Delaware requires a plumbing license for any person or organizations that are engaged in any sort of plumbing activity — whether that be as a journeyman or master plumber for an organization, or as a general contractor. In order to become a state licensed general contractor in Delaware applicants will comply with the Delaware Department of Revenue. Delaware also breaks down the classification of licensing into two different types of contractors:
- Non-Resident Contractor License: any individual — or business — that performs contractual work and maintains the majority of that work outside the state of Delaware. Non-Resident Contractors must also be able to supply a surety bond;
- Resident Contractor License: any individual — or business — that performs contractual work and maintains the majority of that work within the state of Delaware.
Delaware Plumbing License Reciprocity
Delaware offers some reciprocal agreements within the state. If you hold a current plumbing license in the following states, Delaware extends a license reciprocity agreement:
- Connecticut plumbing license;
- Iowa plumbing license;
- Maryland plumbing license;
The following states also will consider a reciprocity agreement with proof of experience under a licensed professional within the following state licenses:
- Alabama plumbing license;
- Arkansas plumbing license;
- District of Columbia plumbing license;
- Florida plumbing license;
- Georgia plumbing license;
- Michigan plumbing license;
- New Hampshire plumbing license;
- New Jersey plumbing license;
- North Carolina plumbing license;
- Ohio plumbing license;
- Rhode Island plumbing license;
- South Carolina plumbing license;
- Virginia plumbing license;
- West Virginia plumbing license.
Ultimately, the board will decide whether or not to honor some sort of agreement. Different than many other states, registration and licensure are combined into one registration application.
Delaware Master Plumber License Requirements
In order to become a licensed master plumber in the state of Delaware, you will need to do the following:
- Complete an Application for Master Plumber Licensure;
- Verify your current licenses that are held with the Board;
- If you do not have a journeyman certificate you will need to submit proof of 7+ years of direct work experience underneath the direct supervision of a licensed master plumber.
There is a processing fee for license applications in Delaware of $141 for plumbers. Cash is not accepted, so checks can be made out to:
Division of Professional Regulation
Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners
861 Silver Lake Boulevard
Cannon Building, Suite 203
Dover, DE 19904
(302) 744-4500
Master Plumber Exam
The Delaware Master Plumber Exam is an online exam that is taken through Prometric. The exam is 100 multiple choice questions, and you have a 4-hour time limit to finish. In order to pass, you must obtain a score of 70% or better. The exam will cover topics such as:
- Drainage vents;
- General plumbing knowledge;
- General plumbing regulations;
- Indirect waste;
- Isometric analysis;
- Plumbing fixtures;
- Roof drain piping;
- Sanitary vents;
- Specialty plumbing;
- Waste vents;
- Water supply systems.
Delaware Journeyman Plumber License Requirements
In order to become a licensed journeyman plumber in the state of Delaware, you will need to do the following:
- Complete an accredited apprenticeship program and be able to provide a journeyman certificate from an approved apprenticeship program;
- Complete two years of on-the-job training under a licensed journeyman and be able to verify the work;
- Complete two years of formal classroom training.
There is a processing fee for license applications in Delaware of $141 for plumbers. Cash is not accepted, so checks can be made out to:
Division of Professional Regulation
Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners
861 Silver Lake Boulevard
Cannon Building, Suite 203
Dover, DE 19904
(302) 744-4500
Every two years you also must renew your license, and that cost is given at the time of your renewal. A late fee of 50% of the renewal fee will occur if you re-apply outside the allotted grace period.
Journeyman Plumber Exam
The Delaware plumbing journeyman exam is a technical exam that is one hundred multiple-choice questions. The exam is open book and it has a time limit of four hours. The licensing exam covers — but is not limited to — subjects such as:
- Drainage vents;
- General plumbing knowledge;
- General plumbing regulations;
- Indirect waste;
- Isometric analysis;
- Plumbing fixtures;
- Roof drain piping;
- Sanitary vents;
- Specialty plumbing;
- Waste vents;
- Water supply systems.
In Delaware, the exam is administered using Prometric. Test-takers simply use the schedule your test button and find the associated test. A score of 70% is needed in order to pass the examination. There are generalized journeyman study guides as well as plumbing practice tests available to help aid the studying process.
Plumbing Apprenticeship Requirements
The Federal Apprenticeship Act of 1937 grants the Federal government — alongside the states — authority to manage the nation’s various apprenticeship systems. In Delaware, the Federal government works alongside the Delaware Department of Labor in order to offer four-year learning while earning programs for future plumbers. The various apprenticeship programs can vary from apprenticeship to apprenticeship in small areas, but the general requirements are as follows:
- Four years or 8000 hours of on-the-job training under the direct supervision of a licensed plumber. Those training to become a journeyman must train under a licensed journeyman and the same goes for those training to become master plumbers;
AND
- 144 hours of formal classroom training.
Delaware Plumbing Apprentice Jobs
Apprentice jobs are often available through the Division of Employment and Training tab of the Delaware Department of Labor. It is also recommended by many that have entered the field to speak with someone that is actively practicing the trade, or your regional representative. Other resources to help find plumbing apprentice jobs are:
- Online job boards such as Indeed, Glassdoor, Ziprecruiter, and Linkedin;
- Utilizing career centers within a plumbing trade school;
- Connect with a head-hunter or recruitment coordinator;
- Cold-calling plumbing businesses.
More often than not, apprenticeships offer some sort of compensation for the work training that you perform since you are typically providing a service that someone is being paid for. But since the apprenticeship is training (and you do not currently hold a license) the pay is generally about half of what the pay would be if you were licensed in Delaware.
Plumbing Trade Schools in Delaware
School: Delaware Skills Center
Tuition: $125/credit
Contact Info: (302) 654-5392
Address: 500 Ships Landing Way, New Castle, DE 19729
School: Delaware Technical Community College
Tuition: $4,607/year
Contact Info: (302) 857-1000
Address: 100 Campus Dr, Dover, DE 19904
School: University of Delaware
Tuition: $12,830/year
Contact Info: (302) 831-2792
Address: Newark, DE 19716
School: Adult Education Division
Tuition: $120/credit
Contact Info: (302) 683-3642
Address: 1703 School Ln, Wilmington, DE 19808
Delaware Professional License Search
In order for a company — or an individual looking to hire a contractor — to validate and verify licensing credentials that a potential-hire possesses, they can utilize the Delaware state license database to authenticate a license.
Image Source: https://pixabay.com/