North Carolina Plumber License Requirements

Official classification: Plumbing Contractor, Class I / Class II (and Restricted Limited Plumbing Contractor) · Issued by the North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors.

🔧 PlumberNC ✔ Verified 2026-06-17

License types

Plumbing Class I Contractor (P-I) — Plumbing systems of any type and size in any building
Plumbing Class II Contractor (P-II) — Plumbing systems in single-family detached residential dwellings
Restricted Limited Plumbing Contractor — Narrow scope of limited plumbing work

Requirements at a glance

Experience required	Contractor: 2 years (4,000 hours) of on-site full-time experience in installation, maintenance, service or repair of plumbing systems. Restricted Limited Plumbing: 9 months (1,500 hours).
Application fee	$150 (exam application)
License fee	Included with exam application
Renewal fee	$150 (contractor); $25 late fee if not paid in January
Renewal period	Annual (expires Dec 31; no grace period)
Continuing education	None required (CE as a renewal condition was eliminated Dec 31, 2012); voluntary CE encouraged.
Bond required	No surety bond mandated by the Board.
Liability insurance	Not mandated by the Board (general liability is commonly carried and recommended, but is not a license condition).
Property damage	Not mandated by the Board
Workers' comp	Not enforced by the Board; required under NC labor law if you have 3+ employees
Background check	Criminal background report required; must be current (within 6 months) for application/reexamination.
Credit requirement	None published
Reciprocity	None
Processing time	Applications reviewed in order received; exam authorization is valid for a 90-day window.

Exams

Plumbing contractor examination

Provider: PSI
Passing: Not publicly disclosed
Fee: $150 examination application fee (non-refundable)

Fees and rules change frequently (often annually). This page was last verified on 2026-06-17 — always confirm current requirements directly with the North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors before applying. This is not legal advice.