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Plumber · State and local

How to get a plumbing license in Florida

State law and licensing-board sources · Last reviewed October 11, 2026

Journeyman level 12,000 hours on the job (license issued locally) What's a journeyman?

Florida splits plumbing licensing in two. Counties and cities issue journeyman plumber licenses, under minimum standards set by state law: a registered apprenticeship or 12,000 hours on the job, plus a passing exam score. To run your own plumbing business, you need a contractor license from the state Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB). That takes four years of experience, including one year as a foreman, and two exams. [1][2][3][4][5]

New to the trade?

Starting from zero in Florida

You don't need a state license or registration to start. Florida law exempts employees of a licensed contractor, so your first step is getting hired by a licensed plumbing contractor or accepted into a registered apprenticeship, such as a UA (United Association) plumbers and pipefitters local or an open-shop program; the state's Apprenticeship Finder Map lists programs near you. Keep records of your hours: a completed registered apprenticeship or 12,000 hours on the job is the state standard for a county journeyman plumber license. [1][14][18][19][20]

  • High school diploma or GED

    No Florida diploma rule for apprentices was found: the state's apprenticeship rule leaves minimum entry qualifications to each program sponsor, with a starting age of at least 16. The UA Local 295 apprenticeship (Daytona Beach, run with Daytona State College) requires a standard high school diploma or GED and one credit of high school algebra. ABC Florida Gulf Coast lists three qualifications: age 18, the legal right to work in the U.S., and a job with a commercial contractor in your trade. [19][21][22][23]

  • Minimum age

    Florida allows registered apprentices from age 16 UA Local 295 and ABC Florida Gulf Coast require 18. Under 18, Florida child labor law limits construction work: 16- and 17-year-olds may work on residential construction only if they hold OSHA 10 certification and are directly supervised by someone 21 or older with OSHA 10 and at least 2 years of related experience, and never on scaffolding, roofs or ladders above 6 feet. These limits don't apply to student learners in a school vocational program under a signed written agreement, and the law says the chapter doesn't prevent "any apprentice indentured under a plan approved by" the state; ask your program how the rules apply to you. [19][21][23][24][25]

  • Register before you start work

    No state apprentice or helper registration exists. In a registered apprenticeship you sign a written apprentice agreement with the program sponsor. [18][21]

  • Helper jobs

    Allowed: state law exempts an employee of a licensed contractor who works within that contractor's license, with its knowledge and permission. An employee is on the payroll, with taxes withheld and workers' compensation provided. [18]

  • Driver's license

    UA Local 295 requires a valid driver's license. [19]

  • Application windows

    UA Local 803 (Orlando) accepts applications through June each year Classes start in September, two evenings a week. ABC Florida Gulf Coast classes run once a week, September through May, and you must already work for a licensed contractor in your trade. [20][23]

  • Pay while you learn

    Registered apprenticeship is paid on-the-job training. UA Local 295's five-year program has 10,000 hours of supervised on-the-job training with wages that rise as you progress. In Orange Technical College's plumbing apprenticeship (four years, 8,000 hours), the sponsoring employer pays tuition and books ABC Florida Gulf Coast employers also cover tuition. [13][19][23][26]

  • Still in high school?

    Florida law lets a registered preapprenticeship start at 16. A high school preapprenticeship is a registered career and technical education (CTE) program, typically for juniors and seniors, that prepares you for a registered apprenticeship The sponsor may give you credit toward it. Credit for 1 year of related classroom instruction in a registered apprenticeship or preapprenticeship can count toward your high school graduation credits (career and technical education or electives), for programs the State Board of Education lists. Florida public high schools can offer a Plumbing program under the state's Architecture & Construction curriculum frameworks; ask your school or district which ones it runs. The journeyman standard in state law counts a registered apprenticeship or 12,000 hours of on-the-job training; it doesn't mention high school courses. [1][21][27][28][29][30]

Where to apply in FloridaHow to get an apprenticeshipHelper jobs

Licensing office Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) · (850) 487-1395 [4]

Florida plumbing license at a glance

Who issues licenses
Journeyman: counties and cities. Contractor: Florida CILB (part of DBPR) [1][4]
Journeyman standard (state law)
Registered state-approved apprenticeship or 12,000 hours of on-the-job training, plus a proctored exam with a score of 75% or more [1]
Contractor experience
4 years in the trade, at least 1 of them as a foreman College credit can replace some years [2]
Contractor exams
Business and Finance (120 questions, computer) plus Plumbing trade knowledge (110 questions and 5 isometric drawings, paper) Open book [5][9]
Exam fees
$135 registration (Professional Testing) + $80 exam administration (DBPR) + $80 Business and Finance test Pearson VUE [10]
Renewal and CE
Every 2 years $205 renewal; 14 hours of continuing education [4][6]
Minimum age
18 for the state contractor exam [2][16]
Reciprocity
No plumbing reciprocity agreements The CILB's agreements cover general, building and residential contractors only [15]
On this page
  1. At a glance
  2. Starting from zero
  3. The license pathway
  4. Who licenses plumbers in Florida
  5. Journeyman plumber: the state minimums
  6. Certified plumbing contractor: experience
  7. The state contractor exams
  8. Fees and renewal
  9. Union and school apprenticeships in Florida
  10. If you're licensed in another state
  11. Steps to get licensed
  12. Where to get the hours
  13. Licensed in another state?
  14. Questions people ask

The license pathway in Florida

  1. 1

    Apprentice (no state license)

    You learn the trade on the job, ideally in a registered apprenticeship. The Florida Department of Education's Office of Apprenticeship oversees registered programs. [1][14]

  2. 2

    Journeyman Plumber (county or city license)

    • 12,000 hours on the job
    • Florida Building Commission advanced module coursework for the trade
    • Proctored journeyman exam (Block and Associates or another board-approved exam); 75% to pass

    Issued by counties and cities. You qualify through a registered apprenticeship or 12,000 hours of on-the-job training. Other Florida counties and cities must recognize a journeyman license issued in Florida. [1]

  3. 3

    Registered Plumbing Contractor (local)

    • Set by the local jurisdiction
    • Every 2 years (registered licenses expire August 31 of odd years); 14 hours CE

    You meet a city's or county's competency rules and register with the DBPR. You may contract only in those jurisdictions. [3][4]

  4. 4

    Certified Plumbing Contractor (statewide)

    • 4 years of experience
    • Business and Finance plus Plumbing trade knowledge; both open book
    • $135 + $80 + $80 to register and sit for the exams
    • Every 2 years (certified licenses expire August 31 of even years); $205; 14 hours CE

    Lets you contract for plumbing anywhere in Florida. You need four years of experience with at least one as a foreman, a credit report showing financial stability, and liability and workers' compensation coverage. [2][3][4][5][8][10]

Who licenses plumbers in Florida

Florida law lets counties and cities issue journeyman licenses in plumbing, pipe fitting, mechanical and HVAC. The state sets the minimum standards. Contracting is different: Florida law says no one may contract without being certified or registered in the proper classification.

[1][3][6]

Journeyman plumber: the state minimums

To get a journeyman license from a Florida county or city, state law says you must:

Once any Florida county or city licenses you as a journeyman, other Florida counties and cities must recognize you as a journeyman too.

Local rules handle the rest. Miami-Dade County, for example, issues a "Journeyman Certificate of Competency" through its Construction Trades Qualifying Board. It requires three years of field experience in the trade (education can count for up to half), letters from employers and W-2s, an open-book exam passed with 75% or more, and a $240 fee. It "does not entitle you to perform as a contractor"; you work under the direction of a master. Call Miami-Dade Contractor Licensing at (786) 315-2880. [1][7]

Certified plumbing contractor: experience

You must be 18 and of good moral character. You then qualify for the state exam in one of these ways:

Junior college and community college courses count as accredited college courses. A full-time year is counted as 2,000 hours. Experience gained in the military may count toward the requirements. [2][8]

The state contractor exams

Plumbing contractors must pass two exams: Business and Finance, and Plumbing trade knowledge. DBPR contracts with Professional Testing, Inc. to register candidates and score the exams. All of the exams are open book and multiple choice.

The paper plumbing exam is given only a few times a year; DBPR posts the dates on its exam information page (its 2026 dates ran from April through December). Applications and fees are due to Professional Testing 30 days before the exam. [4][5][9]

Fees and renewal

Exam fees are non-refundable. Registered licenses expire August 31 of odd years and certified licenses August 31 of even years. Each renewal needs 14 hours of continuing education, including at least 1 hour each of specialized or advanced module, workplace safety, business practices, workers' compensation, and laws and rules. Florida offers fee waivers for veterans, National Guard members, military spouses and low-income applicants. [4][6][10]

Union and school apprenticeships in Florida

Finishing a registered, state-approved apprenticeship meets the state's journeyman experience standard without counting 12,000 hours. [1][11][12][13][14]

If you're licensed in another state

The CILB's published reciprocity agreements, with Louisiana, North Carolina and Mississippi, cover only general, building and residential contractors. None covers plumbing.

Florida law also allows certification by endorsement. One route is for applicants who passed a substantially equivalent exam. Another is for someone who has held a contracting license in another state for at least 10 years and is applying for the same or a similar license. Check with the CILB about your case. [6][15]

Steps to get licensed in Florida

  1. Start as an apprentice or helper

    Find a registered apprenticeship through the Florida Department of Education or a union local. Or go to work for a plumbing contractor. [11][14]

  2. Get your county or city journeyman license

    Finish a registered apprenticeship or 12,000 hours of on-the-job training. Pass the proctored journeyman exam with at least 75% and complete the required code coursework. Apply where you work. In Miami-Dade, that's the Contractor Licensing Section. [1][7]

  3. Build contractor experience

    For the state contractor license, you need four years of experience with at least one year as a foreman. College credit can replace up to three years, but you still need at least one year as a foreman. [2]

  4. Register for the state exams

    Apply with Professional Testing, Inc. at least 30 days before the exam and pay $135 plus the $80 exam administration fee. Schedule the Business and Finance test with Pearson VUE ($80). [9][10]

  5. Apply for certification

    After you pass, apply to the DBPR. Include your fingerprints, a credit report with a FICO score, and proof of liability insurance. Get workers' compensation coverage or an exemption within 30 days of licensure. [8]

  6. Renew every two years

    Complete 14 hours of approved continuing education and pay the $205 renewal fee. Certified licenses expire August 31 of even years. [4][6]

Where to get the hours

Programs that train plumbers in or for Florida, from their own official pages. Listed by type, not ranked.

Licensed in another state?

We didn't find a reciprocity agreement published by the licensing office for this license. Ask the office how it treats an out-of-state license or experience before you apply.

Also listed by: Delaware, New Hampshire, Nevada (their own boards list Florida as a partner; check both sides before you move).

Open the reciprocity map · How reciprocity works

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FL Listed here (agreement or endorsement) Lists FL

Questions people ask

Do you need a license to be a plumber in Florida?

To contract for plumbing work, yes: Florida requires state certification or registration. Journeyman licenses are issued by counties and cities, so check with the county where you work. [1][6]

How many hours do you need for a journeyman plumber license in Florida?

State law sets the standard for county and city journeyman licenses: 12,000 hours of on-the-job training, or completion of a registered, state-approved apprenticeship. You also need at least 75% on a proctored exam. [1]

How long does it take to become a plumbing contractor in Florida?

The usual route is four years of experience in the trade, with at least one year as a foreman. College credit can replace up to three years of it, but the one year as a foreman is always required. [2]

Is the Florida plumbing contractor exam open book?

Yes. DBPR says all its construction exams are open book and multiple choice. The plumbing trade exam is paper-based and the Business and Finance exam is on computer. [9]

Is a Florida journeyman license good in every county?

State law says counties and cities must recognize a person as a journeyman if a Florida county or city issued that person a journeyman license in the same trade. [1]

Sources (30)
  1. Florida Statutes 489.1455: Journeyman; reciprocity; standards, The Florida Senate. Accessed October 10, 2026.
  2. Florida Statutes 489.111: Licensure by examination, The Florida Senate. Accessed October 10, 2026.
  3. Florida Statutes 489.105: Definitions, The Florida Senate. Accessed October 10, 2026.
  4. Construction Industry Licensing Board, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Accessed October 10, 2026.
  5. Construction Industry Licensing Board Examinations at a Glance (updated June 2024), Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Accessed October 10, 2026.
  6. Florida Statutes 489.115: Certification and registration; endorsement; reciprocity; renewals; continuing education, The Florida Senate. Accessed October 10, 2026.
  7. Contractor Licensing, Miami-Dade County. Accessed October 10, 2026.
  8. Certified Plumbing Contractor as an Individual, Active (CILB 5-M), Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Accessed October 10, 2026.
  9. Construction Examinations Information, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Accessed October 10, 2026.
  10. CILB Examination Application Package (revised May 12, 2026), Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Accessed October 10, 2026.
  11. Find a Local Union, United Association (UA). Accessed October 10, 2026.
  12. Apprenticeship, United Association (UA). Accessed October 10, 2026.
  13. Plumbing Technology Apprenticeship, Orange Technical College. Accessed October 10, 2026.
  14. Registered Apprenticeship Programs, Florida Department of Education. Accessed October 10, 2026.
  15. Reciprocity and Substantially Equivalent Exams, Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board. Accessed October 10, 2026.
  16. Initial and Retake Examination Application (CILB 1), Certified Plumbing, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Accessed October 10, 2026.
  17. Apprenticeship Finder, U.S. Department of Labor. Accessed October 10, 2026.
  18. Florida Statutes 489.103 Exemptions, Florida Legislature. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  19. Plumbers and Pipefitters Apprentice - Union (2026-2027 catalog), Daytona State College. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  20. Apprenticeship, UA Local 803 (Orlando). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  21. Florida Statutes 446.021 Definitions of terms used in ss. 446.011-446.092, Florida Legislature. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  22. Florida Administrative Code Rule 6A-23.004: Standards of Apprenticeship, Florida Department of State, Florida Administrative Code and Register (flrules.org). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  23. Apprenticeship, Associated Builders and Contractors Florida Gulf Coast Chapter. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  24. Florida Statutes 450.061 Hazardous occupations prohibited; exemptions, Florida Legislature. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  25. Florida Statutes 450.161 Chapter not to affect career education of children; other exceptions, Florida Legislature. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  26. What is Registered Apprenticeship?, Florida Department of Education, Office of Apprenticeship. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  27. Standards of Preapprenticeship (registration template), Florida Department of Education, Division of Career and Adult Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  28. Florida Statutes 446.052 Preapprenticeship program, Florida Legislature. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  29. Florida Statutes 1003.4282 Requirements for a standard high school diploma, Florida Legislature. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  30. 2026-27 Curriculum Frameworks: Architecture & Construction, Florida Department of Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.