How Do You Get a Plumbing License in West Virginia?

Yes.

Effective January 1, 2009, no plumber may perform or offer to perform plumbing work in West Virginia without a plumber license issued by the West Virginia Division of Labor.

The requirement is statewide and names three certifications: Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber and Plumber in Training.

The Division's pages use "certification" for these credentials, and its statement of the requirement says "license"; on this page the two words mean the same credential.

The Division of Labor issues three plumber certifications: Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber and Plumber in Training.

Master and Journeyman are the two certifications that require testing.

The Plumber in Training is the helper level: a plumbing helper must hold it, and a worker holding it cannot work alone.

What each certification may legally do is a gap in our research: the Division's pages we read name and price the three levels but do not describe different scopes of work for Journeyman and Master, so ask the Division what each covers.

The Division's FAQ also scopes the trade itself: replacing faucets or washers, unclogging sinks and installing dishwashers is not "plumbing work."

Separate from the individual certifications, a plumbing contractor license from the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board is required when a job costs $5,000 or more for residential work or $25,000 or more for commercial work; its "Plumbing contractor" classification includes gas piping and hydronic and chilled-water piping, and a plumbing contractor applicant must pass the master plumber or plumbing exam plus the WV Business & Law exam.

The fee schedule is the same at application and renewal: $75 for a Master or Journeyman certification and $25 for a Plumber in Training, with a $25 late fee.

Master and Journeyman applicants must pass the written exam administered by Prov, and there has been no grandfathering since July 1, 2009.

What our research did not confirm is the experience side: the Division's pages we read do not state journeyman or master experience-hour totals, so check with the Division of Labor before you count hours toward an application.

The written exam for the tested levels is administered by Prov.

The Division's FAQ lists Master and Journeyman as the two certifications that require testing, so the Plumber in Training is not one of the two.

Our research does not describe the exam's content outline or pass mark, and it does not list a practice test; Prov and the Division's plumber certification FAQ are the places to confirm what to expect before you file.

The Division's fee schedule prices renewal the same as the initial certification: $75 for Master and Journeyman and $25 for Plumber in Training, with a $25 late fee.

What the schedule does not give is the cycle: our research did not confirm how often West Virginia plumber certifications renew or how many continuing-education hours they require, so confirm both with the Division of Labor before your renewal comes due.

Our research did not find a reciprocity agreement covering the Division of Labor's plumber certifications.

The statewide requirement is a license the West Virginia Division of Labor issues: since January 1, 2009, no plumber may perform or offer to perform plumbing work in West Virginia without one.

How the Division treats an out-of-state license holder — whether it grants any waiver or a shortened path — is not something our research establishes, so ask the Division of Labor directly before you move on the strength of another state's license.

The Division of Labor publishes public searches for its certified workers on its licensing pages, covering certified HVAC technicians and certified plumbers.

Check an individual plumber's certification there before you take a job with, or hire, someone who claims certified status.

If a certification you are checking does not appear, ask the Division of Labor rather than relying on a paper copy.