How to become a plumber in Colorado
6Verified from the board0Board page checked0Research-seeded, not yet verified
Newest check Aug 28, 2026 · Sources: Colorado DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations, State Plumbing Board ↗
Re-checked every 6 h · full re-verify quarterly · Changes ↓
What are the plumbing license tiers in Colorado, and what does each require?
Rows checked against Colorado DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations, State Plumbing Board (dpo.colorado.gov) ↗ · newest Aug 28, 2026 · full re-verify quarterly · heartbeat every 6 h · how labels work
Who licenses plumbing here
State-licensed
Colorado licenses plumbers at the state level — the ladder below is the state board's.
Scope derived by the importer from the dataset author's notes (derived:is_state_licensed); the board pass confirms it.
No experience
Colorado publishes no statewide dollar threshold for unlicensed work in the pages we read; the contractor statute and your city decide. Electrical and plumbing work are excluded — they are licensed at any job size.
- Verified from the boardColorado DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations, State Plumbing Board ↗
apprentice (registration)
apprentice · Colorado DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations, State Plumbing Board
- Experience
- — (registration only)
- Class hours
- —
- Prerequisites
- Register before working; annual experience reporting; apprentices attach to a plumbing contractor.
- Exam
- not stated on the pages read
- Fees
- — application · — exam · — license
- Renewal
- — · CE not stated
- Verified from the boardColorado DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations, State Plumbing Board ↗
residential plumber
specialty · Colorado DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations, State Plumbing Board
- Experience
- 3,400 hrs (≈ 1.7 yrs)
- Class hours
- —
- Prerequisites
- 2 years (3,400 hours) verified practical experience via Affidavit of Experience from plumbing-contractor employers; exam. CE 8 hrs per licensure year.
- Exam
- PSI
- Fees
- — application · — exam (in the vendor bulletin) · — license
- Renewal
- every 2 years · 16 CE hrs
- Verified from the boardColorado DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations, State Plumbing Board ↗
journeyworker plumber
journeyman · Colorado DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations, State Plumbing Board
- Experience
- 6,800 hrs (≈ 3.4 yrs)
- Class hours
- —
- Prerequisites
- 4 years (6,800 hours) practical experience; exam. CE 8 hrs per licensure year.
- Exam
- PSI
- Fees
- — application · — exam (in the vendor bulletin) · — license
- Renewal
- every 2 years · 16 CE hrs
- Verified from the boardColorado DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations, State Plumbing Board ↗
master plumber
master · Colorado DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations, State Plumbing Board
- Experience
- 8,500 hrs (≈ 4.3 yrs)
- Class hours
- —
- Prerequisites
- Five full-time years (8,500 hours) practical experience (163 hrs = 1 month); exam. CE 8 hrs per licensure year.
- Exam
- PSI
- Fees
- — application · — exam (in the vendor bulletin) · — license
- Renewal
- every 2 years · 16 CE hrs
- Verified from the boardColorado DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations, State Plumbing Board ↗
plumbing contractor (registration)
contractor · Colorado DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations, State Plumbing Board
- Experience
- —
- Class hours
- —
- Prerequisites
- Must employ a master plumber (Acknowledgment of Responsibility); expires last day of February of odd-numbered years.
- Exam
- not stated on the pages read
- Fees
- — application · — exam · — license
- Renewal
- every 2 years · CE not stated
Where are you now? Find your next gate
Your next gate
apprentice (registration)
- Hours remaining (of 0)
- 0 — eligible to apply
- Exam
- not stated
- Fees (application / exam)
- — / —
Apprenticeship, trade school, or community college — which is cheapest in Colorado?
| Route | Cost to you | Time | Counts toward the license? | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered apprenticeship (union JATC or IEC/ABC open-shop) | Paid from day one (~45% of journeyman scale in period 1) | 4–5 years | Yes — every hour | Denver (5) |
| Community / technical college certificate | Tuition (public, usually the cheapest classroom route) | 12–24 months | Classroom hours in some states; the credential opens helper/apprentice doors | Emily Griffith Technical College |
| For-profit trade school | Tuition (often the most expensive) | 6–15 months | Same as community college — check the board | Not listed here until IPEDS completions are joined; no school is ranked by what it pays us |
No credentials yet?
Colorado publishes no statewide dollar threshold for unlicensed work in the pages we read; the contractor statute and your city decide. Electrical and plumbing work are excluded — they are licensed at any job size. Start-here page for Colorado →
Plumbing in Colorado's metros
Questions people actually ask
Do I need a license to work as a plumber in Colorado?
Yes — the first state gate is the apprentice (registration) (Colorado DORA — Division of Professions and Occupations, State Plumbing Board). It is a registration with no hours or exam; you can start the week you are hired.
How long does it take to become a journeyman plumber in Colorado?
6,800 hrs (≈ 3.4 yrs) of documented experience, then the PSI exam.
What can I do for pay in Colorado with no license at all?
Colorado publishes no statewide dollar threshold for unlicensed work in the pages we read; the contractor statute and your city decide. Electrical and plumbing work are excluded — they are licensed at any job size.
What does a plumber make in Colorado?
The statewide median is $63,240 per year (BLS OEWS May 2025); metros in the state run from Denver — each has its own pay page.
Apprenticeship, trade school, or community college?
A registered apprenticeship pays you from day one (about 45% of journeyman scale in period 1) and counts every hour toward the license; trade school costs tuition and counts only classroom hours in most states; a community-college certificate (6–24 months) is the cheapest classroom route and often feeds a sponsor. The sponsor pages list every option we can find for your metro.
What changed in this data?
No changes recorded yet for this page.