Date</div>
What to Include in Every HVAC Maintenance Agreement
The template above covers the full version, but the sections that matter most — and that most businesses skip — are:
Systems covered with model and serial number: This matters when a customer calls claiming a unit you've never serviced is "covered." Serial numbers remove all ambiguity.
Not included section: List repairs, refrigerant, duct work, and electrical panel work explicitly. These are the most common disputes.
Forfeiture clause for missed visits: Customers who ignore your scheduling calls shouldn't be able to claim a visit at the end of the year. The forfeiture clause is fair and protects your schedule.
Auto-renewal with advance notice: Customers who know renewal is coming 45 days out are far less likely to dispute a charge. Surprise renewals lead to chargebacks.
Early cancellation refund formula: Include the math. A customer who can see exactly how the refund is calculated is far less likely to dispute it.
How to Sell HVAC Maintenance Agreements on the Job
The best time to sell a maintenance plan is during a service call — not before or after. Here's why: the customer just experienced a breakdown, they're thinking about prevention, and you're standing in front of them with credibility.
The script (after completing a repair):
"Everything is running well now. One thing I'd mention — this [capacitor/contactor/etc.] failed partly because the system hadn't been serviced in a while. A tune-up twice a year would have caught the early signs. We have a maintenance plan that covers your spring and fall tune-up for $[X] a year — most customers find it pays for itself the first time it catches something before it becomes a $[repair cost] call. Want me to set that up today?"
Two keys to this script: you're connecting the plan to something that just happened (makes it relevant, not generic), and you're giving a real number to compare against (makes the plan feel like value, not an upsell).
For a full library of upsell scripts by job type, see HVAC upsell scripts: how to increase average ticket size.
How ServiceHub Automates HVAC Maintenance Plans
Selling a maintenance plan is the easy part. The operational challenge is managing dozens or hundreds of plans — tracking who needs to be scheduled when, billing at the right time, sending renewal reminders, and handling cancellations. Most HVAC businesses manage this manually or not at all, which means plans lapse, customers forget, and the recurring revenue you built doesn't actually recur. ServiceHub handles the full lifecycle:
- Point-of-sale signatures: Businesses can attach their maintenance agreement PDF to the invoice email — customers agree at the point of payment.
- Automated recurring billing: Customers enter payment info once — billing runs automatically through Stripe on whatever cycle you set.
- Seasonal reminders: Automated alerts go out before each tune-up window so customers don't go cold between visits.
- Auto-renewal notices: Renewal reminders go to customers 45 days before their anniversary date.
- Tech visibility: Techs can see plan status on their phone before arriving at a job.
?Frequently Asked Questions
What is an HVAC maintenance agreement?▼
What should an HVAC maintenance agreement include?▼
How much should I charge for an HVAC maintenance plan?▼
How do I sell HVAC maintenance agreements?▼
What's the difference between an HVAC maintenance agreement and a warranty?▼
Should I include refrigerant in my maintenance plan?▼
What happens if a customer cancels mid-year?▼
How do I handle auto-renewal?▼
Manage HVAC Maintenance Plans Faster
Create plans, collect signatures, and automate recurring billing in one workflow.
Keep Reading
For turning your maintenance plan into a full recurring revenue stream, see HVAC maintenance subscription plans (2026) — how to package, price, and automate recurring tune-up revenue.