In the state of Georgia, all plumbers must be licensed, even though they work under a licensed plumbing contractor or master plumber.
All licenses are issued statewide and they must be approved by the Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing board
For plumbers specifically, it is the Division of Master Plumbers and Journeyman Plumbers.
There are three types of plumbing licenses: journeyman plumber license, master plumber license Class I, and master plumber license Class II.
The education and training towards becoming a plumbing contractor begin with either an apprenticeship or trade school.
It is good to know that no license requirement exists to be an apprentice plumber.
To become a journeyman plumber, you need to provide a demonstration of the trade as an apprentice, and the evidence of relevant experience, or education.
A journeyman plumber license is obligatory if you want to install, maintain, alter, or repair plumbing fixtures and systems, under the direction or supervision of a master plumber.
Master plumber licenses are needed to contract as a plumber or perform plumbing services or duties unsupervised.
Class I master plumber licenses are restricted to single-family buildings or one-level buildings designed for no more than two families.
Class I master plumbers may also contract work for commercial structures not exceeding 10,000 square feet, while Class II master plumber licenses are unrestricted.
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Georgia Plumbing License Reciprocity
It is good to know that Georgia does not have plumbing license reciprocity with any other states.
Georgia Plumbing License Requirements
You can choose to become either a licensed Journeyman or Master Plumber in Georgia.
A journeyman plumber in the state of Georgia must possess three years of experience that can be completed with the following:
- Primary experience — experience gained through the direct installation of plumbing systems under supervision.
- Secondary experience — gained while engaged in work or training related to the installation.
- Education — the completion of a diploma program for a technical school in engineering technology, two years of experience may be applied or the completion of a certificate program or vocational-technical school, one year of experience may be applied.
If you want to advance your skills even more and obtain a master Class I or Class II license, you will need to provide three references that can attest to your good character, as well as plumbing experience.
One of the three references must be a licensed master plumber.
To be accepted as a regular and satisfying applicant for the master plumber license, you must have a minimum of 5 years of experience in plumbing work with at least, but not limited to, 2 years of primary experience.
Applicants for Class II must have documented experience in commercial or industrial plumbing.
There are also examinations, fees, and letters of approval that are integral parts of the application.
Journeyman and Master Plumber Exam and Fees
After gaining enough education and experience, you will be allowed to apply for the journeyman and master licenses.
This process requires the completion of the plumbing examination application to the licensing board, 60 days prior to the exam, with full payment of the $30 non-refundable application fee.
The application consists of documentation of current licenses or transcripts, years of experience, signed letters of reference, and a background check.
Before the examination, what you will need to provide is an approval letter and admission notice from the licensing board to sit for the exam.
So as to be able to get the license, applicants must complete the exam by the assigned dates and score 70% or higher.
The journeyman plumber examination, the master Class I (restricted) plumber examination, and the master Class II (unrestricted) examination, are proctored by PSI.
The journeyman plumber examination fee is $233, and both master plumber examination fees are $267.
Examination applications and fees may be submitted and paid online at the PSI website or sent in with a money order to:
PSI
18000W. 105th St.
Olathe, KS 66061-7543
In case an applicant fails these exams, he/she will receive a new examination scheduling form to reapply.
If an applicant passed, they will receive their license identification card.
In Georgia, the Business and Law exam is not obligatory for a journeyman or master plumbing license.
Georgia Plumbing Apprenticeship Requirements
Georgia is a state where no requirements are set to be fulfilled so as to become an apprentice plumber.
If you want to apply for an apprenticeship under a master plumber you just need to meet the following qualifications:
- You must be at least 18 years old.
- You must have a high school diploma or GED.
- You must possess the physical ability to perform plumbing jobs.
The Department of Veterans Service offers apprenticeship programs for a plumber journeyman available to veterans.
This program is considered great as it gives apprentices the ability to earn wages and work toward their plumbing licenses at the same time.
The PHCCA GA Academy Apprenticeship Program is another program that also gives a chance to apprentices to earn wages and get their plumbing licenses.
This is a 4-year program and it includes 2,000 hours of on-the-job training each year and 160 classroom hours of instruction.
Plumbing Trade Schools in Georgia
If a trade school is your choice of acquiring plumbing knowledge, there is a variety of trade schools available in the state of Georgia.
You should consider those schools that have plumbing programs and certifications:
- Atlanta Technical College
Public institution
Phone: (404) 225-4400
Address:
1560 Metropolitan Parkway SW
Atlanta, GA 30310-4446
Cost varies by program - Southern Crescent Technical College
Public institution
Phone: (770) 228-7348
Address:
501 Varsity Rd
Griffin, GA 30223
General in-state tuition: $2,758
Cost varies by certification and program
Insurance for Plumbers in Georgia
Plumbers are required to have liability insurance in Georgia.
This is insurance which covers property damage and customer injuries.
Salary
The employment outlook for Georgia plumbers is positive and the average pay rate for plumbers is $23.62 per hour.
The average Plumber salary in Georgia is $55,517.
Your salary as a plumber can range depending on the city, education, certifications, additional skills, the number of years you have spent in your profession.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Plumbers in Georgia
City Name Salary Atlanta $56,761 Augusta-Richmond County $53,352 Columbus $51,842 Savannah $53,640 Athens-Clarke County $56,359 Macon $53,301 Roswell $56,547 Albany $52,746 Marietta $56,600 Warner Robins $53,140 Regional Salary
Region Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary Albany, GA 90 $49,450 $23.77 $64,540 $29,110 Athens-Clarke County, GA 170 $52,930 $25.45 $64,020 $35,000 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 4,320 $60,370 $29.02 $79,090 $37,830 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 350 $52,280 $25.13 $70,550 $33,910 Brunswick, GA 100 $55,630 $26.75 $65,630 $37,170 Columbus, GA-AL 180 $47,900 $23.03 $61,660 $34,230 Dalton, GA 40 $50,530 $24.3 $64,950 $34,460 Gainesville, GA 140 $56,920 $27.36 $71,330 $38,140 Hinesville, GA 50 $49,210 $23.66 $62,340 $36,000 Macon, GA 130 $48,170 $23.16 $60,280 $35,730 Rome, GA 40 $51,640 $24.83 $62,180 $36,460 Savannah, GA 350 $59,530 $28.62 $77,660 $37,630 Valdosta, GA 80 $44,420 $21.36 $61,710 $33,890 Warner Robins, GA 150 $50,780 $24.41 $64,040 $31,510
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Plumber Schools by City
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