Fast facts
| Certificate | Oil Burner Technician 3 (OBT-3), commonly searched as oil burner technician 3 or OBT3 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. 41 |
| 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-3 holder legally do in Ontario?
Under the general supervision of an OBT-2 or OBT-1 certificate holder, and only for work the supervising holder has documented and signed off, an OBT-3 holder may, on oil-fired appliances with an input up to 2 US gallons per hour:
- Perform a comprehensive inspection
- Clean, remove and adjust a flue pipe or barometric damper
- Clean, lubricate and perform maintenance on an appliance
- Conduct the tests and adjustments needed for annual maintenance of the burner, controls and accessories
- Install, activate or bleed oil piping or tubing under two and a half inches in diameter
- Reactivate a previously installed appliance
Boundaries of the OBT-3
- An OBT-3 holder must not perform the initial activation of a new or newly converted appliance (O. Reg. 215/01, s. 41 (3))
- Under direct supervision of an OBT-1 or OBT-2 holder, an OBT-3 holder may carry out any function within the supervising holder's scope
The full scope wording is in O. Reg. 215/01, s. 41, 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-3 in Ontario?
Prerequisite
None beyond the approved training program and exam. The OBT-3 is the entry certificate for oil heat work.
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-3 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-3 sits in the ladder
Holding the OBT-3 is a qualifying prerequisite for the OBT-2 (O. Reg. 215/01, s. 15). Next step: OBT-2 Oil Burner Technician 2 certificate requirements.
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.