The state of Georgia has specific requirements for contractors to work. As with general contractors, plumbers must fulfill the requirements to receive their license.
The requirements include both relevant training and work experience. No matter how they perform their duties, plumbers in Georgia must have a plumbing license.
The Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board approves licenses for plumbers applying. The Division of Master Plumbers and Journeyman Plumbers handle plumber licenses.
In Georgia, plumbers have the option to receive three types of different licenses. These include the Journeyman, Master Class I, and Master Class II licenses.
However, before obtaining these licenses, plumbers must go through an apprenticeship or a trade school. Apprentice plumbers don’t need to get a license.
Nonetheless, they have to show proof of their trade as an apprentice, evidence of relevant experience or education. These contribute to the three-year experience requirement to become a journeyman plumber.
Can licensed plumbers from other states work in Georgia?
Some states around the US have license reciprocity with other states. It allows licensed plumbers from other states to work in a state without obtaining a license.
Georgia does not have an agreement with other states. Therefore, plumbers must obtain a plumbing license from Georgia to operate even if they have a license from other states.
How to get a plumbing license in Georgia?
As mentioned, the state of Georgia does not have any conditions for apprenticeship programs. Most other states have some form of requirement from prospective plumbers for an apprenticeship.
For Georgia, prospective plumbers can provide various proofs of work to obtain further plumbing licenses. However, the Board must approve them first.
In Georgia, the plumbing licenses start from journeyman plumbing licenses.
Journeyman Plumbing License
Plumbers seeking a journeyman plumbing license must have at least three years of relevant plumbing experience. The licensure program is subject to the rules and regulations of the State of Georgia.
Prospective plumbers seeking a journeyman license in the state must accomplish the related experience goal. Similarly, they must provide proof related to it.
Apart from these, there are several other requirements for journeyman plumbers. These include the following.
- Plumbers must be 18 years of age or above.
- They must have a minimum of 3 years of practice experience.
- They must have three references, one of whom should be a master plumber.
- They must pay an application fee of $30 and a $133 examination fee.
- They must fill the examination application and submit it 60 days before the exam.
- They must be in a position to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the plumbing industry.
The three years experience requirement must include the following.
- Primary experience gained through the direct installation of plumbing systems. This experience should come under master plumber supervision.
- Secondary experience gained while engaged in work or training related to the installation.
- Education related to plumbing may also apply as secondary experience. A diploma program for a technical school in engineering technology can substitute for two years of secondary experience. On the other hand, a certificate program or vocational-technical school can apply as one year of experience.
Master Plumbing License
After two years of working experience, journeyman plumbers can obtain a master plumber class I (or restricted plumber) license. Through this license, plumbers can provide services to single-family homes, one-level homes and commercial buildings of up to 10,000 square feet.
There are various advantages of getting the master license for journeyman plumbers. They can accept contracts and work independently. They also don’t need to work under any other plumber’s supervision and supervise other journeyman plumbers. However, they must pass a test to get the license.
The requirements for getting a master plumbing license in Georgia include the following.
- Plumbers need to be 18 years old or more.
- They need to have two years of work experience as a journeyman plumber supervised by a master plumber.
- They must pay an application fee of $30 and an examination fee of $133.
- They need to provide three references, one of whom should be a master plumber.
- They must have passed the journeyman plumber test with a minimum of 70%.
- They must demonstrate perfect knowledge of the plumbing industry.
- They must register for the exam 60 days before sitting for the exam.
- They must provide a copy of the state’s journeyman plumbing license that has been active for at least two years.
Unrestricted plumbers must show proof of experience in both commercial and industrial plumbing. ‘Unrestricted’ plumbing license is another name for a master class II plumbing license.
Summary
Given below is a summary of the requirements for each level of plumbing license in Georgia.
Journeyman
- Plumbers must be 18 years of age or above.
- They must have a minimum of 3 years of practice experience.
- They must have three references, one of whom should be a master plumber.
- They must pay an application fee of $30 and a $133 examination fee.
- They must fill out the examination application and submit it 60 days before the exam.
- They must be in a position to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the plumbing industry.
Master
- Plumbers need to be 18 years old or more.
- They need to have two years of work experience as a journeyman plumber supervised by a master plumber.
- They must pay an application fee of $30 and an examination fee of $133.
- They need to provide three references, one of whom should be a master plumber.
- They must have passed the journeyman plumber test with a minimum of 70%.
- They must demonstrate perfect knowledge of the plumbing industry.
- They must register for the exam 60 days before sitting for the exam.
- They must provide a copy of the state’s journeyman plumbing license that has been active for at least two years.