CO Plumber

Colorado issues Residential Plumber, Journeyworker Plumber, and Master Plumber licenses, and the Board's program page describes licensure by examination. Each level tests progressively deeper code and trade knowledge, so confirm with the Board which exam applies to the credential you are pursuing before you schedule or study.

Expect four broad areas: general plumbing knowledge and safety; piping systems, materials, and joints; fixtures, appliances, and water heaters; and code, permits, and inspection. Build your study plan so each area gets attention rather than spending all your time on the piping chapter you already know from daily work.

At least 8 hours of Continuing Education during each year of the two-year license period. The CE year runs March 1 through February 28, and hours are counted by licensure year, not calendar year. Do not assume a January course counts toward the same year as a March course.

No. The Board states that plumbers who received their initial license through the examination method during the current license period are not required to complete CE until after the first renewal of their license. Track your renewal date anyway, since the requirement begins immediately afterward.

No. CE courses are accepted only if taken with a provider or vendor that has attested to the Board that its courses and instructors meet the requirements of Board Rule. Verify the provider's status before paying, and keep completion documentation in case your renewal is audited.

Those details are not published on the Board's program homepage, so treat any figure you hear secondhand as unverified. Contact the Board directly at 303-894-7800 or [email protected], and review the Applications and Forms and Licensing Services links for the current process.

The program page routes permit information and customer questions to [email protected], separate from licensing questions, which go to [email protected]. Using the right inbox avoids delays, particularly when a permit question is holding up a job you need to schedule.

Not automatically. Under HB24-1004, signed June 4, 2024, a regulator may consider a conviction only for a three-year period beginning on the date of conviction or the end of incarceration, if there is no other conviction during that period. Review the Ex-Offenders Practice in Regulated Occupations webpage before applying.

Reading the code like a textbook instead of drilling it like a reference. Practice locating answers quickly by index and chapter, then work calculation and sizing problems until they are routine. Weak code navigation, not weak trade knowledge, is what usually costs points on a timed licensing exam.

Start with the code, practice act, rules, and Board policies so you understand the legal framework. Then move through piping materials and joining methods, fixtures, appliances and water heaters, and finish with safety and inspection topics. Take practice sets weekly, review every miss, and revisit the weakest area before exam day.