Do I have to take the Rhode Island master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in North Dakota?

Yes. Rhode Island requires the trade exam on this path.

How long do I need to have held my North Dakota license?

At least 1 year before applying.

What does it cost to get a Rhode Island master HVAC technician license from North Dakota?

Published fees on this path total $315, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.

Do my North Dakota work hours count in Rhode Island?

Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Rhode Island's eligibility requirements.

Does it work the other way, from Rhode Island to North Dakota?

Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Rhode Island to North Dakota, the mechanism is not applicable.

North Dakota to Rhode Island: master HVAC technician license reciprocity

No credit· Start overVerified September 15, 2026· 9 sources

North Dakota does not issue a statewide master HVAC technician license, so there is nothing to transfer. Here is Rhode Island's standard path for out-of-state applicants.

Your origin state does not issue a statewide license at this level, so there is no license to transfer. The destination's standard out-of-state path is shown; expect to meet it in full.

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)

Your out-of-state credentials give no advantage. You meet the destination's requirements from scratch.

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' at the same fees; the distinction between the two is not explained on any official page opened. 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 Dakota 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 Dakota 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. EPA Section 608 technician certification (Type I/II/III/Universal) to handle refrigerants; federal, does not expire.

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

How Rhode Island licenses master HVAC technicians

Rhode Island master HVAC technician · “Refrigeration Master Class I (RM1, unlimited)”

Statewide license

Verified September 15, 2026· 7 sources

Issued by Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Workforce Regulation and Safety, Professional Regulation (Board of Examiners of Mechanical)

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.

Moving to Rhode Island Leaving Rhode Island

Why North Dakota has nothing to transfer

North Dakota master HVAC technician

Licensed by cities and counties

Verified September 15, 2026· 16 sources

North Dakota issues no master HVAC, mechanical or refrigeration license and has no state mechanical board. The only state-level credential an HVAC contractor needs is the Secretary of State contractor license, a business license for any job over $4,000 (Class D up to $100,000 for $100, up to Class A over $500,000 for $450) that requires liability insurance and workers' compensation verification but no trade exam. The master-level credential is the city master HVAC/mechanical installer license: Fargo's Master Heating license (10,000 hours including 6,000 as a journeyman, exam, $125 per year, liability insurance naming the city), Bismarck's Class A Master HVAC Installer (3,400 hours as a licensed journeyman, exam with 80% to pass, $125 per year), Grand Forks' Master Mechanical Installer (exam with 80%, $170 per year, $5,000 city bond, state contractor license) and Minot's Master Heating/HVAC Installer (board exam, $130 per year). A master exam passed in one of the testing member cities is accepted by the other North Dakota licensing members through the state mechanical reciprocity program, but each city issues its own license. No city recognizes an out-of-state master or contractor license outright; Bismarck's ordinance counts journeyman experience licensed by any governmental jurisdiction toward master exam eligibility, so an out-of-state master generally qualifies to sit a city master exam on the strength of documented experience and then licenses city by city. EPA Section 608 certification applies federally.

How local licensing works in North Dakota

How local licensing works. North Dakota has no state mechanical board; master-level HVAC licenses are issued by cities under their own ordinances, and a master exam passed in a testing member city (Burleigh County, Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, Mandan or Dickinson) is accepted by the licensing member cities (also Jamestown, Valley City, Wahpeton, West Fargo and Williston) under the North Dakota Mechanical Reciprocity Administrative Rules, which require at least two years of practical experience beyond the journeyman level; the Reciprocity Eligibility Certificate is not a license. Every contractor whose job exceeds $4,000 also needs the Secretary of State contractor license (Class A-D, $450/$300/$225/$100, liability insurance and WSI verification, no exam).

Fargo. Master Heating license: at least 6,000 hours of journeyman experience plus 4,000 hours of practical experience (10,000 total) verified by employer letters; open-book master mechanical and master fuel gas exams on the 2024 IMC and IFGC ($125 per appointment); license $125 per year expiring December 31, renewed with a certificate of liability insurance naming the City of Fargo. Work in non-owner-occupied buildings must be done by a licensed and insured mechanical contractor.

Bismarck. Class A Master HVAC Installer: two years (3,400 hours) as a licensed journeyman 'licensed by the City or some other governmental jurisdiction', or a master license from a reciprocal jurisdiction; exam on the 2021 IMC and IFGC, $125, 80% to pass, offered monthly; $35 application fee and $125 annual fee expiring December 31; four hours of continuing education per year; a master may qualify only one shop or business at a time; three years (5,300 hours) as a licensed journeyman are needed for a Certificate of Reciprocity to other cities. Legacy licensees who tested before July 1, 2017 may work in Bismarck without retesting.

Grand Forks. Master Mechanical Installer: ND state contractor license, $5,000 license and permit bond payable to the City, certificate of insurance, written mechanical exam with 80% to pass, $170 per year.

Minot. Master HVAC Installer (Master Heating): Heating & Air Conditioning Board exam ($75 per attempt) or a reciprocal license from an approved city with proof of the passed test; $130 initial and $130 annual fee; state contractor license required; annual renewal without re-examination, re-examination after a lapse.

Out-of-state holders. No reciprocity or endorsement for other states' master or contractor licenses was found in any of these cities or in the state reciprocity rules. The practical route is to document journeyman-level hours from the origin state, pass the master exam in one testing member city, obtain the Secretary of State contractor license, and then apply for the local master license (with the local bond or insurance) in each city where work will be done.

Moving to North Dakota Leaving North Dakota

Common questions

Do I have to take the Rhode Island master HVAC technician exam if I'm licensed in North Dakota?: Yes. Rhode Island requires the trade exam on this path.
How long do I need to have held my North Dakota license?: At least 1 year before applying.
What does it cost to get a Rhode Island master HVAC technician license from North Dakota?: Published fees on this path total $315, not counting exam vendor fees or bonds.
Do my North Dakota work hours count in Rhode Island?: Yes. Documented out-of-state experience counts toward Rhode Island's eligibility requirements.
Does it work the other way, from Rhode Island to North Dakota?: Not necessarily. Reciprocity is directed. Going from Rhode Island to North Dakota, the mechanism is not applicable.

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, 2026Federal requirement in every state: technicians who maintain, service, repair or dispose of equipment that could release refrigerants into the atmosphere must be certified (Type I small appliances, Type II high-pressure, Type III low-pressure, Universal). Apprentices under direct supervision are exempt. Certification does not expire; the core exam must be proctored for Universal certification. State HVAC boards commonly require it before licensure, but it is not itself a state license.
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 15, 2026Non-refundable $75 application processing fee; notarized application with a copy of government ID and a separate notarized employer statement on company letterhead listing all work-related experience. Verbatim: 'A valid copy of your out-of-state Mechanical Trade License and an Official License Verification from your respective state for all applicants applying for a comparable Mechanical License exam in RI.' Fee table (application / two-year license): Master Mechanical Contractor MMA no test / $480; Contractor Master Refrigeration CMR $75 / $240; Refrigeration Master 1 RM1 $75 / $240; Refrigeration Master 2 RM2 $75 / $96; Pipefitter Master 1 $75 / $240; O/B Serviceman Journeyperson II PJF Limited $75 / $144; and under the heading 'OUT-OF-STATE LICENSE HOLDERS': Refrigeration Journeyperson I RJ1 (code 006) $75 / $72, Refrigeration Journeyperson II RJ2 (code 007) $75 / $60, Pipefitter Journeyperson I/II and Sheet Metal Journeyperson I/II. Footnote: 'Individuals who achieve a passing score of 70 or greater will be invoiced for the License Fee.' Rhode Island-indentured apprentices instead attach the DLT Certificate of Completion of Apprenticeship.
Rhode Island DLT - Professional Regulation · Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training · Agency Page · verified September 15, 2026Professional Regulation licenses, tests, registers and disciplines over 30,000 people in 67 trade occupations, administering exams itself for electricians, hoisting engineers, pipefitters, refrigeration technicians, fire protection sprinkler fitters, sheet metal workers, plumbers and telecommunication installers. The mechanical trades (pipefitting, refrigeration, sheet metal, sprinkler fitting) fall under the Board of Examiners of Mechanical; contact is the Chief Investigator of Mechanical, (401) 462-8535.
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 15, 2026§2.12 Refrigeration Master Class I (unlimited, may be self-employed): must have held a Rhode Island Refrigeration Journeyperson I license for one year or a Refrigeration Master II license for one year; §2.12.C verbatim: '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. A copy of the license shall be attached to the application. In the event a State does not have a Refrigeration Master Class I license available, a notarized resume showing six (6) years' experience, one of which is as a contractor, shall accompany the application.' §2.13 Refrigeration Master Class II (limited to 20-ton comfort cooling, 3-ton product cooling or 1 hp freezing): three years as a Rhode Island Journeyperson Class II; §2.13.C: an out-of-state Master Class II license allows testing, or a notarized resume showing six years' experience, three as a contractor. §2.14 Refrigeration Journeyperson Class I (unlimited, cannot be self-employed): minimum 10,000 hours OJT and 144 hours of trade-related schooling per year, with up to two years of accredited schooling deductible; §2.14.C: 'An out of State Refrigeration Journeyperson Class I license will allow the applicant to be tested for the Refrigeration Journeyperson Class I Rhode Island license. A copy of the license shall be attached to the application.' §2.15 Journeyperson Class II (limited): 4,000 hours OJT and 288 hours of schooling; §2.15.C: out-of-state Class II license allows testing, or a notarized resume showing five years' experience as a refrigeration journeyperson. The regulation contains no passing score, continuing-education or EPA certification provisions.
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 15, 2026No master or contractor test application is accepted unless (1) it is accompanied by the § 28-27-17 test fee, (2) the license fee is paid on passing, and (3) verbatim, 'The applicant possesses a certificate of license in full force and effect from the department of labor and training specifying that person as a journeyperson licensed as such for a minimum of one year or the application is accompanied by an affidavit or other reasonably satisfactory evidence showing the laws of another state specifying that person as a pipefitter or refrigeration/air conditioning or fire protection sprinkler contractor or sprinkler fitter master.' Applications must be filed at least 15 days before the examination date.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-14 - Examinations · R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-14 · Rhode Island General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026The department conducts examinations of applicants three times each year, administered by the division of professional regulation with the board's assistance, at places within the state convenient to applicants; test materials are preserved for three months.
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 15, 2026Fee table (test / license / renewal): Contractor Master $75 / $240 / $240; Refrigeration Master I $75 / $240 / $240; Refrigeration Master II $75 / $96 / $96; Refrigeration Journeyperson I $75 / $72 / $72; Refrigeration Journeyperson II $75 / $60 / $60; Pipefitter Master I $75 / $240; Pipefitter Journeyperson I $75 / $72. Licenses expire on the licensee's birthday every two years (odd birth years in odd years, even in even) and renew on payment of the fee.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-4 - Master contractors defined · R.I. Gen. Laws § 28-27-4 · Rhode Island General Assembly · Statute · verified September 15, 2026'Master refrigeration contractor' means a person having a regular place of business who, personally or through a journeyperson refrigeration technician in his or her employ, performs refrigeration/air conditioning work. Also defines master pipefitting, sheet metal and fire protection sprinkler contractors. Rhode Island has no license titled 'master HVAC'.
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, 2026A master mechanical contractor is a contractor with at least ten years as a Rhode Island Licensed Pipefitter Master I and ten years as a Rhode Island Licensed Refrigeration Master I; the statute sets the fee at $240 (the DLT application lists $480 for two years, no test).

Verified dates are when a person last opened each source and confirmed the facts above. Cite the board, not us.

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