STATE LICENSE
RequiredDelaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Vent…
24 Del. C. § 1807 bars anyone from providing plumbing services — water supply, drainage, and the installation and connection of gas piping (§ 1802(15)) — without a master plumber license from the Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners. Delaware issues no journeyman or apprentice plumbing license: apprentices, journeymen, and mechanics are exempt only while supervised by a master plumber who is their employer or a full-time employee of the same business (§ 1807(c)(1); § 1802(18)).
A master plumber applicant needs a journeyman's certificate from a federally recognized apprenticeship plus two years under a master, or seven years under a master plus the apprenticeship equivalency test, and must pass the Board exam (§ 1808), scored at 70% (24 DE Admin. Code 1800). DPR's application fee is $173. Licenses renew every two years, expiring October 31 of even years, with 5 hours of continuing education including 1 hour on cross connections and backflow. Homeowners may do their own non-gas plumbing after filing for a permit.
The state sets the license floor; the county or city permit office controls filing, inspections, and local rules wherever the job site sits.
Licensing is state-only through DPR, but § 1832 preserves the power of counties, municipalities, and other governments to adopt and enforce plumbing and fuel gas codes that do not conflict with the licensing chapter. Permits and inspections come from the local authorized inspection authority, and the business needs the Division of Revenue contractor license.
The local offices section below names the exact permit desk for every Delaware county on file.
Each row names the issuing authority, cost, timeline, citation, and status behind the requirement — verified against the official source.
Published fees from the issuing authorities, as of October 2026. Local permit fees vary by project and jurisdiction — the basis is stated where a flat number does not exist.
Delaware licenses only master plumbers; everyone else works under a master's supervision (§ 1807(c)(1)).
Installing and connecting gas piping is a plumbing service (§ 1802(15)); homeowners may not do their own gas piping.
Plumbing/HVACR licenses expire October 31 of even years; the late period runs one year but practicing on an expired license is illegal.
A practical sequence for a new plumbing contractor in Delaware. Actual agency processing times are noted in the ledger above.
Each item names the issuing authority, cycle, and citation.
Statutory consequences with their citations — not estimates, not “commonly cited” guesses.
Providing plumbing services or using a plumber title without a license or exemption.
Fraud, incompetent or negligent work, consumer fraud, or violating the chapter or rules.
Inside city limits, the city office listed here issues the permit; the county office serves unincorporated areas. Every office links to its official page.
Every fact in this file was checked against these official sources on October 2026.
Pending verification: Biennial renewal fee amount (DPR states it only at renewal) · Whether the Board requires liability insurance or a bond for master plumbers (none found in chapter 18 or the 1800 rules reviewed) · Which local authorities serve as the 'authorized inspection authority' for plumbing permits in each county · Master plumber exam vendor and exam fee
General information, not legal advice. Always confirm requirements, deadlines, and forms with the issuing authority before filing or contracting.
Store licenses, permits, policies, and renewal dates in one place.