The Nevada Plumbing License Exam covers many topics including: Vents & Venting; Administrative Procedures; Fixtures; Drainage Systems and more. Whether you live in Las Vegas, Reno, Henderson or another city or county, the resources below will help you get started:
Need of a License: Plumbing contractors need a license to work in Nevada. Plumbing contractors are classified in two ways: as Plumbing and Heating Contractors (C-1) and Plumbing Contractors (C-1D). A C-1 license allows a contractor to perform any work authorized for the subclassifications of the C-1 license, i.e. plumbing, boilers, sprinklers and HVAC. The C-1D license is limited to the plumbing subclassification.
Who Grants a License: Plumbing contractor's licenses are issued by the Nevada State Contractor's Board.
Procedures for Getting a License:
Plumbers: Candidates for both master and journeyman plumber licenses must pass an exam.
Contractors - Candidates for a contractor’s license must take and pass a 2 part exam, one part covering business and law, called the Contractor Management Survey Examination and the other a trade knowledge exam. A candidate may not have to take an exam if the candidate can meet the requirements for a waiver, i.e. was licensed within the last 5 years in the classification sought or on reciprocity grounds with California, Utah or Arizona.
Qualifications to take the Exam and receive a License:
Plumbing License
Candidates for journeyman plumber need to have 4 years with 8,000 hours of substantiated experience in the plumbing trade.
Candidates for master plumber need to have held a journeyman license issued by the NBOPE for a period of at least 2,000 hours.
Contractor License - A candidate for a contractor's license must have at least 4 years of experience as a journeyman, foreman, supervisor or contractor. A journeyman is defined as one who has completed an apprenticeship program or who is otherwise an experienced worker qualified to work without supervision in the trade. A foreman or supervisor is one who has knowledge and skill as a journeyman and directly supervises physical construction. A contractor is one who manages the daily activities of a construction business, including field supervision.
Detailed test information may be found in a Candidate Information Bulletin.
Test Content:
Plumbers
Plumbing License – Candidates can choose either to take a paper or computer based exam. The content is as follows:
50 multiple choice questions, open book, 2 hours to complete
100 multiple choice questions, closed book, 1 hour 45 minutes to complete
Questions will cover all chapters of the Uniform Plumbing Code including;
- Installation Standards, Administration, Definitions & General Regulations 20%
- Fixtures and Fixture Fittings, Water Heaters, Indirect Wastes, and Traps & Interceptors 31%
- Sanitary Drainage, Vents, & Storm Drainage Related Drawings 27%
- Water Supply & Related Drawings 12%
- Fuel Gas & Related Drawings 10%
Candidates need a score of 75% to pass.
Contractors
Contractor Management Survey Exam - 62 questions, 2 hours long, open book, including such subjects as estimating and bidding, tax laws, environmental and safety. Need score of at least 42 to pass.
Plumbing and Heating Contractors (C-1) - 120 question, 5 hours long, open book,need a score of 84 to pass, with the following subjects and number of questions:
Boilers - 4
Gas systems - 8
Cleanouts - 4
Fixtures and Equipment - 4
Hydronics - 3
Water Heaters/ Venting - 6
Piping, Valves and Controls - 3
Sheet Metal - 3
Water Supply - 8
Hangers and Supports - 5
Drain, Waste and Vents - 10
Backflow - 4
Traps and Interceptors - 8
Isometric Analysis/Plumbing Mathematics - 8
Safety - 5
Joints and Connections - 4
Solar - 4
General Plumbing Requirements - 7
Fire Sprinklers - 5
Storm Drainage - 5
Industrial Piping - 3
Breathing Systems for Fire Fighters - 3
Chilled Water Piping - 6
Plumbing Contractors (C-1D) - 80 questions, 3 hours long, open book, need a score of 56 to pass, including:
Gas systems - 8
Cleanouts - 4
Fixtures and Equipment - 3
Hydronics - 3
Water Heaters/ Venting - 6
Piping, Valves and Controls - 5
Water Supply - 8
Hangers and Supports - 4
Drain, Waste and Vents - 8
Backflow - 4
Traps and Interceptors - 4
Isometric Analysis/Plumbing Mathematics - 6
Safety - 5
Joints and Connections - 3
Solar - 3
General Plumbing Requirements - 3
Storm Drainage - 3
How to Apply for the Test:
Plumber Licenses
A candidate for a journeyman or master license must send an Affidavit of Experience, Official Application, Applicable Fees, Photo Id and Test Fees to the National Inspection Testing Certification (NITC) to the following address:
NBOPE c/o NITC
501 Shatto Place, Suite 201
Los Angeles, CA 90020
Master plumbers must also send in proof of holding a NBOPE journeyman license for at least 2,000 hours.
More information can be found at NITC’s website.
Contractor Licenses
You can access the application online.
Send the application and other required documents to:
Northern Nevada
Nevada State Contractor's Board
9670 Gateway Drive, Suite 100
Reno, NV 89521
Southern Nevada
Nevada State Contractor's Board
2310 Corporate Circle, Suite 200
Henderson, NV 89074
Who administers the exams:
Plumber Exams - NITC
Contractor Exams - PSI
Fees : There are fees to take the test.
License Renewal - Licenses must be renewed every three years. Plumbers must either take a code course from an IAMPO instructor that is at least 4 hours in length or pass a 25 question open book test online.
Applicable Code: In Nevada, local municipalities have adopted the International Plumbing Code (IPC) or the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC).
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For more information on licensing and exam preparation, go to Tests.com's
Journeyman Plumbing Test Guide
And take Tests.com's Plumbing Practice Test.
For plumbing exam preparation products and services, such as study guides, practice tests, flashcards and courses, go to Tests.com's Journeyman Plumber Exam and Master Plumber Exam listings.
