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How to become a plumber in Connecticut

The license steps in Connecticut, from apprentice to master or contractor, taken from the official licensing pages – plus pay, apprenticeships and where to apply.

The short answer

In Connecticut you complete a registered plumbing apprenticeship (8,000 on-the-job hours plus 576 classroom hours) and pass an exam for the P-2 unlimited journeyperson license, then after two years as a licensed journeyperson you can test for the P-1 unlimited plumbing contractor license.

The steps in Connecticut

  1. 1

    Start as an apprentice

    The standard route to a journeyperson license is completing a registered apprenticeship program (or equivalent experience and training).

  2. 2

    Earn your journeyman (first independent) license

    The P-2 unlimited journeyperson plumber license requires proof of 576 classroom hours and 8,000 hours of on-the-job training, plus an exam; P-2 holders may work only while employed by a licensed contractor.

  3. 3

    Master or contractor license

    The P-1 unlimited plumbing contractor license requires two years as a licensed unlimited journeyperson (or equivalent experience and training), and every applicant must pass an exam.

  4. 4

    Keep your license current

    All plumbing and pipefitting licenses expire every year on October 31; unlimited contractors and journeypersons need 5 hours of continuing education every two years.

Who licenses plumbers in Connecticut

Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Occupational and Professional Licensing (Plumbing and Piping Work Examining Board). License types we found: P-1 Unlimited Plumbing Contractor, P-2 Unlimited Journeyperson Plumber, P-7 Limited Sewer, Storm, and Water Contractor, P-6 Limited Sewer, Storm, and Water Journeyperson, J-1 Limited Contractor, J-2 Limited Well Pumps and Piping Journeyperson.

Official application page

Already licensed? Anyone can check a license on elicense.ct.gov.

Licensed in another state?

Connecticut has no reciprocal licensing agreements with other states, though it has a separate equivalent out-of-state license application path.

Finding an apprenticeship

Most plumbers learn the trade through a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training each year plus classroom instruction, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeships are paid jobs with progressive wage increases, classroom instruction and a portable, nationally recognized credential; programs are approved by the Department of Labor or a State Apprenticeship Agency. Search programs at apprenticeship.gov, or ask local plumbing contractors and union locals.

Pay and job outlook

$63,800

Median yearly pay for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025 (BLS).

7%

Projected job growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 42,000 openings a year (BLS).

4-5 years

Typical apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training a year (BLS).

National figures from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook; pay varies by state and city.

Already a plumber in Connecticut?

42 plumbing businesses are listed on Plumbers Pages so far. Add your business free, or see plumbers in Connecticut.

Sources

Requirements come from Connecticut’s official licensing pages and statutes, checked October 2026. Rules change – confirm with the licensing office before you apply.

  1. portal.ct.gov/dcp/occupational-and-professional-division/occupational–p
  2. portal.ct.gov/dcp/license-services-division/all-license-applications/plu
  3. portal.ct.gov/dcp/continuing-education/plumber—continuing-education
  4. portal.ct.gov/dcp/license-services-division/all-license-applications/plu
  5. portal.ct.gov/dcp/verify-a-license
  6. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters
  7. U.S. Department of Labor – Apprenticeship.gov for career seekers

General information, not legal advice. All states · How we write our guides

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