Virginia's Board for Contractors licenses residential, journeyman and master plumbers and the Class A, B and C plumbing contractors behind them. Here are the seven journeyman routes, the PSI exams, the Board and PSI fees, renewal and CE, and the master plumber a PLB contractor license needs.
Virginia licenses plumbers at the state level, and one agency handles every piece of it. The Board for Contractors, part of the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), issues the individual residential, journeyman and master plumber licenses and the Class A, B and C contractor licenses a plumbing business needs to take jobs over $1,000. Without a degree, the shortest path to a journeyman license is four years of practical experience plus 240 hours of vocational training, followed by a PSI exam. For the wider picture, start with the Virginia contractor license requirements, and for every other state see how to get a contractor license in each state.
At a glance Issued by: the Virginia Board for Contractors within DPOR, for both plumbers and plumbing contractors. Journeyman: four years of experience plus 240 hours of training, or one of six other routes set by 18VAC50-30-39. Exam: PSI, open book, 80 questions in 210 minutes, 60 correct to pass, with code questions from the 2021 International Plumbing Code. Fees: $171.75 with the application, then $100 (journeyman) or $125 (master) paid to PSI for the exam. Renewal: every three years, with three hours of board approved plumbing code education.
Three Plumber Licenses and One Contractor License
Virginia's tradesman regulations define a plumber as a tradesman who builds, repairs, maintains, alters or removes plumbing systems covered by the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (18VAC50-30-10). The work covers piping, fixtures and appliances for water supply, sanitary and storm drainage, venting, water heaters, boilers, hydronic and steam heat, backflow devices and domestic sprinklers. There are three individual levels.
- Residential plumber tradesman. Created April 1, 2025. Plumbing work in dwellings and townhouses under the Virginia Residential Code and structures annexed to them, with no commercial, industrial, institutional or government work.
- Journeyman plumber. Installs, repairs and maintains plumbing systems with a working knowledge of the building code, according to plans and specifications.
- Master plumber. Can also plan and lay out installations and supervise the work. This is the license a plumbing contracting business must have behind it.
The business side is separate. A company that bids or contracts plumbing work needs a Virginia contractor license in Class A, B or C with the Plumbing (PLB) classification, and Code of Virginia 54.1-1100 says the Board shall require a master tradesman license as a condition of licensure for plumbing contractors. The tradesman application itself warns that anyone performing work over $1,000 must contact the Board to obtain a contractor license (form A501-2710EXLIC).
Who Needs a Virginia Plumbing License
Since July 1, 1995, no individual may engage in, or offer to engage in, work as a plumbing tradesman in Virginia without a license (54.1-1129). Practicing or attempting to practice as a tradesman without one is a Class 1 misdemeanor (54.1-1135).
The statute carves out three situations:
- Supervised workers. A person working under the supervision of a tradesman licensed in plumbing does not need a license (54.1-1129).
- Incidental work. A tradesman licensed in one trade does not need a plumbing license for plumbing work incidental to work under that other license.
- Small single family jobs. Work on a single family residence valued under $250, by someone who does not hold himself out to the public as a tradesman (54.1-1131).
Journeyman Plumber Experience Routes
Every applicant must be at least 18 (18VAC50-30-30). To sit for the journeyman plumber exam, you document one of these seven combinations under 18VAC50-30-39 B, in effect since April 1, 2025.
| Education or training | Practical experience |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's in a related engineering curriculum | 1 year |
| Associate degree or two year program certificate | 2 years |
| 240 hours of formal vocational training | 4 years |
| 160 hours of formal vocational training | 5 years |
| 80 hours of formal vocational training | 6 years |
| 40 hours of formal vocational training | 7 years |
| None | 8 years |
Notes on the routes
- What counts as training. Formal vocational training means courses at an accredited school, or board approved training run by trade associations, businesses, the military or correspondence schools. As many as 40 hours of board approved continuing education can count toward it (18VAC50-30-48).
- Proving experience. Reference letters from building officials, inspectors, employers, contractors, engineers, architects or clients verify your experience; a transcript or diploma verifies education (18VAC50-30-47). DPOR's application asks for its Individual Experience Verification Form.
- Apprenticeship. Completing an apprenticeship program approved by the Commissioner of the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement exempts you from the journeyman exam (54.1-1131, 18VAC50-30-50 B). You still apply and pay the license fee.
- One year window. An application not completed within 12 months of receipt must be filed again (18VAC50-30-25 C).
The Residential Plumber License
The residential plumber tradesman license took effect April 1, 2025. DPOR describes it as a pathway that needs less experience and vocational training than a journeyman license and can serve as a step toward journeyman status (DPOR Tradesmen Program). The qualifying routes sit in 18VAC50-30-39 A.
| Education or training | Practical experience |
|---|---|
| 160 hours of formal vocational training | 2 years |
| 120 hours of formal vocational training | 3 years |
| 80 hours of formal vocational training | 4 years |
| 40 hours of formal vocational training | 5 years |
| None | 6 years |
It is filed on its own form, the Residential Tradesman Exam and License Application, and it tests on a shorter PSI exam described below.
Master Plumber Requirements
A master plumber applicant meets one of three experience standards under 18VAC50-30-39 D (Chapter 30):
- Held a valid Virginia journeyman plumber license for at least one year.
- Held a valid residential plumber tradesman license for three years.
- Nine years of practical experience in plumbing, verified by people who observed the work.
There is no requirement that the experience fall inside a set window before you apply. A plumber currently licensed as a journeyman or master by a jurisdiction outside Virginia can also apply for the master exam with a letter of good standing from that board, according to form A501-2710EXLIC. A licensed journeyman upgrading to master uses the Additional Designation and License Upgrade application listed on the DPOR Tradesmen page.
The PSI Plumbing Exams
The Board must approve your application before you can schedule. PSI administers the exams at test centers or by remote proctoring. Code questions follow the 2021 International Plumbing Code, and the journeyman and master reference list also includes the 2021 International Mechanical Code and NFPA 31 (PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, updated 7/23/2026).
| Exam | Questions and time | To pass | PSI fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Journeyman plumber | 80 in 210 minutes | 60 correct | $100 |
| Master plumber | 80 in 210 minutes | 60 correct | $125 |
| Residential plumber | 50 in 120 minutes | 35 correct | $100 |
Exam notes
- Content. The journeyman and master exam weights drainage, waste and vents most heavily (24 items), then water supply, backflow prevention and storm drainage (10 each), fixtures (7), general regulations (5), interceptors and traps (4), and 10 items on the Board's regulations.
- Open book rules. You bring your own bound references. Books may be highlighted, underlined or indexed before the exam; books with any writing in them are not allowed.
- Fees and retakes. The exam fee is paid to PSI, is not refundable and is valid for one year from payment. Candidates who fail may be able to retest within two business days, depending on space.
What Virginia Charges Plumbers
Board fees are payable to the Treasurer of Virginia, are not refundable and are not prorated (18VAC50-30-90).
| Item | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Tradesman exam and license application | $171.75 | DPOR |
| Card exchange for an old locality card | $131.75 | DPOR |
| Upgrade to master (form A501-2710ADDLIC) | $171.75 | DPOR |
| Adding a trade designation | $105 | DPOR |
| Journeyman or residential exam | $100 | PSI |
| Master exam | $125 | PSI |
| Renewal fee in the rule, every three years | $160 | DPOR |
| Reinstatement fee in the rule | $210 | DPOR |
The $171.75 application amount is the $150 original license fee in 18VAC50-30-90 plus DPOR's technology fee of $7.25 a year for the three year term. DPOR began adding that technology fee to certain fees on July 1, 2026 under 2026's House Bill 30, and it runs through June 30, 2030 (DPOR Tradesmen Program). The technology fee is charged on top of the rule's renewal and reinstatement fees as well, so check the current form or renewal notice for the amount due.
The Licensing Steps in Order
- Pick your level. Residential if you work only in homes and want a shorter route; journeyman for full commercial and residential scope.
- Build and document the experience and training for one of the routes above, with experience verification forms and transcripts or certificates.
- File the application with DPOR (A501-2710EXLIC or A501-2709EXLIC) with the application amount. The form lets you ask for the exam in Spanish where PSI offers it.
- Wait for Board approval, then register and pay PSI online or by phone at (855) 340-3910.
- Pass the exam. Your score shows on screen at the end, and DPOR issues the license.
- Upgrade to master after one year as a journeyman or three years as a residential plumber, with the upgrade application and the PSI master exam.
- Renew every three years, completing three hours of approved plumbing code education before the expiration date.
- Get the business licensed. A company contracting plumbing work over $1,000 needs a Class A, B or C contractor license with the PLB classification and a master plumber as its qualified individual.
Renewal and Continuing Education
A Virginia plumber license expires three years from the last day of the month it was issued (18VAC50-30-120 A). As a condition of renewal or reinstatement, each licensee completes three hours of continuing education for each designation, on building code changes, from a board approved provider (18VAC50-30-120 C; 54.1-1133). For plumbers, DPOR says the course covers the International Plumbing Code, and License Lookup now shows the CE hours a licensee still needs (DPOR Tradesmen Program).
The renewal fee in the rule is $160. You can renew within 30 days after expiration; after that the $210 reinstatement fee applies, and a license can be reinstated within 24 months of expiring (18VAC50-30-130). After 24 months you apply as a new applicant under the entry rules then in force.
Working after the license expires may count as unlicensed activity (18VAC50-30-130 E).
Plumbers Licensed in Another State
Virginia offers a Universal License Recognition application for tradesmen (form A501-2710ULR). It covers journeyman and master plumbers who have held a current license in another state for at least one year, or who have worked at least three years in a state that does not license the trade. DPOR may require an exam on Virginia law.
The Board's list of reciprocal agreements holds one plumbing entry: an examination agreement with the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) for journeyman and master plumbers and gas fitters. Every other agreement on that list covers electrical or HVAC licenses.
The PLB Contractor License for Plumbing Businesses
Contractor licenses are issued to business entities, not individuals (form A501-27LIC). The class depends on the value of the work, per job and per 12 months (54.1-1100, amended in 2025).
| Class | Single contract or project | Total in any 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Class C | Over $1,000, under $30,000 | Under $250,000 |
| Class B | $30,000 to under $150,000 | $250,000 to under $1 million |
| Class A | $150,000 or more | $1 million or more (no cap) |
The PLB classification covers all piping, fixtures, appliances and appurtenances for water heaters, boilers, hydronic and steam heat, process piping, water supply, sanitary and storm drainage and related systems, and it can also do landscape irrigation work (18VAC50-22-20).
| Requirement | Class C | Class B | Class A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualified individual's experience | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years |
| Designated employee exams (PSI) | None | General and Virginia | Adds Advanced |
| Net worth, or a $50,000 surety bond | None | $15,000 | $45,000 |
| Amount due with application | $274.50 | $419.50 | $439.50 |
Contractor notes
- Qualified individual. For PLB, the qualified individual must hold a Virginia master plumber tradesman license, with no further board exam (18VAC50-22-61). The QI is a full time employee or a member of responsible management (18VAC50-22-40, 50 and 60).
- Full time means W-2. The rule defines a full time employee as one who works at least 30 hours a week for the business and receives an IRS Form W-2 (18VAC50-22-10). The application adds that the QI is not a 1099 employee.
- Designated employee. Class A and B firms name a designated employee who passes the PSI business exams; DPOR lists $40 for one portion, $72 for two and $85 for three (DPOR Contractors).
- Prelicense course. A board approved basic business course of six hours (18VAC50-22-300, amended September 1, 2025), taken by a member of responsible management (Class C) or by the designated employee or responsible management (Class A and B).
- Fees. The application amounts are the license fees in 18VAC50-22-100 ($235, $380, $400) plus the $25 Recovery Fund assessment and two years of DPOR's technology fee. Contractor licenses renew every two years at $220 (C), $260 (B) or $270 (A), plus a $30 Recovery Fund assessment and the technology fee (18VAC50-22-110 and 140).
- Permits and local business licenses. A building official must see proof of the state license before issuing a permit, and a locality must see it before issuing or renewing a contractor's business license (54.1-1111).
- Penalty. Contracting without a license, or without the proper class for the value of the work, is a Class 1 misdemeanor, plus a fine of no more than $500 a day (54.1-1115).
When Your Master Plumber Leaves
A change of qualified individual must be reported to the Board within 60 days, and the new QI must meet the requirements for the firm's class (18VAC50-22-220 C). When a designated employee leaves, the contractor must give the Board the new designated employee's name within 90 days of the departure (Code of Virginia 54.1-1106). The rule sets a $125 fee for either change (18VAC50-22-100).
Licenses belong to the business entity and do not transfer. If the entity dissolves or forms a new entity, the license becomes void, and the firm returns it and applies for a new one within 30 days (18VAC50-22-210). A licensed plumber who allows an unlicensed person to use his license faces discipline under 18VAC50-30-190.
What This Means for a Plumbing Company
A Virginia PLB contractor license cannot exist without a master plumber qualified individual who is a full time W-2 employee working at least 30 hours a week, or a member of the company's responsible management. If you hold the master license yourself, you can qualify your own company. If you own the business but not the master license, or you are expanding into Virginia from another state, the company needs a licensed master plumber on staff.
The lawful model is a full time W-2 employee who actually supervises the work and stands behind it, the same arrangement the Board's own definition describes. The Licensing Company, led by industry veterans Marshall Schofield and Jeremiah Jaskulski, places licensed master tradesmen with contracting companies on exactly those terms. Read what a qualifying agent is, how the plumbing contractor qualifying agent role works, or go straight to hiring a qualifying agent.
Related guides: the Virginia electrician license, Virginia HVAC license, Virginia general contractor license, journeyman vs. master plumber, plumbing in Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee, our contractor license cost guide, contractor bond requirements by state and all state guides.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a journeyman plumbing license in Virginia? Document one of the seven experience and training routes in 18VAC50-30-39 B, such as four years of experience plus 240 hours of vocational training, and file the tradesman application with DPOR. After the Board approves you, pass the PSI journeyman plumber exam: 80 questions, 60 correct to pass, 210 minutes. Completing an approved apprenticeship exempts you from the exam.
What are the types of plumbing licenses in Virginia? There are three individual licenses: residential plumber tradesman, journeyman plumber and master plumber. A plumbing business also needs a Class A, B or C contractor license with the PLB classification. All four come from the Board for Contractors within DPOR.
What is a Class A plumbing license in Virginia? It is a Class A contractor license carrying the PLB classification, for a business whose single jobs reach $150,000 or whose work in any 12 months reaches $1 million. It has no monetary cap. The firm needs a master plumber QI with five years of experience, a designated employee who passed the General, Virginia and Advanced exams, and $45,000 in net worth or a $50,000 surety bond.
How long does it take to become a master plumber in Virginia? The shortest route is one year as a licensed journeyman, which itself takes one to eight years of experience depending on your education. A residential plumber qualifies after three years holding that license. Without either license, nine years of verified practical experience qualifies you for the master exam.
Is a journeyman plumber licensed in Virginia? Yes. Virginia issues journeyman plumber licenses at the state level, and working as a plumbing tradesman without one is a Class 1 misdemeanor. A worker under the supervision of a licensed plumber does not need his own license.
How many continuing education hours do Virginia plumbers need? Three hours per plumbing designation each three year license term, from a board approved provider, covering the plumbing code. The hours must be done before the license expires. License Lookup shows how many hours you still need.
How do I choose a reliable plumber in Richmond or anywhere in Virginia? Search the plumber and the company on DPOR License Lookup. A plumber doing the work should hold an active tradesman license, and a company taking a job over $1,000 should hold a contractor license with the PLB classification in a class that fits the job's value. Before a permit is issued, the local building official must also see the contractor's license number.
Does my plumbing company need a master plumber on staff? Yes. Virginia requires a master tradesman license as a condition of licensure for plumbing contractors, and the PLB qualified individual must be a Virginia master plumber who is a full time W-2 employee or part of responsible management. If that is not you, the company can hire one.
Sources
All retrieved 2026-09-29.
- DPOR, Tradesmen Program
- DPOR, Board for Contractors
- DPOR, Tradesman Exam and License Application A501-2710EXLIC v8
- DPOR, Residential Tradesman Exam and License Application A501-2709EXLIC v3
- DPOR, Additional Designation and License Upgrade Application A501-2710ADDLIC
- DPOR, Tradesman Universal License Recognition Application A501-2710ULR v4
- DPOR, Reciprocal Licensing and Examination Agreements
- DPOR, Contractor License Application A501-27LIC v18
- DPOR, License Lookup
- PSI, Virginia Individual License and Certification Candidate Information Bulletin
- Virginia Administrative Code, 18VAC50-30, Individual License and Certification Regulations
- Virginia Administrative Code, 18VAC50-22, Board for Contractors Regulations
- Code of Virginia 54.1-1100, Definitions
- Code of Virginia 54.1-1111, Permits and Business Licenses
- Code of Virginia 54.1-1115, Prohibited Acts for Contractors
- Code of Virginia 54.1-1128, Tradesman Definitions
- Code of Virginia 54.1-1129, Necessity for Licensure
- Code of Virginia 54.1-1131, Exemptions
- Code of Virginia 54.1-1133, Continuing Education
- Code of Virginia 54.1-1135, Prohibited Acts for Tradesmen
Talk to Us About Your Virginia Plumbing License
Whether you are starting a plumbing company, expanding into Virginia or replacing a master plumber who left, we can help your company meet the qualified individual requirement with a licensed master plumber as a full time W-2 employee. Call 615-219-2110 or start at hire a qualifying agent.
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.