Plumber License Overview
West Virginia Law requires the licensing of plumbers. 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.
Working without a proper license may result in the issuance of a cease and desist order.
There are exemptions listed in §21-14-3 (c) 1-8 that allow certain plumbing work to be performed without having a plumber license.
The classifications and experience necessary to license, through July 1, 2009, without written examination are listed below:
- Master plumber means a person with at least twelve thousand (12,000) hours of plumbing work experience and who is competent to design plumbing systems, and to instruct and supervise the plumbing work of journeyman plumbers, and plumbers in training.
- Journeyman plumber means a person qualified by at least eight thousand hours (8,000) of plumbing or related experience and who is competent to instruct and supervise the work of a plumber in training.
- Plumber in training means a person with interest in and an aptitude for performing plumbing work but who alone is not capable of performing plumbing work, and who has fewer than eight thousand hours (8,000) of plumbing experience.
July 1, 2008 The Division began accepting and processing applications.
Effective July 2, 2009: All applicants will be required to certify experience and take a written exam.