Plumber in North Carolina
Requirements, salary data, licensing costs, and career ROI for NC. Updated with 2024 BLS OEWS wage data.
BLS OEWS 2024, North Carolina.
Jobs (NC)
10-yr job growth
Est. total cost
Time to complete
route How to become a plumber in North Carolina
To become a licensed Plumbing Contractor Class I in North Carolina, individuals must be at least 18 years old and have 4,000 hours (2 years) of hands-on experience, with up to half of that experience potentially coming from academic or technical training. Applicants need to pass a criminal background check, submit an application with a $100 fee, and then pass both the North Carolina Plumbing Contractor Class I Technical Examination and a Business and Law Examination, which costs $75. Upon passing, a license activation fee of $150 is required. While there are no continuing education requirements, North Carolina does offer a technical exam waiver for South Carolina plumbing contractors, and the Neighbor State Licensing Recognition Act may provide a pathway for those licensed in other neighboring states, though the North Carolina business law exam is still required.
bar_chart Salary percentiles
Source: BLS OEWS 2024 for North Carolina. Metro-area wages may differ significantly from the state aggregate.
checklist North Carolina requirements
| Licensing body | State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors |
| State license | Required |
| Education | None |
| Experience | 4,000.0 hours |
| Exam | North Carolina Plumbing Contractor Class I Technical Examination and Business and Law Examination ($75) |
| Application fee | $100 |
| Renewal | Every 1.0 year |
| Reciprocity | North Carolina waives trade exams for some states, but requires its business law exam.Reciprocal states: North Carolina has a Technical Examination Waiver Agreement with South Carolina for plumbing contractors, but applicants must still pass the North Carolina business law exam. The Neighbor State Licensing Recognition Act may allow individuals licensed in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, or West Virginia to be eligible for equivalent licensure in North Carolina, but they must pass the North Carolina business law exam. |
| Notes | Minimum age is 18 years old. Applicants must pass a criminal background check. North Carolina licenses contractors, not journeymen. The 4000 hours (2 years) of experience must be hands-on, and up to 2,000 hours may be substituted with academic or technical training. Class I is for any potable water/drainage system (residential, commercial, industrial). Class II is for single-family detached dwellings only. The exam application fee is $100, and the exam itself costs $75. The license activation fee after passing the exam is $150. There are no continuing education requirements for plumbers in North Carolina. |
Source: State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors
Already licensed elsewhere and moving to North Carolina? See whether North Carolina recognizes an out-of-state credential — with the tier and pathway for all 50 states — in our Plumber license reciprocity guide.
workspace_premium North Carolina license tiers
North Carolina offers multiple tiers of plumber licensing:
| Tier | Hours required |
|---|---|
| Plumbing Class I Contractor | 4,000 |
| Plumbing Class II Contractor | 4,000 |
work_outline Job outlook
AI & tech impact
This career has low exposure to AI automation. Most tasks require physical presence, human judgment, or hands-on skills that AI cannot easily replicate.
balance Is it worth it?
- check_circleNorth Carolina license required — clearer credential signal to employers
- check_circleLow AI disruption risk
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