Handyman Business Permit Requirements in Cranston, RI

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC or corporation. Free from the IRS.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Rhode Island Division of Taxation — Sales Tax Permit

   Required for all businesses selling tangible personal property or taxable services in Rhode Island. Rhode Island charges a 7% state sales tax with no local sales taxes. Register with the RI Division of Taxation online via the RI Tax Portal.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online)

   Free

   Immediate (online)

2. Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board - Contractor Registration

   Anyone performing residential or commercial construction work in Rhode Island - including remodeling, alterations, repairs and handyman work - must register with the Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board (RICRLB). All subcontractors must register; employees of a registered contractor and homeowners working on their own residence are exempt. Registration requires a state-approved 5-hour pre-registration course (waived for exclusively commercial work), general liability insurance of at least $500,000 naming RICRLB as certificate holder, and workers' compensation coverage if you have employees. Electrical, HVAC, mechanical and plumbing trades are licensed separately by RI DLT.

   Official government source

   $150.00 registration fee, payable by credit or debit card through the OpenGov platform or by check to RICRLB.·Not published by the board; incomplete applications are rejected after three months and must be refiled.

   $150.00 registration fee, payable by credit or debit card through the OpenGov platform or by check to RICRLB.

   Not published by the board; incomplete applications are rejected after three months and must be refiled.

1. No General Business License in Cranston

   Cranston issues no general business license, so a yoga studio needs none. The City Clerk Services Area licenses only specific regulated categories - amusement machine/game room, auto repair/auto body/used auto dealer, billiards, body works, bowling alley, carnival, door-to-door solicitation, employment agency, entertainment, firearm dealer, hawker/peddler, liquor, massage therapy, mobile food establishment, parade, private detective, secondhand dealer, short-term lender and temporary mass gathering. Fitness and yoga instruction is not a licensed category.

   Official government source

   No fee, because no general business license exists. Fees apply only to the specific regulated categories on the City Clerk's licensing portal.·Not applicable - Cranston issues no general business license.

   No fee, because no general business license exists. Fees apply only to the specific regulated categories on the City Clerk's licensing portal.

   Not applicable - Cranston issues no general business license.

2. Cranston Building Inspection - Building Permit (for regulated work)

   Handyman work involving electrical, plumbing, mechanical/HVAC, or structural changes requires a permit from the City of Cranston Building Inspection Department. Rhode Island counties have no government, so there is no Providence County building department. Licensed-trade work must be performed by a state-licensed tradesperson.

   Official government source

   Valuation-based: $20 per $1,000 up to $10,000; $200 + $18 per $1,000 from $10,001-$50,000; $920 + $16 per $1,000 above $50,000. $75.00 minimum fee, plus the state-mandated levy (0.2% of construction cost residential, capped at $100 for 1-2 family; 0.1% commercial).·Not published by the city; permits are filed through Cranston's online permitting portal.

   Valuation-based: $20 per $1,000 up to $10,000; $200 + $18 per $1,000 from $10,001-$50,000; $920 + $16 per $1,000 above $50,000. $75.00 minimum fee, plus the state-mandated levy (0.2% of construction cost residential, capped at $100 for 1-2 family; 0.1% commercial).

   Not published by the city; permits are filed through Cranston's online permitting portal.

Official Sources

• City of Cranston City Clerk
• Rhode Island Contractors Registration and Licensing Board — Contractor License

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