Yes, Virginia licenses plumbers at the state level. A plumbing license in Virginia comes from the Board for Contractors, part of the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). Individual plumbers hold a tradesman license (residential, journeyman, or master). If you want to bid and contract plumbing jobs as a business, you also need a contractor license with the plumbing (PLB) specialty.
Who issues the license
The DPOR Tradesmen Program runs plumber licensing for the Board for Contractors. It approves you for the exam, issues the license, tracks continuing education, and handles renewals. Local ordinances can apply on top of the state license.
The rules live in the tradesman regulations (18VAC50-30) and Chapter 11 of Title 54.1 of the Code of Virginia. Contractor businesses fall under a separate rule, 18VAC50-22.
Requirements change, so confirm with DPOR before you apply. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice.
License types
- Residential Plumber. New as of April 1, 2025. It covers plumbing in homes and townhouses only, with no commercial, industrial, institutional, or government work. It takes less experience than journeyman and can be a step toward it.
- Journeyman Plumber. Lets you install, repair, and maintain plumbing systems.
- Master Plumber. Adds the ability to plan and lay out plumbing work. Trade-related contractor specialties like PLB need a qualified individual who holds a master tradesman license.
- Gas Fitter, LP Gas Fitter, and Natural Gas Fitter Provider. Separate tradesman designations. The PLB contractor specialty doesn’t cover gas piping.
- Backflow Prevention Device Worker. A separate certification, not part of the plumbing license.
- Contractor license (Class A, B, or C) with PLB specialty. For the business, not the person. The class depends on job size.
How to become a plumber in Virginia
You must be at least 18. Then you pick a level and prove your experience and training. DPOR verifies experience with reference letters and an experience verification form, and training with a transcript or diploma.
Residential plumber
One of these combos: 160 hours of training plus 2 years of experience, 120 hours plus 3 years, 80 hours plus 4 years, 40 hours plus 5 years, or 6 years with no formal training.
Journeyman plumber
One of these combos under 18VAC50-30-39:
- Bachelor’s degree in a related engineering field plus 1 year of experience
- Associate degree or 2-year certificate plus 2 years
- 240 hours of formal vocational training plus 4 years
- 160 hours plus 5 years
- 80 hours plus 6 years
- 40 hours plus 7 years
- 8 years with no formal training
Finished an apprenticeship approved by the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement? With proof of completion, you’re exempt from the journeyman exam.
Master plumber
Any one of these: 1 year holding a Virginia journeyman plumbing license, 3 years holding a residential plumber license, or 9 years of practical plumbing experience.
Exams
The Board has to approve your application before you can test. Then you book with PSI at (855) 340-3910. DPOR says exams run most weekdays at sites in Charlottesville, Richmond, Roanoke, Vienna, and Virginia Beach, plus Johnson City, TN and Salisbury, MD.
Per the current PSI candidate bulletin for DPOR:
- Journeyman or master plumber: 80 questions, 210 minutes, passing score of 60.
- Residential plumber: 50 questions, 120 minutes, passing score of 35.
- Open book. Bring your own references: the 2021 International Plumbing Code, NFPA 31 (2011) for journeyman and master, and the Board’s tradesman regulations. You can highlight or tab them, but not write in them.
Renewal
Under the regulation, plumber licenses expire three years from the last day of the month they were issued. Heads up: DPOR’s plumber web page says licenses run two years. Check the expiration date on your own license in DPOR’s License Lookup.
To renew, you need 3 hours of Board-approved continuing education on the plumbing code from an approved provider, done before your license expires. If you hold both journeyman and master plumbing, one 3-hour course covers you. Gas fitters need 1 hour. Backflow workers don’t need CE to renew. There’s no grandfathering or inactive status, so long-time plumbers still owe CE.
Late? You get 30 days after expiration to renew without the reinstatement fee. After that you pay to reinstate, and the regulation allows reinstatement for up to 24 months. Past that, you apply as a new applicant under current rules. You can’t work on an expired license.
Cost
Here’s what the regulations (18VAC50-30-90, -120, -130), DPOR, and PSI publish:
- Tradesman application (exam, reciprocity, or apprenticeship route): $171.75 on the current DPOR application. The regulation sets the license fee at $150, and DPOR now adds a technology fee of $7.25 per year under 2026’s House Bill 30, which appears to account for the difference. Ask DPOR if the math matters to you.
- PSI exam fee: $100 for journeyman or residential, $125 for master, paid to PSI.
- Renewal: $160 in the regulation. DPOR says some fees now include the technology fee, so confirm your renewal total.
- Reinstatement: $210, which includes the renewal fee.
- Additional tradesman designation: $105.
- Backflow prevention device worker certification: $150 to start, $110 to renew, plus a $100 PSI exam.
- Contractor license: $235 for Class C, $380 for Class B, $400 for Class A, plus a $25 Recovery Fund assessment (18VAC50-22-100).
All DPOR fees are nonrefundable. Checks go to the Treasurer of Virginia.
Running a plumbing business
To bid and contract plumbing jobs, your business needs a contractor license with the PLB specialty. The statute sets the class by job size:
- Class C: single jobs over $1,000 but under $30,000, and under $250,000 in any 12 months. Qualifier needs 1 year of experience.
- Class B: single jobs of $30,000 up to $150,000, or $250,000 up to $1 million a year. Qualifier needs 3 years, and the firm needs $15,000 net worth or a $50,000 bond.
- Class A: single jobs of $150,000 or more, or $1 million or more a year. Qualifier needs 5 years, and the firm needs $45,000 net worth or a $50,000 bond.
Every class needs a board-approved pre-license business course. Class A and B also need a designated employee who passes the contractor exam.
Reciprocity
Virginia’s published tradesman agreements list has just one plumbing entry: an exam agreement with the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) for journeyman and master plumbers and gas fitters. The other agreements on that list cover electrical and HVAC, not plumbing.
Two other routes exist:
- Substantial equivalence. The regulation lets the Board accept an out-of-state license if the standards and exam were substantially equivalent to Virginia’s.
- Universal License Recognition. If you’ve held a plumbing license from another state for at least one year and that state required an exam, you can apply through DPOR’s ULR application. If you never passed an exam anywhere, expect to take Virginia’s.
Either way, you’ll need a letter of good standing from your current board. Our plumbing license reciprocity guide compares states.
How to apply
- Pick the form. Use the Tradesman Exam and License Application for journeyman or master, the Residential Tradesman application for residential, or the Additional Designation application to upgrade. All are on the Tradesmen Program page.
- Attach your proof. Include a copy of your government ID, the experience verification form, and transcripts.
- Sign it yourself. Typed or generic electronic signatures aren’t accepted.
- Send it. Mail it with the fee to the Board for Contractors, 9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400, Richmond, VA 23233-1485, or apply online.
- Book PSI. Once you’re approved, schedule your exam.
Questions? Call the Licensing Section at (804) 367-8511.
FAQ
How long does it take to become a journeyman plumber in Virginia?
Anywhere from 1 year with an engineering degree to 8 years with no formal training. The common path is 4 years plus 240 hours of trade school.
How much does a Virginia plumbing license cost?
The current DPOR application lists $171.75, plus $100 to PSI for the journeyman exam or $125 for master.
Do Virginia plumbers need continuing education?
Yes. 3 hours of Board-approved plumbing code CE before each renewal.
Does Virginia have plumbing reciprocity?
Only a named exam agreement with WSSC in Maryland. Others go through substantial equivalence or Universal License Recognition.
Next steps
If you’re starting out, log your hours and get your trade school training on paper now, since DPOR wants proof. To compare Virginia with other states, see our plumbing license by state page, the full plumbing license guide, and plumbing license cost by state. Working near the border? Check the Maryland plumbing license page too. Ready to get your contractor license and run your own shop? Read how to start a plumbing business.
