The plumbing trade is a viable career option for picking a work to engage in. Unlike certain occupations dependent on the market, plumbers are constantly in demand since houses and local businesses require plumbing services.
Because the plumbing industry in Georgia is so harsh, establishing your career road ahead of level is critical. So it would help if you learned adequately how to become a licensed plumber in Georgia.
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Licensing Requirements for Plumbers in Georgia
In Georgia, performing piping repairs without a license is prohibited. Apprenticeships or trade school are the first steps towards being a plumber, and an apprentice plumber does not require approval or certification. You can start accumulating the needed three years in the industry as an apprentice or at a technical college, then file for your journeyman plumber license under the guidance of a qualified master plumber, and then request to be a master plumber independently after another two years.
The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office’s Licensing Division manages all of Georgia’s licensing boards, including the Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers, one of 42.
Types of Plumbers Licenses in Georgia
In Georgia, there are three different categories of plumbing licenses:
Journeyman’s Permit: At least three years of relevant expertise must be documented by the applicant.
Class 1 Master License Confined: At least two years of relevant employment as a licensed novice plumber, plumbing subcontractor, piping supervisor, water manager, or army construction worker must be documented by the applicant. Class I master plumber licenses are limited to single-family or two-family dwellings, as well as small retail constructions.
Class 2 Master License Unregulated: Non-restricted candidates must have at least five years of eligible expertise, two of which must be licensed journeyman plumber, piping consultant, piping supervisor, piping director, or military contractor, but they must also explain the business or commercial plumbing expertise.
How to Obtain a Georgia Plumber’s License?
- Your age should be 18 years to participate.
- A high school degree or GED is required.
- To work in the pipeline industry, you must be physically capable.
- To qualify for a Journeyman license, you should have three years on the job; or
- To qualify for a Master’s license Class 1, you should have five years on the job, two of which must be a licensed journeyman and expertise in industrial and commercial piping to qualify for a Class 2.
- Submit the registration cost as well as the test fee.
- A candidate must supply three central licensed engineers who can vouch for the applicant’s outstanding character and piping expertise to the Division’s approval. One primary reference is a master engineer.
- According to Georgia State law, you must get a $10,000 bank guarantee and deposit it with a family judicial officer in the area where you operate, mainly before competing on projects or selling your parts of the site.
Details on the Georgia Plumber Licensing Exam
After acquiring AMP Testing Facilities, PSI Confirmatory Testing now administers the Georgia Trainee and Master Plumber Evaluations.
Each test contains the following Pre-test and Practice tests:
20 Pre-test problems + 100 Question types = 120 total topics for the Journeyman Emergency plumbing Exam.
Constrained Master Plumber Class 1 Assessment test: 24 Pre-test topics + 120 Practice tests = 144 total questions
Unregulated Master Plumber Class 2 Assessment test: 28 Pre-test topics + 140 Question types = 168 total answers
Each test is divided into two halves. The Journeyman test will take you five hours to finish: two and a half hours for Part 1, then a pause, then two and a half hours for Part 2.
The following are the key topic areas covered on the Georgia Plumbers exams:
- Observe the general laws
- Regulations must be followed.
- Pipe slicing and joining operations are performed as part of the work planning/organization.
- Carry out drainage system setup tasks
- Carry out system testing tasks
- Carry out routine repairs and maintenance.
- Issues Concerning Safety
- Figures
A Georgia Business and Law test and a component on Operational Standards and Water Pipes Design are included on both Certified Plumber Certification Tests.
Each license class is broken down in the candidate bulletin. To pass, you must score 70% or above on each test.
The Journeyman test will set you back $223. The Master Plumber test will set you back $267.
PSI Test Facilities in Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee provide computer-based exams.
What Is the Average Plumber Salary in Georgia?
The yearly mean salary for a plumbing expert in Georgia is $55,780.
Trainee: In Georgia, a trainee plumber earns $14.78 per hr and $5,500 in extra annually.
Journeyman: In Georgia, a journeyman plumber earns a median of $24.42 per hr and $10,331 in extra annually.
Salary varies considerably based on the location and various other essential areas such as transportation, licenses, supplementary talents, and the length of time you’ve worked in your field.
How much does it take to get a plumber’s license in Georgia?
There are several different expenses related to obtaining a plumber’s license in Georgia.
Journeyman plumber
The registration cost is $30.
Test fees are $223.
Every two years, there is a $75 activation cost.
Class 1 or 2 Master Plumber
The registration cost is $30.
Assessment fee: $267
Every two years, there is a $75 maintenance cost.
In Georgia, who issues plumbers’ licenses?
The licensure is overseen by the Georgia Building Construction Licensing Board – Department of Expert and Journeyman Plumbers.
Plumbing license applications are available electronically or at the following locations:
Construction Sector Licensing Board of Georgia
Master and Journeyman Plumbers Division
Coliseum Drive is located at 237 Coliseum Drive.
31217 Macon, GA
License Reciprocity in Georgia
Currently, Georgia does not have any agreements in place with other jurisdictions for plumbers.
Qualifications in Plumbing
Other credentials might help you show prospective employers and clients that you’re capable. National Inspections Training and Certification (NITC), International Union of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (ASSE Qualifications), and other certification courses are not essential. Still, they can help you stand out to potential employers and boost your commercial viability.
Renewal and continuing education
Georgia mandates you to renew your state-issued driver’s license every two years to ensure validity. Before the end date, you must request renewals. All current licensors receive an email notice around eight weeks before their license expires. The rights of plumbers expire every even-numbered year on November 30. The renewal charge is $75.00 for a two-year term. Plumbers must undergo continuous training to be eligible for renewal.
Continuing education
Georgia licensed plumbers should undertake at least 4 hours of relevant coursework every year to renew their license. A collegiate, vocational program or trade organization must offer the courses, and you must visit this kind of organization directly to determine when programs are conducted.
Insurance for Plumber in Georgia
When you are insured and want to work as a plumber, septic contractor, pipe bender, or even a building contractor who collaborates with other experts to perform repair services, you put yourself, your company, and your property in danger.
Plumbing contractors work with water mains or boreholes, gas lines, drains, refrigerators, pumps, and water systems to build, maintain, fix, and upgrade pipes and fittings. Plumbers might operate for the wider populace or specialize in residential or commercial development, renovation, or construction project.
When it pertains to Georgia plumbing protection, there are many types to consider. A company owner’s plan, or BOP, is a basic Georgia plumbers plan that covers plumbers
- General liability insurance. This covers claims for property damage and accidents caused by errors or mishaps while you or your staff are performing plumbing services.
- Property insurance. Destruction of your tools and machinery is covered under this policy.
- In the event of a loss of income, services are covered. If your business experiences a labor halt, this insurance comes in and compensates so you can continue in the company and start moving ahead.
Conclusion
Training to be a plumber is a process that cannot be rushed. Learning how to conduct this critical task successfully takes years. Most states handle this occupation to safeguard the safety of the public and product safety, mandating all plumbers to have a certain level of education and ability. Before granting a license in Georgia, the state requires a certain number of years of experience in the theory and practice of plumbing.
