You may not have thought about it much before, but if you’re facing a major plumbing project you may be wondering, “What are the California plumbing license requirements?” Or perhaps, “Do I need a master plumber or someone with a special license for this job?”\u00a0 So just what are the appropriate laws and precautions?\u00a0 Well, it’s complicated.<\/p>\n
Pretty much all states require some sort of training and plumbing license for someone to legally be a plumber.\u00a0 There’s 3 generally accepted levels or types of plumbers.\u00a0 They relate to training and experience and only indirectly to what sorts of services they’re qualified to provide.\u00a0 The exact requirements vary by state.<\/p>\n
Here it’s the contracting company, not the plumber, that must be licensed.\u00a0\u00a0A contractor is the person or business that’s legally responsible for the work being done.\u00a0 That can be an individual,\u00a0a partnership, a joint venture, or a corporation.\u00a0 So, often the “contractor” is the business owner who does some or all of the work.<\/p>\n
Surprisingly, in the State of California there’s no license necessary to work as an apprentice or journeyman plumber and there’s no official designation for master plumber.\u00a0 But to be legal all work totaling over $500 in materials and labor must be performed by a licensed contractor, with that license coming from the CSLB (California Contractors State License Board).<\/p>\n
But you still want to hire someone with the right training and experience for the job you have.\u00a0 And there\u00a0are<\/em>\u00a0special contractor licenses for certain types of plumbing.<\/p>\n For general services including water pipes and storage tanks along with vents, flues, and connections for gas appliances (including water heater repair and installation) there’s a CSLB\u00a0C-36<\/strong>\u00a0license.\u00a0 There’s also a separate\u00a0C-55<\/strong>\u00a0for installing water conditioners.<\/p>\n Sewer cleaning usually isn’t a big deal.\u00a0 But when a sewer line need repair or replacement, or for new installations there’s\u00a0C-42<\/strong>.\u00a0 This special license also applies to installing storm drains.<\/p>\n Many jurisdictions require special license to work on gas piping.\u00a0 That’s a good idea considering the potentially explosive results of a natural gas leak.\u00a0 Repairing, upgrading the capacity, and installing gas lines are best left to a master plumber.\u00a0 Most locations also require a city or utility company inspection after any work before the gas is turned back on.<\/p>\n There’s also a special CSLB license for work on boilers —\u00a0C-4<\/strong>.\u00a0 Often called a hot water heating contractors license, it’s needed for large commercial water heaters, boilers, and steam fitting.\u00a0 These are complicated systems with the potential for a steam explosion, so an expert needs some very special training.<\/p>\nWhat About Sewer Lines?<\/h2>\n
Gas Lines<\/h2>\n
Boilers<\/h2>\n