How to get a plumbing license in District of Columbia: the official requirements
The Journeyman Plumber license, the experience and training it takes, the exam and how to apply, from the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades.
In District of Columbia, the state plumbing license for individual plumbers is issued by the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades. The Journeyman Plumber license (plumbing, gasfitting or combined plumbing/gasfitting), granted by the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades: applicants must satisfy the Board that they meet the journeyman requirements. Apprentice or trainee registration: No experience is needed to become an apprentice plumber: apprentices are registered without examination after providing the information the Board requires and paying the fees, and they work only under the direct personal supervision and control of a licensed master plumber/gasfitter or master gasfitter. Experience and training: At least 8,000 hours over at least 4 years as an apprentice plumber or gasfitter; or an accredited mechanical engineering degree plus at least 2 years of practical plumbing or gasfitting experience verified by a licensed master; or experience or education the Board deems equivalent. Prove it with employment verification letters signed by the master, detailing how long you worked and your experience. Licensing exam: The journeyman exam, based on the International Plumbing Code (2012) and International Fuel Gas Code (2012); it is open book, and to sit for it you must show the required experience. Exams are scheduled with PSI online or by phone. With proof of completing a nationally certified apprenticeship program you may waive the journeyman exam. How to apply: Apply online as a new applicant through the Board of Industrial Trades website. Have ready a passport-style photo, government-issued ID, a debit or credit card for the fees, your certificate of completion and your employment verification letter.
District of Columbia plumbing license requirements
| Requirement | District of Columbia |
|---|---|
| License you apply for | The Journeyman Plumber license (plumbing, gasfitting or combined plumbing/gasfitting), granted by the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades: applicants must satisfy the Board that they meet the journeyman requirements. |
| Apprentice or trainee registration | No experience is needed to become an apprentice plumber: apprentices are registered without examination after providing the information the Board requires and paying the fees, and they work only under the direct personal supervision and control of a licensed master plumber/gasfitter or master gasfitter. |
| Experience and training | At least 8,000 hours over at least 4 years as an apprentice plumber or gasfitter; or an accredited mechanical engineering degree plus at least 2 years of practical plumbing or gasfitting experience verified by a licensed master; or experience or education the Board deems equivalent. Prove it with employment verification letters signed by the master, detailing how long you worked and your experience. |
| Classroom hours | Not stated in the official source we read. Check with the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades. |
| Licensing exam | The journeyman exam, based on the International Plumbing Code (2012) and International Fuel Gas Code (2012); it is open book, and to sit for it you must show the required experience. Exams are scheduled with PSI online or by phone. With proof of completing a nationally certified apprenticeship program you may waive the journeyman exam. |
| How to apply | Apply online as a new applicant through the Board of Industrial Trades website. Have ready a passport-style photo, government-issued ID, a debit or credit card for the fees, your certificate of completion and your employment verification letter. |
| Background check | Not stated in the official source we read. Check with the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades. |
| State fees | Plumbers/gasfitters: $65 application fee; journeyman license $110 (up to 2 years); apprentice license $110 (up to 2 years). Under D.C. law, application fees are not refundable. Exam fees are set separately (see § 3500.3). |
| License term | Plumbing and gasfitting licenses expire on March 31 of even-numbered years, whenever they were obtained. |
| Continuing education | Not stated in the official source we read. Check with the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades. |
Where the official source we read does not state something, the table says so rather than guessing. Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools, apprenticeship programs, fingerprint vendors and application portals are not included.
This page covers the plumbing license issued by the state. Cities and counties can have their own registration, permit or license rules; ask the local building department where you will work.
How to get licensed in District of Columbia
- Register as an apprentice plumber (no experience or exam needed) and work under a licensed master plumber/gasfitter.
- Work at least 8,000 hours over at least 4 years as an apprentice plumber or gasfitter.
- Gather employment verification letters signed by your master plumber.
- Submit the online application as a new applicant.
- Pass the open-book journeyman exam (or waive it with proof of a nationally certified apprenticeship).
- Renew before licenses expire on March 31 of even-numbered years.
Go further
Requirements state by state.
Open →CareerHow to become a plumberThe career path, nationally.
Open →PayPlumber salaryWhat plumbers earn.
Open →CareerPlumber career guideThe job, skills and outlook.
Open →ResumePlumber resumeHow to present your hours and licenses.
Open →InterviewPlumber interview questionsWhat hiring managers ask.
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Questions people ask
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How this page is built
Each fact on this page comes from the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades and the rules it publishes (sources named below), read on the dates shown, with the exact wording we relied on kept on file. Requirements and fees change; the District of Columbia Board of Industrial Trades's current instructions govern. We re-read each state's sources every six months (next review by May 10, 2027).
- Not legal advice.
- Licensing rules can change. Verify current requirements with the issuing agency.
- Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools, apprenticeship programs, fingerprint vendors and application portals are not included.
- This page covers the plumbing license issued by the state. Cities and counties can have their own registration, permit or license rules; ask the local building department where you will work.
- This page covers the individual license named above. Master, contractor, specialty, residential, limited and out-of-state (reciprocity) licenses have their own rules.
- Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, Board of Industrial Trades: Plumbing/Gasfitting Application Instructions (published Dec 13, 2022), official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
- Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, Board of Industrial Trades (board page: applicants, examination, fees, renewal), official source, read Nov 9, 2026.
- Council of the District of Columbia, D.C. Code § 47-2853.122, Plumbers or gasfitters: eligibility requirements, official source, read Nov 9, 2026.