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How to become a plumber in North Carolina

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

The short answer

North Carolina has no apprentice license; a Plumbing Technician license needs 18 months (3,000 hours) of experience for Class I or 15 months (2,500 hours) for Class II plus the board exam, and a Plumbing contractor license (P-I or P-II) needs 2 years (4,000 hours) of full-time experience plus the exam; all licenses renew every year with no CE requirement.

The steps in North Carolina

  1. 1

    Start as an apprentice

    The official pages we checked do not set out a separate apprentice registration in North Carolina. Most plumbers still start in an apprenticeship – see below. Ask the licensing office for the current rule.

  2. 2

    Earn your journeyman (first independent) license

    North Carolina's first individual license is the Plumbing Technician license: Class I requires 18 months (3,000 hours) of experience and Class II requires 15 months (2,500 hours), and applicants must pass the board's exam, given daily at testing centers around the state.

  3. 3

    Master or contractor license

    To take the Plumbing contractor exam (P-I or P-II), you need 2 years (4,000 hours) of full-time on-site plumbing experience, up to half of which can come from related academic or technical training.

  4. 4

    Keep your license current

    All North Carolina plumbing licenses expire at the end of December and are renewed every year; mandatory continuing education was eliminated in 2012.

Who licenses plumbers in North Carolina

North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors. License types we found: Plumbing Class I (P-I), Plumbing Class II (P-II), Restricted Limited Plumbing (RLP), Limited Plumbing Water Heater Replacement (LWH), Plumbing, Heating & Fuel Piping Technician (Class I / Class II).

Official application page

Already licensed? Anyone can check a license on public.nclicensing.org.

Licensed in another state?

North Carolina has no license reciprocity agreements with any other state.

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 North Carolina?

90 plumbing businesses are listed on Plumbers Pages so far. Add your business free, or see plumbers in North Carolina.

Sources

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

  1. nclicensing.org/applicant-information/
  2. nclicensing.org/education/
  3. nclicensing.org/
  4. nclicensing.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/License-Definitions-Contracto
  5. nclicensing.org/consumer-awareness/
  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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