Plumber License Requirements in Oregon
- Training hours
- 8276 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $100
- Exam
- Oregon Journeyman Plumber Examination
- Renewal cycle
- Every 3 years
- Issuing board
- Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD), Department of Consumer and Business Services
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
High school diploma, GED, or equivalent (a college degree also satisfies this requirement). No minimum age is stated on the Journeyman Plumber application or BCD's license-directory entry, and no criminal background check requirement is mentioned in either — applicants instead sign an affidavit certifying the application is accurate, with false statements or exam cheating barring reapplication/retesting for one year (OAR 918-001-0040). [1]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 8276 hours of training. Pathway 1 (the standard path): at least 576 hours of plumbing-related classroom training (OAR 918-695-0030(2)(a)) plus 3,850 hours of lawful commercial on-the-job experience plus 3,850 hours of lawful residential on-the-job experience (576 + 3,850 + 3,850 = 8,276 total hours, recorded here). Pathway 2 (for applicants already holding an out-of-state individual-installer license with similar scope): 7,700 hours of commercial work experience plus 7,700 hours of residential work experience under that license, with no separate classroom-hour requirement — so approvedProgramRequired is false since classroom training is mandatory only under Pathway 1. BCD counts a maximum of 2,000 hours of experience per year toward either pathway (OAR 918-030-0030(4)). [1]
- 3
Oregon Journeyman Plumber Examination
Pass the Oregon Journeyman Plumber Examination. Open-book exam on the Oregon Plumbing Specialty Code and Oregon plumbing rules; commonly reported as 80 questions with a 75% passing score, though this specific figure was not confirmed on an official BCD page Fee is left null: several non-official licensing-service sites consistently cite an $85 PSI exam fee, but this research could not verify that figure on an official oregon.gov page during this session, and per site policy unverified numbers are recorded as null rather than carried over from aggregator sites. [2]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD), Department of Consumer and Business Services. [3]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Oregon Building Codes Division (BCD), Department of Consumer and Business Services issues your Journeyman Plumber (JP) License for Oregon.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [3] | None specified |
| License fee [3] | $100 |
| Renewal fee [3] | None specified |
| Oregon Journeyman Plumber Examination [2] | None specified |
The Journeyman Plumber License Application (BCD form 440-2571) shows a single $100 fee due with the application; BCD's official license-directory entry likewise lists $100 as the initial-license fee (duplicate licenses cost $10), so there is no separate application fee distinct from the license fee. Renewal fee is left null — BCD's renewal page confirms a renewal process exists but does not publish the dollar amount on the pages reviewed; a non-official site cites $195, which could not be confirmed officially.
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 3 years. 24 continuing education hours required per cycle.
Oregon's official License Directory entry for the Journeyman Plumber (JP) license states: "License renewal is every three years on April 1" with renewal notices mailed about six weeks before expiration, and lists "24 total required hours" of continuing education. BCD's plumbing CE page (oregon.gov/bcd/ce/pages/plumbing.aspx) confirms CE is required for renewal and that some of it must be code-change coursework plus an Oregon rule-and-law course, though the exact category breakdown did not render on the page as fetched for this research. All division-issued licenses can be renewed online within 45 days of the expiration date.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
BCD's official reciprocal-licenses page lists bilateral Journeyman Plumber reciprocity agreements with Idaho and Montana only (not Washington, despite some third-party sites claiming otherwise). BCD will accept a reciprocal license only from a state where the applicant actually tested (not itself obtained by reciprocity), and the out-of-state license must be current, active, equivalent or higher, and free of violations/conditions within the past 3 years; applicants use the Reciprocal Plumbing License Application. No interstate compact covers plumbing licensure.
Cost calculator
- $100
Frequently asked questions
How much experience do I need to become a Journeyman Plumber in Oregon?
The standard path requires 576 hours of plumbing-related classroom training plus 3,850 hours of commercial and 3,850 hours of residential on-the-job experience (8,276 hours total). Applicants who already hold a similar out-of-state individual-installer license can instead qualify with 7,700 hours each of commercial and residential experience under that license, without the classroom-hour requirement.
What does an Oregon Journeyman Plumber license cost?
$100, due with the application — BCD's license directory and the application form both show a single $100 fee covering the license (application fees are nonrefundable).
How often do I need to renew, and is continuing education required?
Oregon Journeyman Plumber licenses renew every 3 years, on April 1, and require 24 hours of continuing education (including code-change and Oregon rule-and-law coursework) to renew.
Can I transfer my out-of-state plumbing license to Oregon?
Only through BCD's confirmed reciprocity agreements with Idaho and Montana. Your license must be active, equivalent or higher than an Oregon JP license, earned by testing in that state (not by that state's own reciprocity), and free of violations in the past 3 years.
Is there a minimum age or background check to get licensed?
BCD's application materials don't list a minimum age or criminal background check requirement for the Journeyman Plumber license. You do need a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent (a college degree also qualifies), and you sign an affidavit affirming the accuracy of your application.
Sources
- [1] oregon.gov/bcd/Formslibrary/2571.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
- [2] oregon.gov/bcd/licensing/pages/exam.aspx — accessed 2026-07-12
- [3] apps.oregon.gov/SOS/LicenseDirectory/LicenseDetail/675 — accessed 2026-07-12
- [4] oregon.gov/bcd/licensing/pages/reciprocal.aspx — accessed 2026-07-12