How to Start a Plumbing Business in Georgia: Master and Journeyman Licenses After SB 553

October 29, 2026

Plumbing in Georgia is a licensed trade. The State Construction Industry Licensing Board, part of the Secretary of State's Professional Licensing Boards Division, licenses individual plumbers at two levels: journeyman and master. A plumbing company also needs a full-time licensed qualifier who is regularly connected to the business, and a qualifier cannot qualify more than one business at a time. In practice, the path to owning a plumbing company runs through a master license, held either by you or by a master plumber your company employs as its qualifier.

This guide covers the licensing steps first, then the business setup that follows. A 2026 law, SB 553 (Act 472), rewrote Chapter 14 of Title 43 (the Georgia code chapter covering electrical, plumbing and conditioned air contractors) effective July 1, 2026. Because the experience and class limits changed, confirm each requirement below with the Board before you apply.

This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Confirm current requirements with the State Construction Industry Licensing Board, the Secretary of State, and the Georgia Department of Revenue. For complex situations, such as forming a company with multiple owners or partners, talk with a qualified attorney or CPA.

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What You Need Before You Start

The identification documents the Board's application asks for
A written work history with employer names, dates, and hours, because one full-time year of experience counts as 2,000 hours
Names and license numbers for three references who are licensed plumbers
A payment method for the application fee. Check the current figure on the Secretary of State fee page, because older forms and third-party sites list outdated amounts
A budget for exam fees. Exam fees are paid to the testing vendor, so confirm the current amount when you schedule
A business name checked against Secretary of State records. A name can be reserved for 30 days for $35
A decision on entity type (LLC or corporation) and a registered agent with a Georgia street address

Step 1: Choose the License Level

Georgia plumbers work at three license levels. Most people start as journeymen and move up to master once they meet the experience rules. People often search for Class 1 and Class 2, which correspond to the two master classes.

License	Scope under the current rule	Notes
Journeyman	Entry-level plumbing license for working plumbers	Requires 1 year of experience
Master Class I (Class 1)	Single-family and one-level dwellings designed for not more than two families, and commercial structures up to 10,000 square feet	SB 553 was reported to raise the commercial limit to 20,000 square feet. Confirm with the Board
Master Class II (Class 2)	No scope restriction	Also requires commercial or industrial experience

The class you pick determines what you can sign off on, so match it to the work you plan to do. If you expect to bid commercial or industrial jobs, confirm early that your experience qualifies for Class II.

Step 2: Document Your Experience

Document your experience carefully.

Journeyman: one year of plumbing experience. A full-time year is 2,000 hours, so partial years must be added up by hours, not by calendar months.
Master under the rule in force before 2026: 5 years of plumbing experience, with at least 2 of those years as a licensed journeyman.
Master under SB 553 as reported: 5 years of experience, with at least 4 of those years as a licensed journeyman. Plumbers who were licensed as journeymen before March 1, 2025 keep the 2-of-5 rule. Confirm which rule applies to you with the Board.

Ask past employers for letters that list dates and hours. Keep copies of pay records and job descriptions in case the Board asks for proof.

Step 3: Line Up Your References

Your application requires three references who are licensed plumbers. The class you apply for sets the minimum rank of those references. A Class I applicant needs at least one master among the references. A Class II applicant needs at least two masters. Choose references who have seen your work firsthand, and confirm each person's license is current before you list them.

Step 4: Submit the Application and Pay Fees

Submit your application through the Secretary of State's licensing system and pay the application fee. Check the Secretary of State fee page for the current plumbing figure, since fees for related trades and older forms differ from one another. Do not budget from figures you found on older guides.

Once the Board accepts your application, you will receive instructions for scheduling the exam. Keep your confirmation emails and receipts, because you will need them if a fee or date is disputed.

Step 5: Pass the Exam

The passing score is 70. Study the plumbing code and the Georgia-specific rules the exam covers, and schedule with the testing vendor once the Board authorizes you to test. Exam fees go to the vendor, not the Board, so confirm the amount and any rescheduling terms on the vendor's site before you book.

Many applicants find that practice exams and code-book tabbing help them locate answers quickly. Plan to take the exam with enough time to re-test if needed, since your business timeline depends on your license date.

Step 6: Add Medical Gas Certification If You Need It

Medical gas piping is a separate certification for plumbers, not part of the base license. If your work includes medical gas, check the requirements under Board Rule 121-2-.11 and confirm the process with the Board before you bid medical gas jobs.

Step 7: Plan Renewal and Continuing Education

Plumbing licenses renew every two years, due November 30 of even-numbered years, with a late window in December. The current cycle closes November 30, 2026, so check your expiration date and continuing education status now rather than in December.

Continuing education: 8 hours per 24-month cycle. If you were licensed for under 2 years at your first renewal, you need 4 hours.
Renewal fees: the most recent published schedule in our reference (2022) listed $75 for a master and $35 for a journeyman. Treat that as outdated and check current fees with the Board.
Late renewal: the December window exists, but confirm any late fee with the Board before you rely on it.

Lapsed licenses can stop your company from pulling permits, so calendar the deadline the day you receive a new license.

Step 8: Form Your Business Entity

Your business entity is registered with the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division. An LLC files Articles of Organization. A corporation files Articles of Incorporation. Each costs $110 total, which is the $100 fee plus a $10 service charge, and you can file online through eCorp or on paper.

Processing: online filings take about 7 to 10 business days. Paper filings take about 15 business days.
Expedited review: $120 for 2 business days, $275 for same day if received by noon, or $1,200 for one hour on business days.
Name: the name must include an LLC designator such as Limited Liability Company, LLC, or L.L.C., and it must be distinguishable on Secretary of State records.
Registered agent: every Georgia entity needs a registered agent at a Georgia street address. A P.O. box does not qualify. An LLC's agent must be a Georgia resident individual or a corporation authorized to do business in Georgia. An entity cannot serve as its own agent.
Annual registration: $60 ($50 plus $10), filed between January 1 and April 1 each year. An LLC files its first annual registration the year after it forms. A corporation files within 90 days of incorporating. A late filing carries a $25 penalty.

Georgia levies no franchise tax on a typical single-member or partnership LLC. Corporations, and LLCs taxed as corporations, owe a net worth tax of $0 to $5,000 depending on net worth. Income from a pass-through LLC is taxed at the individual rate, which is a single flat rate of 4.99% for 2026. For how the tax pieces fit together, see the Georgia business taxes guide. For formation steps in more detail, see how to start an LLC in Georgia.

Step 9: Register With the Department of Revenue

Register through the Georgia Tax Center at gtc.dor.ga.gov if you will sell taxable goods or have employees. Registration is free. Registering for sales tax is not a business license, and Georgia issues no separate resale permit.

Sales tax applies to parts and materials you sell to customers, not to your labor. The state rate is 4%, and combined state and local rates run from 6% to 9% depending on the county and city, with Atlanta at 8.9%. When you buy parts you will resell, give your supplier Form ST-5, the certificate of exemption, so you are not charged tax twice. Confirm the current rate for your job address on the Department of Revenue site at dor.georgia.gov.

Step 10: Get Your Local Occupation Tax Certificate

Georgia has no general state business license. The local license is an occupation tax certificate, often called a business license, issued under O.C.G.A. Title 48, chapter 13. Each of Georgia's 159 counties and about 537 cities sets its own formula, deadlines, and prerequisites.

Which government issues it depends on location. A business inside a city pays the city. A business in unincorporated territory pays the county. More than half of Georgians live outside any city, so for many plumbers the county is the issuer. Ask the city or county clerk for the current application, fee, and deadline before you open.

Expect to show proof of your state plumbing license. Private employers with more than 10 employees must also file an E-Verify affidavit to get the local certificate, under O.C.G.A. 36-60-6.

Step 11: Carry Workers' Comp and Pull Permits

Workers' compensation insurance is required at three or more workers, including part-time workers. Plan coverage before your third worker starts. See Georgia workers' compensation requirements for the details.

Plumbing permits are pulled per job from the city or county building department. Permit fees and inspection schedules are set locally, so confirm them for each jurisdiction where you work. For the broader list of licenses and permits, see the Georgia business license guide.

Expected Results

Following these steps may leave you with a current journeyman or master license, a formed entity in good standing, and the registrations you need to bill customers, collect sales tax on parts, and pull permits. Timelines depend on the Board's processing, your exam schedule, and how quickly the city or county issues its certificate. Check the Board for its current processing times.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using outdated figures. Old guides list fees and experience rules that no longer apply. Check the Secretary of State and the Board before you budget.
Counting partial years. A full-time year is 2,000 hours. Count hours from your employer records, not by memory.
Missing the 2026 change. Under the rule in force before 2026, a master needed 2 years as a licensed journeyman. SB 553 as reported raises that to 4 of 5 years for plumbers licensed after March 1, 2025.
Assuming a state business license. The Secretary of State issues no business license. Your local certificate comes from the city or county.
Filing a trade name with the Secretary of State. A DBA is filed with the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the business is chiefly carried on. Notice must run once a week for two weeks in the county legal organ. The clerk fee is about $165 plus the newspaper charge, so confirm both with the county clerk.
Paying the wrong government. A business inside a city pays the city, not the county, even if the city's certificate is harder to get.
Charging sales tax on labor. Tax applies to parts you sell, not to your service time.
Missing the April 1 annual registration. A late filing carries a $25 penalty, and prolonged delinquency can lead to administrative dissolution. Reinstatement costs about $260.
Letting your qualifier lapse. A qualifier must be full-time and regularly connected to the company, and cannot qualify more than one business at a time.

Related Guides

This article is informational content, not legal or tax advice. Verify every fee, deadline, and license rule with the State Construction Industry Licensing Board, the Secretary of State, and the Department of Revenue before you act. A licensed attorney or CPA can advise on your specific situation.