Oregon has four licenses for people doing the plumbing work and one for the business. Each is separate, with its own hours, training rules, and fees.
Journeyman plumber (JP)
Held by the worker · issued by the state
You need 7,700 hours on the job plus 576 hours of academic training. Completing a minimum four-year Oregon plumbing apprenticeship also satisfies the experience and training requirement. The application fee is $100.
Worth knowingThe work hours are split evenly: 3,850 commercial and 3,850 residential. You can also qualify with twice the equivalent work experience in each category.
Renewal is every 3 years and requires 24 hours of approved continuing education.
Limited water-treatment installer (WTI)
Held by the worker · issued by the state
You need 3,000 hours of training in indirect waste piping, water supply, and water-treatment equipment installation, plus 210 hours of training in general items. The application fee is $100.
Worth knowingCompleting a minimum 18-month Oregon apprenticeship in this specialty also satisfies the training requirement.
Renewal is every 3 years. No continuing education is required.
The state does not publish a classroom-hour requirement or a list of out-of-state licenses it recognizes.
Limited water-heater installer (WHI)
Held by the worker · issued by the state
You need to complete an approved eight-hour training class. The application fee is $100.
Worth knowingYou must work for a licensed plumbing-electrical contractor, or hold that contractor license yourself. The contractor signs your application.
Renewal is every 3 years. No continuing education is required.
The state does not publish a job-hour requirement or a list of out-of-state licenses it recognizes.
Solar heating and cooling installer (STL)
Held by the worker · issued by the state
You need 2,000 hours of supervised on-the-job training plus 288 hours of classroom training in a division-approved program. The application fee is $100.
Worth knowingYou can also qualify with 2,000 hours of equivalent lawful experience across the specialty's work areas.
Renewal is every 3 years and requires 8 hours of approved continuing education.
The state does not publish a list of out-of-state licenses it recognizes.
Two different thingsThe plumbing business license and a Construction Contractors Board license are not the same thing. The plumbing business license comes from the Building Codes Division and covers the plumbing work. The Construction Contractors Board license comes under a separate law, and a plumbing business must hold both.
Plumbing business (PB)
Held by the business · issued by the state
The application fee is $150. The business must also hold an active Construction Contractors Board license and provide verification of it. This license does not allow the business owner to work as a journeyman plumber.
Renewal is every 3 years.
The published renewal requirements do not list any additional hours requirement.
Building Codes Division's page for this license →