A step by step walkthrough of how to get a Georgia plumbing license: journeyman and master classes, experience routes, the PSI exam, application steps, state fees and what changes once your company is ready to qualify.
Georgia issues three plumbing credentials: Journeyman Plumber, Master Plumber Class I and Master Plumber Class II, through the State Construction Industry Licensing Board's Division of Master Plumbers and Journeyman Plumbers. To get licensed, you document the required supervised experience, pass a PSI examination for your class, and submit a state application with the required fee.
At a glance
- Credentials: Journeyman Plumber, Master Plumber Class I and Master Plumber Class II
- Journeyman experience: One year full time, supervised by a licensed master
- Master experience: Class I needs four years total; Class II needs five years total
- Application fee: $30, plus the Secretary of State's $10 online processing fee
- Exam: One PSI examination per class, final scaled score of 70
Who needs a Georgia plumbing license
Georgia licenses plumbing contracting by scope of work, not by a project dollar amount. Anyone who contracts to install, maintain, alter or repair piping, fixtures or appliances connected to drainage, venting, fuel gas or water supply systems needs a Master Plumber Class I or Class II license to run that business, and a journeyman plumber performs the work under a master's direction (O.C.G.A. 43-14-13). Advertising as a plumbing contractor without one of these licenses is also prohibited.
A narrow boundary exists for underground work near a property line. A licensed utility contractor may build or repair a plumbing system from the property line up to, but not within, five feet of a building; only a licensed plumber may work within that five foot zone (O.C.G.A. 43-14-13(c)). A homeowner may also do plumbing work in a residence they own or occupy, provided the work still follows the state codes and local inspection rules (O.C.G.A. 43-14-19(d)(1)), and regular full time employees of a business are exempt when working on their own employer's premises (O.C.G.A. 43-14-19(c)(5)).
Our Georgia contractor license guide and contractor license overview cover the state's broader licensing framework. The journeyman versus master plumber guide explains the practical difference between the working credential and the license that qualifies a company.
Georgia plumbing license types
| Credential | Work scope |
|---|---|
| Journeyman Plumber | Supervised work only; does not qualify a business |
| Master Plumber Class I | Residential to 3 stories; commercial to 20,000 sq ft |
| Master Plumber Class II | No building size or type limit |
Class I covers single family, townhome and multifamily buildings up to three stories, including duplexes, hotels, motels and apartments, plus commercial buildings up to 20,000 square feet in total area. Class II covers all plumbing work without those limits. For a company owner choosing between the two master classes, check the building type, story count and commercial square footage of the work you actually plan to perform; a larger business plan on its own does not expand a Class I license's scope.
Experience and education you need
| Credential or route | Required experience |
|---|---|
| Journeyman Plumber | One year full time, supervised by a master |
| Master Class I, standard route | Four years total; three as a journeyman |
| Master Class I, before March 1, 2025 | Four years total; one as a journeyman |
| Master Class II, standard route | Five years total; four as a journeyman |
| Master Class II, before March 1, 2025 | Five years total; two as a journeyman |
The earlier license date only changes how much of the required time has to be journeyman time, not the total: Class I still needs four years overall and Class II still needs five. At least two years of a Class II applicant's experience must be in unrestricted scope work, on top of the journeyman year requirement above. One year of full time experience equals 2,000 documented hours (O.C.G.A. 43-14-2(13)).
How to apply for a Georgia plumbing license
Georgia's plumber license application guide routes applicants through the state's GOALS portal.
- Choose your credential. Compare journeyman, Class I and Class II against your intended work and, for a master application, the Class I building limits.
- Confirm your experience branch. Note your journeyman licensing date if you are applying for a master license, since it determines which experience branch applies to you.
- Collect your supporting documents. A complete packet typically includes a signed affidavit from your supervising master plumber, three professional references, a secure identity document, an affidavit of lawful presence, and disclosure of any disciplinary history.
- Consent to a criminal background check. Georgia law requires applicants to consent to a background check, including fingerprints, and to pay any associated fee (O.C.G.A. 43-14-13(h)).
- Create a GOALS account and submit your application with the required fee.
- Wait for board review. A complete application must be received at least 15 days before a board meeting to be added to that meeting's agenda; an incomplete application can be withdrawn if noted deficiencies are not corrected within 60 days.
- Schedule your PSI exam once the board approves you for testing.
- Pass the exam and receive your license, then track your renewal date and continuing education.
Want the application done for you?
Choosing your credential and documenting your experience is only part of the work. The application itself is a state form that has to be filled out correctly, backed by the right affidavits and references, and resubmitted correctly if the board has questions. The Licensing Company's License Application Processing service prepares and submits your Georgia plumbing license application: an eligibility audit before anything is filed, a document checklist so you know what to gather, every state form prepared and reviewed line by line, submission the way the board requires, and the board's follow up questions answered and resubmitted until the board decides.
It is a flat $999 per state application, paid up front. State fees, exam fees, background checks and fingerprinting are paid to the state, not to us. This service does not promise approval, does not promise a timeline, and does not take the PSI exam for you. Call 615-219-2110 to talk through your application.
The PSI plumbing exam
The PSI candidate bulletin describes one examination per class, each administered by computer in two timed parts.
| PSI examination | Scored questions | Pretest questions |
|---|---|---|
| Journeyman Plumber | 100 | 20 |
| Master Plumber Class I | 120 | 24 |
| Master Plumber Class II | 140 | 28 |
| PSI examination | Testing time | Reference materials |
|---|---|---|
| Journeyman Plumber | Five hours, two parts of 2.5 hours | The bulletin's listed references are permitted |
| Master Plumber Class I | Seven hours, two parts of 3.5 hours | Reference materials are not permitted |
| Master Plumber Class II | Seven hours, two parts of 3.5 hours | Reference materials are not permitted |
Pretest questions do not count toward your score, and a final scaled score of 70 is required to pass. The 2026 reference list is based on the 2024 Georgia plumbing and gas codes beginning May 1, 2026. After two failed attempts, Board Rule 121-2-.05 requires a board approved review course before a third attempt. Qualifying veterans may also be eligible for five to ten preference points added to their examination score under Georgia's veterans' preference law.
Georgia plumbing license fees
| Transaction | Fee |
|---|---|
| Initial application, any class | $30, plus the $10 online processing fee |
| Biennial renewal, Journeyman | $35 |
| Biennial renewal, Master Class I or II | $75 |
| Late renewal, Journeyman | $45 |
| Late renewal, Master Class I or II | $100 |
| Reinstatement under three years, Journeyman | $70, plus the $10 processing fee |
| Reinstatement under three years, Master Class I or II | $150, plus the $10 processing fee |
Notes on these figures:
- The PSI examination fee is paid separately to PSI and is not included in the application fee above; confirm the current amount when you schedule.
- Late renewal runs December 1 through December 31 following a November 30 expiration; reinstatement after three years adds board requirements that can include reexamination.
- All fees are nonrefundable once an application is submitted.
Bond and insurance
Georgia does not require a plumbing contractor to carry a state mandated surety bond. The only bond provision in the chapter is optional: a licensed Master Plumber may deposit a $10,000 bond, cash or surety, with the probate court judge in the county of their principal place of business, which then bars that county or city from requiring a separate code compliance bond (O.C.G.A. 43-14-16(b)). General liability insurance is a business decision the exam's content touches on rather than a fixed state minimum tied to the license itself.
How long licensing takes
Three stages drive your timeline: documenting your experience, board review of your application, and the exam itself. Build your application around the board's meeting calendar, since a complete application needs to arrive at least 15 days before a board meeting to reach that meeting's agenda, and an incomplete application can be withdrawn if deficiencies are not fixed within 60 days. After board review, you schedule your PSI exam separately, and your license issues once PSI reports a passing score to the board.
Renewal and continuing education
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Renewal deadline | November 30 in even numbered years |
| Late renewal window | December 1 through December 31 |
| Continuing education cycle | Eight hours per two year cycle |
| Initial renewal, licensed under two years | Four hours |
| Initial renewal, licensed under one year | Exempt |
| CE record retention | Five years |
The continuing education rules, including Rule 121-4-.04, set these cycle hours and the initial renewal exceptions. The board's annual guidance of four hours fits inside the eight hour two year cycle rather than adding to it.
What changes when you form a company
Under O.C.G.A. 43-14-13(e), a plumbing business needs a Master Plumber Class I or Class II regularly connected with it and actively engaged full time in its work; a journeyman credential does not independently qualify a company. If that qualifying master dies, partners, officers and employees may keep operating under the license for 90 days, and the division may grant one additional 90 day grace period at its discretion. Georgia law does not provide an equivalent grace period for a master who resigns or is let go while still living, and the company must notify the division within seven days whenever the qualifying connection ends.
If your company needs the licensed professional who qualifies its plumbing work, our qualifying agent service can help you plan that relationship. What a qualifying agent actually is explains how a qualifying agent qualifies the company as an owner or full time W-2 employee who supervises the work, not a name attached to paperwork.
If you are not ready to qualify on your own
If you have not yet reached the experience required for your own Master Plumber license, a licensed master can still qualify your company while you build toward your own credential. Start with your actual work scope, the appropriate master class and the responsibilities that professional will perform, then review the statutory role described above before structuring the relationship.
Can an out of state plumber transfer a license to Georgia?
Georgia law lets each division grant reciprocity, without examination, to an applicant already licensed in a state with substantially equal requirements who has worked under that license for at least two years and whose home state extends the same privilege to Georgia licensees (O.C.G.A. 43-14-23). The board's FAQ has stated that Georgia does not currently offer plumbing reciprocity with other states; an out of state applicant should plan to apply under the standard Georgia experience and exam path rather than relying on an existing license.
If your company also performs electrical work, our Georgia electrical license guide covers that trade separately; qualifying for plumbing does not establish authority for another trade.
Georgia plumbing license questions
How do I get a plumbing license in Georgia?
Choose journeyman, Class I or Class II, document the matching experience, pass the PSI exam for that class, and submit your GOALS application with the required fee and supporting affidavits.
Do plumbers have to be licensed in Georgia?
Yes. Anyone contracting to perform plumbing work needs a Master Plumber Class I or Class II license to run that business, and journeyman plumbers must work under a licensed master's direction. A homeowner working on their own residence is a narrow exception.
What institution issues a Georgia master plumbing license?
The State Construction Industry Licensing Board's Division of Master Plumbers and Journeyman Plumbers, administered through the Secretary of State's office, issues all three credentials.
How much does a Georgia plumbing license cost?
The state application fee is $30, plus the Secretary of State's $10 online processing fee. The PSI exam fee is paid separately to PSI; confirm the current amount when you schedule your exam.
How long does it take to get a plumbing license in Georgia?
Expect your timeline to track the board's meeting calendar, since a complete application needs to arrive at least 15 days before a meeting to reach that meeting's agenda, plus PSI exam scheduling afterward. Gathering your experience affidavits and references before you apply is usually what most affects your actual timeline.
Is there a Georgia plumbing license renewal fee?
Yes. On time renewal is $35 for a journeyman and $75 for a Master Plumber Class I or II, due November 30 of even numbered years, with a late renewal window through December 31.
Does Georgia accept a plumbing license from another state?
Georgia's board has stated that it does not currently offer plumbing reciprocity, even though the law allows each division discretion to grant it to applicants from a state with substantially equal requirements. Follow Georgia's standard application and exam path instead.
Sources
Sources retrieved October 5, 2026, except where noted.
- Senate Bill 553, enacting O.C.G.A. Chapter 43-14.
- PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers.
- Board continuing education rules, Chapter 121-4.
- Board qualification rules, Chapter 121-2.
- Georgia plumber license application guide.
- Georgia Secretary of State online licensing processing fee.
- Georgia Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers FAQ; the page returned HTTP 403 to every direct fetch attempted today, so the no-reciprocity claim is corroborated today through search engine indexed text of the FAQ, consistent with the prior verified run's September 22, 2026 citation.
- Application, renewal and reinstatement fee figures ($30 application, $10 processing, $35 and $75 renewal, $45 and $100 late renewal, $70 and $150 reinstatement) are drawn from the Board's current plumbing application and reinstatement forms, corroborated today through search engine indexed text after the forms themselves returned HTTP 403 to direct and proxied fetch attempts.
Get help with your Georgia plumbing license
Call The Licensing Company at 615-219-2110, ask about License Application Processing for the paperwork itself, or explore qualifying agent support if your company needs the licensed master who qualifies its work.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, licensing guidance, or an offer of services. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction. For specific compliance questions, contact The Licensing Company for a confidential consultation.