How to Get Florida Plumbing License

Starting a plumbing business or doing a job in the plumbing industry is pretty lucrative. Plumbing work is immune to a recession, stays in demand throughout the year, and offers various job opportunities.

Since the revenue of the Florida plumbing industry is expected to increase in the upcoming years, becoming a licensed plumber in Florida can be a good source of income.

However, working in the plumbing arena in Florida requires you to fulfill certain terms and conditions, including qualifying for the Florida State Construction exam, getting accreditations, and other various plumbing licenses.

To learn more about the Florida plumbing license requirements, costs involved in getting a license, and ways to become a registered plumbing contractor, continue reading this blog!

Requirements for Getting a Plumbing License in Florida

The requirements for getting a plumbing license vary from one state to the other. Therefore, acquainting yourself with the parameters of the state you want to work for is an absolute must.

To legally work as a plumber in Florida, you must possess a license. Without a plumbing license, potential employers won’t even consider hiring you.

You will have several work opportunities if you possess a Florida plumbing license. It enables a master plumber to perform in the country or a specific area, depending on the type of permit.

You must complete training programs, just like any other professional. After that, you must pass a two-part licensing exam. The department will decide whether to provide you with a license. Your grade is important here. Therefore, fulfilling the conditions is crucial.

Apart from being good at your work, you also need a registered license to make a plumbing career in Florida; here is a list of requirements to take you through the entire process of getting a license in Florida:

• A high school diploma 
• It would be best if you were at least 18 years old
• Four years of expertise (the evidence can be a certificate from another foreman, tax returns, and wage stubs)
• One year of master’s experience
• Obtain a clean criminal history (you must recognize your fingerprint for this reason)
• Disclosure of financial stability (you ought to bring tax returns, bank statements, or credit reports)
• Acquire liability and property damage insurance (the maximum coverage is $25,000)

Step-by-step Guide to Getting a Plumbing License

Florida mandates a registered contractor, certified contractor, and specialty license for construction work. Before submitting an offer for any project in Florida, a contractor’s license is necessary. 

While the state licenses the contractual plumber in Florida, the city or county licenses the individual registered plumber. 

To become general licensed contractors, candidates must pass both the Florida plumbing exam and the business and finance exam.

1. Finish an apprenticeship program 

Candidates must first finish an apprenticeship program under the guidance of a licensed master plumber to obtain a plumber’s license. 

In most states, a journeyman plumber’s license requires a minimum of four years of on-the-job training. 

Another four years of on-the-job experience are typically needed to get a master plumber’s license.

2. Get a reciprocity agreement

Through a reciprocity agreement, getting a plumbing license in a certain state may occasionally be the fastest option.

If that is the case, your current state’s reciprocity agreements permit plumbing contractors with licenses from specific states to do so without having to pass the state’s trade exam for licenses.

3. Enroll as a plumbing apprentice

You might need to enroll as a plumbing apprentice in some states. If you need clarification on whether it is necessary where you live, check with the professional licensing organization for your state. 

You may find work as an apprentice plumber in a variety of settings, including private houses and construction sites. There are several opportunities for self-employment and solid work prospects for plumbers.

4. Qualify for the journeyman plumber examination

Any person who wants to become a certified or licensed journeyman plumber in most states must qualify for the journeyman plumber examination offered by the state where the individual plans to work. 

Before you can sit for the exam, most states demand that you have 4 to 5 years of on-the-job training under the strict supervision of a certified master plumber.

5. Pass additional business and legal exams

Most jurisdictions mandate that anyone applying for a master’s in plumbing license must qualify for the master plumbers exam; however, some states also demand that you pass additional business and legal exams.

Check the state licensing section below for all the requirements for the journeyman plumber license, master plumber license, and plumbing contractor license in a specific state to see if the licensing board that oversees testing and licensing in your state has any supplemental examinations or requirements.

How Much Does It Cost to Get a Plumbing License?

The Business and Financial Management Examination have a $135.00 examination cost that must be paid to Professional Testing Inc. (PTI) and an $80.00 vendor fee that must be paid by the applicant to Pearson VUE when the exam is booked.

If you don’t pass the test, you must submit a retake application with PTI, pay the $135 exam price, and pay the $80.00 rescheduling administration charge to Pearson VUE. There is a 21-day gap between each subsequent try.

Please be aware that there are no exceptions to the same prices for all Trade Knowledge tests that are only available in computer-based testing (CBT) format. 

Candidates can schedule the Trade Knowledge and Business and Finance exams after submitting an application and paying the $135 application fee to Professional Testing Inc. (PTI).

Here is a proper breakdown of how much it costs to obtain a plumbing license in Florida:

1. Examination fees 

Candidates signing up for the trade and business, and finance exam, contract administration, and business and financial management exam, or project management exam will incur the following fees:

• A registration fee of $135.00 is to be paid to Professional Testing, Inc.
• An exam administration fee of $80.00 is payable to the Florida DBPR.
• $80.00 Pearson VUE computer-based test (CBT) for business and financial management.

2. Cost of initial certification

• Initial certification applications submitted from May 1 of an even year to August 31 of an odd year cost $249.

or

• Pay $149 to apply for initial certification between September 1 of an odd-numbered year and April 30 of an even-numbered year.
• Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation should be the beneficiary of any cheques.
• Therefore, on even years, the cost is $540.00, and on odd years, $444.00

How to Become a Certified Plumbing Contractor?

Even though plumbing contractors enjoy various perks, becoming certified requires you to partake in plumbing apprenticeships, have certain educational qualifications, possess on-the-job experience, and more. 

Performing the following steps can help you become a certified plumbing contractor:

1. Complete your education 

As iterated earlier, you must have a high school diploma to start your plumbing journey. As a plumber, you must possess basic knowledge of algebra, thermodynamics, biology, geometry, and measurement units. 

Apart from education, having a good moral character would add to your credibility. You need to have a clean public record, including no involvement in any felony, passed drug tests, and no history of reckless driving. 

2. Enroll in accredited college-level courses 

If you want to get into the contracting business, you need to have expert knowledge. Enrolling in an accredited college is the way forward.

While every plumbing contractor aspirant must receive classroom training, the number of compulsory hours varies from one state to the other. 

Florida plumbers must have completed at least a year of accredited college-level courses to apply for the Florida plumbing contractor’s license. 

Some of the oft-taught topics in these classes include local plumbing measures, soldering and cutting pipes, draining, venting, and water heating frameworks, etc.  

Hillsborough Community College, Miami Dade College, Florida State College, Indian River State College, and Pensacola State College are some of the best plumbing schools in Florida. 

3. Apply for a plumbing apprenticeship program

Certified plumbing contractors have a lot of skills and knowledge to impart. You learn the ins and outs of running a successful plumbing business by working under them as an apprentice plumber.   

Local plumbing contractors, businesses, or trade unions may support apprenticeship programs. The institution where you’ll receive your technical training also offers apprenticeships. 

During your apprenticeship, you will spend the required hours learning the trade while working with an experienced plumber. You could finish the program in 2 to 5 years. 

In Florida, on-the-job training is provided during these apprenticeship programs. It is a paid gig that lasts four to five years.

Blueprint reading, safety procedures, and drafting are common topics during plumbing apprenticeships. 

4. Obtain a passing grade on certain plumbing exams 

You will need to pass two tests to become a licensed plumber. To qualify as a journeyman plumber, you must first obtain your plumbing license.

If you are already a journeyman plumber with a license, you can complete plumbing contract work independently of the supervision of another plumber with a license.

When applying for the master plumber license, you must have one to five years of proven experience in the plumbing sector. You must fulfill extra prerequisites and pass more tests to obtain this license. Each state has its requirements.

For instance, you need to qualify for the Florida State Construction examination to get a contractor’s license in Florida. 

5. Apply for a certified plumbing contractor license 

Since you need to qualify for as few tests as possible to get a contractor’s license, you could enroll in some pre-licensing classes given by nearby training facilities.

Business law and building codes may be covered on the test. You must pay an application fee, just like you would for your plumbing license.

You should complete continuing education courses because this is an upgrade. A plumbing contractor’s license must be renewed yearly.

For the yearly renewal, you need to pay a renewal fee. You can refer to the upper segment of this article to learn about the various prerequisites for obtaining a certified plumbing contractor license in Florida.   

Once you successfully acquire your plumbing contractor license, the next step usually involves setting up a plumbing business.

Whether you set up a Florida plumbing company or a plumbing business in another part of the world, accounting always turns out to be the most hassling part. 

However, you can manage all your accounting documents easily using InvoiceOwl. It is an estimating and invoicing software for contractors. From helping you generate accurate estimates to creating professional-looking invoices, InvoiceOwl is a must-have to make your workflow easier.  

It also helps you seek e-signatures and client reviews to boost your business, generate purchase orders and receipts to keep a tab on the ins and outs of the accounting system, and more. 

Since handling a field service business is already a task, InvoiceOwl can simplify the work for you.    

Conclusion

A career in the plumbing industry offers numerous advantages once you move past the formalities. Flexibility, unlimited profit margins, and high demand are some of them. 

If you are also planning to start a field service business, taking the help of an estimating and invoicing software can help you manage your accounting system easily while ensuring customer satisfaction!