Sign inJoin the list
  1. Home
  2. Plumber
  3. Georgia

How to become a plumber in Georgia

The Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers licenses plumbers in Georgia.

See your steps Find an apprenticeship

Your ladder

  1. ApprenticeStart here
  2. Journeyman PlumberYour first state license
  3. Master Plumber Class II (Unrestricted)Run your own business

First: start as an apprentice.

Find an apprenticeship

Your steps

  1. Step 1, Start here

    Start as an apprentice

    An apprenticeship is a paid job with training. You work for an employer and you learn the trade on the job. Georgia has 16 registered plumber apprenticeship programs. At the Mechanical Trades Institute, the largest program, the median starting wage is $18.65 an hour.

    The programs with the most active apprentices

    See all 16 programs

  2. Step 2,

    Get the experience you need

    The Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers sets the experience you need for the Journeyman Plumber license.

    Journeyman Plumber

    You need 1 year of experience in plumbing work that the Georgia State Plumbing Code covers.

    The application fee is $110.

    You must pass the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers licensure examination, Journeyman Plumber.

    You renew the Journeyman Plumber license every 2 years. The renewal costs $100. You need 8 hours of continuing education for each renewal.

    The $110 is the $100 application fee plus a $10 processing fee. An older fee schedule lists $30, and that schedule is out of date.

  3. Step 3,

    Apply for your Journeyman Plumber license

    Apply to the Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers for the Journeyman Plumber license. You must pass the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers licensure examination, Journeyman Plumber. PSI gives the exam.

  4. Step 4,

    Renew your license

    You renew the Journeyman Plumber license every 2 years.

To run a plumbing business

These are the licenses for running a plumbing business.

Master Plumber Class I (Restricted)

You need 5 years of experience in plumbing work that the Georgia State Plumbing Code covers. For at least 2 of the 5 years, you must have held the Journeyman Plumber license.

The application fee is $110.

You must pass the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers licensure examination, Master Plumber Class I (Restricted).

You renew the Master Plumber Class I (Restricted) license every 2 years. The renewal costs $100. You need 8 hours of continuing education for each renewal.

The $110 is the $100 application fee plus a $10 processing fee. An older fee schedule lists $30, and that schedule is out of date.

Master Plumber Class II (Unrestricted)

You need 5 years of experience in plumbing work that the Georgia State Plumbing Code covers. For at least 2 of the 5 years, you must have held the Journeyman Plumber license. You also need experience in commercial or industrial plumbing.

The application fee is $110.

You must pass the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers licensure examination, Master Plumber Class II (Unrestricted).

You renew the Master Plumber Class II (Unrestricted) license every 2 years. The renewal costs $100. You need 8 hours of continuing education for each renewal.

The $110 is the $100 application fee plus a $10 processing fee. An older fee schedule lists $30, and that schedule is out of date.

Take the exam

LicenseExam
Journeyman PlumberGeorgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers licensure examination, Journeyman PlumberPSI gives the exam.
Master Plumber Class I (Restricted)Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers licensure examination, Master Plumber Class I (Restricted)PSI gives the exam.
Master Plumber Class II (Unrestricted)Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board, Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers licensure examination, Master Plumber Class II (Unrestricted)PSI gives the exam.

You take the exam for the license you apply for.

What plumbers earn in Georgia

$27.50an hour

$57,200 a year, full time

Half of the plumbers on a payroll in Georgia earn more than $27.50 an hour, and half earn less. The federal wage survey puts the yearly figure at $57,200.

These figures cover everyone on a payroll as a plumber in Georgia, from apprentices to people with decades in the trade, so they aren't a starting wage. The survey counts 8,930 jobs. The figures don't include self-employed plumbers.

The yearly figure is for full-time work all year, which is 2,080 hours.

Use a license from another state

The Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers doesn't recognize licenses from other states.

Questions

Can you become a plumber with no experience?

Yes. You can start as an apprentice and learn the trade on the job.

Georgia plumber apprenticeships

How much do most plumbers earn in Georgia?

Half of the plumbers on a payroll in Georgia earn between $21.70 and $33 an hour. These figures don't include overtime pay.

Can a plumber earn $100,000 a year in Georgia?

The highest-paid 10% of plumbers on a payroll in Georgia earn more than $80,740 a year before overtime, so most plumbers earn less than $100,000 a year from regular hours.

Contact the licensing office

Division of Master and Journeyman Plumberssos.ga.gov/page/about-division-master-and-journeyman-plumbers
Check a licenseLook up a license

Words to know

Apprentice
Someone who learns the trade on the job, working under a licensed worker.
Journeyman
The license level after apprentice. Some states write journeyperson, journeyworker or journey level.
Master
A higher license level, for a worker with more years in the trade. It often lets you supervise others.
JATC
A Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee, an apprenticeship program run together by a union and contractors.
Continuing education
Classes you take to keep your license.
PSI
A company that runs licensing exams for state and city offices.
Median
The middle figure. Half of the workers earn more, and half earn less.

Sources

8
  1. Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers, plumber licensing, the licensing office
  2. Georgia Secretary of State, Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 121-3-.02(1)
  3. Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers, plumber licenses, experience and exam
  4. Georgia Secretary of State, plumber licensing, license search
  5. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
  6. PSI, plumber licenses, exam
  7. Georgia Secretary of State, plumber licenses, fees
  8. U.S. Department of Labor national apprenticeship data, extract of August 17, 2026

Get an email when it matters

Pick what you want to hear about. You get one short email when it happens.

Alerts for: Plumber in Georgia

Email me when

One email when it happens. Nothing else, and you can unsubscribe any time. You must be 13 or older. Under 18, a parent or guardian must agree to the terms for you.