StateLicensed

Plumber License Requirements in Delaware

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
—
Upfront cost
$173
Exam
Apprenticeship By-Pass Examination, Master Plumber Licensure Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Pass a criminal background check. No minimum age requirement for Master Plumber applicants was found in 24 Del. C. Chapter 18 or the Board's application pages; left null rather than assumed. A criminal background check is required (fingerprinting via IdentoGO); an applicant cannot hold a conviction for a crime the Board has designated as 'substantially related' to plumbing work, meaning the conduct has a direct bearing on fitness to perform the duties of a Master Plumber. [5]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete the required training. Delaware issues only a single state-level plumbing practice license — Master Plumber; it does not issue a separate Journeyman practice license (a 'Journeyman Certificate' from a federally-approved apprenticeship program is a prerequisite document, not a standalone state license). This record uses the Master Plumber license as the pathway. Two routes qualify an applicant: (1) with a Journeyman Certificate (from a program such as the Delaware Department of Labor's, typically ~4 years / 8,000 hours) plus at least 2 years of work experience under a licensed Master afterward; or (2) without a Journeyman Certificate, at least 7 years of work experience under a licensed Master's supervision, subject to Board review and passage of an Apprenticeship By-Pass Exam. Hours are experience-based, not a fixed classroom-hour count, so 'hours' is left null. [1]

  3. 3

    Apprenticeship By-Pass Examination

    Pass the Apprenticeship By-Pass Examination. Required only for applicants who lack a Journeyman Certificate and are instead qualifying through the 7-year supervised-experience path; the Board must approve the applicant's experience before this exam can be scheduled. Minimum passing score is 70%. [2]

  4. 4

    Master Plumber Licensure Examination

    Pass the Master Plumber Licensure Examination. Offered in-person at four Delaware locations (Wilmington, Newark, Dover) or online via the Examroom service, by scheduled appointment. Required of all Master Plumber applicants after the Board approves their application. Minimum passing score is 70%; an applicant who fails 3 times must reapply as a new applicant and wait 1 year before testing again. No fixed exam fee is published by the Board — ProV provides current pricing in its Candidate Information Bulletin sent after Board approval. [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation) with the $173 application fee. [3]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation) issues your Master Plumber License for Delaware.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $173
License fee [3] None specified
Renewal fee [3] None specified
Apprenticeship By-Pass Examination [2] None specified
Master Plumber Licensure Examination [2] None specified
Temporary Plumber/HVACR permit [3] $40

The Board's published Fee Schedule lists only a $173 Plumber application fee (no separate license-issuance line item, so 'license' is left null). The renewal fee is not published as a fixed figure — the Board states licensees 'are notified of the amount of the renewal fee at the time of renewal,' so 'renewal' is left null; a late fee equal to 50% of the (unpublished) renewal fee applies if renewed after expiration.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years. 5 continuing education hours required per cycle.

Plumbing licenses expire October 31 of even-numbered years. For a licensee's first renewal, the required continuing-education hours are prorated by when the license was issued during the 2-year period (0, 3, or 5 hours depending on issuance timing); for all subsequent renewals, 5 hours are owed each 2-year cycle (unless the licensee holds dual licenses, e.g. Plumber + HVACR).

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

No interstate compact covers plumbing. Delaware offers reciprocity to an applicant holding a current Master Plumber license from another U.S. jurisdiction with 'substantially similar' standards. Per the Board's own reciprocity table: Connecticut, Iowa, and Maryland licensees need submit no proof of experience; licensees from Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, or West Virginia must submit proof of at least 7 years practicing as a Master after licensure there; any other state or U.S. territory is evaluated case-by-case from that jurisdiction's law and regulations. Pennsylvania plumbing licenses (issued locally, not by a state board) do not qualify for reciprocity — those applicants must apply by examination.

1 state-approved training provider in Delaware — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $173
Total$173

Frequently asked questions

Does Delaware issue a separate Journeyman Plumber license?

No. Delaware's Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners issues only a Master Plumber practice license at the state level. A 'Journeyman Certificate' from a completed apprenticeship program is a prerequisite document toward the Master license, not a standalone state license to practice unsupervised.

How much experience does Delaware require for a Master Plumber license?

With a Journeyman Certificate: at least 2 years of supervised work experience after receiving it. Without one: at least 7 years of supervised work experience, plus passing an Apprenticeship By-Pass Exam once the Board approves your experience.

Who administers Delaware's Master Plumber exam?

ProV Exam administers the Master Plumber Licensure Examination, offered in-person at four Delaware locations or online. Applicants without a Journeyman Certificate must additionally pass an Apprenticeship By-Pass Examination administered by Associated Builders and Contractors Delaware, using NCCER materials. Both require a 70% passing score.

What does it cost to apply for a Master Plumber license in Delaware?

A $173 application fee. Renewal fees aren't published as a fixed number — the Board notifies each licensee of the amount at renewal time.

How often does a Delaware Master Plumber license need to be renewed?

Every 2 years, expiring October 31 of even-numbered years. Continuing education is 5 hours per 2-year cycle at subsequent renewals (the first renewal's CE requirement is prorated based on issuance timing).

Sources

  1. [1] dpr.delaware.gov/boards/plumbers/newlicense/ — accessed 2026-07-12
  2. [2] dpr.delaware.gov/boards/plumbers/examinations/ — accessed 2026-07-12
  3. [3] dpr.delaware.gov/boards/plumbers/fees/ — accessed 2026-07-12
  4. [4] dpr.delaware.gov/boards/plumbers/continuing-education-and-audit-information/ — accessed 2026-07-12
  5. [5] dpr.delaware.gov/criminal-background-check/ — accessed 2026-07-12