Virginia Journeyman Plumber License Requirements
If you want to become a Journeyman Plumber in Virginia, you'll need to meet Virginia's education and experience requirements, submit your application to the Board for Contractors, and pass the Journeyman Plumbing exam.
A Journeyman Plumber license is an individual tradesman license. It belongs to you as the plumber, not to the company you work for.
Virginia offers several ways to qualify, so you don't necessarily need to complete a specific apprenticeship or attend trade school to become licensed.
What Is a Virginia Journeyman Plumber?
A Journeyman Plumber is an individual licensed by the Virginia Board for Contractors to perform plumbing work at the Journeyman level.
This is different from a plumbing contractor license, which licenses a business to contract for plumbing work.
For example, you may personally hold a Journeyman Plumber license while working for a business that holds a Virginia Plumbing contractor license.
If you're just beginning your research and aren't sure which type of plumbing license you need, see How to Get a Virginia Plumbing License.
What Are the Requirements for a Virginia Journeyman Plumber License?
Virginia allows several combinations of practical plumbing experience and formal education or vocational training to qualify for the Journeyman examination.
You only need to meet one of the following pathways:
1 year of practical plumbing experience with a bachelor's degree in an engineering curriculum related to the trade;
2 years of practical plumbing experience with an associate degree or certificate from at least a two-year program in a tradesman-related field;
4 years of practical plumbing experience with 240 hours of formal vocational training;
5 years of practical plumbing experience with 160 hours of formal vocational training;
6 years of practical plumbing experience with 80 hours of formal vocational training;
7 years of practical plumbing experience with 40 hours of formal vocational training; or
8 years of practical plumbing experience with no formal vocational training required.
In other words, more qualifying education or vocational training can reduce the amount of practical plumbing experience you need to qualify.
What Counts as Plumbing Experience?
Virginia requires your experience to be practical experience in the trade.
The current regulations state that trade experience can be verified by reference letters from:
building officials or building inspectors;
current or former employers;
contractors;
engineers or architects; or
current or past clients who can attest to your work in the trade.
For the standard experience-and-education pathways on the application, you'll submit an Individual Experience Verification Form. If you're using vocational training or a degree to qualify, you'll also need the applicable certificates of completion or official transcripts.
Can I Become a Journeyman Plumber Through an Apprenticeship?
Yes.
Virginia provides a separate pathway for applicants who successfully completed a registered apprenticeship program.
If you completed a registered apprenticeship in Virginia, the current application instructs you to provide the applicable Apprenticeship Action Form with a completion approval stamp.
If you completed an apprenticeship in another state, you'll need documentation showing that the program sponsor was registered in that state, along with documentation from the apprenticeship sponsor verifying your experience and training.
This means you don't need to use one of the standard education-and-experience combinations above if you qualify through the applicable apprenticeship pathway.
What If I'm Already a Licensed Plumber in Another State?
If you currently hold a Journeyman or Master plumbing license or certification issued by another regulatory body, Virginia allows you to submit that credential for review.
The current application requires a Certification or Letter of Good Standing and a copy of your current license or certification. The certification must include information such as when the license was issued, when it expires, and how you originally obtained it.
Virginia also maintains specific reciprocal licensing and examination agreements. Because those agreements depend on the jurisdiction and license you hold, check DPOR's current reciprocity information before applying.
Virginia Tradesmen Reciprocal Licensing and Examination Agreements
How to Apply for a Virginia Journeyman Plumber License
Once you've determined how you qualify, the basic process is:
Meet one of Virginia's Journeyman qualification pathways.
Complete the Tradesman Exam & License Application and select Journeyman Plumbing.
Submit the required experience, education, apprenticeship, or licensing documentation for your pathway.
Submit your application to the Virginia Board for Contractors.
Wait for approval from the Board before scheduling your exam.
Once approved, schedule and pass the Virginia Journeyman Plumbing exam.
Applicants must also be at least 18 years old, and the current application requires a copy of a government-issued ID.
Virginia Tradesman Exam & License Application
Does a Journeyman Plumber Need a Contractor License?
A Journeyman Plumber license and contractor license serve two different purposes.
Your Journeyman license belongs to you as an individual plumber. A contractor license belongs to the business contracting for the work.
The current tradesman application states that an applicant performing work over $1,000 must contact the Board for Contractors to obtain a Virginia contractor license.
If you work for a licensed plumbing contractor, the contractor license belongs to the business.
If you're planning to operate your own plumbing contracting business, you'll need to determine whether the business also needs a Class A, B, or C Virginia contractor license with the appropriate Plumbing classification.
Can a Journeyman Plumber Become a Master Plumber?
Yes.
Virginia provides a pathway to Master licensure for someone who has held a valid Journeyman license in the trade for at least one year.
However, becoming a Journeyman first is not the only way to qualify for Master licensure. Virginia also provides other experience pathways.
Becoming a Master Plumber can also be important if you plan to qualify a plumbing contracting business. Virginia requires the Qualified Individual for a contractor's Plumbing (PLB) classification to hold a current Master Plumber tradesman credential. A Journeyman Plumber license alone does not meet this requirement.
Do Virginia Journeyman Plumbers Need Continuing Education?
Yes. Virginia requires licensed plumbers to complete Board-approved continuing education as part of the license renewal process.
Journeyman and Master Plumbers currently complete three hours of continuing education related to the applicable building code before renewal.
This is different from the vocational education you may use to qualify for your initial Journeyman license.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to go to trade school to become a Journeyman Plumber in Virginia?
No. Virginia allows applicants with eight years of practical plumbing experience to qualify for the Journeyman examination without formal vocational training. Applicants with qualifying education or vocational training can qualify with fewer years of practical experience.
How many years of experience do I need?
It depends on your education and training. The standard pathways range from one year of practical experience with a related bachelor's degree to eight years of practical experience with no formal vocational training.
Do I need an apprenticeship to become a Journeyman Plumber?
No. A registered apprenticeship is one pathway, but it is not the only way to qualify.
Can I take the Journeyman Plumbing exam before applying?
No. For the examination pathway, you must first submit your qualifications to the Virginia Board for Contractors and receive approval before proceeding with the exam.
Can a Journeyman Plumber start a plumbing business?
Your Journeyman license is an individual tradesman license and does not replace a contractor business license. If you're contracting directly for plumbing work that requires contractor licensure, the business must meet Virginia's applicable contractor licensing requirements.
Do I have to become a Journeyman before becoming a Master Plumber?
No. Holding a Journeyman license for at least one year is one way to qualify for the Master examination, but Virginia also provides other Master qualification pathways.
