Requirements, license levels, and the issuing authority, sourced from Oregon's official board.
Non-contracting plumbing licenses issued by BCD; contracting (plumbing contractor) licenses issued by the Oregon Construction Contractors Board.
| Requirements | Journeyman Plumber (JP) - three qualifying routes, per the state's license directory entry for the JP: (1) a certificate of completion from a registered four-year plumbing apprenticeship program, or a referral from the training committee or the Oregon Plumbing Board; (2) 576 hours of classroom training (subjects at OAR 918-695-0030(2)(a)) plus 3,850 hours of commercial AND 3,850 hours of residential on-the-job experience - 7,700 hours in total, not 3,850; (3) 7,700 hours of commercial AND 7,700 hours of residential experience obtained while holding a license of similar scope. Application steps in order: complete all three pages of the Plumbing License Application (form 440-2571) with the affidavit signed; submit an experience verification form for each employer; attach proof of a high school diploma or GED (a college degree substitutes), transcripts of classroom training, proof of an out-of-state apprenticeship if relied on, and a 2-inch by 2-inch passport-style photograph; pay the application fee; BCD reviews and issues a letter of authorization; the candidate schedules and sits the examination at the named test site; results follow within two weeks. EXAMINATION. The Journeyman Plumber examination is 64 questions in 4 hours and is OPEN BOOK; the approved study and testing materials are sent when the application is approved. BCD's single pass mark for all its licensing examinations applies: 75 percent or better, with a 30-day wait before a retake, and the examination must be sat within 60 days of the letter of authorization. FEES. Application and license $100.00; duplicate license $10.00. The plumbing contractor business license is a separate matter for the Construction Contractors Board, with its own bond, insurance and fee. |
| Reciprocity | BCD has reciprocal license agreements for the Journeyman Plumber license; out-of-state applicants apply through a separate reciprocity process. |
| Renewal | Every three years, on April 1. A renewal notice is mailed about six weeks before expiry and online renewal opens within 45 days of expiry. Continuing education is 24 hours per three-year cycle for the Journeyman Plumber and must be completed and recorded before the renewal is submitted; a portion of the credits must come from code-change courses, and Water Treatment Installers and Water Heater Installers are exempt from continuing education entirely. A license that has been expired for more than one year cannot be renewed - the holder must retest. |
| Notes | Non-contracting plumbing licenses issued by BCD; contracting (plumbing contractor) licenses issued by the Oregon Construction Contractors Board. |
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Sources: www.oregon.gov, www.oregon.gov, apps.oregon.gov, www.oregon.gov. Always confirm current requirements with the issuing authority.
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