Obtaining a Plumbing Contractor license in Florida
License Requirements
License Scope
“Plumbing contractor” means a contractor whose services are unlimited in the plumbing trade and includes contracting business consisting of the execution of contracts requiring the experience, financial means, knowledge, and skill to install, maintain, repair, alter, extend, or, if not prohibited by law, design plumbing.
A plumbing contractor may install, maintain, repair, alter, extend, or, if not prohibited by law, design the following without obtaining an additional local regulatory license, certificate, or registration: sanitary drainage or storm drainage facilities, water and sewer plants and substations, venting systems, public or private water supply systems, septic tanks, drainage and supply wells, swimming pool piping, irrigation systems, and solar heating water systems and all appurtenances, apparatus, or equipment used in connection therewith, including boilers and pressure process piping and including the installation of water, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and related venting, and storm and sanitary sewer lines.
The scope of work of the plumbing contractor also includes the design, if not prohibited by law, and installation, maintenance, repair, alteration, or extension of air-piping, vacuum line piping, oxygen line piping, nitrous oxide piping, and all related medical gas systems; fire line standpipes and fire sprinklers if authorized by law; ink and chemical lines; fuel oil and gasoline piping and tank and pump installation, except bulk storage plants; and pneumatic control piping systems, all in a manner that complies with all plans, specifications, codes, laws, and regulations applicable.
The scope of work of the plumbing contractor applies to private property and public property, including any excavation work incidental thereto, and includes the work of the specialty plumbing contractor.
Method of Qualification
In order to become a licensed plumbing contractor in Florida, you must meet the following qualifications.
(a) – Is 18 years of age,
(b) – Is of good moral character, and
(c) – Meets eligibility requirements according to one of the following criteria:
- Has a total of at least 4 years of active experience as a worker who has learned the trade by serving an apprenticeship as a skilled worker who is able to command the rate of a mechanic in the particular trade or as a foreman who is in charge of a group of workers and usually is responsible to a superintendent or a contractor or his or her equivalent, provided, however, that at least 1 year of active experience shall be as a foreman.
- Has received a baccalaureate degree from an accredited 4-year college in the appropriate field of engineering, architecture, or building construction and has 1 year of proven experience in the category in which the person seeks to qualify. For the purpose of this part, a minimum of 2,000 person-hours shall be used in determining full-time equivalency.
- Has a combination of not less than 1 year of experience as a foreman and not less than 3 years of credits for any accredited college-level courses; has a combination of not less than 1 year of experience as a skilled worker, 1 year of experience as a foreman, and not less than 2 years of credits for any accredited college-level courses; or has a combination of not less than 2 years of experience as a skilled worker, 1 year of experience as a foreman, and not less than 1 year of credits for any accredited college-level courses. All junior college or community college-level courses shall be considered accredited college-level courses.
- An active certified building contractor is eligible to take the general contractors’ examination if he or she possesses a minimum of 4 years of proven experience in the classification in which he or she is certified.
- An active certified residential contractor is eligible to take the general contractors’ examination if he or she possesses a minimum of 4 years of proven experience in the classification in which he or she is certified.
Plumbing Licensing Steps
Step 1. Register for one of our comprehensive exam preparation courses, and select the exam ready book purchase option. Please note: You are allowed to use the exam ready books at the open-book Florida contractors State exam!
Step 2. Register for your Florida plumbing contractor state exam. Let us help you with your exam registration - telephone CEI at: 800-423-7058. If you are confident with the required registration process and steps then you can register through Professional Testing Inc. at: www.floridaexam.com.
Step 3. Prepare for and pass your exam.
Step 4. Mail application with your passing exam scores to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. You will receive your license within approximately 60 days after submitting the completed application.
For detailed information please visit the State of Florida website.
Preparing for the Plumbing Contractor exam in Florida
Exam Details
Exam Details - What to Expect
The Applicant will be required to pass 3 separate exams with a score of 70% or higher.
- Business & Finance Exam – 6.5 hour computer-based exam
- Plumbing Trade - Two 4.5 hour paper exams
All exams are open-book, multiple-choice, and timed.
Reference books should be brought to all three open book exams. Permanent book tabs and highlighting in books is allowed for the examinations.
Business & Finance Exam
The Business and Finance Examination is composed of 120 questions. It will be administered in one session via computer in the calm atmosphere of a convenient testing center at a time of your choosing.
Plumbing Trade Exams
The plumbing trade examinations will be administered on the same day at one of three Florida testing sites. One examination will be administered in the morning and will consist of 45 general trade questions plus five isometric drawings. The second examination will be administered in the afternoon and will consist of 65 questions of general trade knowledge.
Preparing for Your Exam
Applicants will need to get familiar with all of their exam books. Applicants must know how to properly read the test questions and quickly locate the answers. Knowing which books to use for each content area is essential to passing the exam. A quality exam preparation class is the best way to prepare for the exam. We recommend either the Pro Pack or the Power Pack to prepare for your exam.
Trust our CEI plumbing license exam prep course materials to get you to the finish line!
100% One Year Course Guarantee
Students receive access to their course for a full year from the date of their registration!
We have all the books required for the Plumbing Contractor exam.
Exam Books
EXAM READY BOOKS (Highlighted & Tabbed for the Exam)
The Florida licensing exam is an open-book exam. CEI stocks all books required for the general contractor exam.
Exam Ready Books are specially prepared to make passing the exam easier. Exam Ready Books are professionally highlighted and tabbed by CEI's staff to indicate the answers to common test questions. Book tabs will help you find the correct section of the books much more quickly when looking for the answer to an exam question, and highlights detail parts of the books from where questions are often asked.
Book set includes all references required for the Trade and Business & Finance exams:
- AIA Documents: (A-201, A-401, A-701)
- Builder's Guide to Accounting
- Florida Contractor's Manual
- Florida Statutes Chapter 455
- Code of Federal Regulations. OSHA Title 29, Part 1926
- Chapter 64E-6, Florida Administrative Code, Standards for Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems
- Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters
- NFPA 14 – Standard for the Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems
- NFPA 99 - Health Care Facilities, (Chapter 3 & 5, Annex A & C)
- Plumber’s Handbook Revised
- Solar Thermal Manual: Solar Water & Pool Heating Manual
- Florida Building Code, Mechanical
- Florida Building Code, Accessibility
- Florida Building Code, Plumbing
- Florida Building Code, Residential
- Florida Building Code, Fuel Gas
We offer in-person live classes in multiple Florida locations.
Live Classes
Locations
Sarasota, FL - CEI
CEI
5016 Calle Minorga
Sarasota, FL 34242
Orlando, FL - Spring Hill Suites
Spring Hill Suites by Marriott
5828 Hazeltine National Drive
Orlando, FL 32822
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Tamarac Campus of GoldCoast
5600 Hiatus Road
Tamarac, FL 33321