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United States · Licensing exam

Virginia plumbing license: journeyman, master and residential

Virginia licenses plumbers as tradesmen through the Board for Contractors, part of the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). Journeyman, master and residential are the three kinds of Virginia plumbing license, and each needs proven experience, board approval and a PSI exam. You must be at least 18.

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Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

How do you qualify for a plumbing license in Virginia?

For journeyman, the July 1, 2026 application accepts one of these:

  • 4 years of practical experience and 240 hours of formal vocational training
  • 5 years and 160 hours, 6 years and 80 hours, or 7 or more years and 40 hours
  • An associate degree or two-year certificate in a related field, plus 2 years of experience
  • 8 years of experience verified by people who saw your work
  • A current journeyman or master license from outside Virginia

For master: 1 year as a licensed journeyman, 3 years as a Virginia licensed residential plumber, 9 years of verified experience, or a current master license from elsewhere.

The residential plumbing license, added on April 1, 2025, needs less experience and training but allows no commercial work.

The PSI exam

The journeyman and master plumbing portion has 80 items in 210 minutes, and you need 60 right. Most of it is drainage, waste and vents (24 items), then water supply, backflow and storm drainage (10 each). The residential portion has 50 items in 120 minutes, with 35 to pass. All exams are open book, using the 2021 International Plumbing Code, and you may highlight and index your book but not write in it.

PSI tests at ten sites in Virginia, among them Alexandria, Richmond, Roanoke, Charlottesville and Virginia Beach, and in Johnson City, Tennessee and Salisbury, Maryland.

Fees as of October 2026

From July 1, 2026, DPOR also adds a $7.25-a-year technology fee. Anyone doing a job over $1,000 also needs a Virginia contractor license.

FeeAmount
Application to DPOR (license by exam)$171.75, not refundable
Journeyman exam, paid to PSI$100
Master exam, paid to PSI$125
Residential exam, paid to PSI$100
Plumbing contractor licenses →Renewal and the 3-hour course →
Sources: Virginia DPOR · PSI and 1 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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