To Become a Journeyman Plumber

Educational & Practical Experience Requirements

The following is an extract from the Virginia Board for Contractors, Individual License and Certification Regulations at:  http://www.dpor.virginia.gov/dporweb/tra_reg.pdf (page 9)

18 VAC 50-30-40 Evidence of Ability and Proficiency

A. Applicants for examination to be licensed as a journeyman shall furnish evidence that one of the following experience and education standards has been attained:

1. Four years of practical experience in the trade and 240 hours of formal vocational training in the trade. Experience in excess of four years may be substituted for formal vocational training at a ratio of one year of experience for 80 hours of  formal training, but not to exceed 200 hours;

2. Four years of practical experience and 80 hours of vocational training for liquefied petroleum gas fitters and natural gas fitter providers except that no substitute experience will be allowed for liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas workers;

3. An associate degree or a certificate of completion from at least a two-year program in a tradesman related field from an accredited community college or technical school as evidenced by a transcript from the educational institution and two years of practical experience in the trade for which licensure is desired;

4. A bachelor’s degree received from an accredited college or university in an engineering curriculum related to the trade and one year of practical experience in the trade for which licensure is desired, or,

5. On or after July 1, 1995, an applicant with ten years of practical experience in the trade as verified by reference letters of experience from any of the following: building officials, building inspectors, current or former employers, contractors, engineers, architects or current or past clients, attesting to the applicant’s work in the trade, may be granted permission to sit for the journeyman’s level examination without having to meet the educational requirements.

ESCC offers an online non-credit course to satisfy the ‘formal vocational training’ requirement above.

PLMB 1302: this online program gives you hands-on training to:
• Interpret construction drawings and specifications.
• Assemble, install, test, and maintain plumbing systems.
• Repair and maintain water heating systems.
• Install and troubleshoot the plumbing for dishwashers and other appliances.
Included in the course fee is a broad array of tools including wrenches, pliers and a torpedo level to provide you hands-on training in plumbing repair. The program prepares you for – and qualifies you for – the DPOR journeyman plumber examination.
Your program consists of 8 instruction sets designed to take you step-by-step through the techniques and skills you’ll use in your new career. The following textbooks are supplied and included in the cost of the course: Plumbing Technology: Design and Installation, Math for Plumbers and Pipe-Fitters, Complete Plumbing, National Standard Plumbing Code. The cost of the course is $808.
You can use the standard non-credit application and enrollment form, which can be downloaded at: xxxx1xxxx and mailed to the college. The Class Title is: “Plumber Career Diploma”, and the Class # is: “PLMB 1302”.

This course is approved by DPOR as satisfying the ‘vocational training’ requirements detailed above.

For further information call 757.789.7979.