Fast facts
| Certificate | Oil Burner Technician 1 (OBT-1), commonly searched as oil burner technician 1 or OBT1 licence |
|---|---|
| Fuel family | Fuel oil |
| Issued by | Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) |
| Legal basis | O. Reg. 215/01 (Fuel Industry Certificates), s. 3 (1); scope in s. 39 |
| Exam pass mark | 75% (TSSA Gas/Oil Burner Technician certification policy, updated March 2025) |
| Exam fee | $89 per attempt; $255.50 to challenge without training (from May 1, 2026, plus HST) |
| Certificate fee | $136 initial and renewal (from May 1, 2026, plus HST) |
| Renewal | Every 2 years; $50 late payment fee after the renewal date |
| Transferable | No (O. Reg. 215/01, s. 17) |
Last verified August 19, 2026 against the sources listed below.
What can a OBT-1 holder legally do in Ontario?
An OBT-1 holder may install, inspect, alter, purge, activate, repair, service or remove an oil-fired appliance of any input, plus the accessories essential to its operation. In doing that work, the holder may:
- Work on the appliance's piping or tubing supply system and venting system
- Disconnect and reconnect water piping to exchange or install an appliance
- Maintain, service or replace mechanical or electrical components essential to the appliance
- Install, repair, service and maintain wiring from an existing branch circuit to the appliance
- Work on the fire side of a refrigeration or air conditioning unit
- Install, repair, alter, purge, service or remove aboveground tanks up to 5,000 litres
- Service a flue shared between an oil appliance and a gas appliance
Boundaries of the OBT-1
- Plumbing beyond appliance reconnection requires a plumber or steamfitter certificate of qualification; wiring back to the panel requires an electrician; sheet metal beyond the plenum connection requires a sheet metal worker (O. Reg. 215/01, s. 39 (2))
The full scope wording is in O. Reg. 215/01, s. 39, which prevails over any summary.
Is a certificate legally required for oil heat work?
The oil burner certificates are required to perform work regulated under O. Reg. 213/01 (Fuel Oil); O. Reg. 215/01, s. 2 (1) lists them among the certificates that must be held to do that work.
How do you get the OBT-1 in Ontario?
Prerequisite
You must hold an OBT-2 certificate and have worked at least 4,000 hours as an OBT-2, of which at least 500 hours were on oil-fired systems with an input greater than 7 US gallons per hour under the direct supervision of an OBT-1 holder, plus a completed declaration of work experience (O. Reg. 215/01, s. 14). See the OBT-2 Oil Burner Technician 2 certificate requirements.
The training route
- Complete an approved program at an accredited training provider. Certification requires a TSSA-approved curriculum delivered by an accredited provider (O. Reg. 215/01, s. 5 (1)), with a 75% pass on each module and on the practical evaluations.
- Apply for the TSSA certification exam. Your provider submits proof of training; you book through the TSSA Client Portal. The practical assessment stays valid for 12 months after the program.
- Pass the TSSA certification exam with 75% or higher. Each attempt, including rewrites, is billed as a separate exam. Failing three times means completing a full accredited program before another attempt (O. Reg. 215/01, s. 5 (4)).
- Pay the certificate fee. $136 for the initial certificate (from May 1, 2026, plus HST), per the TSSA Liquid Fuels & Fuel Oil Fee Schedule.
The challenge route
Experienced workers can challenge the exam without formal training if TSSA is satisfied they hold equivalent knowledge and competence (O. Reg. 215/01, s. 5 (5)). The challenge examination costs $255.50, requires documented proof of work experience where the certificate has prerequisites, and still ends in a practical skills assessment.
How often does the OBT-1 need to be renewed?
Every two years. TSSA's fee schedules list the certificate fee as biennial, and the renewal costs $136 (from May 1, 2026, plus HST) with a $50 late payment fee after the renewal date. For the gas and oil burner classes, TSSA's certification policy anchors the expiry to the second anniversary of the holder's birthday after issue.
Working on an expired certificate is prohibited outright: O. Reg. 215/01, s. 4 (1) says a person who fails to renew shall not do any work under the certificate after expiry. You can still renew up to one year after expiry, completing any upgrading course the director specifies. After one year, the certificate is gone and you start over as a new applicant (s. 4 (5)).
Where the OBT-1 sits in the ladder
The OBT-1 is the top of the oil burner ladder.
Related certificates and trades
Official verification sources
- RegulationO. Reg. 215/01, Fuel Industry Certificates (e-Laws)
- Certifying bodyTSSA: Fuels Industry Professional certification
- FeesTSSA Liquid Fuels & Fuel Oil Fee Schedule
How this record is built: scope, prerequisites and renewal law are read directly from O. Reg. 215/01 as consolidated on e-Laws; fees come from TSSA's published fee schedules and the pass mark from TSSA's certification policies. The page is assembled programmatically from those verified facts and reviewed before publishing. Facts not verified against a primary source are marked as not published rather than estimated.