Reminder to plumbers: Requirements have changed to renew your certification and display your plumber badges
Over the past two years, state law has created and revised dozens of requirements affecting the plumbing industry. Here are a few of the many changes that plumbers should know about.
Display your certification card. Plumbers and plumber trainees, you are now required to wear or display your L&I-issued plumbing certification or trainee card on the front of your upper body or clothes when working. The badges may be worn inside your outer layer of clothing when working in an attic or crawl space, or if wearing it outside your clothes while operating equipment would pose a safety hazard.
Failure to display the badge could result in an infraction with a fine of up to $5,000.
For more details about wearing the cards, see WAC 296-400A-024.
Plumber certificates last longer. The next time you renew your plumber certification it will last for three years instead of two, and cost more.
The exception are plumber trainee certificates, which remain one year long.
| Certification |
New fee as of July 1, 2021 |
Previous fee |
| Journey Level (PL01) |
$227.90 |
$193.15 |
| Medical Gas Endorsement (MG01) |
$156.70 |
$132.80 |
| Residential Specialty (PL02) |
$227.90 |
$193.15 |
| Residential Service (PL04) |
$227.90 |
$193.15 |
| Pump & Irrigation (PL03) |
$228.00 |
$193.25 |
| Domestic Well (PL3A) |
$228.00 |
$193.25 |
| Backflow (PL30) |
$157.20 |
$133.25 |
| Plumber Trainee (PT) |
$56.40 |
$47.85 |
(Be advised: There’s a proposal to slightly raise certification fees to cover operating costs. If approved, it would go into effect later this year.)
More continuing education hours. Plumbers must have earned 24 continuing education hours during the three years before they renew. That’s an increase from the earlier 16-hour requirement.
Over the three-year renewal cycle, the continuing education hours must consist of: 12 hours of plumbing code, four hours of plumbing-related electrical, and eight hours of industry-related plumbing training.
Plumber trainee renewal requirements remain the same: eight hours of continuing education earned during the year before they renew.
Over a two-year cycle, the continuing education hours must consist of: eight hours of plumbing code, four hours of plumbing-related electrical, and four hours of industry-related plumbing training.
New testing administrator. L&I no longer administers the plumbing certification exams. We contract with PSI, a private testing service that can offer the exam at more locations and dates around the state than us. This isn’t related to the new state plumbing laws, but we wanted to let you know.
Why L&I is implementing the requirements. The plumbing industry asked the state Legislature for these and other changes to improve consumer protection and help meet the demand for certified plumbers in this state. Plumbing industry representatives also requested the state crack down on illegal plumbing, and said they were willing to pay higher fees to increase enforcement of plumbing laws.
Learn more about the new plumbing requirements at www.Lni.wa.gov/NewPlumbingRequirements.
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