Fast facts
| Certificate | Recreational Vehicles Technician 1 (RV.1), commonly searched as RV propane technician licence |
|---|---|
| Fuel family | Propane |
| Issued by | Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) |
| Legal basis | O. Reg. 215/01 (Fuel Industry Certificates), s. 3 (1); scope in s. 32 |
| 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 RV1 holder legally do in Ontario?
An RV.1 holder may install, alter, purge, activate, repair, service or remove any propane non-vented, direct vent or power vent appliance up to 100,000 Btuh in a recreational vehicle, mobile home, office trailer or trailer. In doing that work, the holder may:
- Install, alter, purge, activate, test, service or remove regulators, accessories and tubing supplying the appliance
- Work on the cylinders, regulators, accessories and tubing supplying the appliance
- Install a natural gas appliance if it is immediately converted to propane and approved for the conversion
- Replace and leak test a section of hard pipe cut and threaded by a gas piping fitter
Boundaries of the RV1
- An RV.1 holder must not fill propane containers without the appropriate propane plant operator certificate or record of training (O. Reg. 215/01, s. 32 (3))
The full scope wording is in O. Reg. 215/01, s. 32, which prevails over any summary.
Is a certificate legally required for liquid propane work?
This certificate is required to perform work regulated under O. Reg. 211/01 (Propane Storage and Handling); O. Reg. 215/01, s. 2 (1) lists it among the certificates that must be held to do that work.
How do you get the RV1 in Ontario?
Prerequisite
You must hold an RV.2 certificate and have at least six continuous months of documented work experience under the direct supervision of an RV.1 holder (O. Reg. 215/01, s. 8). See the RV2 Recreational Vehicles 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 Propane 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 RV1 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 RV1 sits in the ladder
The RV.1 is the top of the two-level RV ladder.
Related certificates and trades
Official verification sources
- RegulationO. Reg. 215/01, Fuel Industry Certificates (e-Laws)
- Certifying bodyTSSA: Fuels Industry Professional certification
- FeesTSSA Propane 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.