Nevada licenses plumbing companies, not individual plumbers: the NSCB C-1 and C-1d, the qualified individual's 4 years within 15, the PSI exams, the $300 and $600 board fees, the bond range, and the Clark County, Las Vegas and Reno plumber cards.
No state agency in Nevada issues a journeyman or master plumber license. The license that lets a business bid and contract for plumbing work is a contractor license from the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB) in the C-1 Plumbing and Heating classification or one of its subclassifications, most often C-1d Plumbing. The individual plumber's journeyman or master card comes from the local building department, which in Clark County and Reno means a card issued through the Nevada Board of Plumbing Examiners.
This guide covers the company license and the local cards in the order an owner meets them. For the full state picture read the Nevada contractor license requirements, and for every other state see how to get a contractor license in each state.
At a glance Who licenses the company: the NSCB, under NRS Chapter 624 and NAC Chapter 624. Experience: 4 years within the last 15 in the classification, under NRS 624.260(6). Exams: the PSI Contractor Management Survey plus the C-1 or C-1d trade exam, $140 for both. Board fees: a $300 application fee and a $600 biennial license fee under NAC 624.130. Bond: set by the board between $1,000 and $500,000 under NRS 624.270.
Who Needs a C-1 License in Nevada
NRS 624.700 makes it unlawful to act as a contractor or submit a bid in Nevada without an active license. The small job exemption is in NRS 624.031(6): repair or maintenance work under $1,000, labor and materials combined.
That exemption does not reach plumbing. It is lost whenever a building permit is required, whenever the work is of a type a plumbing, electrical, refrigeration, heating or air conditioning contractor performs, or whenever the job is part of a larger project of $500 or more.
The board treats electrical and HVAC work the same way. See the Nevada electrician license (C-2) and the Nevada HVAC license (C-21) for those trades, and the Nevada general contractor license if your company also builds.
The C-1 Classification and Its Subclassifications
NAC 624.190 creates the C-1 Plumbing and Heating classification and eleven subclassifications. The full C-1 covers the work of all of them, and the board's FAQ confirms that several subclassifications can sit on one license.
| Code | Subclassification | Main work covered |
|---|---|---|
| C-1a | Boilers | Boilers, hot water and steam piping, fuel oil lines |
| C-1b | Fire sprinklers | Fire sprinkler systems |
| C-1c | Insulation of pipes and ducts | Insulating pipes, ducts and equipment |
| C-1d | Plumbing | Water, waste, vent, gas and medical gas piping |
| C-1e | Sheet metal | Ducts, flashings, gutters, metal roof systems |
| C-1f | Heating, cooling, circulating air | Heating and evaporative cooling systems |
| C-1g | Pipes and vents for gas | Gas piping from supply into a building |
| C-1h | Water heaters | Water heater installation and repair |
| C-1i | Chilled water piping | Chilled water pipes, pumps and valves |
| C-1j | Breathing air for firefighters | Breathing air replenishment systems |
| C-1k | Industrial piping | Piping for industrial water, steam, chemicals |
C-1d in full. Under NAC 624.190(2)(d), C-1d covers the fixtures and piping that supply safe water and remove waste, roof drainage, hydronic heating up to 200,000 BTU, landscape irrigation, water heating including solar, gas supply, and piping for compressed air, vacuum and medical gases. A C-1d holder may also run water and gas piping from the edge of the building to the utility meter.
Which one to request. General service and new construction plumbers usually apply for C-1d; boiler and hydronic shops look at C-1a. Broadening to the full C-1 or adding a subclassification later is a $250 request under NAC 624.130.
The Qualified Individual Behind the License
The license is issued to the business, which qualifies through a person: under NRS 624.260(2), the owner, an officer or member, or an employee. The NSCB calls that person the qualified individual, and every classification on a license needs one.
Experience. NRS 624.260(6) requires at least 4 years of experience as a journeyman, foreman, supervising employee or contractor in the specific classification, earned within the 15 years before the application. Training in a program at an accredited college or university, or an equivalent program the board accepts, can count for up to 3 of those years, so at least 1 year must come from the field. NAC 624.590(4) also allows up to 3 years of credit for career and technical education programs approved by the board and the State Board of Education.
Proof. NAC 624.590(2)(b) accepts four certificates of work experience on the board's form, a current master certification from a government agency in a similar discipline, or proof of transferable military experience and training.
Real duties. NRS 624.260(3) requires the qualified individual to be a bona fide member or employee who makes technical and administrative decisions, has authority to hire, supervise and discharge employees, and devotes himself or herself solely to the business. Under NRS 624.260(5), one person can qualify more than one active license only when that person owns at least 25 percent of each licensee, one licensee owns at least 25 percent of the other, or one licensee is a corporation for public benefit.
If the qualifier leaves. NRS 624.285 gives the company 10 days to notify the board in writing. The license then stays in force for no more than 30 days while the company replaces that person with another qualified individual the board approves.
The Two PSI Exams
The qualified individual passes two PSI exams: the Contractor Management Survey (the Business and Law exam) and the trade exam for the classification. The NSCB issues the exam eligibility letter after the application is filed and the experience is verified.
| Exam | Questions | Passing score | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contractor Management Survey | 60 scored | 45 correct (75%) | 120 minutes |
| C-1 Plumbing and Heating | 120 | 84 correct | 5 hours |
| C-1d Plumbing | 80 | 56 correct | 3 hours |
Books allowed. The Management Survey is open book with the Construction Business and Law Manual for Nevada. PSI's March 2026 bulletin lists the C-1 and C-1d trade exams as open book with approved references, including the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code and NFPA 54 and 58.
Exam fees. PSI charges $140 for a trade exam plus the Management Survey and $95 for each other exam portion. Registration fees are not refundable.
Retakes. Each exam allows three attempts, 2 weeks apart. NAC 624.600(4) requires a pass within 6 months of filing; a third failure voids the application, and a new one can be filed 30 days later.
For booking, ID rules and rescheduling, see our guide to scheduling a contractor exam with PSI, Prov, or Pearson VUE.
The Financial Statement and the Monetary Limit
Every Nevada license carries a monetary limit, which NRS 624.220(2) defines as the maximum contract a licensee may undertake on a single site for a single client. It is a ceiling: under NAC 624.640 a bid or contract over the limit or outside the license scope is void, and every bid must show the license number and limit.
The NSCB requires a financial statement with every application, and the limit you request sets its form under NAC 624.593:
| Requested monetary limit | Financial statement required |
|---|---|
| $25,000 or less | CPA prepared, or board form or GAAP software with affidavit |
| Over $25,000, under $500,000 | CPA compiled within 6 months, or reviewed or audited |
| $500,000 to under $1,000,000 | CPA compiled with full disclosures, or reviewed or audited |
| $1,000,000 or more | Reviewed or audited by a CPA within 1 year |
A bank verification form goes with it. A company that falls short on its own may add an optional indemnification agreement from another person or entity under NAC 624.675, backed by that party's financial statement.
Raising the limit later. A permanent change is a $250 request and a single project increase is $75. NRS 624.220(3) requires a single project request at least 5 working days before the bid, and NAC 624.670 allows five of those in 12 months.
The Bond, Workers' Compensation and Insurance
The license bond. NRS 624.270 requires a surety bond or cash deposit of not less than $1,000 or more than $500,000. The board sets the amount at approval from the license type, monetary limit, financial responsibility, experience and character. A cash deposit carries a $200 biennial administrative fee; see contractor bond requirements by state.
Workers' compensation. The NSCB requires proof of coverage, or a signed exemption affidavit, to issue, activate or renew a license. If the qualified individual is an employee, coverage is required.
General liability. The NSCB's issuance list does not include it, but water damage exposure makes it worth carrying; see contractor insurance requirements by state.
Residential Recovery Fund. A residential contractor serving owner occupied single family homes pays an assessment before the license issues and at each renewal: $200 for limits up to $1,000,000, $500 for larger limited licenses, and $1,000 for unlimited licenses.
What the NSCB Charges
Board fees come from NAC 624.130; exam fees are PSI's. The board's site lists a small business impact survey on proposed amendments to NAC 624.130, so confirm the schedule before you file.
| Fee | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Application for a new classification | $300 | NSCB |
| License, issued or renewed every 2 years | $600 | NSCB |
| Management Survey plus one trade exam | $140 | PSI |
| Each additional exam portion | $95 | PSI |
| Inactive license, issued or renewed | $300 | NSCB |
| Late renewal of an active license | $150 | NSCB |
| Change of qualified person or principal | $250 | NSCB |
| Broaden to full C-1 or add a subclass | $250 | NSCB |
| Permanent monetary limit change | $250 | NSCB |
| Single project limit increase | $75 | NSCB |
Timing. Only the $300 application fee, which is not refundable, goes in with the application; the $600 license fee and the bond follow the approval letter. Fingerprint processing is a separate cashier's check to the Nevada Highway Patrol under NAC 624.681, and NAC 624.590(5) withdraws an application still incomplete 6 months after filing.
The Licensing Steps in Order
- Confirm the license is required. Plumbing work never fits the under $1,000 exemption in NRS 624.031(6).
- Choose the classification: full C-1, C-1d, or another C-1 subclassification.
- Name the qualified individual and document 4 years of experience within the last 15.
- Prepare the financial statement for the monetary limit you want, plus the bank verification form.
- File the application with the $300 fee and fingerprint cards, then wait for the exam eligibility letter.
- Pass the Management Survey and the plumbing trade exam through PSI within 6 months of filing.
- After approval, pay the $600 license fee, post the bond, file workers' compensation proof, and pay any Residential Recovery Fund assessment.
- Get the local business license and confirm your plumbers hold the local cards required.
Local Plumber Cards in Clark County, Las Vegas, Reno and Washoe County
The NSCB license lets the company contract; the plumber on the job may also need a local card. Each entry below comes from that jurisdiction's own site.
| Jurisdiction | Rule for the plumber on site | Card issued through |
|---|---|---|
| Clark County | Plumbers must carry a journeyman or master ID | NBOPE, tested by NITC |
| City of Las Vegas | Master, qualified individual or journeyman on site | Certification the city issues or approves |
| City of Reno | Plumbing work by a journeyman certificate holder | NBOPE |
| Washoe County | No card rule found in the posted Chapter 100 | Ask Washoe County Building |
Clark County. The county's guide BPG-153 (dated February 2017) says every plumbing worker must carry an ID issued through the Nevada Board of Plumbing Examiners, with journeyman the minimum level for unsupervised work. The county's permit page also requires an active state contractor license and a Multi-Jurisdictional Business License number.
City of Las Vegas. Section 306.1 of the city's Administrative Code (2019 edition) requires each contractor to employ at least one master or qualified individual for plumbing permits. On residential or light frame jobs, a master, qualified individual or journeyman plumber must supervise on site.
City of Reno. Reno allows plumbing work only by a person holding a valid journeyman certificate, and apprentices need a card from an approved program. The city sends plumbers to NBOPE for the exam, which it says is based on the 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code, and points to Title 14 of the Reno Municipal Code for the exceptions.
Washoe County. The Chapter 100 file on the county's site requires a certificate of qualification for gas testing (WCC 100.113.1.1) but sets no journeyman card rule we could find. Call Washoe County Building at 775-328-2020 before the first job.
The NBOPE cards. NBOPE, founded in 2002 by trade groups and working with Clark County, issues two levels. A journeyman needs 4 years of registered apprenticeship or 8,000 hours of plumbing experience; a master needs 1 year or 2,000 hours as an NBOPE journeyman. The exam has 50 open book and 100 closed book questions with a 75 percent pass mark, and cards last 3 years.
Master status by exam. Under NRS 624.240(2), a person who passes the NSCB technical exam and is granted a license qualifies for a master's license in that classification wherever a city or county issues one.
Out of State Plumbing Contractors and Licensure by Endorsement
Nevada does not require residency. Under NAC 624.590(3) and 624.600(2), the board can waive the experience certificates and trade exam for a qualifier licensed in good standing for the past 4 years in a state on its State Equivalency Chart. The Business and Law exam is still required, and so is the Nevada trade exam if the other state has no equivalent.
Renewal and Keeping the License Active
A license expires 2 years after issuance under NRS 624.283 and renews for $600. NAC 624.630 sets the deadline at the last day of the expiration month, adds a $150 late fee, and requires a new application if renewal is not attempted within 6 months.
An active license needs a qualified individual, a bond and workers' compensation the whole time, and NAC 624.640(4) ties the license to continued employment of a qualified person. An inactive license costs $300 and needs neither bond nor qualifier, but cannot bid or contract.
Penalties for Plumbing Without a License
NRS 624.750 makes contracting without a license a misdemeanor on the first offense, with a fine of $1,000 to $4,000 and up to 6 months in jail. A second offense is a gross misdemeanor with a fine of $4,000 to $10,000 and up to 364 days in jail, and a third is a category E felony with a fine of $10,000 to $20,000 and 1 to 4 years in prison.
If the person started work or took money on the contract, NRS 624.750(3) lets the court add up to 10 percent of the contract's value to the maximum fine, on top of the costs and damages NRS 624.700(3) allows.
When No One in Your Company Can Qualify
This is where growing plumbing companies stall: no one on the payroll has 4 verifiable years in the classification within the last 15, or has passed both exams.
Nevada's answer is a qualified individual who genuinely works for the company under NRS 624.260(3). The Licensing Company, founded by Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski, two of the industry's recognized authorities on contractor qualification, places experienced plumbers who join the company as full time W-2 employees and qualify it under NRS 624.260. Learn what a qualifying agent is, how a plumbing contractor qualifying agent fits the business, and how to hire one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Nevada have a state journeyman or master plumber license? No state agency issues one. The state credential is the NSCB C-1 contractor license for the business. Journeyman and master plumber cards are required by local building departments such as Clark County, Las Vegas and Reno, and Clark County and Reno cards come through NBOPE.
What is the difference between C-1 and C-1d? C-1 is the full Plumbing and Heating classification and covers all eleven subclassifications, from boilers to industrial piping. C-1d is the plumbing subclassification: water, waste and vent systems, roof drainage, gas piping, water heating, irrigation and medical gas piping.
How much does a Nevada plumbing contractor license cost? The fixed amounts are the $300 application fee, the $140 PSI fee for the Management Survey and one trade exam, and the $600 biennial license fee. The bond premium, the CPA's charge for the financial statement and any Residential Recovery Fund assessment depend on your company and the limit you request.
How long does it take to get a C-1 license? The NSCB does not publish a fixed timeline; its FAQ says your assigned license analyst can estimate it. The qualifier must pass both exams within 6 months of filing, and an application still incomplete after 6 months is treated as withdrawn.
Who can qualify my company for the C-1 license? An owner, officer, member or employee with the experience and exam scores who genuinely works in the business. If no one qualifies, a qualifying agent who joins as a W-2 employee can. Start with what a qualifying agent is.
Talk to Us About Qualifying Your Nevada Plumbing Company
Whether you are filing your first C-1d, adding the full C-1, or replacing a qualifier inside the 30 day window, our team can help with the qualified individual side. Call us at 615-219-2110 or start at Hire a Qualifying Agent.
Sources
- NRS Chapter 624, Contractors, Nevada Legislature (sections 624.031, 624.220, 624.240, 624.260, 624.270, 624.280, 624.283, 624.285, 624.700, 624.750), retrieved 2026-09-30
- NAC Chapter 624, Contractors, Nevada Legislature (sections 624.130, 624.190, 624.590, 624.593, 624.600, 624.630, 624.640, 624.670, 624.675, 624.681), retrieved 2026-09-30
- NSCB License Requirements, retrieved 2026-09-30
- NSCB General Requirements FAQ, retrieved 2026-09-30
- NSCB License Examinations, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Nevada State Contractors Board home page, retrieved 2026-09-30
- PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, Nevada Contractors C Classification Examinations (updated March 2026), retrieved 2026-09-30
- Clark County Plumbing License Requirements, Building Permit Guide BPG-153, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Clark County Building and Fire Prevention, Licensing and Payment Requirements, retrieved 2026-09-30
- City of Las Vegas Administrative Code, 2019 Edition, retrieved 2026-09-30
- City of Reno Electrical and Plumbing Journeyman Cards, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Washoe County Building Code, Chapter 100, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Nevada Board of Plumbing Examiners, Journeyman Plumber, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Nevada Board of Plumbing Examiners, Master Plumber, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Nevada Board of Plumbing Examiners, Exam Information, retrieved 2026-09-30
- Nevada Board of Plumbing Examiners, Recertification Information, retrieved 2026-09-30
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.