North Carolina to Rhode Island: master HVAC technician license reciprocity
Rhode Island has no reciprocity agreement with North Carolina. Your North Carolina experience counts toward eligibility, but you must pass the Rhode Island exam.
Reference only, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the licensing board before you apply. Full disclaimer.
Out-of-state master or contractor admitted to the Rhode Island Refrigeration Master exam (all states)
Nothing is waived, but your documented out-of-state hours count toward eligibility to sit the exam.
A master HVAC technician or HVAC/refrigeration contractor licensed in any other state applies to DLT for the Refrigeration Master 1 (code 002) or Master 2 (code 003) examination on the Mechanical Trade application, with a copy of the out-of-state license and an official license verification, a notarized employer statement on company letterhead detailing all work experience, a copy of government ID and the $75 non-refundable fee, filed at least 15 days before the exam date. R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-10(3) accepts, in place of one year as a Rhode Island-licensed journeyperson, 'an affidavit or other reasonably satisfactory evidence showing the laws of another state specifying that person as a ... refrigeration/air conditioning ... master', and 260-RICR-30-15-2 § 2.12.C states that an out-of-state Master Class I refrigeration license 'will allow the applicant to be tested for the Refrigeration Master Class I Rhode Island license'; if the origin state has no Master Class I license, a notarized resume showing six years' experience, one as a contractor, accompanies the application (Master Class II: six years, three as a contractor). The master exam is not waived and must be passed with a score of 70 or better; the applicant is then invoiced for the $240 two-year Master I license fee ($96 for Master II). Unlike the electrical trade, an out-of-state master does not have to hold the Rhode Island journeyperson license first.
DLT publishes no separate business or law exam for the master license; the master exam is a single DLT-administered examination. Whether DLT accepts an out-of-state 'HVAC contractor' or 'master HVAC' title as the equivalent of a refrigeration/air-conditioning master under § 28-27-10(3) is decided on the license verification; no list of accepted titles is published. The DLT fee table lists both 'Refrigeration Master 1' and 'Contractor Master Refrigeration' (CMR) at the same fees. The CMR is a separate limited license under R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-6.2 and DLT regulation § 2.7: it lets an officer or principal of one business bid, advertise and pull permits for that business, but not personally install or repair. A Master I who wants to contract as a firm also files the Mechanical Corporation application. Processing time is not published.
At a glance
- Trade exam
- Required
- Law / code exam
- Not required
- Out-of-state hours
- Count toward eligibility
What you must already have
- Your North Carolina license must be active and in good standing.
- If the origin state has no Refrigeration Master Class I license: a notarized resume showing six years' experience, one of which as a contractor (Master Class II: six years, three as a contractor)
- You must have held your North Carolina license for at least 1 year.Rhode Island applicants must have held the Rhode Island Refrigeration Journeyperson I license for one year; § 28-27-10(3) substitutes evidence of out-of-state master or contractor licensure for this requirement.
What you'll do to get licensed in Rhode Island
- 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($75). Non-refundable application processing fee for the refrigeration master examination (R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-17).
- 2Other. Notarized application, copy of government-issued ID, notarized employer experience statement on company letterhead, copy of the out-of-state license and official license verification; filed at least 15 days before the exam date.
- 3Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Rhode Island Refrigeration Master Class I (or Class II) examination administered by DLT Professional Regulation; score of 70 or greater required.
- 4License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($240). Two-year Refrigeration Master 1 license fee, invoiced after a passing score (Master 2: $96); renews every two years on the licensee's birthday for the same amount.
- 5Other. Hold EPA Section 608 technician certification to handle refrigerant; federal law requires it, but it is not a condition of this state license (if applicable).
Published fees on this path total $315, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.
What you'll need to buy or arrange
Exam preparation
Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.
- Trade exam
- Other · if applicable
How Rhode Island licenses master HVAC technicians
Rhode Island master HVAC technician · “Refrigeration Master Class I (RM1, unlimited)”
Statewide license
Rhode Island's master-level HVAC credential is the Refrigeration Master Class I (RM1), the unlimited refrigeration/air-conditioning master license issued by DLT to an individual after passing the master examination; a Master Class I may be self-employed and, under R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-4, a master refrigeration contractor performs refrigeration/air conditioning work through a regular place of business personally or through employed journeypersons. The Refrigeration Master Class II (RM2) is the limited version (comfort cooling to 20 tons, product cooling to 3 tons, 1 hp freezing). A Rhode Island applicant must have held a Rhode Island Refrigeration Journeyperson I license for one year (or a Master II for one year; Master II requires three years as a Journeyperson II). Rhode Island has no reciprocity agreements and no exam waiver, but R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-10(3) and DLT regulation § 2.12.C allow an applicant whose out-of-state law designates them a refrigeration/air-conditioning contractor or master to sit the Rhode Island master exam directly on the strength of that license, or, where the origin state has no Master Class I license, on a notarized resume showing six years' experience including one as a contractor. Fees are a $75 application fee and a $240 two-year license fee for Master I ($96 for Master II); the DLT fee table also lists a 'Contractor Master Refrigeration' at $240 and a no-test Master Mechanical Contractor ($480) reserved for those with ten years each as Pipefitter Master I and Refrigeration Master I. Licenses renew every two years on the licensee's birthday.
Common questions
- Do I have to take the Rhode Island master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in North Carolina?
- Yes. Rhode Island requires the trade exam on this path.
- How long do I need to have held my North Carolina license?
- At least 1 year before applying.
- What does it cost to get a Rhode Island master HVAC technician license from North Carolina?
- Published fees on this path total $315, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
- Do my North Carolina work hours count in Rhode Island?
- Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Rhode Island's eligibility requirements.
Sources
- EPA Section 608 Technician Certification Requirements · 40 CFR Part 82, Subpart F (Clean Air Act §608) · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · Other · verified September 15, 2026
- Rhode Island DLT - Mechanical Trade License (Pipefitter, Refrigeration, Sheet Metal and Fire Protection Sprinkler Fitter) Application Instructions and Application for Examination · Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Professional Regulations Unit · Form · verified September 23, 2026
- Rhode Island DLT - Professional Regulation · Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training · Agency Page · verified September 16, 2026
- 260-RICR-30-15-2 - Bureau of Pipefitters, Refrigeration Technicians, Sprinklerfitters, Sheet Metal Workers and Oil Heat Contractors (DLT regulation, effective January 4, 2022) · 260-RICR-30-15-2 §§ 2.12, 2.13, 2.14, 2.15 · Rhode Island Department of State (Code of Rhode Island Regulations) · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-10 - Master or contractor license; test fee, license fee and qualifications · R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-10 · Rhode Island General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-14 - Examinations · R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-14 · Rhode Island General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-17 - Test fees, license fees, expiration and renewal · R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-17 · Rhode Island General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-4 - Master contractors defined · R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-4 · Rhode Island General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-4.4 - Master mechanical contractor · R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-4.4 · Rhode Island General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-6.2 - Issuance of contractor master license · R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-6.2 · Rhode Island General Assembly · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.