Ohio plumber license & renewal
The requirements, the timing and the official sources. Everything we’ve verified, in one place.
License fee
$25.00
Required hours
—
Not verified yet
Exam
Applicants must qualify and pass the required contractor examination.
Renewal
All licenses a contractor holds pursuant to this chapter shall expire annually on the same date, which shall be the expiration date of the original license the contractor holds.
Before you begin
Agency guidance
The state contractor statute's definition of construction project excludes the statutory residential-building and industrialized-unit categories.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
"Construction project" means a construction project involving a building or structure subject to Chapter 3781. of the Revised Code and the rules adopted under that chapter, but not an industrialized unit or a residential building as defined in section 3781.06 of the Revised Code.Official source
Agency guidance
Annual renewal is $60; triennial renewal is $180.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
Sixty dollars for the annual renewal of each license; one hundred eighty dollars for the triennial renewal of each license;Official source
Agency guidance
The regular rule requires ten classroom CE hours each year, subject to the compliant-contractor program exception.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
Except as provided in rule 4101:16-1-08 of the Administrative Code, a licensee shall complete ten classroom hours of an approved continuing education course each yearOfficial source
Agency guidance
Compliant-contractor program members may renew annually with eight CE hours or triennially with 24 CE hours.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
Individuals choosing to renew annually must demonstrate the completion of eight hours of continuing education at the time of renewal, while individuals choosing to renew triennially must demonstrate twenty-four hours of continuing education at the time of renewal.Official source
How to get this license
Use the agency’s requirements below to plan your next steps. Missing details stay marked.
Start with the licensing authority
Licensing board
Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board
Official agency page
Check the qualifications
Experience
Regular examination route: five years as a tradesperson immediately before application; alternatively an Ohio registered engineer with three years of construction business experience in the trade, or other experience accepted by the board.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
Either have been a tradesperson in the type of licensed trade for which the application is filed for not less than five years immediately prior to the date the application is filed, be a currently registered engineer in this state with three years of business experience in the construction industry in the trade for which the engineer is applying to take an examination, or have other experience acceptable to the appropriate specialty section of the board;
Official sourceExam
Applicants must qualify and pass the required contractor examination.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
When an applicant for licensure as a contractor in a licensed trade meets the qualifications set forth in division (B), (C), or (D) of this section and passes the required examination
Official sourceInsurance
Active licensees must maintain contractor liability insurance including complete operations coverage of at least $500,000; if assigned to a business, coverage must be in the business entity's name.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
All individuals holding a license pursuant to Chapter 4740. of the Revised Code, except an individual whose license has been placed in inactive status pursuant to section 4740.06 of the Revised Code, shall maintain contractor's liability insurance in the individual's name including, without limitation, complete operations coverage in an amount of at least five hundred thousand dollars. If an individual's license has been assigned to a business entity in accordance with section 4740.07 of the Revised Code, the contractor liability insurance shall be in the name of the business entity.
Official sourceReview fees and apply
Application fee
$25.00
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
Twenty-five dollars for application for examination;
Official sourceExam fee
Not verified yet
License fee
$25.00
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
Twenty-five dollars for issuance of any license;
Official sourceApply with the agency
Not verified yet
Reciprocity
Reciprocity requires substantially equal state requirements, a written reciprocity agreement with the Ohio board, and a criminal-records check.
Verified 2026-10-24 — source and quotation
Such issuance of a license is contingent upon a determination by the appropriate specialty section that the requirements for licensure under the laws of the other state are substantially equal to the licensure requirements under Chapter 4740. of the Revised Code and that the other state has entered into a written reciprocity agreement with the appropriate section of the board. Such issuance of a license is also contingent upon receipt of a completed criminal records checkOfficial source
Official sources and verification (14)
Last verified 2026-10-24. Each quotation supports the corresponding published value.
Either have been a tradesperson in the type of licensed trade for which the application is filed for not less than five years immediately prior to the date the application is filed, be a currently registered engineer in this state with three years of business experience in the construction industry in the trade for which the engineer is applying to take an examination, or have other experience acceptable to the appropriate specialty section of the board;Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
When an applicant for licensure as a contractor in a licensed trade meets the qualifications set forth in division (B), (C), or (D) of this section and passes the required examinationOfficial source
Verified 2026-10-24
All individuals holding a license pursuant to Chapter 4740. of the Revised Code, except an individual whose license has been placed in inactive status pursuant to section 4740.06 of the Revised Code, shall maintain contractor's liability insurance in the individual's name including, without limitation, complete operations coverage in an amount of at least five hundred thousand dollars. If an individual's license has been assigned to a business entity in accordance with section 4740.07 of the Revised Code, the contractor liability insurance shall be in the name of the business entity.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
Twenty-five dollars for application for examination;Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
All licenses a contractor holds pursuant to this chapter shall expire annually on the same date, which shall be the expiration date of the original license the contractor holds.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
Such issuance of a license is contingent upon a determination by the appropriate specialty section that the requirements for licensure under the laws of the other state are substantially equal to the licensure requirements under Chapter 4740. of the Revised Code and that the other state has entered into a written reciprocity agreement with the appropriate section of the board. Such issuance of a license is also contingent upon receipt of a completed criminal records checkOfficial source
Verified 2026-10-24
"Construction project" means a construction project involving a building or structure subject to Chapter 3781. of the Revised Code and the rules adopted under that chapter, but not an industrialized unit or a residential building as defined in section 3781.06 of the Revised Code.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
Sixty dollars for the annual renewal of each license; one hundred eighty dollars for the triennial renewal of each license;Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
Except as provided in rule 4101:16-1-08 of the Administrative Code, a licensee shall complete ten classroom hours of an approved continuing education course each yearOfficial source
Verified 2026-10-24
Individuals choosing to renew annually must demonstrate the completion of eight hours of continuing education at the time of renewal, while individuals choosing to renew triennially must demonstrate twenty-four hours of continuing education at the time of renewal.Official source
Verified 2026-10-24
Keep exploring.
Same license in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Last verified 2026-10-24.
Official sources (4)
Not legal or tax advice. Confirm with the official agency before filing.