How to Get A Plumbing License in Florida
Posted on 17 March, 2023 by Joy Gomez
Obtaining a Florida Plumbing License does not have to be a great challenge.
Yes, there are many items that need to be pulled together and there are many ways for things to go wrong. With the right resources, however, the task could be a breeze. In this blog post, we will outline the steps you need to take to get a Florida Plumbing License.
Before we start explaining the steps to obtain a plumbing license, let us make sure that you understand the industry and the importance of hiring licensed plumbers for your plumbing business.
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Plumbing is one of the highly skilled professions and a plumber must possess the skills required for the trade. A plumber may choose to work under a contractor or independently. For this purpose, the local government of Florida has made it mandatory for every individual or contractor to have a license if he/she wishes to enter the plumbing profession.
The individual licenses are registered locally whereas the contractors are registered by the state. Few mandatory prerequisites for licensing include a 4-year experience as a plumber, insurance, a bond, proof of financial stability, etc. It may take up to 4 years to get a license and the validity of the license is 2 years. Here is everything you need to know about how to get a plumbing license in Florida.
1. The Importance of Florida Plumbing License
In Florida, all plumbers must be licensed by the state to work. It is required by law in Florida to be licensed through the state to legally carry out plumbing jobs as well as run a plumbing business. Besides the legal requirement, you will find an array of benefits once you get hold of a Florida plumbers license. For example:
- A trade license is proof of your experience and skill.
- Only licensed plumbing contractors can: operate a business and advertise services, obtain commercial insurance, pull building permits and pass inspections, and bid on public and government projects.
- Having a license protects your company and customers.
- A license gives you a competitive advantage in the job market
- It also increases your earning potential.
2. Types of Plumbing Certifications in Florida
- In Florida, there are three different licenses that plumbers can obtain: the Florida Plumbers License, the Backflow Prevention Specialist License, and the Florida Cross-Connection Control Device Inspector License. All three of these licenses are issued by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
- There are different requirements for each of these licenses, but all three require plumbers to have completed an approved training program and passed a certification exam. These licenses allow plumbers to work on different types of plumbing systems in both residential and commercial properties. To this end, you can choose between these two options and start your business:
- Certified Plumbing Contractor – Certified at the state level to conduct business statewide.
- Registered Plumbing Contractor – Issued by respective localities, registered contractors are only eligible to conduct business the in the areas where they are registered.
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3. How Much Do Plumbers Make in Florida
In Florida, the median salary for a plumber is $50,530 per year while the average salary for a licensed plumber in Florida is $87,160 per year. Other than this, the earning profile varies based on the specific job role. For example, the average plumber salary Florida offers to a journeyman plumber is $27.23 per hour in Florida and $6,750 overtime per year, whereas the average plumber salary Florida for an apprentice plumber is $20.06 per hour and $5,500 overtime per year. However, the state does not have journeyman plumbing certification Florida on the state licensing level.
4. Florida Plumbers’ License Requirements
Considering the wage structure and the business opportunity in Florida, plumbing is a very profitable industry for anyone to start their own business or career as a plumber. Now, this brings us to the important question– how to become a plumber in Florida? There are certain requirements and steps involved in the process. Let’s dive in to find out.
Before you apply for a license, here are the stipulated Florida Plumbers license requirements:
In Florida, you can be either an apprentice plumber, a journeyman, or a master plumber. You can also work as a plumbing contractor and run your own business. To be an apprentice plumber, however, you do not need any certification. But if you want to have a journeyman or master plumbing license Florida, here are some general requirements.
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- To become a plumber in Florida and obtain a state license, one must be 18 years of age.
- They must also have a high school diploma or GED.
- In addition to school certification, aspiring plumbers must complete a prescribed training program– either on the job working under the supervision of a licensed contractor or classroom training at a vocational school or college, or a combination of the two. The training program for apprentices in Florida is 5 years/ 1,800 hours.
- After completion of the stipulated training, one must also gain verified experience in the plumbing industry.
Once you cover these requirements, you are now eligible to apply for a Florida plumbing contractors license as a journeyman, a master plumber, or a plumbing contractor.
To Become A Journeyman:
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- Applicants must pass both a written and practical exam administered by the Florida Board of Master Plumbers. With a passing score on both exams, applicants will then be issued a Florida plumbers license.
- Must pay the license fees which vary between $65-200 USD.
- 4. At least 4 years of experience as a plumber or must have completed the apprentice program. For experience, a letter in the form of W-2s is required to be acquired from a plumbing contractor.
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To Become A Master Plumber:
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- Must be of age 18 years or older.
- Must have paid the license fees which may vary between $65-200 USD.
- Must demonstrate his capabilities in the examination for a master plumber license. One may also be required to pass a business principles test for a license in some counties.
- Must have at least 7 years of experience as a plumber which should include 2 years of work experience as a journeyman. Evidence for the relevant experience must be provided.
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To Become A Plumbing Contractor:
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- Eligibility criteria must be met for obtaining a contractor license
- The applicant must be at least 18 years old
- The applicant must have 4 years of experience as a plumber which should include 1 year of experience as a foreman. Proper proof must be provided regarding the experience.
- The applicant is required to pass a criminal background check too.
- Proof of financial stability must be provided in the form of bank statements or tax returns. Also, proof of bond must be submitted.
- Public liability insurance and property damage insurance are required to be submitted to obtain the license. The insurance requirements include a bodily injury policy of up to 100 thousand dollars and a property damage policy of around 25 thousand dollars. Also, the firm must be capable of providing worker’s compensation insurance for all the employees they would be hiring.
5. How to Get A Plumbing License in Florida
Now that you have a clear idea about how to become a plumber in Florida, let us help you with the necessary steps to apply for a plumbing license.
- You must complete an application for Registered Contractor as an Individual form known as #DBPR CILB 2. The application form for the registered plumbing contractor license can be obtained from the link myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pro/cilb/apply/rf-new.html.
- Fill out the above application form completely and submit the required documents and proofs.
- A check of amount between $209-354 should be paid as a fee to the Dept. of Business & Professional Regulation.
- The application can be sent via post to “Dept. of Business & Professional Regulation, 1940 North Monroe Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0783.” along with documents and the application fee.
- Register for the examination on the DBPR website.
- Appear for the exam of business and finance and trade for the certified plumber contractor license. 4.5 hours are given for the exam over the course of 2 days.
6. Florida Plumber Licensing Exam Details
Florida requires a Florida Plumbers License for all work related to the installation or repair of potable water supply lines, drainage systems, sewage disposal lines, and natural gas lines. The Florida Building Code (FBC) governs the installation of plumbing systems in Florida. The FBC is available online through the Florida Building Commission’s website. The cost of the exam is $200, and the application fee is $105.
The minimum passing score for the Florida Plumber Licensing Exam is 70%. The licensing examination is divided into two parts: a written segment and a practical segment The written segment covers general knowledge subjects such as mathematics, blueprint reading, and Florida Statutes and Administrative Rules.
The written examination will take place in two segments. The Business and Financial Management Examination is composed of 120 questions (Service Pool candidates will have 60 questions). It will be administered in one session via computer.
Further, The General Trade Knowledge examination will be administered in two sessions. The morning session will consist of 45 equally weighted questions and 5 isometric drawings. The isometric drawings will be worth 10 points each. The afternoon session will consist of 65 equally weighted questions. Your scores for the morning and afternoon sessions will be combined to determine your total score for this examination.
The practical portion requires the applicant to demonstrate their skills in performing various tasks related to plumbing.
After completing both portions of the examination and passing with a score of 70% or above, the applicant will be issued a Florida Plumbers License.
For more information on the Florida Plumbers License, please visit the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s website.
7. How to Verify A Plumbers License in Florida
To maintain a Florida plumbers license, licensees must complete continuing education requirements every two years. These requirements ensure that Florida plumbers stay up-to-date on the latest code changes and industry best practices.
Both business owners and the general public have access to verify the standing of a plumber’s license by going to the State of Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation website and searching for a license by name, license number, city or county, or even license type. The website will notify you if the license is “Current”, “Expired”, “Inactive”, or “Void”.
Wrapping Up
We hope that this blog answers all your questions about getting a plumber’s license in Florida. Once you obtain the required permits, you can then start working as a licensed plumber independently or under a plumbing contractor. If you have enough experience, you can go ahead and further start your own plumbing business as well.
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