Ohio Plumbing License Renewal: Deadlines, Fees and CE

The Plumbing Contractor (commercial) (Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) - Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance) renews every year, has a renewal fee of about $60 and requires 10 hours of continuing education. Fees change, so check the official site for the exact amount.

Full rule details

Verified dataLast checked Oct 17, 2026, next review due July 2027

Informational: verify with the issuing board.

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Plumbing Contractor (commercial)

PLUMB · State license · Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) - Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance

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Renew on the official site (614) 644-3493

Renewal cycle: Every year
Continuing education: 10 hours
Show CE rules
Standard rule: 10 classroom hours per year (50-minute hours) of board-approved courses (OAC 4101:16-2-08, effective 5/13/2022). Compliant Contractor Program members (about one year of timely renewals and no discipline) get a 2-hour reduction: 8 hours for an annual renewal or 24 hours for a 3-year renewal (OAC 4101:16-1-08(C)); the board's page lists 8 and 24. Online self-guided hours are limited to 4 per year on an annual renewal and 12 on a 3-year renewal (board notice effective 9/1/2018); the same 4-hour class cannot be repeated in one year. Electrical-only licensees need half of their hours in electrical code; electrical plus other trades need half in electrical code and half in any approved course; plumbing, hydronics, HVAC and refrigeration licensees may take any approved course. Hours above the requirement cannot be applied to the next renewal period (within a 3-year period hours can be taken in any year). No more than 10 hours are credited per calendar day. Not completing the hours by expiration suspends the license. Within one year after expiration the board may waive or extend part of the requirement for certified illness, disability, military service, foreign residence or excusable neglect. The figure shown in the hours field is the standard 10; program members need 8 per year.
Deadline rule: Annual (or 3-year for Compliant Contractor Program members) renewal on the license's individual expiration date. All of a holder's Ohio construction licenses expire on the same date, the expiration date of the original license (ORC 4740.06(H)). The date is license-specific (no fixed calendar date); look it up in the eLicense Center. The board provides the renewal application at least 90 days before expiry (OAC 4101:16-2-06) and the renewal may be filed no more than 90 calendar days before expiry (ORC 4740.06(H)).

Show fees, grace period, bond and insurance

Grace period: No grace period: the license is automatically suspended on expiry if renewal requirements are unmet (OAC 4101:16-2-07(A)). The late renewal window is one calendar year.

Fees, approximate

Renewal fee: About $60
Late fee: Show the details (amounts are approximate)
Late renewal is allowed within one calendar year after expiration: renewal fee plus a late fee of not more than about $120 per license (OAC 4101:16-2-09(A), effective 5/13/2022; the amount is set by the board and training providers report about $30), plus certification of about $500,000 liability insurance and completion of the required CE hours (OAC 4101:16-2-07(C)). A $30 penalty per license applies to a returned check.
Reinstatement: Show the details (amounts are approximate)
Within one calendar year after expiration a suspended license can be reactivated with section approval by paying the renewal fee and late fee, certifying liability insurance and completing 10 hours of CE (OAC 4101:16-2-07(A), -08). If not reactivated it is automatically revoked; after more than one year the person must re-apply and take the exam. Inactive (escrow) status: no CE or insurance is required while inactive but the about $60 annual renewal fee is still due. To reactivate from inactive status, pay a $60 fee, certify about $500,000 insurance and complete up to 10 CE hours per inactive year, capped at 30 (8 per year, capped at 24, for Compliant Contractor Program members) (OAC 4101:16-2-12).

Fees change. Check the official site for the exact amount.

Why approximate?

Boards change fees often and some charge extra processing fees. We show a recent amount so you can plan.

Bond: Not required
Insurance: Contractor's liability insurance of at least $500,000 including complete operations coverage (OAC 4101:16-2-09(D)), in the name of the contracting company, which must be registered with the Ohio Secretary of State. Coverage may be held in only one contracting company name. Not required while the license is inactive. Proof is no longer submitted at renewal but the licensee certifies the coverage (OAC 4101:16-2-07).
Reciprocity: Reciprocity without exam only where the other state's requirements are substantially equal and a written agreement exists; one late renewal only for reciprocity licensees (OAC 4101:16-2-10). The board lists reciprocity for Ohio licensees with: AL (HVAC, refrigeration), AR (plumbing), KY (electrical, HVAC, refrigeration), LA (electrical, HVAC, refrigeration; business and law exam), MS (electrical, HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing; business and law exam), NC (electrical), SC (electrical, HVAC, plumbing; business and law exam), TN (electrical, HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing, hydronics; business and law exam) and WV (electrical, HVAC, plumbing). Confirm current agreements with the board.

Notes

The Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board licenses COMMERCIAL contractors only; local building departments may require their own license or registration for residential work, and many Ohio cities also require a local registration or license. The license is held by an individual qualifier assigned to one contracting company (no DBA names); if the qualifier leaves, reassignment to another company requires waiting 90 days from written notice to the board unless the former company releases the qualifier. Fees: $60 annual or $180 triennial per license (OAC 4101:16-2-09). The board's licensing authority is scheduled to expire under R.C. 101.62 on 12/31/2026 unless the legislature renews it; House Bill 59, which would renew the board for six years, passed the Ohio House on November 19, 2025 and was still in Senate committee as of the last status checked (hearings through April 2026). Existing licenses stay valid under their terms, but watch for changes. The state license is for commercial plumbing contractors; residential plumbing is handled locally by cities or health districts. Initial exam eligibility generally requires 5 years as a tradesperson (ORC 4740.06(B)); other acceptable experience may qualify.

HighLast checked Oct 17, 2026

Sources (13)

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The hours, required topics, approved providers and reporting rules for each license are on the Ohio Plumbing continuing education page.

How to renew

1Check your Plumbing Contractor (commercial) deadline: Annual (or 3-year for Compliant Contractor Program members) renewal on the license's individual expiration date. All of a holder's Ohio construction licenses expire on the same date, the expiration date of the original license (ORC 4740.06(H)). The date is license-specific (no fixed calendar date); look it up in the eLicense Center. The board provides the renewal application at least 90 days before expiry (OAC 4101:16-2-06) and the renewal may be filed no more than 90 calendar days before expiry (ORC 4740.06(H)).
2Complete 10 continuing education hours before renewing. Standard rule: 10 classroom hours per year (50-minute hours) of board-approved courses (OAC 4101:16-2-08, effective 5/13/2022). Compliant Contractor Program members (about one year of timely renewals and no discipline) get a 2-hour reduction: 8 hours for an annual renewal or 24 hours for a 3-year renewal (OAC 4101:16-1-08(C)); the board's page lists 8 and 24. Online self-guided hours are limited to 4 per year on an annual renewal and 12 on a 3-year renewal (board notice effective 9/1/2018); the same 4-hour class cannot be repeated in one year. Electrical-only licensees need half of their hours in electrical code; electrical plus other trades need half in electrical code and half in any approved course; plumbing, hydronics, HVAC and refrigeration licensees may take any approved course. Hours above the requirement cannot be applied to the next renewal period (within a 3-year period hours can be taken in any year). No more than 10 hours are credited per calendar day. Not completing the hours by expiration suspends the license. Within one year after expiration the board may waive or extend part of the requirement for certified illness, disability, military service, foreign residence or excusable neglect. The figure shown in the hours field is the standard 10; program members need 8 per year.
3Confirm your insurance meet the board requirements and are not expiring.
4Renew online at https://elicense4.com.ohio.gov/
5Pay the renewal fee on the official site. Expect about $60, but fees change.
6If you miss the deadline: Late renewal is allowed within one calendar year after expiration: renewal fee plus a late fee of not more than about $120 per license (OAC 4101:16-2-09(A), effective 5/13/2022; the amount is set by the board and training providers report about $30), plus certification of about $500,000 liability insurance and completion of the required CE hours (OAC 4101:16-2-07(C)). A $30 penalty per license applies to a returned check.

Ohio Plumbing renewal questions

Answers come from the records above. Informational: verify with the issuing board.

When does an Ohio plumbing license expire?

Plumbing Contractor (commercial): renews every year. Annual (or 3-year for Compliant Contractor Program members) renewal on the license's individual expiration date. All of a holder's Ohio construction licenses expire on the same date, the expiration date of the original license (ORC 4740.06(H)). The date is license-specific (no fixed calendar date); look it up in the eLicense Center. The board provides the renewal application at least 90 days before expiry (OAC 4101:16-2-06) and the renewal may be filed no more than 90 calendar days before expiry (ORC 4740.06(H)). Check with Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) - Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance before you rely on it.

How many CE hours does an Ohio plumbing license need?

Plumbing Contractor (commercial): 10 hours per renewal. Check with Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) - Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance before you rely on it.

Is there a grace period for an Ohio plumbing license?

No grace period: the license is automatically suspended on expiry if renewal requirements are unmet (OAC 4101:16-2-07(A)). The late renewal window is one calendar year. Check with Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) - Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance before you rely on it.

How much does it cost to renew an Ohio plumbing license?

Plumbing Contractor (commercial): About $60. Fees change. Check the official site for the exact amount.

What happens if an Ohio plumbing license expires?

Late renewal is allowed within one calendar year after expiration: renewal fee plus a late fee of not more than about $120 per license (OAC 4101:16-2-09(A), effective 5/13/2022; the amount is set by the board and training providers report about $30), plus certification of about $500,000 liability insurance and completion of the required CE hours (OAC 4101:16-2-07(C)). A $30 penalty per license applies to a returned check. Fees change. Check the official site for the exact amount.

Does Ohio accept plumbing licenses from other states?

Reciprocity without exam only where the other state's requirements are substantially equal and a written agreement exists; one late renewal only for reciprocity licensees (OAC 4101:16-2-10). The board lists reciprocity for Ohio licensees with: AL (HVAC, refrigeration), AR (plumbing), KY (electrical, HVAC, refrigeration), LA (electrical, HVAC, refrigeration; business and law exam), MS (electrical, HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing; business and law exam), NC (electrical), SC (electrical, HVAC, plumbing; business and law exam), TN (electrical, HVAC, refrigeration, plumbing, hydronics; business and law exam) and WV (electrical, HVAC, plumbing). Confirm current agreements with the board. Check with Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) - Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Industrial Compliance before you rely on it.

Sources

Spot something out of date?

Informational only. Check it with the issuing board. Licensing rules, deadlines and CE requirements change, fee amounts are approximate, and this page can be out of date. It is not legal advice, and we are not affiliated with any state board. Read the disclaimer.

This information is here to help you plan, not to replace the board. Fee amounts are approximate and may be out of date. Deadlines and continuing education rules change too, sometimes without much notice. Always confirm with your licensing board and its official site before you rely on a date or an amount. This is not legal advice.

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