How to check if a contractor is licensed in Rhode Island
Edited by John Voll. Last verified .
In Rhode Island, the state keeps license or registration records for general contractors, electrical contractors, plumbing contractors, HVAC contractors and roofing contractors, and each has an official lookup or board listed below. Check the record before you sign a contract or pay a deposit, and treat the board's own record as final.
Which board covers which trade
| Trade | Who keeps the record | Official lookup |
|---|---|---|
| General contractor | Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board | Search general contractor licenses We could not load this lookup when we checked, so confirm the link on the board site. |
| Electrical | Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Professional Regulation (Board of Examiners of Electricians) | Search electrical licenses |
| Plumbing | Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Professional Regulation (Board of Examiners of Plumbers) | Search plumbing licenses |
| HVAC | Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Professional Regulation (Mechanical Board) | Search HVAC licenses |
| Roofing | Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board | Search roofing licenses We could not load this lookup when we checked, so confirm the link on the board site. |
Step by step
- Open the official Rhode Island lookup run by Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board and search the contractor by name or number.
- For electrical work, also check the electrical contractor lookup from Board of Examiners of Electricians.
- For plumbing work, also check the plumbing contractor lookup from Board of Examiners of Plumbers.
- For HVAC work, also check the HVAC contractor lookup from Mechanical Board.
- The CRLB consumer page offers a registrant search, a quarterly list of registrants and licensees, and enforcement actions. source Electrician, plumber and mechanical (HVAC) licenses are checked on the DLT Professional Regulation site, which also has a violations search. source The CRLB's Search a Registrant/Licensee page links to its enforcement actions (board decisions) so homeowners can check a contractor's disciplinary history. source
- Confirm the record is active and the class matches the job (General Contractor Registration). The board's own record governs. A registration is required for jobs above Registration is not required for a single contract under $500 in labor and materials, but anyone advertising as a contractor must register. source
- Check the bond and insurance on the record against the state minimums: General liability insurance of at least $500,000 combined single limit, plus workers' compensation if the contractor has employee. source
If the contractor is not licensed, or you have a complaint
- File a CRLB complaint within one year of the date the work was completed. source
- The CRLB can fine or suspend a contractor but cannot order money damages; recovery is through state court. source
- Complaints about electricians, plumbers and mechanical contractors go to the Department of Labor and Training, not the CRLB. source
Homeowner protections in Rhode Island
- Unregistered contractors cannot legally do contracting work or pull a building permit in any Rhode Island city or town. source
- Elderly homeowners can cancel an in-home solicitation contract within three business days. source
- A homeowner who wins a court case against a contractor may be awarded treble damages and attorney's fees. source
Questions
- How do I check if a contractor is licensed in Rhode Island?
- Search the contractor by name or license number on the official Rhode Island lookup run by Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board, then confirm the record is active and covers the type of work. For electrical, plumbing, HVAC or roofing work, use that trade's lookup in the table on this page.
- What can I do if a contractor in Rhode Island is not licensed?
- File a CRLB complaint within one year of the date the work was completed. The CRLB can fine or suspend a contractor but cannot order money damages; recovery is through state court. Complaints about electricians, plumbers and mechanical contractors go to the Department of Labor and Training, not the CRLB.
All Rhode Island licensing rules by trade
Sources
- https://crb.ri.gov/
- https://crb.ri.gov/search/contractor-search
- https://crb.ri.gov/contractor-registration/faqs
- https://dlt.ri.gov/regulation-and-safety/professional-regulation
- https://dltweb.dlt.ri.gov/profregsonline/
- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE28/28-27/28-27-5.htm
- https://crb.ri.gov/licenses/commercial-roofing-license
- https://crb.ri.gov/general-contractor-registration/apply
- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE5/5-65/5-65-7.htm
- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE5/5-65/5-65-8.htm
- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE5/5-65/5-65-9.htm
- https://crb.ri.gov/general-contractor-registration/renew
- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE5/5-6/5-6-8.htm
- https://dlt.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur571/files/2025-07/Electrician%20App%202.pdf
- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE5/5-6/5-6-20.htm
- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE5/5-6/5-6-16.htm
- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE5/5-6/5-6-17.htm
- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE5/5-20/5-20-16.htm
- https://dlt.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur571/files/2025-07/Plumbers%20App%201.pdf
- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE5/5-20/5-20-23.htm
- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE28/28-27/28-27-17.htm
- https://dlt.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur571/files/2025-07/Mechanical%20Trade%20App%201.pdf
- https://crb.ri.gov/licenses/commercial-roofing-license/apply
- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE5/5-73/5-73-3.htm
- https://crb.ri.gov/licenses/commercial-roofing-license/renew
- https://crb.ri.gov/consumer/search-registrantlicensee
- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE5/5-65/5-65-27.htm
- https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/Statutes/TITLE5/5-65/5-65-12.1.htm
- https://crb.ri.gov/consumer/complaint-filing-overview
- https://crb.ri.gov/residential-contractor-licensing
This is not a government site. The licensing board's own record governs; always confirm on the official lookup. Information as of October 6, 2026.