Licenses

V.S.A. tit. 26, ch. 39, subch. 3

in effect

26 V.S.A. § 2191 Master plumbers

2191. Master plumbers Any person who completes an application for a master plumber’s license, presents documentation of having held a valid journeyman plumber’s license under this chapter for at least 12 months, or documents equivalent training and experience in or outside of this State acceptable to the Board, and pays an examination fee in an amount determined by the Board based on the costs associated with administering the examination, shall be entitled to an examination. Upon successful completion of the examination and payment of a licensing fee, the applicant shall receive a master plumber’s license in the form of a wallet-sized card. The license shall be carried by the master plumber at all times while performing the licensee’s trade and shall be displayed upon request. Upon request of a license holder, a license certificate, suitable for framing, shall be available for a fee. 1959, No. 215, § 9, eff. June 2, 1959; amended 1969, No. 84, § 3, eff. April 18, 1969; 1971, No. 6, § 1, eff. Feb. 17, 1971; 1991, No. 234 (Adj. Sess.), § 9; 1993, No. 176 (Adj. Sess.), § 11.

26 V.S.A. § 2192 Journeyman plumbers

2192. Journeyman plumbers Any person who completes an application for a journeyman plumber’s license and documents apprenticeship in plumbing that includes both instruction and practice in work processes as verified by the Vermont Apprenticeship Council, or equivalent training and experience in or out of this State acceptable to the Board, and pays an examination fee to be determined by the Board based on the costs associated with administering the examination, shall be entitled to examination. Upon successful completion of the examination and payment of a licensing fee, the applicant shall receive a journeyman plumber’s license in the form of a wallet-sized card. The license shall be carried by the journeyman at all times while performing the licensee’s trade and shall be displayed upon request. Upon request of a license holder, a license certificate, suitable for framing, shall be available for a fee. 1959, No. 215, § 10, eff. June 2, 1959; amended 1969, No. 84, § 4, eff. April 18, 1969; 1971, No. 6, § 2, eff. Feb. 17, 1971; amended 1991, No. 234 (Adj. Sess.), § 10; 1993, No. 176 (Adj. Sess.), § 12.

26 V.S.A. § 2192a Limited licensure; specialists

2192a. Limited licensure; specialists (a) Any person who completes an application for a specialist’s license and documents successful completion of instruction, training, and experience in or out of the State acceptable to the Board and pays an examination fee to be determined by the Board based on the costs associated with administering the examination, shall be entitled to an examination. Upon successful completion of the examination and payment of a license fee, the applicant shall receive a specialist license in the form of a wallet-sized card. The license shall be carried by the licensee at all times while performing the licensee’s specialty and shall be displayed upon request. Upon request by the license holder, a specialist license suitable for framing shall be available for a fee. A specialist license shall indicate each specialty for which the licensee has been approved. A specialist license does not take the place of any other license required by law. (b) Specialty fields include the following: (1) Water Heater Specialist: Installation, replacement, and repair of any residential, industrial, or commercial domestic hot water supply tanks. (2) Heating System Specialist: Installation, replacement, and repair of residential, industrial, or commercial hydronic space heating systems, including radiant, solar, and other types of hydronic system design. Any work on steam systems shall be limited to steam systems with operating pressure not to exceed 15 PSIG. (3) Water Treatment Specialist: Installation, replacement, and repair of residential, industrial, or commercial potable water treatment and filtration equipment. (c) A person duly licensed as a specialist under this section may perform specialty work, either as an employee or as an independent contractor only in connection with the specialty field designated on the person’s license. A specialty business may hire or employ only people licensed in the specialty of the business. (d) A specialist may perform a supply connection to an existing water supply for test and related system operation, but at no time shall any specialist perform any plumbing or heating work that is not specified or permitted under the specialist’s license. (e) Specialty classes shall be provided by the Department of Labor or others. (f) The Commissioner shall adopt rules regarding work notices, inspection procedures, and priorities for each specialty. Added 1993, No. 176 (Adj. Sess.), § 13; amended 2005, No. 103 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 5, 2006.

26 V.S.A. § 2193 Applications; examinations, education, and fees

2193. Applications; examinations, education, and fees (a)(1) Each applicant for license shall present to the executive office of the Board, on blanks furnished by the Board, a written application for examination and license containing such information as the Board may require, accompanied by the fee required. Notwithstanding 32 V.S.A. § 502(a), if the examination is conducted by an outside testing service, the required examination fee may be paid directly to the testing service. (2) Examinations shall be in whole or in part in writing and shall include the theoretical and practical nature of plumbing or specialties, or both, and knowledge of State laws, the rules of the Departments of Health and of Environmental Conservation, and such other rules and regulations as the Board may determine necessary to satisfactorily determine the qualifications of the applicant. Examinations shall be relevant to the instructional material taught in classes, codes used, and new developments and procedures within the trade. (b) Any applicant who fails an examination may, upon payment of the examination fee, retake the examination. (c) License and renewal fees are as follows: (1) | Master plumber license | $ 120.00 (2) | Journeyman plumber license | $ 90.00 (3) | Specialist license | $ 50.00 (4) | Master renewal fee | $ 120.00 (5) | Journeyman renewal fee | $ 90.00 (6) | Specialist renewal fee | $ 50.00 (7) | License certificate | $ 10.00 (d) Master and journeyman plumbers shall be exempt from paying license or renewal fees as specialists. (e) Pursuant to qualifications and procedures determined by the Commissioner, the Board shall, upon request, waive application fees to qualified military members and military spouses. (f) In addition to other education requirements of this subchapter, the Commissioner shall require each applicant to complete an education module regarding the State’s energy goals and how the plumbing profession can further those goals. (1) The education module shall be not more than two hours and shall be required as a condition of initial licensure and license renewal, except that master and journeyman plumbers who complete this education module shall not be required to complete this education module for any additional specialty license. The module shall include education on any State or utility incentives relevant to the profession. (A) The education module for initial licensure shall provide general information regarding the State’s energy goals. (B) The education module for license renewal shall provide any updates on the State’s energy goals and any updates regarding corresponding State energy programs applicable to the profession. (2) The Commissioner shall consider any recommendations on these education modules provided by relevant stakeholders and approve education modules in consultation with the Agency of Natural Resources and the Department of Public Service. Added 1959, No. 215, § 11, eff. June 2, 1959; amended 1961, No. 32, § 1; 1993, No. 176 (Adj. Sess.), § 14; 1999, No. 49, § 147; 2009, No. 134 (Adj. Sess.), § 8, eff. May 29, 2010; 2019, No. 131 (Adj. Sess.), § 279; 2019, No. 152 (Adj. Sess.), § 21, eff. April 1, 2021; 2019, No. 178 (Adj. Sess.), § 37, eff. July 1, 2021.

26 V.S.A. § 2194 Examinations not required; temporary licenses

2194. Examinations not required; temporary licenses (a) Generally. (1) Reciprocity. (A) Appropriate licenses without examination may be issued to a person to whom a master plumber’s license or a journeyman plumber’s license or a specialty license or equivalent has been previously issued by another state or municipality upon the payment of the required fee if: (i) that state or municipality maintained a standard of requirements equivalent to those of this State; and (ii) the applicant presents satisfactory proof to the Board that he or she is a bona fide licensee. (B) An applicant under this subdivision (1) shall be exempt from examination only if the applicant holds a license from a foreign state or municipality and if under the laws or regulations of the foreign state or municipality issuing the license a like exemption or reciprocal agreement, or both, is granted to licensees under the laws of this State. (2) Uniform process for endorsement from other states. (A) The Board shall issue licenses for master plumbers and journeyman plumbers and specialists who have been licensed in good standing in another jurisdiction within the United States for at least three years, regardless of whether that jurisdiction meets the reciprocity requirements of subdivision (1) of this subsection (a). (B) If the Board determines that three years of demonstrated practice in another specific jurisdiction is not adequately protective of the public, it shall provide its rationale to the Commissioner, who may propose any necessary statutory or rule amendments in order to implement more restrictive requirements for endorsement for that jurisdiction. (C) The Commissioner may issue to an endorsement applicant a waiver of the practice requirement if there is a showing that the waiver follows State policy and the public is adequately protected. (b) Service members and veterans. Except as otherwise provided by law, a journeyman’s license shall be issued without examination and upon payment of the required fee to an applicant who is a service member or veteran who: (1) submits a complete application and any documentation required by the Board; (2) has received designation by the U.S. Armed Forces as a 12K Plumber or equivalent; and (3) has completed a minimum of 8,000 hours and four years of active duty field work as a 12K Plumber or equivalent. (c) Definitions. As used in this section: (1) “Service member” means an individual who is an active member of: (A) the U.S. Armed Forces; (B) a reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces; (C) the U.S. Coast Guard; or (D) the National Guard of any state. (2) “Veteran” means a former service member who received an honorable discharge or a general discharge under honorable conditions from active duty not more than two years prior to submitting an application for licensure. Added 1959, No. 215, § 12, eff. June 2, 1959; amended 1961, No. 32, §§ 2, 3; 1969, No. 84, § 5, eff. April 18, 1969; 1993, No. 176 (Adj. Sess.), § 15; 2017, No. 119 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 2019, No. 152 (Adj. Sess.), § 22, eff. April 1, 2021.

26 V.S.A. § 2195 Licenses

2195. Licenses (a) All licenses expire on the last day of a month designated by the Board. A license shall be valid for two years. The Board shall renew a valid license issued under this chapter on receipt of an application for renewal and the required fee before the expiration date of the license. (b) If a licensee fails to renew his or her license prior to expiration, the licensee may reinstate the license within 90 days of its expiration by paying the reinstatement fee of $15.00 in addition to the renewal fee. (c) If the licensee fails to renew within 90 days of the expiration of the license, the licensee shall appear before the Board to request reinstatement. (d) After July 1, 1996, applicants for license renewal shall provide to the Board evidence of completion of eight hours of continued training or instruction, approved by the Board, within the previous 24-month period. Added 1959, No. 215, § 13, eff. June 2, 1959; amended 1969, No. 84, § 6, eff. April 18, 1969; 1991, No. 234 (Adj. Sess.), § 11; 1993, No. 176 (Adj. Sess.), § 16.

26 V.S.A. § 2197 Penalty

2197. Penalty Any person who installs any plumbing or specialty installation or who advertises as such, except as provided in section 2198 of this title, without first having obtained an appropriate license under this chapter or who employs a person to perform any plumbing work for which the employee is not licensed or procures any license wrongfully or by fraud, shall be fined not more than $1,000.00 for each offense. 1959, No. 215, § 15, eff. June 2, 1959; amended 1967, No. 295 (Adj. Sess.), § 8, eff. March 20, 1968; 1969, No. 84, § 8, eff. April 18, 1969; 1979, No. 122 (Adj. Sess.), § 5; 1993, No. 176 (Adj. Sess.), § 17.

26 V.S.A. § 2198 Exceptions; license not required

2198. Exceptions; license not required (a) All plumbing and specialty work performed in Vermont shall be performed by persons licensed under this chapter except that a license shall not be required for the following types of work: (1) Any plumbing and specialty work performed by an owner or the owner’s regular employees in the owner-occupied, freestanding single family dwelling or in outbuildings accessory to the owner-occupied, single family dwelling. (2) Installations of plumbing systems in laboratories for experimental purposes only. (3) A person who regularly employs a maintenance person whose duties include the maintenance of plumbing on the property of that person. (4) Plumbing or specialty installations performed as part of a training project of a vocational school or other educational institution. However, the installation shall be inspected if the building is to be sold as a private dwelling or public building. (5) A person who performs miscellaneous jobs of manual labor on the person’s own property in the course of which plumbing repairs or alterations are made. (6) For the construction, repair, or maintenance of buildings used exclusively for agricultural purposes and animal housing located on owner-occupied farms. (7) Work performed by employees of any public or private water company, who in the main course of their employment install, maintain, or repair water supply pipes, meters, or control valves. (b) Plumbing installed or maintained by persons included in this section shall conform to State law. 1959, No. 215, § 16, eff. June 2, 1959; amended 1969, No. 84, § 9, eff. April 18, 1969; 1979, No. 122 (Adj. Sess.), § 6; 1993, No. 176 (Adj. Sess.), § 18.

26 V.S.A. § 2199 Inspections

2199. Inspections The Commissioner of Public Safety or designee may inspect premises subject to the rules adopted under section 2173 of this title. Added 1979, No. 122 (Adj. Sess.), § 7; amended 1999, No. 49, § 148; 2005, No. 8, § 16, eff. April 25, 2005.

Source: Vermont General Assembly (legislature.vermont.gov)URL: https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/26/039Fetched: 10/21/2026