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How to get a plumber license in Florida

Hours, exam, fees, renewal and continuing education for Florida plumbing licenses, pulled from official FL sources and checked .

Quick answer
  • Licensing body: Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB), Dept. of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR)
  • State journeyman license: No (No statewide journeyman plumber license. Counties and cities license journeymen; CILB licenses Certified (statewide) and Registered (local) plumbing contractors.)
  • Certified Plumbing Contractor: Meet CILB experience and education routes for a certified plumbing contractor (typically four years of experience as a foreman, supervisor, or contractor in the plumbing trade, or an approved combination of education and experience under ch. 489, F.S.). You must also pass the certified plumbing contractor exam and meet financial responsibility / insurance requirements DBPR publishes for certified contractors.
  • Exam: see below, via DBPR-contracted computer-based exam vendor
  • Code edition: Florida Building Code / plumbing provisions adopted for contractor exams; confirm the current exam reference list with DBPR/CILB and your exam vendor before you test.

Requirements by license

Certified Plumbing Contractor

ExperienceMeet CILB experience and education routes for a certified plumbing contractor (typically four years of experience as a foreman, supervisor, or contractor in the plumbing trade, or an approved combination of education and experience under ch. 489, F.S.). You must also pass the certified plumbing contractor exam and meet financial responsibility / insurance requirements DBPR publishes for certified contractors.Source: myfloridalicense.com · as of · Confirm the exact experience menu on the current DBPR certified contractor application instructions before you file.
ExamDBPR-contracted computer-based exam vendor. Certified Plumbing Contractor exam administered for DBPR/CILB. Application and computer-based exam fees are paid as listed on the current DBPR fee schedule; confirm format and references with the vendor bulletin after Board approval.Source: myfloridalicense.com · as of
Fees
  • Certified plumbing contractor application, exam and initial license fees: not listed (Published on the current DBPR/CILB fee schedule — confirm before you pay)
Source: myfloridalicense.com · as of · We did not copy another trade board's dollar amounts. Use DBPR's construction-industry fee schedule for Certified Plumbing Contractor line items.
RenewalEvery 2 years. CILB certified contractors renew on DBPR's biennial construction-industry cycle. Complete required CE before renewal; confirm the exact due date and fee on your renewal notice and the DBPR site.Source: myfloridalicense.com · as of
CE to renewCertified contractors must complete CILB-required CE each renewal cycle. Confirm the current hour total and topics for plumbing on DBPR's CE materials before you renew.Source: myfloridalicense.com · as of

License types in Florida

  • Certified Plumbing Contractor (statewide via CILB)
  • Registered Plumbing Contractor (local, registered with DBPR)
  • Local journeyman plumber licenses (county/city)
Source: myfloridalicense.com · as of

Reciprocity (licensed in another state?)

Florida certified plumbing contractor licensure is through CILB examination or endorsement routes DBPR publishes. There is no statewide journeyman reciprocity because journeyman licenses are local. Ask DBPR about endorsement if you hold a comparable contractor license elsewhere.Source: myfloridalicense.com · as of

What we couldn't confirm yet

We only publish what we can tie to an official source. These items aren't published anywhere we could verify, so ask the office listed:

FAQ

Does Florida have a state journeyman plumber license?

No. Counties and cities license journeyman plumbers. The state (CILB/DBPR) licenses Certified Plumbing Contractors statewide and Registered Plumbing Contractors locally.

What statewide plumbing license should contractors get in Florida?

A Certified Plumbing Contractor license through the Construction Industry Licensing Board (DBPR) lets you contract statewide in that classification.

Already licensed? See Florida plumber license renewal & CE requirements.

Other states

Compare every state side by side: license requirements by state · renewal & CE by state.