Rhode Island General Laws Title 28. Labor and Labor Relations § 28-27-5. Practices for which master or contractor license required

(a) No person shall: (1) engage in this state in the business of the mechanical trades as a master or as an employer of the mechanical trades; (2) enter into contracts or agreements for the installation, maintenance, repair, or servicing in the mechanical trades; (3) advertise or represent in any form or matter that they are masters or that they will install pipefitting or refrigeration/air conditioning, or air distribution systems or perform fire protection sprinkler work, unless the person possesses a valid license issued by the department of labor and training under this chapter. All masters shall carry this license on their person at all times while so engaged, and shall affix their master's license number to any advertisement and/or contract they execute and/or bid they file with any consumer for their professional services and to any applicable permit required for the performance of those services.

(b) A person holding a valid master license under this chapter shall not be required to obtain an additional license under this chapter to perform sheet metal work when AC air handling equipment is ten (10) tons or less or when heating equipment does not exceed 250,000 BTUs. A person holding a valid master license under this chapter can bid or quote or solicit bids for the installation, maintenance, repair and perform all work and the servicing of sheet metal work, but must subcontract the aforementioned work to a properly licensed sheet metal contractor to perform the work only when AC air handling equipment is in excess of ten (10) tons or when heating equipment exceeds 250,000 BTUs. The subcontractor must secure the proper state or municipal permits for the work subcontracted to be performed.