Examining Board of Plumbers


Licensing Requirements

General Qualifications || License by Examination || License by Endorsement

GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS

The general qualifications for plumbing license, according to §12-58-107, C.R.S. and outlined in Board Rule 3.0 are follows:

Residential Plumber: You must verify two years (3,400 hours) of practical experience.

Journeyman Plumber: The maximum experience the board requires for an applicant to qualify to receive a journeyman plumber's license is four years (6,800 hours) of practical experience.

Master Plumber: An applicant for a master plumber's license must furnish evidence of having obtained five full-time years (60 months/9,780 hours) of practical experience.

One month of full-time experience is equivalent to 163 hours.

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LICENSE BY EXAMINATION

Documenting your Plumbing Experience:

  • Letters of Verification: The applicant must provide verification of plumbing installation experience by submitting letters from current and/or former employers (master plumbers). Letters must be on company letterhead and signed by the master plumber. The letters must include the exact dates of employment and a specific job description, detailing the type of plumbing work performed (for example: residential remodeling, commercial new construction, maintenance, etc.). It should also include the amount of time you worked in each category. You must submit original letters; fax or photocopies of letters are not accepted. It is recommended that you keep copies of letters for your files.
  • Out-of-State Verification: Follow the same procedure as above. Applicants shall not verify their own experience (even if currently licensed in another state). Letters provided must be signed by the master plumber (or equivalent) with whom you have worked and who can document and verify your experience. In addition, you must submit a photocopy of your out-of-state license. However, your out-of-state license is not a substitute for letters of verification.

Temporary Work Permit. At the time that you apply for the examination, you may request a temporary work permit. Only one permit may be issued to an applicant. Work permits expire on the next scheduled examination date. If you fail the examination, you shall immediately cease working as a temporary licensed plumber in Colorado. If you are not already licensed in another category in Colorado, you will need to register as an apprentice in order to continue to work in the plumbing field. See Apprentice Information.

Written Examination Content. Written examinations are administered in English only through a private testing agency. Once your application has been approved by this office, we will mail you a letter of acceptance and information on how to contact Pearsonvue to obtain a candidate handbook. The handbook will provide information on who to contact, how to schedule for the written examination, the testing locations, the exam fee, and other pertinent information. The examination is in a multiple-choice format. Questions are based on the currently adopted codes, namely, the 2009 edition of the International Plumbing Code (IPC), the 2009 International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC), and the Rules and Regulations as adopted by the Examining Board of Plumbers. The following is a sampling of the categories covered throughout the written examination: cross connections; calculations & blueprint reading; combination waste and vent systems; gas piping; hangers, supports and system protection; indirect and special waste piping; installation techniques; plumbing fixtures; sanitary drainage systems; storm drainage systems; traps, interceptors, separators; vents/venting; water distribution systems. An overall score of 70% is required to pass the written portion of the examination for residential and journeyman examinees; 75% is required for the master examinee. However, according to Rule 3.6, examinees will not be given examination results in a numerical format. Your results will indicate either pass or fail.

 

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LICENSE BY ENDORSEMENT

Rules and Regulations, Rule 3.5 (a)(b)(c). Licensees from another state may be eligible for licensure by endorsement providing that the applicant possesses credential and qualifications that are substantially equivalent to requirements in Colorado for licensure by examination and you must provide verification of all of the following:
  • Completion of a state or federally approved apprenticeship program, or completion of the required years and type of experience for the comparable license.
  • Submit verification (from the state licensing agency of successful completion of a comparable state plumbing examination as outlined under "Documenting Plumbing Experience" and based on the currently adopted Colorado Code.
  • Submit a photocopy of your currently held state (not city or county) issued license which you have held for a minimum of six (6) months.
  • Submit a completed application with letters of verification of your plumbing experience as outlined under "Documenting Plumbing Experience" (above) for the license category for which you are applying for endorsement.

An apprentice must be registered until such time as the individual has actually obtained a Colorado plumber's license. A plumbing apprentice is any individual employed in the plumbing trade that is not currently licensed in the State of Colorado.

View licensing information for another state.

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