(a)  The provisions of this chapter do not apply to the installation of automatic sprinkler systems or other fire protection appliances in this state and do not apply to employees of public utilities (publicly or privately owned); provided, that any resident of Rhode Island not licensed, as provided in this chapter, desiring a license as a master plumber or journeyperson plumber who on or before August 14, 1966, presents to the department of labor and training of the state reasonably satisfactory evidence, in writing, that he or she was actively engaged in the business of plumbing as a master plumber or working as a journeyperson plumber for a master plumber in any city or town for five (5) years prior to May 16, 1966, and that he or she is at the time of presenting that evidence to the department of labor and training operating in any city or town as a master plumber or working as journeyperson plumber, shall, upon payment of a fee of five dollars ($5.00) in the case of a master plumber or one dollar ($1.00) in the case of a journeyperson plumber, have issued to him or her by the department of labor and training a certificate of license as a master plumber or a journeyperson plumber without an additional application, fee, or other condition precedent. Farms, golf courses, and nurseries performing irrigation work on their premises only shall not be required to be licensed under the chapter.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 5-20-35

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • in writing: include printing, engraving, lithographing, and photo-lithographing, and all other representations of words in letters of the usual form. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-16
  • Journeyperson plumber: as used in this chapter , means any employee, except an apprentice plumber as subsequently defined, whose principal occupation is the installation, maintenance, or repair of plumbing, as defined in § 5-20-2. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-20-4
  • Master plumber: as used in this chapter , means any person who, as an independent contractor, engages in this state in the business of installation, maintenance, or repair of plumbing in the building or upon the premises where that plumbing, as defined in § 5-20-2, is or is to be located, either by contract or agreement with the owner, lessee, tenant, or agent of those premises or building, or who employs one or more journeyperson plumbers, one or more plumber's apprentices or other persons to assist in that installation, maintenance, or repair work or who performs any acts specified in this chapter for performance by a "master plumber. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-20-3
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
  • Plumbing: means :

    (i)  All fittings, fixtures, appliances, and connections that are located within a building or a structure, or within five feet (5?) of the outer walls of a building or structure and that connect said building or structure, where a person or persons live, work, or assemble, with the source of public or private water supply used or intended for domestic or personal use, as well as any interconnecting piping between buildings or structures;

    (ii)  All piping, fittings, fixtures, and appliances for a sanitary drainage and related ventilation system, direct or indirect, within that building; and

    (iii)  Air piping, medical, and laboratory gas systems including, but not limited to, oxygen and nitrous oxide. See Rhode Island General Laws 5-20-2

  • Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
  • town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9

(b) Solar thermal professional.  A renewable energy professional certificate (REPC) shall be issued to any person, firm, or corporation, qualified under this chapter, engaged in, or about to engage in, the business of installing solar thermal technologies. Solar thermal plumbing or mechanical work must be performed by persons, firms, or corporations properly licensed under this chapter or chapter 27 of Title 28. REPC holders may advertise and bid for solar thermal work provided that they contract with persons, firms, or corporations who or that are properly licensed under this chapter or chapter 27 of Title 28 to perform all related plumbing or mechanical work. The REPC shall specify the name of the person, firm, or corporation applying for it and the name of the person, who, in the case of a firm, is one of its members, and in the case of a corporation, is one of its officers, passing the examination by which he or she is authorized to enter upon or engage in business as prescribed in the certificate.

(c) Solar thermal professional’s certificate.  The Rhode Island department of labor and training shall issue a certificate of competency in the design and installation of solar thermal systems to any person, firm, or corporation who or that has received a certification from a nationally recognized, or equivalent, renewable energy certification training program and has demonstrated proof of such certification to the Rhode Island office of energy resources.

(d)  Nothing in this or any other chapter of the general laws shall prohibit municipalities or water districts from using employees, or engaging the services of licensed plumbers or other contractors and/or service providers that meet certain requirements determined by the municipality or water district, for the purpose of replacing water meters or meter reading devices.

History of Section.
P.L. 1945, ch. 1661, § 31; G.L. 1956, § 5-20-35; R.P.L. 1957, ch. 116, § 6; P.L. 1966, ch. 160, § 4; P.L. 1999, ch. 115, § 1; P.L. 2000, ch. 109, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 214, § 2; P.L. 2011, ch. 358, § 1; P.L. 2014, ch. 104, § 2; P.L. 2014, ch. 141, § 2; P.L. 2016, ch. 512, art. 1, § 3; P.L. 2019, ch. 308, art. 1, § 10.