STATE LICENSE
RequiredRhode Island Department of Labor and Trai…
R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 28-27 (Mechanical Trades) requires a license for installing, repairing, replacing, servicing, and altering heating and cooling equipment, air distribution equipment, ductwork, refrigeration and air conditioning, and pipefitting (§ 28-27-28). No one may contract for mechanical work, employ mechanical tradespeople, or advertise that they will install pipefitting, refrigeration/air conditioning, or air distribution systems without a DLT master or contractor license, and the master's license number must appear on ads, contracts, bids, and permits (§ 28-27-5(a)). A journeyperson refrigeration technician or pipefitter completes a 10,000-hour registered apprenticeship and an exam (§§ 28-27-4.1, 28-27-4.2); a journeyperson sheet metal worker completes 8,000 hours. A master applicant must have held a journeyperson license for at least one year (§ 28-27-10).
Fees under § 28-27-17: a $75 test fee for each license; Refrigeration Master I and Pipefitter Master I $240 to license and $240 to renew; Master II classes $96; Journeyperson I $72; Journeyperson II $60; Sheet Metal Contractor $240. Licenses expire on the licensee's birthday in odd or even years. A master may do sheet metal work only when AC air-handling equipment is 10 tons or less or heating equipment is 250,000 BTU or less; above that, sheet metal must be subcontracted to a licensed sheet metal contractor (§ 28-27-5(b)). Technicians handling refrigerants also need EPA Section 608 certification.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Licensing is state-only through DLT. Cities, towns, or the state may require mechanical permits and inspections and collect fees; each permit requires the contractor's license number and a copy of the license, and emergency replacements must be permitted within the next business day (§ 28-27-20). Local building inspectors have primary day-to-day enforcement duty and may demand licenses on site (§ 28-27-26.1).
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Rhode Island county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
A master may do sheet metal work on systems up to 10 tons AC or 250,000 BTU heating; above that it may bid the work but must subcontract it to a licensed sheet metal contractor (§ 28-27-5(b)).
Factory-built domestic plug-in units on ordinary household circuits are outside the license requirement; seasonal filter changes and cleaning must be labeled as unlicensed service on the bill (§ 28-27-28(a)).
Wiring belongs to DLT-licensed electricians (ch. 5-6), plumbing to licensed plumbers (ch. 5-20), and HVAC/pipefitting/sheet metal to mechanical licensees (ch. 28-27); registration does not cover it.
A practical sequence for a new HVAC contractor in Rhode Island. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
After a board hearing on a verified complaint, the DLT director may revoke or suspend the license or fine the violator.
DLT, trade associations, licensees, or inspectors may sue in superior court to enjoin violations, with attorney's fees.
Fines unpaid within 30 days of notice lead to license revocation, or injunction proceedings for unlicensed violators.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
| County · City | Permit office | Portal |
|---|---|---|
| Providence County Providence (consolidated gov.) | City of Providence Department of Inspection and Standards (DIS) ↗ | Providence e-Permitting (ViewPoint Cloud) ↗ |
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Fee conflict: § 28-27-4.4(b) sets the master mechanical contractor license fee at $240, while the § 28-27-17 fee table lists $480 to license and renew — statute table presumed controlling · Scope differences between Master/Journeyperson I and II classes (set by the mechanical board's licensing criteria guide, not read) · Whether mechanical licensees have a continuing education requirement · Gas fitting and oil burner licensing for furnace and boiler work (oil burner electrical is Class E/F under ch. 5-6; gas fitter licensing not researched)
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.