With the aim to help you pursue a plumbing career in Nebraska, in our article you will find a guide to getting licensed in the city of Omaha.
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Omaha Plumbing License Reciprocity
According to the Omaha municipal code, license reciprocity will be extended to people who are licensed as journeymen in a city of equivalent size that requires similar qualification criteria.
To get the reciprocity, you will have to submit the evidence of your licensure and the application to the plumbing board.
Omaha Master Plumbing License Requirements
An Omaha master plumber’s license can be given to individuals who have:
- Four consecutive years of experience working as a licensed journeyman OR
- Evidence of qualifying as a master plumber in a city of equivalent size that requires similar qualification criteria OR
- If the city where the applicant has worked does not require instruction to obtain a license, the plumbing board may accept a properly issued plumbing license from that city but only if the applicant demonstrates a minimum of 12 consecutive years of plumbing installation experience with a minimum of 300 hours worked each of the 12 years to accrue a minimum total of 21,000 hours.
- Successfully passed the master plumber examination
Master plumbers who come from other cities in Nebraska can be licensed by endorsement, but only if they were licensed and employed in a city of equal size and training standards of Omaha.
When it comes to a Master Plumber examination in Omaha, subjects covered by the examination shall include the knowledge of all provisions of the chapter, state law, and other applicable rules and regulations pertaining to plumbing, as well as the ability to design, direct and supervise the installation of plumbing systems.
Omaha Plumbing Journeyman License Requirements
To become a licensed journeyman plumber in Omaha you must meet the following requirements:
- Complete four years of classroom instruction, including 300 hours of plumbing construction OR
- Completion of a course of study with an equivalent number of instructional hours and on-the-job experience hours as required by a certified city program OR
- Completion of a training period extending at least seven consecutive years, where the applicant worked a minimum of 300 hours each of the seven years to accrue a minimum total of 7,000 hours
- Licensed as a journeyman in a city of equivalent size that requires similar qualification criteria OR
- If the applicant has worked in a city that does not require instruction to obtain a license, the plumbing board may accept a properly issued plumbing license or sufficient on-the-job training of this applicant but only if he/she can demonstrate a minimum of eight consecutive years of plumbing installation experience with a minimum of 300 hours worked each of the eight years to accrue a minimum total of 14,000 hours.
- Complete a consecutive four-year apprenticeship approved by the city
- Pass the journeyman plumbing exam
Plumbing Journeyman Exam
The Omaha journeyman exam consists of questions related to both practical and theoretical knowledge of plumbing, building drainage, venting, and sanitation.
Prior to being allowed to take the exam, applicants will need to:
- Submit an exam application
- Pay applicable fees
- Verify education and apprenticeship credentials with the city plumbing board
Upon satisfactory completion of all license prerequisites and the submission of the written application for examination for the applicable license, the plumbing board has to approve an eligible applicant to sit for the appropriate license examination.
The approved applicant is obliged to pay the examination fee to the recording secretary of the plumbing board prior to sitting for the appropriate license examination.
Examination fees are the following:
- Master Plumber – $75.00
- Journeyman Plumber – $50.00
- Lawn sprinkling contractor – $25.00
- Water conditioning contractor – $25.00
- Water conditioning installer – $25.00
- Sewer layer – $30.00
License holders are required to submit proof of their continuing education participation to the plumbing board by December 31 of each calendar year.
The hours of continuing education required for each license are as follows:
- Master Plumber – 8 hours
- Journeyman Plumber – 8 hours
- Lawn sprinkling contractor – 4 hours
- Water conditioning contractor – 4 hours
- Water conditioning installer – 4 hours
- Sewer layer – 4 hours
Once the plumbing board issues a certificate to a licensed journeyman, he/she must carry it with himself/herself whenever engaged in plumbing work.
Omaha Plumbing Apprenticeship Requirements
A person who is interested in becoming an apprentice under a master plumber must:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Have education equivalent to a high school diploma or GED
- Submit an apprentice agreement and registration fee
- Registered annually with the plumbing board secretary
The plumbing board shall certify those apprenticeship programs that have a specific affirmative action plan, including measurable performance objectives, detailing methods to recruit members of minority groups and women and a minimum of four consecutive years of practical on-the-job training with a minimum of 300 hours each of the seven years to accrue a minimum total of 7,000 hours.
Furthermore, a minimum of 696 classroom instruction hours related to the plumbing trade as outlined in section 49-255 is required as well.
The process of registering as an apprentice in Omaha is easy and you can reach the plumbing board secretary by phone at (402) 444-5150 ext. 2062, and all you need to do is to provide your name, address, and place of employment.
Registration expires on December 30 of each year.
The Nebraska department of labor has an apprenticeship portal which is specially designed for those seeking apprenticeship opportunities.
Omaha Professional License Search
You can search for and verify your Omaha license on the City of Omaha license and permit search portal.
Salary
The average Plumber salary in Nebraska is $52,710, but the numbers are not the same in all the cities of Nebraska, due to the fact that plumbers salary depends on various factors.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Plumbers in Nebraska
City Name Salary Omaha $54,345 Lincoln $54,083 Bellevue $54,345 Grand Island $53,336 Hastings $53,336 Kearney $53,336 Fremont $53,534 North Platte $51,712 Norfolk $47,307 Columbus $53,336 Regional Salary
Region Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary Grand Island, NE 120 $57,510 $27.65 $88,610 $39,170 Lincoln, NE 580 $57,340 $27.57 $82,280 $37,630 Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA 2,120 $69,660 $33.49 $95,280 $46,140
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
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