getting licensed as a plumber - worth the hassle?
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I've been working as a plumber's assistant for about two years now, and recently decided to finally bite the bullet and go for my license. I figured it'd be straightforward enough - study up, take a test, maybe fill out some paperwork. But man, was I wrong.
First off, the amount of hours you need logged under supervision is way more than I expected. I mean, I get it - you don't want just anyone messing around with pipes and gas lines - but still, it feels like forever. Then there's the studying part. Bought one of those online prep courses that promised to make things easy-peasy. Um...not exactly. The material was dense, dry as toast, and honestly felt kinda outdated in spots. Like, do we really need to memorize every single obscure plumbing code from 1987? (Okay, slight exaggeration there, but you know what I mean.)
Anyway, after weeks of cramming and stressing out over practice tests, I finally took the exam last weekend. It wasn't impossible or anything, but definitely tougher than I'd anticipated. Some questions were straightforward enough - basic safety stuff - but others seemed designed just to trip you up or something.
Now I'm waiting on results and feeling kinda anxious about it all. Part of me wonders if it's even worth all this hassle. Sure, having a license opens doors and probably means better pay down the line...but I've also met plenty of plumbers who seem to do just fine without one.
Curious if anyone else here has gone through this process recently or is thinking about it? Did you find getting licensed made a big difference in your career opportunities or income? Or did it end up being more trouble than it's worth?
2 replies
I get where you're coming from with the outdated codes and endless hours, but honestly, getting licensed is probably worth it in the long run. I've worked with both licensed and unlicensed plumbers during my reno projects, and the licensed ones tend to land bigger jobs, commercial gigs, or even city contracts. Sure, it's a pain right now, but think of it as investing in yourself - more opportunities, better pay, and less hassle down the road when clients ask for credentials...
The bigger jobs and city contracts you mentioned are where licensing can really pay off, but the payoff depends heavily on location. Requirements can differ by state, county, or even city, and some areas separate journeyman, master, and contractor licenses with different scopes of work.
I’d check the local licensing board in this order:
1. Confirm the required supervised hours and which types of work count.
2. Check whether passing the exam alone allows paid independent work, or whether a contractor license is also required.
3. Look through current local job listings for licensed plumber, journeyman, and contractor roles, then compare the posted pay and benefits.
4. Ask whether commercial or municipal work requires additional bonding, insurance, or registration.
That should give a clearer answer than the general idea that licensing always means better pay. It may be well worth it if the local market has a lot of licensed-only work, but less urgent if most available jobs fall under a qualifying employer’s license.
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