Experience hours, license tiers and the state exam — plus a progress tracker that estimates your time to licensure.
Requirements as of June 28, 2026 — official requirements vary by state and locality and change. Always confirm with California Contractors State License Board (CSLB).
Verify with California Contractors State License Board (CSLB)Experience to top license
—
hours toward C-36 Plumbing Contractor License (CSLB)
License tiers
1
apprentice → master
Licensing exam
CSLB
CSLB C-36 trade exam + Law and Business exam
State-licensed
Yes
US SOC 47-2152 · Exams via CSLB
| License tier | Experience hours | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| C-36 Plumbing Contractor License (CSLB) | — | CSLB C-36 trade exam + Law and Business exam |
California has no state-level journeyman/individual plumber certification — only the CSLB C-36 Plumbing Contractor license, required to contract for plumbing work. Individual plumbers working as employees under a licensed C-36 contractor need no state license; apprentice/journeyman licensing, if any, is handled locally.
Enter the experience you have logged. Saved on this device only — no account needed.
You appear to qualify at C-36 Plumbing Contractor License (CSLB) based on hours logged.
Experience hours remaining
0
Keep logging experience hours. When the hours are met, you can apply to sit the CSLB C-36 trade exam + Law and Business exam.
Next step at California Contractors State License Board (CSLB)This tracker saves to this device only. With a free account, your certifications live on your profile and show up when you apply to jobs.
Plumber is not licensed at the state level in California; licensing is typically handled locally. Confirm requirements with your city or county building department.
Yes. California licenses plumbers through California Contractors State License Board (CSLB), with tiers such as C-36 Plumbing Contractor License (CSLB).
It varies by trade and province. Most Red Seal apprenticeships run about 6,000–9,000 on-the-job hours over roughly four to five years, plus three to four levels of in-school technical training, then the Interprovincial Red Seal exam. Always confirm the current hours with your provincial apprenticeship authority.
The Red Seal is the national standard for skilled trades in Canada. Passing the Interprovincial Red Seal exam in a designated trade adds a Red Seal endorsement to your provincial certificate, letting you work in that trade across participating provinces and territories without re-certifying.
Yes. Required hours, technical-training levels and exam rules are set by each provincial authority and are updated periodically. The figures here were verified on their effective date, but you must confirm the current requirements with the official authority linked on every page before relying on them.
No. Your logged hours, completed levels and weekly average are saved in your browser on this device only — there is no sign-up and nothing is sent to a server.
Figures for the plumber license in California were verified against California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) on June 28, 2026 (Contractors State License Board (CSLB) — C-36 Plumbing Contractor classification). Licensing is set by the state board and may differ by city or county.
Requirements vary by state and locality and route and change over time. Confirm the current hours, levels and exam eligibility with California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) before relying on them.
Last reviewed June 28, 2026. Estimates are indicative — verify against current product specs and local requirements before ordering.
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