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Plumber
Total cost: $650
Governing Authority
California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) - C-36 Plumbing Contractor
Official website →Yes
State Licensed?
8,000
Apprentice Hours
1
License Levels
$650
Total Fees
0 hrs
CE Hours
California Plumbing Code (CPC) / Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC)
Code Version
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$100 per retake attempt; $100 rescheduling fee if no-show
Exam fee is included in the CSLB application fee; retakes cost $100 each with a 3-week wait between attempts; 18 months to pass both exams after application approval; must also complete asbestos open book examination
Renewal Fee
$450 (sole owner) / $700 (non-sole owner)
CSLB contractor license biennial renewal (active status); must maintain active bond ($25,000 minimum) and insurance
Regulation Status
VerifiedState Licensed
Yes
Regulation Level
state
License Types Available
State-Level Licensing Required
Regulated by the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) - C-36 Plumbing Contractor
Apprenticeship Program
8,000
Total Hours
4 yrs
Duration
680
Classroom Hours
7,320
OJT Hours
Registered Apprenticeship Program Required
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Experience Required
Registration required; no prior experience
No exam required
Additional Requirements
Experience Required
4 years / 8,000 hours of apprenticeship
Exam required
Additional Requirements
Experience Required
1-2 years as licensed journeyman plumber
Exam required
Additional Requirements
Exam Information
VerifiedJourneyman Exam
RequiredMaster Exam
RequiredExam Provider
PSI Exams
Plumbing Code Version
California Plumbing Code (CPC) / Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC)
Closed Book Exam
Passing Score
72%
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Overall licensing difficulty: 25/100
Study recommendation: 1–2 weeks of focused review is usually sufficient
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Plumber Licensing Exam
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Difficulty rating based on education, exam, and experience requirements. Individual experience may vary.
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Minimum Age
Education
Background Check
Insurance Required
Bonding Required
Not sure if you need a plumber license? Check whether your state requires one.
California has 16% below average — nationally the ratio is 1 per 746 residents.
California has below-average plumbers density — strong demand for new plumbers.
California ranks #40 out of 51 states by plumbers per capita.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
Exam Fee Exam fee is included in the CSLB application fee; retakes cost $100 each with a 3-week wait between attempts; 18 months to pass both exams after application approval; must also complete asbestos open book examination | $100 per retake attempt; $100 rescheduling fee if no-show |
Renewal Fee CSLB contractor license biennial renewal (active status); must maintain active bond ($25,000 minimum) and insurance | $450 (sole owner) / $700 (non-sole owner) |
Total Initial Fees Estimated total for CSLB C-36: application ($450) + initial license fee ($200 sole owner); does not include bond ($25,000 minimum, increased from $15,000 effective Jan 1, 2023) or insurance costs | $650 |
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Renewal & CE Requirements
Verified2 years
Renewal Period
0
CE Hours Required
$450 (sole owner) / $700 (non-sole owner)
Renewal Fee
No CE Requirement
Regulatory Board
CSLB contractor license biennial renewal fee (active status); CSLB sends renewal reminder 60 days in advance
Out-of-State Reciprocity
VerifiedAccepts Out-of-State Licenses
Transfer Type
Endorsement
Additional Requirements for Transfer
Most states require plumbers to pass the local exam or apply for endorsement when transferring an out-of-state license. Requirements vary by state.
Moving to another state? Use our Transfer Tool to see what you need →
Compare California with other states →
See how requirements, costs, and timelines differ across all 50 states.
California licenses plumbing contractors (C-36) through the CSLB, not individual plumbers. There is no state-level journeyman or master plumber license. Individual plumber training is managed through the Division of Apprenticeship Standards.
California does NOT have a state-level individual journeyman or master plumber license
The CSLB C-36 is a plumbing CONTRACTOR license, not an individual tradesperson license
Individual plumber certification is managed through the Division of Apprenticeship Standards and union programs at the local level
C-36 requires 4 years of journey-level plumbing experience within the last 10 years (does not need to be consecutive)
Two exams required: Law & Business (115 questions, 3.5 hrs) + C-36 Trade (100 questions) — both closed-book, passing score 72%
Must also complete asbestos open book examination after passing licensing exams
Exam retake: $100 per attempt, must wait 3 weeks; 18-month deadline to pass both exams after application approval
Contractor bond: $25,000 minimum (increased from $15,000 effective January 1, 2023)
Workers' compensation insurance required if you have employees (or file exemption if no employees)
Background check/fingerprinting required
A C-36 license is required for ANY plumbing work valued at $500 or more (labor + materials)
No state-mandated continuing education required for C-36 license renewal
Reciprocity with Arizona, Louisiana, and Nevada; out-of-state must have held license 5+ years
$500 or more (labor and/or materials)
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Plumber requirements in California verified against California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) - C-36 Plumbing Contractor, April 2026.
Accessed 2026-03-06
Accessed 2026-03-06