Plumbing careers

How to become a plumber in Florida

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

The short answer

In Florida, journeyman plumber licenses are issued by counties and cities (statewide recognition requires a registered apprenticeship or 12,000 hours of on-the-job training plus a passing score of at least 75% on an approved exam), and the state Certified Plumbing Contractor license requires passing the state exam after at least 4 years of experience, including 1 year as a foreman.

Note: in Florida, licensing is split between the state and local governments. Check the local rules where you will work too.

The steps in Florida

1
Start as an apprentice
The official pages we checked do not set out a separate apprentice registration in Florida. Most plumbers still start in an apprenticeship – see below. Ask the licensing office for the current rule.
2
Earn your journeyman (first independent) license
Journeyman plumber licenses are issued by Florida counties and municipalities, and they must recognize a journeyman license from another Florida county or city when the holder scored at least 75% on an approved proctored exam and completed a registered apprenticeship or at least 12,000 hours of on-the-job training.
3
Master or contractor license
To sit for the state Certified Plumbing Contractor exam you must be 18 and have, among other routes, at least 4 years of active experience in the trade, at least 1 year of it as a foreman.
4
Keep your license current
Certified and registered contractor licenses renew every 2 years, with at least 14 hours of continuing education each two-year cycle (including 1 hour of laws and rules).

Who licenses plumbers in Florida

Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Construction Industry Licensing Board. License types we found: Certified Plumbing Contractor, Registered Plumbing Contractor, Journeyman Plumber (issued by counties and municipalities).

Official application page

Already licensed? Anyone can check a license on myfloridalicense.com.

Licensed in another state?

Within Florida, counties and cities must recognize a journeyman plumber license issued by any other Florida county or municipality (subject to the exam and training conditions in the statute). No interstate reciprocity statement was confirmed.

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).

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 Florida?

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

Sources

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

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

How to become a plumber in Florida

The steps in Florida

Start as an apprentice

Earn your journeyman (first independent) license

Master or contractor license