- Rhode Island requires a state license for heating, cooling, refrigeration, duct and sheet metal work, issued through the Department of Labor and Training.
- Journeyperson I: 10,000 hours on the job plus trade school. Journeyperson II: 4,000 hours plus trade school. Master I: one year as a Journeyperson I. Master II: three years as a Journeyperson II.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Pay runs from about $18.32 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of HVAC technicians to $50.04 for the top tenth.
- Jobs are projected to grow 13.6% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 5.5% projected nationally.
The path in Rhode Island, step by step
Rhode Island licenses HVAC work at the state level through the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Professional Regulation. These are the steps it lays out, in order.
- Enter a registered apprenticeship and log on the job hours plus trade school hours.
- Apply to DLT for the Journeyperson exam in refrigeration or pipefitting and pass it.
- Work as a journeyperson for the required time (one year for Class I, three years for Class II).
- Apply for and pass the master exam.
- Carry the liability insurance and workers comp the state requires to keep the license valid.
- Renew every 24 months.
The full license guide, with every fee and form: HVAC license in Rhode Island.
Finding an apprenticeship in Rhode Island
Rhode Island runs Registered Apprenticeship through its own State Apprenticeship Agency, recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor to register and oversee programs there. Its staff are state employees, and it may use the federal paperwork or forms of its own. Apprenticeship.gov lists the Rhode Island State Apprenticeship Agency as the contact.
Either way, a registered program means paid work with a mentor, raises as you progress, classroom instruction and a credential recognized in every state. Search open spots in the Apprenticeship Job Finder.
Across the country. Some technicians train through an apprenticeship, which usually lasts several years. Each year mixes paid on-the-job training with some classroom work on safety, blueprint reading, and heating and cooling systems.
License levels and exams in Rhode Island
The license to aim for: Refrigeration Master or Pipefitter Master license (Class I or II).
Trade exam. Yes. Applicants are tested for the license class they seek, and out of state license holders can sit for the matching Rhode Island exam.
Keeping it. Every 24 months. Late renewals cost $12 per month.
Coming from another state. An out of state license at the same level lets you sit for the Rhode Island exam. If your state has no matching license, send a notarized resume of experience instead, for example six years for a master.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Refrigeration Master I | Refrigeration and air conditioning work with no limit, may be self employed. |
| Refrigeration Master II | Comfort cooling up to 20 tons and product cooling up to 3 tons, may be self employed. |
| Pipefitter Master I | Pipefitting work with no limit, needed for heating jobs of 500,000 BTU and above. |
| Pipefitter Master II | Heating installations up to 500,000 BTU, with boiler pressure limits. |
| Sheet Metal Master I or II | Duct work, Class II limited to residential buildings. |
| Journeyperson I or II | Works for a master, cannot be self employed. |
What the Rhode Island license costs
The fees the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Professional Regulation lists. Exam fees from a testing company, insurance and any bond come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Refrigeration or Pipefitter Master I renewal | $240 |
| Refrigeration or Pipefitter Master II renewal | $96 |
| Journeyman I renewal | $72 |
| Journeyman II renewal | $60 |
| Online renewal processing fee | $6 |
What HVAC technicians earn in Rhode Island
The median HVAC technician in Rhode Island earned $32.39 an hour in May 2025, 14th of 51 states, with 1,450 on payrolls. The national median was $29.33.
At the bottom of the range, a quarter of HVAC technicians in Rhode Island earned under $23.44 an hour and a tenth under $18.32. At the top, a quarter earned over $39.23 and a tenth over $50.04.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $18.32 | $38,100 |
| 25th percentile | $23.44 | $48,760 |
| Median | $32.39 | $67,370 |
| 75th percentile | $39.23 | $81,610 |
| 90th percentile | $50.04 | $104,080 |
Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: HVAC technician salary in Rhode Island.
Jobs ahead in Rhode Island
Rhode Island's labor market office projects jobs for HVAC technicians growing from 1,400 in 2022 to 1,590 in 2032, a change of 13.6%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 140 openings a year.
Jobs are projected to grow 13.6% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 5.5% projected nationally, ranking 15th of the 50 states in the file.
These are the state's own long-term projections, published together on Projections Central for the occupation group heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers.
Starting your own HVAC technician business in Rhode Island
To contract on your own in Rhode Island, the license is the Refrigeration Master or Pipefitter Master license (Class I or II).
Insurance. Licensed mechanical trade businesses must keep the liability insurance set by R.I. Gen. Laws 5-65-7, at least $500,000 combined single limit, plus workers comp as state law requires.
Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the Rhode Island median of $32.39 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $127.47 per billable hour. Try your own in the HVAC technician labor rate calculator.
The full checklist is in how to start an HVAC business. The free Koira Office plan gives you a website on a Koira address, estimates customers sign with a deposit, invoices with card payments and your day's jobs in one place, with no per-person fee. See the plans.
Where this comes from
The license steps, fees and rules are from the official pages below, read on the date shown. Pay is the BLS May 2025 state estimate, the job outlook is Rhode Island's own long-term projection, and the apprenticeship details are from the U.S. Department of Labor. A detail an official page did not confirm is left out.
- 260-RICR-30-15-2 pipefitter, refrigeration and sheet metal rules (checked 2026-10-08)
- RI.gov renewal fees for pipefitters, refrigeration, sheet metal (DLT) (checked 2026-10-08)
- R.I. Gen. Laws 28-27-28 practices that need a license (checked 2026-10-08)
- R.I. Gen. Laws 5-65-2 exemptions (checked 2026-10-08)
- R.I. Gen. Laws 5-65-7 insurance (checked 2026-10-08)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 49-9021
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2022 to 2032 (state labor market offices) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship System (Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agencies) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, State Offices (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Program (checked 2026-10-09)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers (checked 2026-10-09)
Training, schools and certifications for every state: how to become an HVAC technician.