Handyman Business Permit Requirements in Providence, 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 Providence General Business License

   Providence does not require a general business license or a fee based on gross revenue. The city's Board of Licenses issues licenses only for specific regulated activities - liquor, entertainment, food establishment, body works, second-hand dealer and second-hand auto, motor vehicle repair, vendor, private detective, pawnbroker, valet, trash hauling and similar. Photography, tutoring and wedding planning are not licensed categories. Check the Board's online licensing portal to see whether your specific activity appears on the list.

   Official government source

   Not applicable - no general Providence business license exists. Fees for the specific regulated categories are set per license type in the Board of Licenses portal.·Not applicable; applications for the specific licenses are scheduled for a hearing before the Board of License Commissioners.

   Not applicable - no general Providence business license exists. Fees for the specific regulated categories are set per license type in the Board of Licenses portal.

   Not applicable; applications for the specific licenses are scheduled for a hearing before the Board of License Commissioners.

2. City of Providence Department of Inspections and Standards - Building Permit

   Handyman tasks involving electrical, plumbing, HVAC or structural modifications require permits pulled from the City of Providence Department of Inspections and Standards through the city's e-Permitting portal. 'Providence County' has no government and issues no permits. Licensed-trade work must be performed by a state-licensed tradesperson, and anyone performing construction, remodeling, alteration or repair work must be registered with the state Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board.

   Official government source

   Per Providence's published permit fee calculator: $23.00 per $1,000 of construction cost with a $50.00 minimum, then $230 + $21.00 per $1,000 over $10,000 and $1,070 + $19.00 per $1,000 over $50,000, plus an ADA fee. Plan review is billed as a 33% down payment against the permit fee.·Not published by the city; permits are filed and tracked through the Providence e-Permitting portal.

   Per Providence's published permit fee calculator: $23.00 per $1,000 of construction cost with a $50.00 minimum, then $230 + $21.00 per $1,000 over $10,000 and $1,070 + $19.00 per $1,000 over $50,000, plus an ADA fee. Plan review is billed as a 33% down payment against the permit fee.

   Not published by the city; permits are filed and tracked through the Providence e-Permitting portal.

Official Sources

• City of Providence Department of Finance — Revenue Division
• Rhode Island Contractors Registration and Licensing Board — Contractor License

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