Does West Virginia require a plumbing license?
Yes. West Virginia requires each person performing or offering plumbing work to hold a plumber license from the Division of Labor unless a statutory exemption applies. A person performing or offering to perform plumbing work in this state shall have a license issued by the Commissioner of Labor. West Virginia Code §21-14-3 states the statewide rule.
The individual credential ladder has three levels:
- Plumber-in-training for the supervised entry stage.
- Journeyman plumber for a person who passes the journeyman exam and may supervise trainees.
- Master plumber for a person who passes the master exam and may design systems and supervise journeymen and trainees.
The active implementing rule is 42 CSR 32, Supervision of Plumbing Work, effective May 1, 2023. The West Virginia Secretary of State lists that rule as active. If you are comparing states, the general plumbing-license path explains why the title names are similar but the application rules are not.
Plumber-in-training, journeyman and master
| License | What it authorizes | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Plumber-in-training | Performs plumbing under direct supervision | No trainee exam stated |
| Journeyman plumber | Performs plumbing and may instruct and supervise trainees | Journeyman written exam, 70% minimum |
| Master plumber | Designs plumbing systems and supervises journeymen and trainees | Master written exam, 70% minimum |
A journeyman plumber is qualified by passage of a journeyman plumber written examination with a score of at least 70 percent. The statutory definitions set the journeyman and master roles.
The master plumber written examination may not be taken until one year after passage of the journeyman plumber examination. That same section sets the one-year wait. Passing journeyman is therefore a dated milestone: keep the result because it starts the master-exam clock.
Application, experience affidavit and examinations
The standard journeyman or master route is an application-and-exam process. All Master and Journeyman applicants are required to certify experience and take a written exam. The Division of Labor states that requirement on its plumber-certification page.
Follow this sequence:
- Choose journeyman or master. A first-time master applicant still must satisfy the 12-month wait measured from journeyman exam passage.
- File the Division application/affidavit. Any person desiring to be licensed with a master plumber or journeyman plumber classification shall submit a completed application/affidavit requesting licensure and pay the applicable license fee. Section 6 of 42 CSR 32 gives that filing requirement.
- Document the experience requested on the affidavit. Keep employer names, dates, job locations, work scope and licensed supervisors in a file that can be supported. The experience-verification guide shows how to organize it.
- Schedule the written exam. ProV, Inc. gives the written test. The Division FAQ identifies the testing provider.
- Pass the classification exam. The examination tests knowledge of the International Plumbing Code, and the minimum score is 70%. Section 10 of the rule covers the exam, retesting and separate testing fee.
The active rule does not publish a fixed in-state hour threshold for the standard application. It requires the application/affidavit, fee and exam, while the Division page says applicants certify experience. Do not substitute a third-party hour figure for the experience record requested on the current Division form.
Supervision, jobsite proof and the contractor-license split
A licensed master plumber or licensed journeyman plumber may directly supervise no more than three licensed plumbers-in-training. The supervision ratio is in 42 CSR 32-8. Direct supervision applies at each separate jobsite or location, so one supervisor should not be counted against trainee crews on unrelated sites.
Unless a statutory exemption applies, each person doing plumbing needs individual certification. An entity credential does not cover a nonexempt crew, and a plumber must carry proof of the valid license while performing plumbing work.
West Virginia Code §21-14-3(c) exempts four categories tied to a person’s role or property: owner or immediate-family work on one single-family dwelling; employees doing plumbing at a manufacturing plant or other industrial establishment; appliance-retailer employees doing plumbing incidental to installing or repairing sold appliances; and public-utility or affiliate employees doing plumbing connected to utility service. (West Virginia Code §21-14-3(c))
The same subsection also exempts certain water, sewer, treatment-system, and underground-utility work outside foundation walls; plumbing performed while working on specified HVAC and air systems; plumbing at an active coal mine or coal-processing site; and plumbing at manufacturing, industrial, and natural-gas facilities. (West Virginia Code §21-14-3(c))
The business may also need a contractor license. Plumbing work performed on a residential project of $5,000 or more or a commercial project of $25,000 or more requires the individual or company to obtain a contractor license with the Plumbing classification; the threshold is based on the total contract, not only the plumbing portion. The Division FAQ states those thresholds and the required trade and Business & Law exams.
Use the West Virginia contractor-license guide for that separate company-level path. The plumber license answers who may perform and supervise the plumbing. The contractor license answers who may take the covered contract.
Current fees, renewal and the journeyman-to-master timeline
| Item | Current amount |
|---|---|
| Master initial license or renewal | $75 |
| Journeyman initial license or renewal | $75 |
| Plumber-in-training initial license or renewal | $25 |
| Duplicate certification | $10 |
| Late fee | $25 plus annual renewal fee |
Master and Journeyman initial certification and renewal cost $75. The Division of Labor publishes the current plumber fee schedule. The testing provider charges a separate examination fee; check the current candidate bulletin before scheduling because the state fee page does not print that vendor amount.
A master or journeyman license is valid for up to one year. The Division must send a renewal notice at least 45 days before expiration. If a renewal is received or postmarked more than 15 days after expiration, add the $25 late fee; a license expired for 90 days or more cannot be renewed. Those renewal rules appear in 42 CSR 32-6.
The fastest master timeline still includes the fixed 12-month wait after journeyman exam passage. Treat the license expiration and the master-eligibility date as separate calendar controls.
Reciprocity and out-of-state work experience
The plumbing rule and current statutes use different formulations for no-exam applications. Under 42 CSR 32-14, the Commissioner may, in his or her discretion, grant a qualifying same-classification license without examination. (42 CSR 32-14) West Virginia Code §21-17-3(a), however, says the board shall issue an occupational license upon application when all listed comparable-credential conditions apply. (West Virginia Code §21-17-3) Section 21-17-4 says the board shall issue an occupational license upon application based on out-of-state work experience when all listed conditions apply. (West Virginia Code §21-17-4)
Those are not identical commands. The statutes direct issuance when every statutory condition is met; the plumbing rule describes the Commissioner’s classification-specific no-exam authority as discretionary. An applicant still must submit the evidence and fee rather than treating an out-of-state credential or work history as an automatic transfer.
Comparable out-of-state license
The Commissioner may grant the same classification without examination when another state licenses or authorizes that classification under requirements equivalent to West Virginia. The applicant must prove the qualifications, satisfy the applicable universal-recognition conditions and pay the license fee. Section 14.1 states the comparable-license route. Those conditions include at least one year holding the other-state credential, good standing, West Virginia residency, no disqualifying discipline and payment of applicable fees. West Virginia Code §21-17-3 lists the full conditions.
Experience from a state that does not license plumbers
The work-experience route applies when the applicant worked in a state that does not license the occupation. The person must have worked for at least two years and show knowledge and proficiency similar to West Virginia’s education and examination requirements. West Virginia Code §21-17-4 states the two-year rule and its other conditions. Section 14.2 then allows the Commissioner to issue the applicable plumber classification without examination after satisfactory proof and payment.
Use the Division’s Review and Credential Acknowledgement Procedures material listed on the plumber forms page when moving to West Virginia. The reciprocity guide explains why a no-exam route still requires an application.
Frequently asked questions
How much experience is required for a West Virginia journeyman plumber license?
The active standard rule requires a completed application/affidavit, experience certification, the fee and a passing written exam. It does not state a fixed minimum hour total for the standard in-state route. Applicants should document the experience requested by the current Division affidavit rather than rely on an unofficial hour figure.
What score passes the journeyman or master plumbing exam?
At least 70%. The exam tests knowledge of the International Plumbing Code.
How soon can a journeyman take the master exam?
Twelve months after the date the journeyman exam was passed.
What are the current license and renewal fees?
Master and journeyman initial and renewal licenses are $75. Plumber-in-training initial and renewal licenses are $25. A duplicate is $10, and the late fee is $25 in addition to the annual renewal fee. The testing provider charges the exam fee separately.
How many trainees can one journeyman or master supervise?
No more than three licensed plumbers-in-training under direct supervision.
Can an out-of-state plumber skip the West Virginia exam?
Possibly. The plumbing rule says the Commissioner may, in his or her discretion, grant a qualifying license without examination. Current West Virginia statutes say the board shall issue upon application when every listed comparable-credential or work-experience condition is met. Both routes still require evidence and applicable fees.
Does a plumbing company also need a contractor license?
The Division says a Plumbing contractor license is required when the total residential contract is $5,000 or more or the total commercial contract is $25,000 or more. Unless a statutory exemption applies, every person performing the plumbing still needs an individual plumber certification. (West Virginia Code §21-14-3(c))