Know Your Gas Licenses

Know Your Gas Licenses

In the HVAC industry, there are different levels and classifications of GAS LICENSES. Like a driver’s license, there are beginner licenses, intermediate licenses and full licenses. Each license gives the holder different rights and responsibilities. For example, a G3 license for a car allows a person to drive, but only under the supervision of a G2 or G license holder.

This is similar to GAS LICENSES. A G3 holder can install and work on a gas appliance (up to a certain BTU capacity) but they are not able to activate or commission the appliance without the supervision of a G2 or G license holder.

It is strongly advised to KNOW YOUR GAS LICENSES. This way you can ask to see a technician’s license before he/she services your existing furnace or installs a new furnace. When it comes to gas, safety first! You want to make sure you and your family are in the right hands and know the technician(s) working on your furnace have the proper licenses.

G.1 certificate

20. (1) A person who is the holder of a G.1 certificate may install, inspect, alter, purge, activate, repair, service or remove a natural gas or propane appliance of any BTU input and the equipment and accessories essential to its operation. O. Reg. 215/01, s. 20 (1).

(2) A person who is certified to carry out the functions described in subsection (1), may also do the following:

1. Install, inspect, test, alter, purge, activate, repair, service or remove any piping or tubing, or component in a piping or tubing system, to an appliance downstream of the natural gas meter or propane vapour service valve.
2. Install, inspect, alter, repair, service or remove any vent, vent connector, draft control device or other component in an appliance venting system.
3. Disconnect and reconnect water piping in order to exchange, service or install an approved appliance and carry out the replacement of water pipe necessary to complete the reconnection or installation of controls, control systems, components and accessories that are essential to the operation of the appliance, but the person shall not perform any additional plumbing unless he or she is the holder of a certificate of qualification in the trade of plumber or steamfitter, that is not suspended and that is issued under the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009.
4. Maintain, service or replace a mechanical or electrical component or accessory that forms part of an appliance or that is essential to the operation of the appliance.
5. Perform such tasks as are necessary to replace controls and components that form part of an appliance.
6. Install, service, remove or replace components and accessories that form part of the gas-side of a refrigerating or air-conditioning unit, but the person shall not perform any work beyond the gas-side unless he or she is the holder of a certificate of qualification in the trade of refrigeration and air conditioning systems mechanic or residential air conditioning systems mechanic, that is not suspended and that is issued under the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009.
7. Install, repair, service and maintain electrical wiring from an existing branch circuit containing overcurrent protection to appliances in order to exchange, service, repair or install an approved appliance and carry out the replacement of electrical wiring necessary to complete the reconnection or installation of controls, control systems, components and accessories that are essential to the operation of the appliance, but the person shall not run wiring back to the electrical supply panel or perform any additional wiring unless he or she is the holder of a certificate of qualification in the trade of electrician — construction and maintenance or electrician — domestic and rural, that is not suspended and that is issued under the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009.
8. Install, repair, service, remove or replace the plenum connection or components forming part of the plenum connection in order to complete the installation of a natural gas or propane appliance, but the person shall not perform any sheet metal work beyond the plenum connection unless he or she is the holder of a certificate of qualification in the trade of residential (low rise) sheet metal installer or sheet metal worker, that is not suspended and that is issued under the Ontario College of Trades and Apprenticeship Act, 2009.
9. Service a flue where an oil appliance is vented through the same flue as a gas appliance.
10. Remove a fuel oil appliance, and the equipment and accessories, but not the aboveground storage tanks associated with the fuel oil appliance during a conversion of the fuel oil appliance from fuel oil to natural gas or propane gas. O. Reg. 215/01, s. 20 (2); O. Reg. 441/12, s. 2.

G.2 certificate

21. (1) A person who is the holder of a G.2 certificate may install, inspect, alter, purge, activate, repair, service or remove a natural gas or propane appliance that has an input of 400,000 Btuh or less and the equipment and accessories essential to its operation. O. Reg. 215/01, s. 21 (1).

(2) When performing a function described in subsection (1), the person may do the following:

1. Perform the functions described in paragraphs 1 to 10 of subsection 20 (2) that the holder of a G.1 certificate may perform.
2. Under the direct supervision of a person who is the holder of a G.1 certificate, perform all of the functions that fall within the scope of the supervising certificate holder’s certificate. O. Reg. 215/01, s. 21 (2).

G.3 certificate

22. (1) A person who is the holder of a G.3 certificate may, under the general supervision of a person who is the holder of a G.1, G.2 or DA certificate, carry out the following functions on a propane or natural gas appliance that falls within the scope of the supervising certificate holder’s certificate, but only if the person has demonstrated the essential skills required to perform such work and has had that experience documented and signed-off by the supervising certificate holder in a form as set out and published by the director:

1. Install, test, activate or purge gas piping or tubing that is less than two and one-half inches in diameter or a component in a piping or tubing system to an appliance downstream of a natural gas meter or propane service valve up to an appliance control valve including the completion of the pressure test tag.
2. Reactivate a previously installed or converted appliance.
3. Clean and lubricate an appliance.
4. Clean, remove or replace a vent connector, venting or a draft control device. O. Reg. 215/01, s. 22 (1); O. Reg. 253/08, s. 14 (1).

(2) A person referred to in subsection (1) shall not perform the initial activation of a new appliance or a newly converted appliance. O. Reg. 215/01, s. 22 (2).

(3) Revoked: O. Reg. 253/08, s. 14 (2).

(4) A person who is the holder of a G.3 certificate may, under the direct supervision of a person who is the holder of a G.1, G.2 or DA certificate, carry out any of the functions that fall within the scope of the supervising certificate holder’s certificate. O. Reg. 215/01, s. 22 (4).

For more information, please visit the Government of Ontario laws and regulations page below:

O. Reg. 215/01: FUEL INDUSTRY CERTIFICATES