You should know that possessing the experience of a journeyman is not enough to allow someone to work legally as an independent plumbing contractor in this state.
So, what you need to do is to register as a journeyman with the Contractors State License Board (CSLB) if you want to be allowed to bid and work on projects of $500 or less.
On the other hand, for more expensive contracting a plumbing contractor’s license, classified as a C-36 license is obligatory.
That means that you need to become a licensed contractor in California, as well as take any required plumbing specific testing.
This is mandatory if you wish to be a self-employed plumber or run a plumbing business.
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California Plumbing License Reciprocity
If you are wondering whether you will be able to make use of your license in California and you are coming from some other state, you would be glad to know that California does have reciprocity agreements with four states: Arizona, Louisiana, Nevada, and Utah.
Those who possess a contractor’s license from one of these states are not automatically qualified to work in California but they can skip the trade skills portion of the examination required to attain a C-36 license.
Licenses from other states must currently be in good standing for at least five years, and they must be the specific licenses that appear on the CSLB list of reciprocal licenses.
However, there are some additional requirements that applicants must meet.
They need to pay the fees for other portions of the exam, such as the law and business section.
Fees could include a $330 application fee, a $200 license fee, and a fingerprinting fee.
California Plumbing License Requirements
California does not provide varied levels of license for contractors.
This means that a journeyman can make contracts on jobs up to $500.
Those who want to do business as a plumbing contractor must acquire a C-36 license.
A person with a journeyman level experience in California is the one who has completed an approved apprenticeship program and/or has significant work experience that qualifies him/her to perform work without supervision.
The licensing requirements generally do not apply for employees, but only for those wishing to become contractors themselves or wishing to start a business.
After completing your four years as a Journeyman, you can apply for a California Contractor’s license, a C-36 classification and the whole process begins with the contractor’s license application, the submission of any documentation to support your previous work experiences, such as copies of W-2 forms, certifications from your apprenticeship program, and a diploma from your trade school and a $480 fee.
Then, you must schedule a business and law exam through the CSLB website.
According to the CSLB website, the minimum experience required to apply for a contractor’s license is as follows:
“The contractor or other person who will act as the qualifying individual must have had, within the ten years immediately before the filing of the application, at least four full years of experience at a journey-level, or as a foreman, supervisor, or contractor in the classification for which he or she is applying. The experience claimed on the application must be verifiable and individuals who have knowledge of the experience must certify the accuracy of the experience information provided by the applicant.”
The California Department of Consumer Affairs has a license search feature that can be used to check the public status of a particular license.
Plumbing Journeyman Exam
We cannot exactly state the necessary score which is required so as to pass the exam, but once you finish it, you will be told whether they pass or fail.
You should devote some time to the preparation for this exam by reviewing the publicly posted study guide for more information regarding the specifics of the exam.
Make sure to use CSLB provided resources to prepare for the exam.
Plumbing Apprenticeship Requirements
Being that the California Department of Industrial relations partners with a number of colleges and companies that provide accredited apprenticeship programs to people who wish to make their start in a trade career, you can start your search for plumbing apprenticeship programs that are delivered in partnership with the state so as to get the best possible education and training.
You will get familiar with requirements, examinations, and fees in the description of each program.
Plumbing Trade Schools in California
California has hundreds of trade schools.
If you are sure that plumbing is your future career, it is good to know that many of the plumbing apprenticeship programs only require GED diplomas, so no further education is necessary to begin training as an apprentice.
It is worth mentioning that state-approved apprenticeship programs may or may not be offered by a trade school or college.
Most plumbing trade school programs take two years to be completed and then, you can work as an apprentice for another two to four years and apply to become a Journeyman plumber.
Every trade school or community college offers financial aid options for those who cannot afford to pay the tuition.
Some courses are available online.
Here are some of the best plumbing schools in California:
- Bakersfield College
- Central County Occupational College
- Central County ROP
- City College of San Francisco
- College of San Mateo
- East Los Angeles Occupational Center
- Harbor Occupational Center
- Institute for Business & Technology
- LA Trade & Technical College
- Modesto Junior College
- National Institute of Technology
- North Orange County ROP
- PHCC Vocational School
- San Diego City College
Insurance for Plumbers in California
It is worth mentioning that you will need public liability insurance as a plumber in California.
This insurance will provide coverage for any property damage or injury and protective gear is recommended on all jobs.
You also should get any immunization shots recommended by your doctor.
Salary
The average pay for a plumber in California is just over $26.00 an hour.
You can expect to work as a plumber up until your retirement age.
The average Plumber salary in California is $64,095.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Plumbers in California
City Name Salary Los Angeles $64,595 San Diego $61,695 San Jose $72,014 San Francisco $71,899 Long Beach $63,981 Fresno $57,496 Sacramento $62,024 Oakland $67,997 Santa Ana $64,038 Anaheim $64,124 Regional Salary
Region Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary Bakersfield, CA 860 $65,690 $31.58 $99,370 $38,730 Chico, CA 160 $61,130 $29.39 $95,230 $35,900 El Centro, CA 130 $67,820 $32.61 $99,580 $39,520 Fresno, CA 890 $69,200 $33.27 $123,950 $38,500 Hanford-Corcoran, CA 110 $69,050 $33.2 $103,490 $45,050 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 13,700 $73,530 $35.35 $118,410 $43,710 Madera, CA 100 $66,050 $31.76 $95,420 $39,640 Merced, CA 180 $59,910 $28.8 $81,740 $39,240 Modesto, CA 450 $71,000 $34.13 $116,430 $40,460 Napa, CA 160 $85,410 $41.06 $126,790 $47,060 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 960 $66,940 $32.18 $103,060 $39,610 Redding, CA 180 $63,770 $30.66 $98,460 $38,110 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 3,850 $65,720 $31.6 $103,320 $39,870 Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 3,040 $71,440 $34.35 $125,370 $44,720 Salinas, CA 390 $67,600 $32.5 $100,580 $44,970 San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 4,960 $72,870 $35.04 $119,120 $42,540 San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 5,430 $90,790 $43.65 $156,010 $48,200 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 2,370 $99,570 $47.87 $167,490 $52,920 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA 390 $70,210 $33.76 $104,270 $39,180 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA 330 $77,390 $37.21 $127,230 $46,930 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 750 $67,720 $32.56 $99,430 $46,780 Santa Rosa, CA 550 $72,510 $34.86 $107,070 $45,550 Stockton-Lodi, CA 510 $67,740 $32.57 $106,430 $38,490 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 350 $68,960 $33.15 $101,330 $44,840 Visalia-Porterville, CA 410 $67,920 $32.66 $98,730 $41,530 Yuba City, CA 100 $64,440 $30.98 $102,850 $36,140
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Plumber Schools by City
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