Nebraska Plumbing License: How to Become a Plumber

We see that you are looking to become a licensed plumber in Nebraska. So today, we will show you how to do it with this detailed guide on Nebraska plumbing license.

First of all, realize that there is no state-wide governing agency for plumbers here. You have to contact the authorized city department to give you a license for that particular city. 

Here we will discuss the requirements, costs, and processes for getting a plumbing license in two main cities of Nebraska – Lincoln and Omaha. Let’s start.

Lincoln Plumbing License

Who provides plumbing licenses in Lincoln?

The Building and Safety Department is authorized to provide plumbing licenses for the city of Lincoln. Here are its contact details:

Official website: Click here
Phone: 402-441-7521
Email: Bldgsafe@lincoln.ne.gov
Address: Building and Safety 555 S 10th ST, Suite 203 Lincoln 68521

Types of plumbing licenses in Lincoln

There are 4 types of plumbing licenses in the city of Lincoln:

1. Apprentice 
2. Journeyman plumber
3. Master plumber
4. Master plumber contractor

Requirements to get your plumbing license in Lincoln

To get licensed as a plumber in this city and renew it every year, you need to apply for it via its online portal and meet the following requirements:

1. Apprentice license
   • Register with the plumbing board
   • Pay the annual apprentice license fee of $25
   • Enroll in a plumbing apprenticeship program
   • Renew it every year by paying the license fee

2. Journeyman plumbing license
   • Register with the plumbing board
   • Pay the annual journeyman license fee of $50
   • Pass the plumbing journeyman exam
   • Renew it every year by paying the license fee
   • Complete 6 hours of continuing education

3. Master plumbing license
   • Register with the plumbing board
   • Pay the annual master license fee of $75
   • Pass the master plumber exam
   • Renew it every year by paying the license fee
   • Complete 10 hours of continuing education

4. Contractor plumbing license
   • Register with the plumbing board
   • Pay the annual contractor license fee of $250
   • Pass the contractor plumber exam
   • Renew it every year by paying the license fee
   • Complete 10 hours of continuing education
   • General liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $500,000
   • Payment bond of $5000 IF excavating in the city right-of-way

Pro tip: To get more help, check out these YouTube videos uploaded by the board itself.

Steps to get your plumbing license in Lincoln

Here are the steps that you need to follow to get any of your Lincoln plumbing licenses:

Step 1: Register yourself for the license
Step 2: Show the required valid documentation for the license you want
Step 3: Pay the required license fee
Step 4: Pass the plumbing exam

Omaha Plumbing License

Who provides plumbing licenses in Omaha?

The Planning Department is the authority governed to provide plumbing licenses in the city of Omaha. Here are its contact details:

Official website: Click here
Phone: (402) 444-5350
E-mail: Permit.Info@cityofomaha.org
Address: 1819 Farnam Street, Suite 1100 Omaha, Nebraska 68183-1100

What are the types of plumbing licenses in Omaha?

Plumbers in Omaha are classified into 3 types and require a license for each:

• Apprentice
  As an apprentice, you can perform plumbing duties under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyman plumber or master plumber.

• Journeyman plumber
  With this, you are eligible to install, repair, alter, or extend a plumbing system. You also need to supervise your fellow apprentices.

• Master plumber
  A license for this allows you to design, plan, layout, and supervise the various plumbing services.

What are the requirements to become a licensed plumber in Omaha?

Check out the requirements that you need to fulfill before getting any of the three licenses in this city:

1. Apprentice
   • Get to 18 years of age
   • Complete a high school diploma or GED
   • Pay the apprentice license fee of $20 + $1.60 tech fee
   • Must enroll in a board-approved apprenticeship program
   • Submit a completed apprenticeship agreement form to the board

2. Journeyman plumber

   To be eligible for the journeyman plumber exam in Omaha, you need to have documented proof of any one of the following requirements:

• Complete 4 consecutive years of a city-certified apprenticeship program. OR
• Complete a course that has an equivalent number of instructional and on-the-job experience hours as required by the city-certified program.
  OR
• Complete a training period of at least 7 consecutive years accruing 7000 hours with a minimum of 300 hours in each of those years.
  OR
• Be a licensed journeyman in a city of similar size and similar qualification criteria.
  OR
• Have an experience of at least 8 consecutive years accruing 14000 hours with a minimum of 300 hours in each of those years (applicable only if you worked in a community that doesn’t require a license to provide plumbing services).

After meeting any of these requirements, you will need to:

• Submit the application for the journeyman examination
• Pay the $50 exam fee + $4 technology and training fee

After passing the journeyman plumber exam, to get your license, you must:

• Pay the initial license fee of $20 + $1.60 tech fee
• Pay an annual fee of $19.50 for a licensed journeyman identification badge

3. Master plumber

   To be eligible for the Omaha master plumber license exam, you need to have documented proof of any one of the following requirements:

• Complete 4 consecutive years of plumbing experience as a licensed journeyman in Omaha.
  OR
• Have evidence of qualifying as a master plumber in a city of similar size and similar qualification criteria.
  OR
• Have an experience of at least 12 consecutive years accruing 21000 hours with a minimum of 300 hours in each of those years (applicable only if you worked in a community that doesn’t require a license to provide plumbing services).

After meeting any of these requirements, you will need to:

• Submit the application for the master examination
• Pay the $75 exam fee + $6 technology and training fee

After passing the master plumber exam, to get your license, you must:

• Pay the initial license fee of $100 + $8 tech fee
• Get insurance of a minimum of $1 million
• Get a surety bond of a minimum of $10k

What are the license costs for plumbers in Omaha?

Following are the various license costs for aspiring plumbers in Omaha:

License type	Initial license fee	Exam fee	Renewal fee
Apprentice	$20 + $1.60 tech fee	–	$20 + $1.60 tech fee
Journeyman	$20 + $1.60 tech fee	$50 + $4 tech fee	$20 + $1.60 tech fee
Master	$100 + $8 tech fee	$75 + 6 tech fee	$75 + $6 tech fee

Remember: 

• All licenses expire on each 31st of December. So renew it accordingly.
• For renewing the journeyman and master plumber license, you will have to accrue 8 continuing education hours.

Omaha plumbing exam details

1. Journeyman plumber exam

   The Omaha journeyman exam is divided into 3 parts: 
   • Plans (135 minutes)
   • Written (100 questions and 105 minutes)
   • Practical (210 minutes)

You must get 75% in EACH of the 3 sections to pass the examination. If you receive a score of 70% in all of these, with a combined average of 75%, you will be given a passing grade.

2. Master plumber exam

   The master exam for plumbers in Omaha is divided into 4 parts: 
   • Plans (240 minutes)
   • Written 1 (100 questions and 90 minutes)
   • Written 2 (100 questions and 120 minutes)
   • Practical (240 minutes)

You will have to score at least 80% in EACH of the 4 sections to pass the exam.

Conclusion

Any amount of hassle for getting licensed as a plumber isn’t worth it if you are not getting paid sufficiently enough. Fortunately, that’s not the case for Nebraska, as plumbers here earn $28.38 an hour on average, as per the data from Indeed.

If you are looking to grow your brand as a plumbing business, that’s great because you can earn much more as a business brand.

Pro tip: Once you start your business, you will need a reliable invoicing solution. Thus, try InvoiceOwl to create branded estimates and invoices easily.