Delaware requires a plumbing license for any person or organization that is engaged in any sort of plumbing activity, so you will not be allowed to work unless you have it.
You can become a journeyman or master plumber for an organization or a general contractor.
But, in order to become a state-licensed general contractor in Delaware, you will comply with the Delaware Department of Revenue.
In Delaware, there are two different types of contractors:
- Non-Resident Contractor License, that is, an individual or business that performs contractual work and maintains the majority of that work outside the state of Delaware. Non-Resident Contractors must also be able to supply a surety bond;
- Resident Contractor License: an individual or business that performs contractual work and maintains the majority of that work within the state of Delaware.
Page Navigation
- Delaware Plumbing License Reciprocity
- Delaware Master Plumbing License Requirements
- Master Plumber Exam
- Delaware Plumbing Journeyman License Requirements
- Plumbing Journeyman Exam
- Delaware Plumbing Apprenticeship Requirements
- Plumbing Trade Schools in Delaware
- Insurance for Plumbers in Delaware
- Salary
- Plumber Schools by City
Delaware Plumbing License Reciprocity
Unlike some other states, Delaware offers some reciprocal agreements within the state.
This means that if you hold a current plumbing license in Connecticut, Iowa, and Maryland, Delaware extends a license reciprocity agreement.
The following states also will consider a reciprocity agreement with proof of experience under a licensed professional:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Virginia
- West Virginia
Ultimately, the board will decide whether or not to honor some sort of agreement.
Delaware Master Plumbing License Requirements
Becoming a licensed master plumber in the state of Delaware is not too complicated as it only requires that you do the following:
- Complete an Application for Master Plumber Licensure
- Verify your current licenses that are held with the Board
- If you do not have a journeyman certificate, you will need to submit proof of 7+ years of direct work experience underneath the direct supervision of a licensed master plumber.
There is a fee for license applications in Delaware of $141 for plumbers which can be paid only by checks that can be made out to:
Division of Professional Regulation
Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Examiners
861 Silver Lake Boulevard
Cannon Building, Suite 203
Dover, DE 19904
(302) 744-4500
Master Plumber Exam
To be allowed to get a license, you must take and pass the Delaware Master Plumber Exam.
This is an online exam that is taken through Prometric, consisting of 100 multiple choice questions, which have to be done within a 4-hour time limit.
You must obtain a score of 70% or better so as to pass it.
The exam will cover topics such as the following:
- Drainage vents
- General plumbing knowledge
- General plumbing regulations
- Indirect waste
- Isometric analysis
- Plumbing fixtures
- Roof drain piping
- Sanitary vents
- Specialty plumbing
- Waste vents
- Water supply systems
Delaware Plumbing Journeyman License Requirements
Before being able to become a master plumber in Delaware, you will have to get a licensed journeyman plumber tier.
You will need to do the following:
- Complete an accredited apprenticeship program and be able to provide a journeyman certificate from an approved apprenticeship program
- Complete two years of on-the-job training under a licensed journeyman and be able to verify the work
- Complete two years of formal classroom training
There is a fee for license applications in Delaware of $141 for plumbers paid by checks that can be made out to:
Division of Professional Regulation
Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Examiners
861 Silver Lake Boulevard
Cannon Building, Suite 203
Dover, DE 19904
(302) 744-4500
It is worth mentioning that every two years you must renew your license.
Plumbing Journeyman Exam
The Delaware plumbing journeyman exam is a technical exam.
It consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, it is an open book and it has a time limit of four hours.
The licensing exam covers subjects such as the following:
- Drainage vents
- General plumbing knowledge
- General plumbing regulations
- Indirect waste
- Isometric analysis
- Plumbing fixtures
- Roof drain piping
- Sanitary vents
- Specialty plumbing
- Waste vents
- Water supply systems
The exam is administered using Prometric and you will need to use the schedule your test button and find the associated test.
So as to be considered successful on this test, you need to reach a score of 70%.
Delaware Plumbing Apprenticeship Requirements
In Delaware, the Federal government and the Delaware Department of Labor together offer four-year learning while earning programs for future plumbers.
The requirements into various apprenticeship programs can vary, but the general requirements are as follows:
Four years or 8000 hours of on-the-job training under the direct supervision of a licensed plumber.
Those training to become a journeyman must train under a licensed journeyman and the same goes for those training to become master plumbers including 144 hours of formal classroom training.
Plumbing Trade Schools in Delaware
These are only some of the schools that we selected as worth your consideration in Delaware:
- School: Delaware Skills Center
Tuition: $125/credit
Contact Info: (302) 654-5392
Address: 500 Ships Landing Way, New Castle, DE 19729 - School: Delaware Technical Community College
Tuition: $4,607/year
Contact Info: (302) 857-1000
Address: 100 Campus Dr, Dover, DE 19904 - School: University of Delaware
Tuition: $12,830/year
Contact Info: (302) 831-2792
Address: Newark, DE 19716 - School: Adult Education Division
Tuition: $120/credit
Contact Info: (302) 683-3642
Address: 1703 School Ln, Wilmington, DE 19808
Ashworth College is an online school that offers a plumbing certificate program and you must be at least 18 years old and be a high school graduate (or GED) to enroll in this four-year program.
The program cost is $4,500.
The Adult Education Division of the New Castle County School District offers plumbing courses for a high school graduate (or GED) and 18 years old people.
This program offers four plumbing courses for $440.00 each.
Insurance for Plumbers in Delaware
To be employed as a Delaware plumber, you must have insurance.
If you own a Delaware plumbing company or your employer does not provide plumber insurance, you must have the minimum amount of insurance:
- $300,000 for property damage insurance
- $100,000 for general liability insurance
Salary
The average pay rate for Delaware journeyman plumbers is $25.75 per hour, while the average pay rate for Delaware master plumbers is $40.32 per hour.
The average Plumber salary in Delaware is $60,251 and it varies from city to city, as it can be seen in the table below.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Plumbers in Delaware
City Name Salary Wilmington $61,169 Dover $61,076 Newark $61,123 Milford $61,226 Seaford $59,964 Middletown $60,982 Delaware City $61,123 Smyrna $61,008 New Castle $61,169 Georgetown $61,226 Regional Salary
Region Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary Dover, DE 100 $54,390 $26.15 $90,670 $27,350
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Plumber Schools by City
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