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- over 420,000 Posts - PlumbingForum.com -
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Author:
woberkrom (MO)
One of the things I find intriguing about plumbing is the lack of consistency in codes, enforcement, and licensing.
Case in point, my aunt wants me to plumb a basement bathroom for her that has already had the drains roughed in. I am licensed here in MO, and have been working full time for 10 years now (excluding the "growing up with it" experience that a lot of plumbers have). I probably can't legally go and be a plumber in Atlanta for my Aunt.
I would have to find a plumber that would let me use his license (something I wouldn't do here with someone I don't know, and DON'T do even for people I do know) or I would have to do the work without a permit.
My aunt asked me if I am a plumber. I am. I know I am, but I might as well not be for her purposes. The lack of portability of licenses is alarming. It seems to penalize the individual. If I ever had to relocate for my wife's work to another state (or even another part of the state), I would seriously reconsider going back to school or even a career change if the "authority having jurisdiction" would make it difficult to obtain a license.
Any good plumbers from the Atlanta area on here that I can recommend?
--Will
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Author:
A1APLBG (GA)
If your going to visit and plumb her bathroom while your there, she can pull the homeowner permit and plumb it her self with you of course "Helping" her. It will have to pass inspection, IPC code with a few add-ons. nothing major. On a diffrent note, with proven 10 yrs exp you can sit for the journeyman exam. Although almost half of the plumbers in that area are working with out a card. There was just way to much work in that area and not enough journeyman plumbers to do the work.
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Author:
dlh (TX)
as long as your training is up to par with what our state requires you can apply to take the journeyman's test and maybe even the master. but if your state has lax rules for licensing you will have to do an apprenticeship again
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PLUMBERS "Protecting The Health Of The Nation"
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Author:
PBwrencher (WI)
We have reciprocity with other states if the training standards are close, and will issue a tempory license for a fee.
102809,6+49
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***A bath a day will keep you healthy in every way.***
***Safe plumbing brings life and health giving water into our homes, businesses, hospitals and takes away death and disease causing waste***
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Author:
hj
Codes are for "safety", licensing is for income. Years ago a friend looked into moving to Florida. He was a tile installer, but when he checked into the work situation there, he realized that the South is still fighting the Civil War, and yankees were not welcome there, unless they were spending money. Some of the requirements were such that he would almost have to have lived in Florida since he was born to meet them. As far as competency goes, when I moved from Chicago to Phoenix, all the building department wanted to see to issue a plumbing license was my U.A. 130 union card.
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Author:
hj
When she gets a "homeowner's permit", it should specify that SHE has to do the work, she cannot hire or have any other outside help.
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Author:
hj
Lax rules would let anyone get a license. STRICT, or dogmatic, ones would require an apprenticeship.
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Author:
hj
Usually reciprocity only applies between adjacent states.
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Author:
strap
Be glad you don't live in Iowa. Our state started state wide licenses this summer. Every tom, dick, and harry who applied saying they had 5 years experience were grandfathered a license. I guess my time spent has an apprentice and passing the block tests were a waste of time.So now the country bumpkin plumbers(do nothing to code it'll work) have the same license as me. I complained to the state board, but apparently it fell on deaf ears. Gotta generate that state revenue I guess. More license means more $.
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Author:
hj
They may have the same license, but you have the comfort of knowing that you should be the better workman for a given task. Remember, having a license is not the same as having knowledge. There are many plumbers who have the same experience as you do, who could not trim out a bathroom in less than a day.
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Author:
dlh (TX)
unfortunately it has to start somewhere. if they didnt grandfather licenses then your state would probably have very few plumbers. we had the same problem back in the 70's- 80's when we first adopted the requirement to actually hold a license
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PLUMBERS "Protecting The Health Of The Nation"
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Author:
PBwrencher (WI)
Would my card from Local 507, in Du Page County and my Chicago License pass muster
102909,9+5
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***A bath a day will keep you healthy in every way.***
***Safe plumbing brings life and health giving water into our homes, businesses, hospitals and takes away death and disease causing waste***
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Author:
hj
In GA, being from the North, may be enough so that they give you the "hard" test.
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Author:
woberkrom (MO)
I called the municipality she lives in today to see what kind of restrictions they have for permits. A homeowner can do all there own work, but they have to sign an affidavit saying they did all the work. Otherwise, they have to use a licensed contractor. I wasn't able to tell from the lady's responses as to whether or not a building permit and separate plumbing and electrical permits would be required. She was more concerned with telling me that my Aunt would have pay fees for increasing the finished/living space of her house and the fees for the permits. Also, she did talk of how it would be good for my aunt to use local labor.
My sense of her telling me these things were that the county will be needing to get some money from my aunt for the permit but especially for these fees associated with making her house more livable and that we really don't want anyone from not around here doing work because we need to keep people working here. At least that seemed to be the message between the lines.
--Will
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Author:
hj
They also need the permit so they can determine how much to raise her taxes each year.
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Author:
dlh (TX)
here is the texas reciprocity law
Sec. 1301.358. OUT-OF-STATE APPLICANTS; PROVISIONAL LICENSE.
(a) The board may waive any prerequisite to obtaining a license for an applicant after reviewing the applicant's credentials and determining that the applicant holds a license issued by another jurisdiction that has licensing requirements substantially equivalent to those of this state.
(b) The board may issue a provisional license to an applicant currently licensed in another jurisdiction who seeks a license in this state and who:
(1) has been licensed in good standing as a plumber for at least two years in another jurisdiction, including a foreign country, that has licensing requirements substantially equivalent to the requirements of this chapter;
(2) has passed a national or other examination recognized by the board relating to the practice of plumbing; and
(3) is sponsored by a person licensed by the board under this chapter with whom the provisional license holder will practice during the time the person holds a provisional license.
(c) The board may waive the requirement of Subsection (b)(3) for an applicant if the board determines that compliance with that subdivision would be a hardship to the applicant.
(d) A provisional license is valid until the date the board approves or denies the provisional license holder's application for a license. The board shall issue a license under this chapter to the provisional license holder if:
(1) the provisional license holder is eligible to be licensed under Subsection (a); or
(2) the provisional license holder passes the part of the examination under Section 1301.352 that relates to the applicant's knowledge and understanding of the laws and rules relating to the practice of plumbing in this state and:
(A) the board verifies that the provisional license holder meets the academic and experience requirements for a license under this chapter; and
( the provisional license holder satisfies any other licensing requirements under this chapter.
(e) The board must approve or deny a provisional license holder's application for a license not later than the 180th day after the date the provisional license is issued. The board may extend the 180-day period if the results of an examination have not been received by the board before the end of that period.
(f) The board may establish a fee for provisional licenses in an amount reasonable and necessary to cover the cost of issuing the license.
Sec. 1301.359. STATEWIDE VALIDITY OF LICENSE, ENDORSEMENT, OR REGISTRATION; NONTRANSFERABILITY.
(a) A license, endorsement, or registration issued under this chapter is valid throughout this state.
(b) A license, endorsement, or registration issued under this chapter is not assignable or transferable.
here is what will be COVERED on the test for a journeyman license in texas
[www.tsbpe.state.tx.us]
and here is our journeyman exam application
[www.tsbpe.state.tx.us]
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PLUMBERS "Protecting The Health Of The Nation"
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