Boilers, Pressure Vessels & Refrigeration

Licences

Overview

All contractors working with boiler, pressure vessel and refrigeration (BPVR) equipment must be licensed by Technical Safety BC.

A licensed contractor is responsible for ensuring compliance with:

Licence Guidelines by Class

The conditions of your licence may allow you to perform maintenance, installations, construction, manufacturing, testing, alterations, or disposal. 

You need to have a licence for each type of boiler, pressure vessel, or refrigeration equipment that you intend to work with. 

The contractor licence classes A, Au, Ap, B, PW, REF, SRV, and MA are established as per the Power Engineers, Boilers, Pressure Vessels and Refrigeration Safety Regulation.

Online applications are the fastest and easiest way to apply and are processed up to six days faster than paper applications. 

If you have an Online Services account, you can log in to apply for your licence online. If you are not registered for Online Services, you can sign up for an account. 


Business Name 

When applying for a licence, please ensure the name is registered with BC Business Registry. Your registered business name and 9-digit Business Number will be required to begin your application.

Sole proprietors operating under their own legal name do not need to be registered. 

Quality Control Program 

All classes, except classes B and REF, need to submit a quality control program and designate a quality control manager and provide their name, phone number, and email address.

Class REF – Designate a Refrigeration Mechanic 

If applying for class REF, you will need to name a refrigeration mechanic and provide a copy of their trade qualification and their phone number

Application Fee

Your non-refundable application fee will be due when you submit your licence application. If you are applying via Online Services, payment with a credit card is required. If you require alternative forms of payment, please contact us. 

If you have an Online Services account, you can log in and select the licence you want to renew. If not, you can sign up for an account or call us at 1 866 566 7233.

When to Renew

Licences must be renewed annually. You can renew your licence up to six months before its expiration date. Renewed licences will become active once your current licence expires.

Late Renewals

If you renew late, you are not licensed during the gap between your licence expiry and renewal date. We encourage you to renew early to avoid the risk of your licence expiring, which could also impact any related permits.  Early renewal won’t shorten the active period of your current licence. In addition, if your licence expires, it will be visible on your public profile on our Find a Licensed Contractor registry.

Under the Safety Standards Act, an expired licence is considered a suspended licence. If expired, you will be prohibited from soliciting or continuing to perform regulated work. Any permits associated with an expired licence will be put on hold and any work under those permits must cease immediately.

For contractor licence classes B and REF, you can change your contractor name and address by emailing bpvlicensing@technicalsafetybc.ca.

For contractor licence classes A, Au, Ap, PW, SRV, and MA, in addition to submitting BC Registry proof of legal name or address change, changing licence information will also require revisions to your quality control program. 

For quality control program revisions to an existing licence (with or without name/address change), please submit your revised quality control program, along with a completed application form via our contact form. 

Only quality control program reviews are subject to additional charges. 

Class B and Class REF: Submission of a Quality Control Program is Required

Effective January 1, 2026, clients obtaining or renewing their Class B or Class REF licences will be required to submit a quality control program (QCP) manual. The QCP manual provides a comprehensive, detailed, and regularly updated overview of a licensee's processes, procedures, and forms used for regulated pressure equipment work in BC. The licensed contractor, often in the position of Quality Control Manager, is responsible for the approval, update, and implementation of their QCP manual.

Quality Control Programs for other BPVR classes have been required by the Boiler, Pressure Vessel & Refrigeration Contractor Licensing Requirements Directive to help with licensees' safety planning and allow for better regulatory oversight. This directive clarifies the requirements for obtaining and maintaining a contractor licence under the BPVR Regulations in accordance with the requirements of Safety Standards Act section 23. Soon, Class B and REF clients will be included in the requirement to submit a QCP manual as well.


For clients renewing their Class B or Class REF licences after January 1, 2026

We understand that clients may need time and resources to document their quality control program. As such, we are offering a one-year transitional period for clients to develop their manual and submit to us for review and acceptance. Beginning on this date, existing clients may renew their licence first and submit their manual before their next renewal date in 2027 for review and acceptance. As with all other BPVR classes, a review fee will apply.


For clients obtaining new Class B or Class REF licences after January 1, 2026

Please be advised that a quality control program manual is required to be submitted at the time of application. As with all other BPVR classes, a review fee will apply.


Need help developing a QCP manual?

Follow these guidelines for Class B and Class REF and download a sample QCP manual template.

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