OHIO · plumber
Plumbing Contractor (Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board)
Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce →Scope of Work
The Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) issues a state-level Plumbing Contractor license under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4740. The license authorizes an individual (or the qualifying officer of a firm) to contract for plumbing work in Ohio. Ohio does not issue a statewide journey-level or apprentice plumber credential; journey-level registration, where required, is handled at the municipal layer. Source: OCILB (https://elicense.ohio.gov/OH_HomePage) and ORC Chapter 4740 (https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/chapter-4740).
Experience
Applicants must document at least five years of experience as a plumbing tradesperson in the five years immediately preceding the application, per ORC §4740.06. A registered engineer with three years of business experience in the plumbing industry may also qualify. Experience is attested on the OCILB testing application and is subject to Board verification.
Financial Responsibility and Insurance
ORC §4740.06 requires applicants to show evidence of contractor liability coverage of at least $500,000. Proof of insurance is submitted with the license application. Ohio does not require a statewide surety bond for the OCILB Plumbing Contractor license itself, but several municipalities (for example, Columbus and Cuyahoga County) require a local surety bond, commonly $25,000, as a condition of local registration. Verify bond requirements with the city or county where work will be performed.
Exam
Two exams are required and are administered by PSI Services: the Ohio Business and Law exam and the Ohio Plumbing trade exam. The OCILB testing application fee is $25 and the PSI exam fee is $60 per sitting (figures published on the OCILB Testing Application PDF, https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/com.ohio.gov/DICO/OCILB/Testing_Application_-_OCILB.pdf). Candidates should confirm current exam content outlines in the PSI Ohio Contractor Candidate Information Bulletin before scheduling.
FEES
At publication the OCILB publishes a $25 application fee and a $25 initial license fee, in addition to the $60 PSI exam fee. Fees can change between rule cycles; always reconcile against the OCILB eLicense Center (https://elicense4.com.ohio.gov/) and the current OCILB Testing Application PDF before paying.
Background Check
OCILB requires disclosure of criminal history on the application and may require additional documentation or a BCI background check at Board discretion under ORC §4740.06(A). Not every applicant is fingerprinted; the Board reviews on a case-by-case basis.
Renewal and CE
OCILB Plumbing Contractor licenses are issued on an annual cycle, with a three-year renewal option available under current Board rules. Continuing education is 10 hours per year (or 30 hours over a three-year cycle) from OCILB-approved providers. Verify current renewal-window rules and any law/ethics hour breakdown inside the eLicense Center before paying renewal. Source: Ohio Administrative Code Chapter 4101:2 and OCILB Continuing Education search (https://elicense4.com.ohio.gov/Activities/ContEdClassSearch.aspx).
Municipal Layer
Because Ohio does not license journey-level plumbers at the state level, many cities operate their own journeyperson registration. Columbus requires a separate Journeyperson Plumber license administered by the Skilled Trades Review Board. Passing the National Standard Journeyman Plumber (F25-N) exam and a $300 application fee, per the City of Columbus Journeyperson Plumbing Application (https://www.columbus.gov/files/sharedassets/city/v/6/building-and-zoning/document-library/journeyperson-plumbing-application-2026.pdf). Cincinnati requires city contractor registration (current fee $130) and Hamilton County Public Health handles plumbing contractor registration and permitting for Cincinnati-area work (https://hamiltoncountyhealth.org/services/plumbing/plumbing-contractor-registration/). Cleveland, Toledo, Akron, Dayton, and several suburbs operate similar local-registration systems. Always verify local rules before pulling a permit.
Reciprocity
OCILB does not publish formal plumbing-contractor reciprocity with other states at this time. Out-of-state applicants typically complete the full Ohio exam and documentation process. Confirm current endorsement pathways with OCILB staff before assuming any waiver.
Verification Advice
Treat every number on this page as editorial summary: reconcile fee, CE hour, and bond figures against the OCILB page (https://elicense.ohio.gov/OH_HomePage), the eLicense Center (https://elicense4.com.ohio.gov/), and the statute (ORC Chapter 4740) before filing. For journey-level work, confirm the specific municipality's rules. The city license, not the state license, controls who may perform plumbing work on the job site.