How to Become a Licensed Plumber in Nevada
Types of Nevada Plumbing Licenses
There are three types of plumbing licenses in Nevada – journeyman, master, and contractor. Although Nevada does not license or register apprentices, the state does require all journeymen and master plumbers to be licensed.
Additionally, plumbers who want to start their own businesses need an additional contractor license.
Journeyman License
Journeyman plumbers are required to undergo at least four years of work as an apprentice through an approved program or sponsor before they can apply for a license and must provide a signed affidavit detailing their work experience.
Obtaining a journeyman plumbing license also requires passing an exam.
Master License
Plumbers must work for at least one year as journeymen before they can apply for master plumbing licenses.
As with the journeyman plumbing license, applicants must submit signed affidavits detailing work experience and pass another exam.
Contractor License
Contractor licenses are required for any plumbers who employ subcontractors or bid on jobs worth over $500.
There are technically several different classifications of plumbing contractor licenses, each of which requires passing a trade-specific exam, plus a general business and law examination.
Nevada plumbing contractors must also register business IDs and provide background disclosures, financial statements, and resumes.
Cost to Get a Plumbing License in Nevada
The journeyman and master exam fees are $125 to take the test in person or $1250 to take it online, while the license application fee is $300 for either level of plumbing license.
Both journeymen and master plumbers must also pay $600 every two years to renew their licenses.
For plumbing contractor licenses, the application fee is $300 and the testing fee is $140.
Plumbing Licensing Exams
Any apprentice plumber who has logged over 8,000 hours of on-the-job training can take the journeyman plumbing exam.1
The test is given through either PSI or NITC. There are both closed-book and open-book sections of the exam, and aspiring plumbers must receive a score of at least 75% to pass.
The same is true of master plumbing licenses, which are administered by the same testing organizations.
While it’s possible to take both types of license exams in person, this approach requires waiting until there are at least eight people interested in taking the exam at the particular testing site.
Most plumbers take their journeyman and master plumbing exams online as a result.
The exam for a plumbing contractor license is more intensive. It requires passing a trade-specific exam, which means plumbers who want a class-C plumbing contractor license that covers HVAC work, for example, can expect this section of their tests to focus on related subjects.
The general business and law exams are the same for all classifications of plumbing contractor licenses.
Who Issues Plumbing Licenses in Nevada?
In Nevada, plumbing licenses are issued by the Nevada Board of Plumbing Examiners. Contractor licenses, on the other hand, are issued by the Nevada State Contractors Board.
Additional Plumbing Certifications
Nevada doesn’t offer plumbing certifications. However, there are plenty of local and national organizations that run well-respected plumbing certification programs.
The NITC and the ASSE are two excellent examples, although there are also plenty of other professional organizations willing to offer plumbing certifications.
Can I Transfer a Plumbing License to Nevada?
There is no plumbing license reciprocity in Nevada, meaning you cannot transfer an out of state license into Nevada.