STEP ONE: You must meet the minimum qualifications to become a licensed Master Plumber.

You must be:

1. At least 18 years old
2. Able to read, write, and understand the English language
3. Good moral character, so as to not adversely impact upon fitness to perform the duties and responsibilities of this license.

You must also meet one of the following levels of experience:

• Have had at least seven years total experience* within the ten years prior to application in the design and installation of plumbing systems under the direct and continuing supervision of a licensed master plumber in the United States; or

• Have received a bachelor's degree in engineering or appropriate engineering technology from a college or university registered by the New York State Department of Education and have had at least five years total experience within the seven years prior to application in the design and installation of plumbing systems under the direct and continuing supervision of a licensed master plumber in the United States. At least two years of this experience must be in New York City; or

• Be a registered architect or professional engineer licensed with New York State and have at least three years of experience within the five years prior to application in the design and installation of plumbing systems in the United States. At least one year of such experience must be in New York City; or

• Have at least seven years total experience* within the ten years prior to application, with at least two years of such experience working in the design and installation of plumbing systems under the direct and continuing supervision of a licensed master plumber in the United States. The balance of experience may be obtained by performing maintenance, replacement and repair of plumbing work on existing buildings while in the employ of a city agency under the direct and continuing supervision of a licensed master plumber supervisor employed by the city agency; or

• An applicant who is an employee of a government agency, private inspection agency or other entity acceptable to the Commissioner, whose duties primarily involve the inspection of plumbing work for compliance with the New York City Plumbing Code and/or other laws relating to the installation, alteration or repair of plumbing systems shall be credited with 50% of the number of years that he or she has been satisfactorily employed in such duties within the ten year period prior to application. The number of years credited shall not exceed 2.5 years of qualifying satisfactory experience. The balance must be obtained by working in the design and installation of plumbing systems under the direct and continuing supervision of a licensed master plumber in the United States.

* As of July 1, 2011, at least two years of the required practical experience must be obtained as a journeyman plumber registered with the Department. Please see the full text of the New York City Administrative Code for all the requirements.

STEP TWO: You must apply to take the Master Plumber Exam administered by the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS).

The exam application and exam dates can be found on the DCAS website at www.nyc.gov/dcas, or at the following locations in Manhattan: 2 Lafayette Street, 17th floor, New York, NY

Submit the application, along with exam fee of $210 payable by money order only, to:

Division of Citywide Administrative Services (EXAMS)
One Centre Street, 14th Floor
New York, NY 10007
TEL: (212) 669-1357

Where the required level of experience requires supervision from a licensed Master Plumber, the application must include documentation that proves you have the required work/educational experience under the direct supervision of a licensed Master Plumber in the jurisdiction within which you obtained your experience.  The Department of Buildings requires payroll records, notarized or sealed letters from employers that detail the type of work performed, and any other documents the Department requests.  PLEASE BE AWARE THAT EXPERIENCE IN THE DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF PLUMBING SYSTEMS WILL BE VERIFIED THROUGH THE EXAMINATION OF SUPERVISING LICENSEES' WORK PERMITS (ISSUED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS AND ANY OTHER APPLICABLE AGENCIES OR AUTHORITIES).

STEP THREE: You must take the Master Plumber Exams (written and practical).

The written exam is a multiple-choice test assessing the candidate's knowledge of the NYC Administrative Code. Reference materials will NOT be allowed during the exam. If you pass the written exam, a practical exam will be scheduled. If you pass the practical exam, you will receive a letter notifying you of your exam score in approximately five weeks after date of examination.

STEP FOUR: You must submit additional documentation for your investigation to the Master Plumber and Master Fire Suppression Piping Contractor License Board ("Board").

After DCAS notifies the Department of Buildings of your passing exam score, you will receive a letter from the Licensing Unit outlining the documentation you must submit for your investigation. Please be aware this documentation includes (BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO):

1. Proof of claimed practical experience in the form of notarized affidavits that are also signed and sealed by the licensed Master Plumber or Master Fire Suppression Piping Contractor who supervised your work.  The statement should include:
   1. Your job title (helper, journeyman plumber, etc.).
   2. A detailed description of your duties.
   3. When you worked with the licensee.
   4. Whether employment was in a full or part-time basis.
   5. A listing of jobs you worked on.
   6. A statement by the licensee that he or she directly supervised your work.
2. An official Certification of Extract from Records with your official itemized statement of earnings from the Social Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services indicating the periods of your employment and earnings from each employer, by name.

You have one year from the date of the letter to begin submitting the required documents for your license. If you do not complete the process within one year of the date of the first document submission, you will be required to retake the examination. The License application (LIC-2) and instructions can also be found on the Buildings website at www.nyc.gov/buildings. Candidates can make an appointment to submit this documentation by calling (212) 566-4100 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. After all the documentation is submitted and reviewed by the Licensing Unit, a background investigation will be conducted by the Buildings Special Investigation Unit (BSIU) and the Master Plumber Board. You will be contacted directly if additional information is required during the investigation or if you are required to appear before the Board. Once the Board reviews all the information, it will make its recommendation to the Commissioner.  

STEP FIVE: Apply for your Master Plumber License.

If your investigation is completed and you have been found qualified for the license, the Department of Buildings Licensing Unit will notify you in writing that you are eligible for issuance of your Master Plumber License. The notice will include instructions and a list of additional documents required by the Licensing Unit. You will have one year from the date of this letter to obtain your license. For more information, be sure to look in the “Licenses and Renewals” section. Candidates can make an appointment to obtain a Master Plumber License by calling (212) 566-4100 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

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