Georgia Master Plumber License Requirements (2026)

The Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) Division of Master Plumbers and Journeyman Plumbers licenses plumbers statewide under O.C.G.A. Title 43 Chapter 14. Georgia issues four credentials — Journeyman Plumber, Restricted Journeyman Plumber, Master Plumber Class I (Restricted to single-family residential and four-story buildings or smaller), and Master Plumber Class II (Unrestricted, authorizing any plumbing work). The Master Plumber credential is the qualifier required for any plumbing business operating in Georgia.

The Licensing Authority

Licensing for this trade is governed by Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board (within the Georgia Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division) (GA CILB), the agency that issues and regulates the credential under Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) Title 43 Chapter 14 (electrical, plumbing, conditioned air, low-voltage, utility); Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 121. The Georgia CILB licenses electrical contractors, plumbers, conditioned air contractors, low-voltage contractors, and utility contractors statewide. The Board adopts the National Electrical Code, International Plumbing Code, and International Mechanical Code by reference. General contractors are licensed by a separate body — the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors (SLBRGC).

Official portal: https://sos.ga.gov/georgia-construction-industry-licensing-board
Address: 237 Coliseum Drive, Macon, GA 31217
Phone: (478) 207-2440

Baseline Eligibility

The threshold requirements are straightforward: age 21 or above, plus a valid Social Security Number. No Georgia residency requirement.

Good moral character

CILB conducts a fitness review on every applicant under O.C.G.A. §43-1-19. Three character references are required, including at least one from a licensed Master Plumber.

Background investigation

Mandatory criminal history background check via the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Experience and Education Requirements

A minimum of three years as a Georgia Journeyman Plumber for Class I; five years as a Georgia Journeyman Plumber for Class II — both built on top of the underlying Journeyman Plumber experience requirement of four years of supervised plumbing work must be documented and verified. Unless the board publishes a different lookback period, applicants should keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records that support the claimed experience.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

Active Georgia Journeyman Plumber license held continuously for at least three (Class I) or five (Class II) years
Notarized employment affidavits from each supervising Master Plumber
Three character references including at least one from a Georgia Master Plumber
W-2 statements, pay stubs, or 1099 records covering the qualifying period

Education substitution

Georgia does not allow education substitution for the Master Plumber experience requirement above the Journeyman level.

The Licensing Examination

Testing is handled by PSI Services LLC (under contract to CILB). The applicant has to pass each part listed here before the credential is granted:

Business and Law — 50 questions, 120 minutes, passing score 70%
Master Plumber Trade Examination — International Plumbing Code, Georgia plumbing law — 100 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 70%

Examination fee: $30 application fee paid to CILB at least 60 days before the examination, plus $110 per part paid to PSI on the day of testing.

Retake policy: Failed parts may be re-taken individually by paying a new $110 fee. Each passed part remains valid for two years.

Financial Security and Insurance

No license surety bond is mandated statewide here under the cited sources, though project-specific or public-works bonding obligations can still attach to a given job.

General liability

CILB requires Master Plumber Class II applicants to carry commercial general liability of at least $500,000 per occurrence. Most commercial owners contractually require $1,000,000/$2,000,000.

Workers' compensation

Workers' compensation insurance is mandatory in Georgia under O.C.G.A. §34-9-2 for any business with three or more employees.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$30
Examination	$220
Initial license	$200
Renewal (every 2 years)	$75

License Renewal

The Georgia Master Plumber (Class I or Class II) must be renewed every 2 years. The fee to renew is presently $75. Georgia Master Plumber licenses renew every two years on June 30 of even-numbered years.

Continuing education: Four hours of CILB-approved continuing education annually, covering International Plumbing Code updates and Georgia plumbing law.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Georgia Plumber License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity Map

Georgia grants no NASCLA reciprocity for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
Alabama	Trade exam waived	Bilateral CILB–Alabama plumbing reciprocity for active master plumbers in good standing.
Louisiana	Trade exam waived	Bilateral CILB–Louisiana plumbing reciprocity.
North Carolina	Trade exam waived	Bilateral CILB–North Carolina plumbing reciprocity.
South Carolina	Trade exam waived	Bilateral CILB–South Carolina plumbing reciprocity.
Tennessee	Trade exam waived	Bilateral CILB–Tennessee plumbing reciprocity.

Georgia maintains bilateral plumbing reciprocity agreements with several southeastern states. NASCLA does not administer a plumbing examination.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares Plumber license requirements in every state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

The Licensing Roadmap

Hold a Georgia Journeyman Plumber license for at least three (Class I) or five (Class II) years. The Journeyman Plumber credential is a prerequisite. It requires four years of supervised plumbing work and passing the Journeyman exam.
Collect notarized employment affidavits and three character references. At least one character reference must come from a Georgia-licensed Master Plumber.
Submit the CILB Master Plumber Examination Application at least 60 days before the exam. File with the $30 application fee. CILB staff verify the Journeyman license history and authorize the examination.
Schedule the PSI Business and Law and Trade examinations. Pay $110 per part to PSI on the day of testing. Score 70% on each part.
Submit insurance documentation. File the $500,000 general liability certificate (Class II) with CILB.
Receive the Master Plumber license. CILB issues the wallet card after the exams are passed and all documentation is complete.

Preparation Resources

These materials are drawn from the regulator's own citations and the references applicants commonly use to prepare. CLR receives no compensation for listing them.

International Plumbing Code (IPC), Georgia adopted edition — International Code Council / Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Primary technical reference. Open-book at the PSI test center.
O.C.G.A. Title 43 Chapter 14 and Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 121 — State of Georgia. Licensing law and rules.

Before Filing: A Checklist

Have each of the following squared away before the packet goes to GA CILB:

☐ Active Georgia Journeyman Plumber license held continuously for three (Class I) or five (Class II) years
☐ CILB Master Plumber Examination Application with $30 fee, filed at least 60 days before the examination
☐ Three character references including at least one from a Georgia Master Plumber
☐ Notarized employment affidavits from each supervising Master Plumber
☐ Certificate of Insurance — $500,000 general liability minimum (Class II)

Common Application Pitfalls

The errors below are the ones that most frequently cost Georgia Plumber applicants time, drawn from the cited board guidance.

Forgetting the Master Plumber character reference

Georgia requires at least one of the three character references to come from a licensed Master Plumber. Applications submitted with three references from non-Master plumbers are rejected.

Missing the 60-day application deadline

The CILB Master Plumber application must reach the Board at least 60 days before the desired examination date. Late applications are deferred to the next available exam window.

Choosing the wrong class

A Class I Master Plumber who plumbs a five-story building is operating outside the licensed scope. Class II is required for any building over four stories.

Letting the Journeyman license lapse

The three- or five-year Journeyman prerequisite must be continuous. A Journeyman license that has been inactive does not count toward the Master Plumber prerequisite.

Forgetting annual continuing education

Georgia requires four hours of CE annually, not just every two years at renewal.

Other Georgia Trade Licenses

For a different Georgia credential, see these companion guides published by CLR:

Answers to Common Questions

What is the difference between Georgia Master Plumber Class I and Class II?

Class I (Restricted) is limited to single-family residential and four-story buildings or smaller, with a three-year Journeyman prerequisite. Class II (Unrestricted) authorizes any plumbing work with no building height limit and requires a five-year Journeyman prerequisite.

Why does Georgia require a character reference from a Master Plumber?

O.C.G.A. Title 43 Chapter 14 requires three character references for each Master Plumber applicant, of which at least one must come from a licensed Master Plumber. The requirement is enforced strictly — applications without a Master Plumber reference are rejected.

When is the Master Plumber application due?

CILB requires the Master Plumber Examination Application to reach the Board at least 60 days before the desired examination date. The $30 application fee is non-refundable.

Does Georgia reciprocate plumbing credentials?

Yes. Georgia maintains bilateral plumbing reciprocity agreements with Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Active master plumbers in good standing in those states may apply for the Georgia credential without retaking the Trade exam.

How often does the Georgia Master Plumber license renew?

Every two years on a fixed cycle ending June 30 of even-numbered years. Renewal requires the standard fee plus four hours of CILB-approved continuing education annually.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-05-06 · Next scheduled review 2026-08-04