StateLicensed

Plumber License Requirements in California

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
—
Upfront cost
$650
Exam
Law and Business Exam, C-36 Plumbing Trade Exam
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
California Contractors State License Board (CSLB)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Pass a criminal background check. No minimum age requirement for a C-36 applicant/Qualifying Individual was found on CSLB's application or exam FAQ pages; left null rather than assumed. Every applicant must submit fingerprints for a criminal background check run against California Department of Justice and FBI records; CSLB sends fingerprinting instructions after accepting the application. [5]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete the required training. California does not license individual journeyman/master plumbers at the state level — it licenses plumbing CONTRACTING businesses through the CSLB's C-36 classification (this record uses that contractor-licensing pathway; some cities separately certify journeyman plumbers for local permitting purposes, which is outside CSLB's scope). The Qualifying Individual for a C-36 license needs 4 years of journey-level (or foreman/supervising-employee/contractor/owner-builder) experience within the preceding 10 years, not a fixed classroom-hour count, so 'hours' is left null. Credit toward the 4 years may include up to 3 years of approved trade/vocational/college coursework, provided at least 1 year is hands-on field experience. [1]

  3. 3

    Law and Business Exam

    Pass the Law and Business Exam. Computer-based, at a PSI test center or online where permitted; covers contract law, mechanics liens, business management, employment law, taxes, safety, and the Contractors License Law. Required for every classification, including C-36. CSLB's own Examination FAQ states each exam is a separate fee paid directly to PSI, but does not publish a fixed dollar amount; applicants must check PSI's current fee schedule at the time of scheduling, so this record leaves the fee null rather than citing a third-party estimate. [2]

  4. 4

    C-36 Plumbing Trade Exam

    Pass the C-36 Plumbing Trade Exam. Computer-based, at a PSI test center or online where permitted; covers plumbing systems, codes, tools, safety, and water/gas systems specific to the C-36 scope. Same fee caveat as the Law and Business Exam above — CSLB does not publish a fixed PSI fee amount on its own site. [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) with the $450 application fee. [3]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) issues your C-36 Plumbing Contractor License for California.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $450
License fee [3] $200
Renewal fee [3] $450
Law and Business Exam [2] None specified
C-36 Plumbing Trade Exam [2] None specified
Initial license fee, non-sole-owner entity [3] $350
Active timely renewal, non-sole-owner entity [3] $700
Contractor's Bond (required, not a CSLB fee) [3] $25,000

$450 non-refundable Application for Original Contractor's License fee (covers exam/waiver review for one classification), then a $200 Initial License Fee for a sole-owner licensee (activates the first 2-year cycle; $350 for a non-sole-owner entity such as an LLC or corporation). Renewal every 2 years is $450 for a sole owner ($700 non-sole-owner). None of these figures include the separate PSI exam fees. A $25,000 contractor's license bond must also be filed before the license issues (an LLC must additionally post a $100,000 LLC Employee/Worker Bond) — this is a surety cost paid to a bonding company, not a CSLB fee, and is listed under 'other' for reference only.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

Licenses renew on a 2-year cycle. No continuing-education hour requirement for C-36 license renewal was found on CSLB's renewal or fee pages.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

No interstate compact covers plumbing contracting. CSLB has formal bilateral reciprocity agreements with 5 states — Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, and North Carolina — covering specified classifications where scope of practice and licensing requirements are identical or fundamentally indistinguishable. Under reciprocity, an applicant holding a current license in one of these states in a matching classification may have the C-36 trade exam waived, but CSLB retains the right to still require it, and the Law and Business exam is always still required. Reciprocity does not apply to every classification even within these 5 states.

6 state-approved training providers in California — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $450
  • $200
Total$650

Frequently asked questions

Does California license individual plumbers?

No. California licenses plumbing CONTRACTING businesses through the CSLB's C-36 classification, not individual journeyman or master plumbers at the state level. A licensed business must have a Qualifying Individual who meets the experience and exam requirements. Some cities separately certify journeyman plumbers for local permitting.

How much experience does a C-36 Qualifying Individual need?

4 years of journey-level (or foreman/supervising-employee/contractor/owner-builder) experience within the preceding 10 years. Up to 3 of those years may come from approved trade, vocational, or college coursework, provided at least 1 year is hands-on field experience.

What exams does the C-36 Plumbing Contractor license require?

A Law and Business Exam (required for every CSLB classification) and a C-36 Plumbing Trade Exam, both administered by PSI Services either at a test center or online where permitted.

What does it cost to get a C-36 Plumbing Contractor license in California?

A $450 non-refundable application fee, then a $200 initial license fee for a sole owner ($350 for an LLC or corporation), not including PSI's exam fees. A $25,000 contractor's bond must also be filed (plus a $100,000 LLC Worker Bond for LLC licensees).

Can I transfer my out-of-state plumbing contractor license to California?

CSLB has formal reciprocity agreements with Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, and North Carolina for matching classifications, which can waive the C-36 trade exam (though CSLB retains discretion to still require it). The Law and Business exam is always required regardless of reciprocity.

Sources

  1. [1] cslb.ca.gov/Contractors/Applicants/Contractors_License/Exam_Application/Experience_For_Exam.aspx — accessed 2026-07-12
  2. [2] cslb.ca.gov/About_us/Examination_FAQ.aspx — accessed 2026-07-12
  3. [3] cslb.ca.gov/about_us/library/fees.aspx — accessed 2026-07-12
  4. [4] cslb.ca.gov/Renewals.aspx — accessed 2026-07-12
  5. [5] cslb.ca.gov/contractors/applicants/contractors_license/exam_application/applying_for_license.aspx — accessed 2026-07-12
  6. [6] cslb.ca.gov/Contractors/Applicants/Reciprocity/General_Reciprocity_Information.aspx — accessed 2026-07-12