APPRENTICE LICENSURE GRACE PERIOD ENDS JUNE 30, 2023
Joint Notice by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Division of Apprentice Standards (DAS) & Division of Occupational Licensure (DOL)
On May 12, 2022, a temporary apprentice license ‘grace period’ was granted to apprentices working on Pipefitting systems and Refrigeration systems with a capacity of ten (10) tons or greater who were registered with DAS but not licensed by the DOL, so their On-the-Job Training (OJT) hours could be credited toward a journeyperson’s licensure. See published guidance. The grace period provided a limited-time exception to DOL requirements that Pipefitter Apprentices and Refrigeration Apprentices must hold a current DAS-issued Apprentice ID Card AND a DOL-issued active Pipefitter Apprentice license or Refrigeration Apprentice license for their OJT/work hours to be credited toward a journeyperson-level license. This temporary grace period will expire on June 30, 2023.
APPRENTICE LICENSE APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY DOL NO LATER THAN JUNE 30, 2023 IN ORDER TO UTILIZE THIS GRACE PERIOD.
On July 1, 2023, the grace period ends and any OJT/work hours completed before obtaining a DOL apprentice license will not be recognized by DOL, unless an apprentice holds both a current DAS-issued Apprentice ID Card AND a DOL-issued active Pipefitter Apprentice license or Refrigeration Apprentice license. After the grace period ends, DOL will only give credit for OJT/work hours completed after the DOL apprentice license is issued.
APPRENTICES AND SPONSORS ARE INDIVIDUALLY RESPONSIBLE TO ENSURE ALL REGISTRATION AND LICENSING REQUIREMENTS ARE MET.
Master Pipefitters and Refrigeration Contractors who employ apprentices must ensure that their apprentices are both: (1) registered with DAS AND (2) licensed by DOL to work in the trade. Failure to do so violates state law and may result in civil fines and/or program deregistration.
Links to the DOL apprentice license applications can be found below (for apprentices):
- Pipefitter Apprentice: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/apprentice-pipefitter
- Refrigeration Apprentice: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/refrigeration-apprentice
Links to DAS registration (for apprentice sponsors): https://elicensing21.mass.gov/lwd/Default.aspx