Before you can take your classes to get your Rhode Island contracting license, there is some prep work you have to do. There are several different types of guidelines that need to be followed and criteria that must be met before you can get started. That criteria can be different depending on the field in construction that you work, but there is plenty of help available to make sure you meet the requirements to take your licensing test.
It takes years of experience to qualify for contractor licensing classes in Rhode Island.
The Need for Licensing
If you intend to be a Rhode Island contractor that builds, repairs, or remodels residential properties that hold one to four families, then you will need to go through the process of getting a general contractor’s license. But there are several disciplines that have their own licensing requirements including:
- Asbestos abatement
- Electrician
- HVAC work
- Plumbing
Most of these disciplines require the completion of a five-hour course before you can take the licensing test, and it is important to know what qualifications you need to satisfy prior to being allowed to take those tests.
Asbestos Abatement
Before you can take the asbestos abatement test, you must be able to prove two years of experience in the field. If you own an asbestos abatement company, then your employees must all be licensed asbestos abatement workers before your company can take the classes to prepare for the test. Companies must also have safety policies for job sites in place that meet all EPA and OSHA standards before company principles can take the abatement test.
Electrician
If you want to be a licensed electrical contractor in Rhode Island then you need six years of industry experience, and you need to have a held a valid electrician’s license for two years. In order to take that electrician’s licensing test, you have to have two years of experience in the electrical field that you can prove. Most people start in an apprentice program for a couple of years and then take the test to become a journeyman. After two years of holding a journeyman’s license, you can start thinking about moving into being a contractor or master electrician.
HVAC Work
There is a long list of different fields in the HVAC category, and each of them has their own requirements before you can take their licensing test. In general, to be able to take the entry-level HVAC and mechanical contractor classes in Rhode Island you need one to three years of industry experience. If you want to start preparing for a master mechanical contractor’s license, then you need 20 years of experience in the industry. Remember that each year of your experience needs to be documented for proof.
Each contracting field has its own requirements before you can take the Rhode Island contractor licensing classes.
Plumbing
To be a licensed journeyman plumber in Rhode Island, you first need four years of experience in an apprentice program. If you want to take the classes to be a Rhode Island master plumber, then you need five years of experience and at least one year of being a licensed journeyman plumber.
As you work towards the experience you will need to take the necessary classes to be a licensed Rhode Island contractor, you should spend that time preparing for your class work by utilizing the resources on PDH Contractors. Once you have met the experience requirements for your field, you can start a course through PDH Contractors and advance your career by becoming a fully licensed Rhode Island contractor.