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How to get a Plumbing contractor license in Ohio

Ohio licenses plumbers statewide through the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB).1 For the Plumbing contractor (Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board state license) you need at least 5 years2 of experience, a passing score on the OCILB plumbing contractor examination (two sections; computer-based through PSI)3 and a criminal background check4. The board lists $25 for the application5 and $25 for the initial license3, each a separate charge. You renew every year2.

Last checked · 18 official sources

Who issues it

Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB)

Training and experience

Experience: at least 5 years2

Exam

OCILB plumbing contractor examination (two sections; computer-based through PSI)3

Fees the board lists

Application fee: $255
Initial license fee: $253

Renewal

Every year2

From another state

Reciprocity agreements and Universal license recognition42 Details

On this page
  1. Who needs a Plumbing contractor license
  2. Requirements for a Plumbing contractor license
  3. How much a Plumbing contractor license costs
  4. How to apply
  5. Renewal and continuing education
  6. Moving to Ohio with a license from another state
  7. City and county rules
  8. Check a license or report a problem
  9. Laws and rules
  10. Common questions
  11. Plumber licenses in other states

Who needs a Plumbing contractor license

License for the individual responsible for the means, method and manner of plumbing construction on commercial construction projects (buildings under ORC ch. 3781, not residential buildings); the license is issued to an individual and assigned to one contracting company, which works under it. The board's plumbing and hydronics section handles plumbing licenses. Local building and health departments may also require it for residential work.6

Other rules on who may do this work:

  • Residential buildings are outside the state license (local jurisdictions regulate them).7
  • Workers paid on a 1099 are independent contractors and need their own state license; tradespeople under the license must be W-2 employees of the company (or from a national temporary agency).4

Requirements for a Plumbing contractor license

Minimum age
18 years old4
Experience
At least 5 years2
Five years as a tradesperson in the plumbing trade immediately before applying; or an Ohio registered engineer with three years of business experience in the trade; or other experience acceptable to the board section (the form also lists five years as an Ohio government inspector in the trade). Proof: last five years of W-2s/Schedule C/K-1 plus one of: a permit for each of the last five years from the licensed employer, an active journeyman card, an Ohio- or USDOL-approved apprenticeship completion certificate, or 40 hours of live/webinar code CE from an OCILB-approved provider.2
Supervision: Experience must be as a tradesperson employed by a contractor; permits shown must be pulled by the licensed contractor the applicant worked under (sewer service, water service, gas service and drain-cleaning permits do not count).3
Substitute: Ohio registered professional engineer with three years of business experience in the plumbing construction trade.3
Substitute: Uniformed-services experience substantially similar to the trade for three of the five years before applying.2
Exam
OCILB plumbing contractor examination (two sections; computer-based through PSI)3
Given by: PSI3
When you can take it: After the board approves the application (approval valid one year) and BCI and FBI background checks are done.3
Both sections of the exam must be passed (the reciprocity list notes where a Business and Law (B&L) exam is required for partner states).4
Retakes: Retake no sooner than 60 days after the last attempt; after five failed attempts, reapply before testing again.2
Time limit: The passing score must be within the 12 months before licensure.8
Exam waived: Holders of a tested plumbing license from a reciprocity state (Arkansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia) may be licensed without the Ohio trade exam; Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee applicants take the Ohio Business and Law exam.4
Background check
Background check required4
Fingerprints required3
License may be refused for a conviction only under ORC 9.79 (disqualifying-offense list); OCILB publishes a disqualifying offenses PDF.2
You can ask the board to review your record before you apply9
Residency or citizenship
U.S. citizen or legal alien with documentation.2
Insurance
Contractor liability insurance of at least $500,000 in one contracting company name, maintained all license year (certificate must list OCILB as holder).4
Business requirements
License must be assigned to one contracting company (no DBAs); the license holder must be actively engaged and available to the company; on leaving, reassignment waits 90 days unless a release letter is given.4
Business requirements
License number must appear on all advertising showing the company name.4

How much a Plumbing contractor license costs

FeeAmountPaid toNotes
Application fee$255OCILBExamination application, per trade (non-refundable per the reciprocity forms). Not refundable
Initial license fee$253OCILBLicense issuance after passing, per trade
Company name change fee per trade$254OCILBCompany name change / reassignment

Each line is a separate charge as the board lists it. The board does not publish a combined total, so none is shown here.

The board's pages we cite do not list the exam fee; check it with the exam provider, PSI3, when you schedule.

How to apply

  1. Complete and notarize the OCILB Examination Application (DIC 3524), choosing Plumbing, and attach five years of tax documents plus one proof option (permits, journeyman card, apprenticeship certificate or 40 CE hours); send with the $25 fee to OCILB, 6606 Tussing Road, Reynoldsburg (or email [email protected]).4 Form (PDF, dam.assets.ohio.gov)3
  2. The board reviews eligibility and notifies you by mail; approval is valid for one year.3
  3. Get BCI and FBI background checks (WebCheck) sent directly to OCILB.4
  4. Schedule and pass both exam sections with PSI using the Candidate Information Bulletin.3
  5. Send the exam results, the $25 licensing fee and a certificate of liability insurance (at least $500,000, OCILB as certificate holder) for the contracting company the license will be assigned to.4
Temporary or provisional license
A section may grant a one-year conditional license (criminal-history context).2
Processing time
Renewed licenses are processed and mailed within two business days; exam-qualified applicants must be authorized within 90 days of filing.4

Renewal and continuing education

How often
Every year2
When it expires
Expires annually on the original license date; renew up to 90 days before expiry; one-year or three-year renewal options per the board.4
Renewal fee
$604 (Annual renewal)
Approved courses
OCILB-approved training agencies; self-guided online hours limited (4 per year on one-year renewals, 12 over a three-year renewal).4
Exemptions
Licenses in escrow (inactive) need no CE or insurance but pay the renewal fee annually; reactivation needs up to 24 CE hours and proof of insurance.4
If it expires
Within one year after expiry the section may waive renewal requirements (late fee up to double); expired more than one year: reapply and re-test.4

Renewal planner

Enter the expiration date printed on your Ohio Plumbing contractor (Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board state license). The count is worked out on your device from today's date; nothing is sent anywhere.

Moving to Ohio with a license from another state

These are the routes OCILB publishes for the Plumbing contractor license.

Route
Reciprocity agreements
What the board says
Plumbing reciprocity only for applicants who passed the partner state's test (Tennessee also accepts grandfathered licensees; licenses obtained there by reciprocity are not accepted). Partner states for plumbing: Arkansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia. Each partner form needs a verification of licensure from the other state's board, a $500,000 liability insurance certificate and assignment to a contracting company; Mississippi requires the license to have been held at least one year.4
States on Ohio's list
Arkansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia4
This is the list of states whose licenses Ohio accepts for this route. It does not say those states accept a Ohio license.
Condition for Arkansas
Arkansas plumbing license; Arkansas Plumbing Reciprocity Application with state-board verification (state seal, exam score).5
Condition for Mississippi
Mississippi license held at least one year and obtained by testing; grandfathered or reciprocal MS licensees must take the Ohio exam and the Business and Law exam.10
Condition for South Carolina
South Carolina license obtained by testing; Business and Law exam required.11
Condition for Tennessee
Tennessee license obtained by testing or grandfathering (not by reciprocity); Ohio Business and Law exam required.12
Condition for West Virginia
West Virginia plumbing license obtained by testing (no B&L note).4
Conditions
Notarized reciprocity application, verification of licensure signed by the other state's board, $500,000 liability insurance certificate, assignment to a contracting company.4
Fee
$255
Route
Universal license recognition
What the board says
Holders of a substantially similar out-of-state license qualify to take the Ohio exam by showing five building permits issued to them, a tax return with income under that license, and an Ohio-registered foreign company; the board secretary must approve within 30 days. The exam is still required.2
Conditions
Proof of out-of-state license with at least 5 years' experience and at least five permits.4
Fee
$2513

Military service members, veterans and spouses: Uniformed-services members with substantially similar trade activity for three of the last five years qualify for the exam (approval within 30 days); veterans attach a DD214 and training records.2

City and county rules

No state journeyman license. Columbus licenses journeyperson plumbers (ICC F25 exam); Toledo registers apprentices and tests/licenses journeyman plumbers; Cleveland says plumbers must be licensed and registers state-licensed plumbing contractors (details in a scanned PDF, unread). State law lets local governments register or license tradespersons, but contractor registration requires the state license.14

City or countyWhat it requiresLink
ColumbusPlumbing contractors must hold the state OCILB license, then register with the city (no city board approval). Anyone working as a journeyperson plumber in Columbus needs a city Journeyperson Plumber license: five years of plumbing experience or a USDOL-certified plumbing apprenticeship, a 70% or better score on the ICC National Standard Journeyman Plumber (F25) exam, notarized application approved by the Skilled Trades Review Board; 2026 fees: $300 application fee and $150 annual journeyperson plumber fee.15Official page15
ClevelandPlumbing contractors must have a master plumber or sewer builder bond, be licensed and insured with the State and registered with the City; do-it-yourselfers need not register. The city also says plumbers must be licensed.16Official page16
ToledoToledo registers plumbing apprentices ($25 registration fee) and tests journeyman plumbers (proof of graduation from an apprentice program with hours; Plumbing I / II exams, $100 exam fee); traveler journeymen register for $100. Contractors file the Contractor Trade Application with a current State of Ohio license. 2027 renewals due by 12/31/2026: apprentice $25, journeyman $50, contractor $140; late fee after 1/31/2027 (journeyman $50, contractor $60).17Official page18

Check a license or report a problem

Before you hire a plumber in Ohio, you can confirm the license is current on the board's own search. Every board we cover in Ohio is on the Ohio license lookup page.

Look up a license
elicense4.com.ohio.gov4
File a complaint
com.ohio.gov7

Laws and rules

The requirements above come from these laws and board rules.

Common questions

How long does it take to get a Plumbing contractor license in Ohio?

The rules set at least 5 years2 before you can be licensed. On processing, the board says: Renewed licenses are processed and mailed within two business days; exam-qualified applicants must be authorized within 90 days of filing.4

Can I transfer my plumber license to Ohio?

OCILB publishes these routes for the Plumbing contractor license: reciprocity agreements4 and universal license recognition2. Conditions and forms.

How often do you renew a Plumbing contractor license in Ohio?

Every year2. The renewal fee is $604.

Plumber licenses in other states

Sources

Every number and rule above links to one of these official pages. Select a footnote number to read the board's own words.

  1. Ohio Revised Code section 4740.13Ohio Legislative Service Commission (codes.ohio.gov)Dated September 17, 2014Checked November 7, 2026
  2. Ohio Revised Code section 4740.06Ohio Legislative Service Commission (codes.ohio.gov)Dated December 29, 2023Checked November 7, 2026
  3. OCILB Examination Application (DIC 3524)Ohio Construction Industry Licensing BoardChecked November 7, 2026
  4. OCILB Contractors & Contracting CompaniesOhio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance, Ohio Construction Industry Licensing BoardChecked November 7, 2026
  5. OCILB Reciprocity Application - ArkansasOhio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance (OCILB)Checked November 7, 2026
  6. Ohio Revised Code section 4740.01Ohio Legislative Service Commission (codes.ohio.gov)Dated September 17, 2014Checked November 7, 2026
  7. Ohio Construction Industry Licensing BoardOhio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial ComplianceChecked November 7, 2026
  8. Ohio Revised Code section 4740.04Ohio Legislative Service Commission (codes.ohio.gov)Dated September 17, 2014Checked November 7, 2026
  9. Pre-Determination RequestOhio Department of CommerceChecked November 7, 2026
  10. OCILB Reciprocity Application - MississippiOhio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance (OCILB)Checked November 7, 2026
  11. OCILB Reciprocity Application - South CarolinaOhio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance (OCILB)Checked November 7, 2026
  12. OCILB Reciprocity Application - TennesseeOhio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance (OCILB)Checked November 7, 2026
  13. OCILB Out of State Examination ApplicationOhio Construction Industry Licensing BoardChecked November 7, 2026
  14. Ohio Revised Code section 4740.12Ohio Legislative Service Commission (codes.ohio.gov)Dated March 30, 2007Checked November 7, 2026
  15. Contractor Licenses (City of Columbus)City of Columbus, Department of Building and Zoning ServicesChecked November 7, 2026
  16. Plumbing PermitsCity of Cleveland Department of Building & HousingChecked November 7, 2026
  17. Plumbing and Hydronics Exam and Apprentice ApplicationCity of Toledo Division of Building InspectionChecked November 7, 2026
  18. Contractor, Journeyman, and Apprentice License Renewal (City of Toledo)City of Toledo, Division of Building InspectionChecked November 7, 2026