General contractors in Utah must meet multiple requirements set by the Utah Department of Commerce Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL). In addition to those requirements, plumbing contractors must meet requirements set by the Plumber Licensing Act in the Utah Administrative Code (AUC).
In Utah, a plumbing contractor must first work as an apprentice, continue onto Journeyman, and then finish as a Master. Each license requires education, a certain number of work hours, and examinations.
Utah Plumbing License Reciprocity
Utah does not recognize reciprocity from other states. In order to be licensed in Utah, a contractor must be a resident of the state and meet all education, experience and exam requirements.
Utah Plumbing Master License Requirements
According to the UAC, a master plumber (MP) is “a person licensed under this chapter as a master plumber having the qualifications, training, experience, and technical knowledge to engage in the plumbing trade.”
To become an MP, these requirements must be met:
- The completion of 4,000 hours of supervised experience including:
- 700 hours of supervising employees;
- 700 hour of supervising construction projects;
- 300 hours of cost/price management;
- And 300 hours of miscellaneous construction experience.
- All experience obtained with no more than 2,000 hours in a 12-month period.
- And an Associate of Applied Sciences degree at one of the specified schools and courses of study in the UAC.
MP applicants must also take two exams — a practical exam and a theory exam. If the applicant has already passed the practical exam for the Journeyman license, then they are not required to take it for the Master’s license. The fee for the practical exam is $103, and the fee for the theory exam is $89.
Residential Master Plumber
A residential Master plumber (RMP) is similar to a Master plumber, except they only work on residential buildings. There is a separate RMP theory exam and RMP practical exam, but the stipulations are the same for the practical exam, and all exam fees are the same as the MP.
Utah Plumbing Journeyman License Requirements
The UAC defines a Journeyman plumber (JP) as, “a person licensed under this chapter as a journeyman plumber having the qualifications, training, experience, and technical knowledge to engage in the plumbing trade.”
To become a JP, these requirements must be met:
- 8,000 hours of training and instruction in four years, or 16,000 hours of on the job training and instruction in eight years;
- The 8,000 hours shall include 576 clock hours of related classroom instruction;
- An apprenticeship obtained while licensed as an apprentice plumber;
- On the job training and instruction in specific areas;
- And the hours obtained be the minimum number of hours listed in the UAC.
Residential Journeyman Plumber
Like the MP, there is also a residential Journeyman plumber (RJP). The requirements to become an RJP are:
- 6,000 hours of training and instruction in three years;
- The 6,000 hours shall include 432 clock hours of related classroom instruction;
- The hours must be obtained while licensed as an apprentice plumber;
- On the job training and instruction in specific areas;
- And the hours obtained must be the minimum number of hours listed in the UAC.
If schooling is not an option, then additional requirements for a residential journeyman license are:
- 12,000 hours of experience in six years;
- And at least 9,000 hours of experience directly involved in the plumbing trade.
If an RJP wishes to become a JP, they need 2,000 hours of on the job training in industrial or commercial plumbing as an apprentice plumber, as well as additional schooling.
Plumbing Journeyman Exam
The JP and the RJP require different exams. The JP theory exam and the RJP theory exam differ in subject areas but have the same amount of questions. The JP and RPJ practical exam are the same as the MP and the RMP practical exam, respectively. All license exams have the same fees: $89 for the theory exam and $103 for the practical exam.
Plumbing Apprenticeship Requirements
Those who wish to be an apprentice in Utah must fill out the apprentice plumber application. A $116 nonrefundable fee must be paid to the DOPL, as well as any supporting documents.
Utah Plumbing Apprentice Jobs
A list of apprentice jobs can be found through the state’s website or other job sites.
Plumbing Trade Schools in Utah
Ogden-Weber Technical College
Tuition: $320/semester
Location: Ogden, UT
Type: Public
Request more information to learn more about the program.
Davis Technical College
Tuition: $2,472 (High school students are exempt from tuition and fees)
Location: Kaysville, UT
Type: Public
Email the college to get more information.
Dixie Tech
Tuition: $202/semester
Location: St. George, UT
Type: Public
Meet with an advisor to learn more information.
Mountainland Technical College
Tuition: $3,032
Location: Orem, UT
Type: Public
Contact a counselor to learn more.
Utah Professional License Search
The DOPL provides a license database to search or verify professional credentials.
For More License and Career Guides
To find out how to become a Plumbing Contractor in another state, start here.
For information on other trades in Utah, click on a link below to learn more about the licensing requirements:
Call Us