Rhode Island is a little state that always has a lot of residential construction going on. Since it’s situated between Maine and Massachusetts, Rhode Island sees a lot of people taking up residence to avoid the hassles of the bigger cities and to work in the “Ocean State’s” ports. If you want to be a residential building contractor in Rhode Island, then you have to become licensed and then fulfill your continuing education requirements to keep your license valid.
Residential construction is always busy here.
Getting Started
The state of Rhode Island requires every contractor seeking a residential building license to undergo five hours of state-sanctioned training, and then take the licensing test. As of September 2017, the fee to register for your license is $120. If you advertise your business as being licensed without actually having gone through the process, then the state will fine you $100 per offense. If you advertise your unlicensed business frequently, then it can be a lot more expensive to pay the fines rather than simply pay your registration fee.
Continuing Education
The continuing education and renewal process in Rhode Island is quite simple. Every residential contractor license expires within two years of being issued, and it must be renewed with five hours of class time in state-approved courses. Those courses are taken online, and you will get a certificate that you must submit with your renewal application to submit a complete package. The state of Rhode Island does not indicate whether or not it has a renewal grace period. Which means that contractors are better off renewing before their license expires as opposed to allowing it to expire and facing the consequences.
Specialty Licenses
Along with a standard residential contractor license, the state of Rhode Island also issues specialty licenses for various trades used within the residential construction industry. Those specialty licenses are for:
- Asbestos Abatement
- Electrician
- Mechanical (HVAC) contractor
- Plumber
Each specialty category has its own list of specific licenses that a contractor must choose before starting their pre-registration education. The general residential construction license does not automatically qualify a contractor for a specialty license, and all residential construction work done in Rhode Island must be done by a properly licensed contractor.
Competition is stiff in Rhode Island, so get your residential contractor license now and get started.
Out-Of-State Companies
Some of the residential contractors doing business in Rhode Island are based in other states, and the state of Rhode Island recognizes licenses from other states as being valid. An out-of-state residential contractor needs to show their current and valid license for their home state and file an application with the appropriate fee to become registered to do business in the state of Rhode Island.
If you want to become part of the Rhode Island construction scene, then it all starts with the state-mandated five-hour course. You can start a course for your Rhode Island license on PDH Contractors and get a head start on your contracting career. PDH Contractors also has all of the latest construction information you will need to be competitive and make sure that you can optimize the growth of your Rhode Island residential construction company.