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How many licensed plumbers are in California?

Licensed-supply count from the California register, by credential tier and per capita.

As of 2026-08-09, California has 14,076 licensed plumbers on its state register.

14,076
licensed plumbers
36.1
per 100k residents
#8
of 42 states

California plumbers by credential tier

Contractor14,076

How California compares

StateLicensed plumbersPer 100k
Maine16,8691208.6
Illinois15,751125.5
California14,07636.1
Indiana12,526182.5
Idaho11,107565.3

California is part of 324,175 licensed plumbers nationally, and ranks #35 of 42 published states by per-capita density.

Questions

How many licensed plumbers are there in California?
As of 2026-08-09, California has 14,076 licensed plumbers on its state register.
How many plumbers per capita does California have?
California has 36.1 licensed plumbers per 100,000 residents (Census 2023 population).
Is this the same as employment estimates?
No. This is a count of active licenses on the state register, not a BLS survey estimate of employment. Licensed capacity and estimated employment are different numbers.
How often is this updated?
The register is re-pulled and re-judged nightly. Every figure carries its as-of date.

Related

Shortage
Plumber shortage in California
Market
California licensed trades supply
Ranking
All states by licensed plumbers
License
How to get a plumber license in California
Electricians
Electricians in California
HVAC Technicians
HVAC Technicians in California
Sheet Metal Workers
Sheet Metal Workers in California
Track California licensed supply as it moves.

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