How to become a plumber in Georgia
4Verified from the board0Board page checked0Research-seeded, not yet verified
Newest check Aug 28, 2026 · Sources: Georgia Secretary of State — State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers ↗
Re-checked every 6 h · full re-verify quarterly · Changes ↓
What are the plumbing license tiers in Georgia, and what does each require?
Rows checked against Georgia Secretary of State — State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers (sos.ga.gov) ↗ · newest Aug 28, 2026 · full re-verify quarterly · heartbeat every 6 h · how labels work
Who licenses plumbing here
State licenses contractors · cities license journeymen
Georgia licenses plumber contractors at the state level, but the journeyman and master cards come from your city or county. The state rungs below are the contractor tiers; the local rung is where you start.
Scope derived by the importer from the dataset author's notes (derived:author-notes); the board pass confirms it.
No experience
Georgia 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.
Journeyman / master: your city or county
In Georgia the journeyman and master cards are issued by cities and counties, not the state. Your local building department sets the hours and exam; the state rungs below are the contractor tiers you reach afterwards.
Your city or county (journeyman / master cards) — not yet mapped ↗placeholder — not yet mapped
Research-seeded, not yet verifiedresearch dataset ↗Read in real Chrome 2026-08-28: Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers FAQ and How-To Guide (note: the seeded board URL /georgia-state-board-master-and-journeyman-plumbers is a 404; live pages are /page/division-master-and-journeyman-plumbers-faq and /how-to-guide/how-guide-plumber-license). Quotes: 'Journeyman Plumbers – must have at least 1 year of experience in plumbing work as would be covered by the Georgia State Plumbing Code'; 'Class I Master Plumber - limited to plumbing involving single-family dwellings and one-level dwellings designed for not more than two families and commercial structures not to exceed 10,000 square feet in area'; 'Class II Master Plumber – no restrictions'; 'Applicants for statewide Master Plumber license must document a minimum of five (5) years of experience ... with at least two (2) of the five (5) years being licensed as a Journeyman Plumber. Applicants for Class II Master Plumber license must also document experience in commercial or industrial plumbing'; 'No, Georgia does not have reciprocity with any other states for Master or Journeyman Plumbers'; renewal 'by November 30 of even-numbered years' (late Dec 1-31); 'Yes, 4 continuing education hours are required annually (a total of 8 hours per renewal)'; vendor 'PSI'; 'Only licensed Master Plumbers may have a business (not Journeyman)'. Application fee not shown on the guide ('application with fee'); the GOALS fee schedule is a Salesforce app that rendered only 'Loading' in Chrome.
Rows marked placeholder are research-seeded: the dataset names the jurisdiction pattern but has not mapped each city's tiers yet.
- Verified from the boardGeorgia Secretary of State — State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers ↗
journeyman plumber
journeyman · Georgia Secretary of State — State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers
- Experience
- —
- Class hours
- —
- Prerequisites
- At least 1 year of experience in plumbing work covered by the Georgia State Plumbing Code; Board approval to sit; background check; references.
- Exam
- PSI
- Fees
- — application · — exam (in the vendor bulletin) · — license
- Renewal
- every 2 years · 8 CE hrs
- Verified from the boardGeorgia Secretary of State — State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers ↗
master plumber Class I (restricted: single-family / ≤2-family one-level dwellings / commercial ≤10,000 sq ft)
master · Georgia Secretary of State — State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers
- Experience
- —
- Class hours
- —
- Prerequisites
- Minimum 5 years plumbing experience, at least 2 of them licensed as a Journeyman Plumber; copy of journeyman license.
- Exam
- PSI
- Fees
- — application · — exam (in the vendor bulletin) · — license
- Renewal
- every 2 years · 8 CE hrs
- Verified from the boardGeorgia Secretary of State — State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers ↗
master plumber Class II (unrestricted)
master · Georgia Secretary of State — State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers
- Experience
- —
- Class hours
- —
- Prerequisites
- As Class I plus documented commercial or industrial plumbing experience.
- Exam
- PSI
- Fees
- — application · — exam (in the vendor bulletin) · — license
- Renewal
- every 2 years · 8 CE hrs
Where are you now? Find your next gate
Your next gate
journeyman plumber
- Hours
- not stated by the board / experience-based
- Exam
- PSI
- Fees (application / exam)
- — / —
Apprenticeship, trade school, or community college — which is cheapest in Georgia?
| 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 | Atlanta (4) |
| 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 | Atlanta 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?
Georgia 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 Georgia →
Plumbing in Georgia's metros
Questions people actually ask
Do I need a license to work as a plumber in Georgia?
Georgia licenses plumbing contractors at the state level (Georgia Secretary of State — State Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers); the journeyman and master cards come from your city or county. You start as a helper or registered apprentice under a licensed contractor the week you are hired.
How long does it take to become a journeyman plumber in Georgia?
— of documented experience, then the PSI exam.
What can I do for pay in Georgia with no license at all?
Georgia 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 Georgia?
The statewide median is $57,200 per year (BLS OEWS May 2025); metros in the state run from Atlanta — 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.