Florida Plumber / Pipefitter License: Requirements, Cost & Timeline
Florida requires a state license for this trade. Here is every step, fee and hour it takes — and what it pays once you are licensed.
Do you need a license?
Yes. The credential is the Certified Plumbing Contractor (CF), issued by the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB). Working without it is a violation in Florida and can carry fines or a stop-work order, so the sequence below matters: training first, then the exam, then the application.
Steps to get licensed
- Confirm the experience requirement: 4 years of construction management or hands-on experience in the category being applied for, or an approved combination of college education and experience.
- Submit the CILB 1 examination application to DBPR with the fees ($135 application + $80 CBT exam administration fee per part).
- Pass both parts of the Pearson VUE computer-based exam — Business & Finance and Trade Knowledge — scoring at least 70 on each.
- File the initial license application (individual CILB 5 series) with fingerprints, a credit report, insurance and workers' compensation certification.
- Once issued, the license expires August 31 of each even-numbered year and is renewed on a biennial cycle with the renewal fee.
What it costs
The figures below are what the state charges. Training is separate and quotes vary by provider — a community-college programme and a private trade school can differ by thousands for the same licence.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $175 |
| Exam fee | $160 |
| License / certification fee | $200 |
| Renewal fee | $200 |
| Total state fees | $535 |
Full cost breakdown for Florida →
Keeping it valid
The licence renews every 2 years and the renewal fee is $200. Available through the CILB 10 endorsement application (an equivalent license from another state), but CILB decides each case individually; endorsement based on the NASCLA commercial building exam is limited and rarely granted.
What it pays in Florida
Median annual wage for Plumber / Pipefitter in Florida: $51,830 ($24.92/hour), across 28,750 jobs. That is the midpoint — half of people in this trade earn more, half less.
Pay detail for Florida, and how it compares →
Other states
| State | State fees | Time | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $650 | — | $75,300 |
| Texas | $120 | 46.2 mo | $56,890 |
Common questions
Do you need a license to be a Plumber / Pipefitter in Florida?
Certified Plumbing Contractor (CF). Yes — issued by the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) — Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB).
How much does a Plumber / Pipefitter license cost in Florida?
$535 in state fees. Exam retakes cost extra.
How long does it take to get a Plumber / Pipefitter license in Florida?
The board does not publish a fixed hour requirement.
What does a Plumber / Pipefitter make in Florida?
The median is $51,830 a year ($24.92 an hour) statewide, per BLS OEWS May 2024.
Sources
- https://www.myfloridalicense.com/CheckListDetail.asp?SID=&xactCode=1042&clientCode=0604&XACT_DEFN_ID=18295“Individuals seeking licensure as a CERTIFIED contractor, except for Swimming Pool Specialty contractors, must first take and pass a state certification examination.”
- https://www.myfloridalicense.com/CheckListDetail.asp?SID=&xactCode=1042&clientCode=0604&XACT_DEFN_ID=18295“Applicants are required to have four years of experience or a combination of college and experience.”
- https://www.flrules.org/gateway/readFile.asp?sid=0&tid=19533392&type=1&file=61G4-12.009.doc“(a) The application and examination fee for an applicant for certification shall be three hundred thirty-five dollars ($335.00) and shall be nonrefundable.”
- https://www.flrules.org/gateway/readFile.asp?sid=0&tid=19533392&type=1&file=61G4-12.009.doc“(a) The application and examination fee for an applicant for certification shall be three hundred thirty-five dollars ($335.00) and shall be nonrefundable.”
- https://www.flrules.org/gateway/readFile.asp?sid=0&tid=19533392&type=1&file=61G4-12.009.doc“(a) The application and examination fee for an applicant for certification shall be three hundred thirty-five dollars ($335.00) and shall be nonrefundable.”
- https://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/construction-industry/“Licenses expire August 31st every even year.”
- https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/servop/testing/documents/exam_applic_pack.pdf“Division 2 exams have two parts: Business and Finance and Trade Knowledge.”
- https://www2.myfloridalicense.com/servop/testing/documents/const_cib.pdf“The minimum percentage score needed to pass has been set at seventy percent (70%).”