How Do You Get a Plumbing License in Ohio?

Yes, for contracting work — and no, for plumbing work itself.

Ohio has no state journeyman or master plumber license for individual workers; the state issues only the OCILB plumbing contractor license, which Ohio law defines as a license issued to an individual as an HVAC, refrigeration, electrical, plumbing or hydronics contractor.

That state license covers commercial work: OCILB regulates commercial contractors, while local building and health departments regulate residential contractors and may choose to require the state license for residential work.

Ohio law also lets cities, districts and agencies register tradespersons — including plumbing and hydronics workers — and charge them a registration or license fee, so some localities may require worker registration; our research did not verify which cities do.

On job size, our research found no minimum dollar threshold in the licensing statute; the license is required to act as, or claim to be, a licensed-trade contractor on commercial projects.

Ohio's state plumbing credentials are both contractor licenses: the Plumbing Contractor license and the separate Hydronics Contractor license, both issued under OCILB's plumbing and hydronics section, which has primary responsibility for licensing both trades.

There is no journeyman or master plumber license at the state level.

The license belongs to the individual and is assigned to one contracting company at a time, with OCILB's 90-day rule governing a change of company.

Below the contractor level, worker credentials are local: state law lets cities, districts and agencies register tradespersons and charge them a registration or license fee, so where you work can add a registration requirement of its own.

There is one state license to qualify for, the Plumbing Contractor license, and it follows the OCILB standard: be at least 18 and a U.S. citizen or legal alien, and have at least five years as a tradesperson in the trade immediately before applying — or an Ohio-registered engineer's route with three years of trade business experience, or other experience the section accepts.

OCILB accepts a journeyman card, an Ohio- or USDOL-approved apprenticeship completion certificate, or 40 hours of approved code continuing education as alternative experience evidence, and education other than an approved apprenticeship can replace at most one of the five years.

The exam application costs $25 and license issuance another $25, and licensees must carry at least $500,000 in contractor liability insurance.

PSI administers OCILB's contractor exams, including the plumbing trade exam.

The exam has two parts: one specific to the trade you applied for and one on business and law, and you must pass each part at 70%.

A passed business-and-law part counts toward another trade license for three years, so a plumber who later adds the hydronics license does not immediately repeat it.

Our research does not describe the exam's content outline, and PSI's exam fee was not verified; ask for the candidate information when OCILB approves your exam application.

Plumbing contractor licenses renew on the OCILB cycle: $60 for one year or $180 for three years, with a late fee of up to $120.

For continuing education, OCILB's website currently states 8 hours for one-year renewals and 24 hours for three-year renewals; the rule text itself requires 10 classroom hours of approved CE each year, with a two-hour reduction for licensees in the Compliant Contractor Program.

A license can also go into inactive (escrow) status indefinitely: while in escrow you pay the $60 renewal fee annually but owe no CE and no insurance, and reactivating takes up to 24 hours of CE plus proof of insurance.

Confirm the current CE count with OCILB before you renew.

Yes, with a specific list.

Ohio's OCILB plumbing reciprocity covers Arkansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia, and OCILB's page notes that Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee applicants must also pass the business-and-law exam.

The list is as Ohio publishes it; if your state is not on it, confirm with OCILB how your out-of-state license, experience and exams translate before you plan on a shortcut.

OCILB runs the eLicense Center at elicense4.com.ohio.gov and posts a downloadable current licensee roster covering the electrical, HVAC, hydronics, plumbing and refrigeration trades.

Because Ohio's only plumbing license is the contractor license, the lookup verifies contractors rather than individual plumbers.

Search it before you hire a contractor, or before you take a job with a company that claims licensed status.