How to Become a Plumber in Alabama

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How to Become a Plumber in Alabama

Plumbers have a lucrative occupation with real possibilities of a successful career.

If you want to know more about this job, including the steps to take to enter it and the expected salary, read on!

This guide will reveal everything you need to know about becoming a plumber in Alabama.

Plumber Job Description and Requirements

Plumbers are known since the Roman Empire times, at which point they were professionals trained to work with lead, which was often found on roofs and in the piping system.

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Nowadays, these tradesmen work exclusively with the system used for drinking water.

Their activities include:

  • Installation of the system
  • Maintaining the system
  • Repairing the system
  • Ensuring the safety standards and building regulations
  • Using measuring, power and soldering tools

In Alabama, one cannot perform any of these activities without proper training and a license.

In this state, you can obtain 3 types of certificates:

  • Apprentice license,
  • Journeyman license,
  • Master plumber certification

Plumber Training

Plumbers train through an apprenticeship program.

For such a position, you’ll work under a licensed plumber but you’ll need to be registered with the State of Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board (PGFB).

To register as an apprentice, you’ll need:

  • Fill out the form
  • Pay the application fee – $25
  • A copy of your driver’s license, social security card, or green card
  • At least 18 years old
  • Have a high school diploma or GED

All the work you’ll perform will be supervised, but it will include repairs and pipe fittings.

The apprenticeship programs last for about 5 years.

Enrolling in a trade school is also possible for this occupation.

Also, the classes for the plumbing career have to be approved by the Board.

No matter the type of training you choose, you’ll have to learn about:

  • Drafting,
  • Mathematics,
  • Science,
  • Sprinkler installation,
  • Pipefitting
  • Reading blueprints

Your best options to find training opportunities are by contacting:

  • The UA Local 91 training center
  • The Career Training Base

While you’re an apprentice, you’ll have to renew your registration every year.

The fee associated with this renewal is $25.

Becoming a Journeyman Plumber

You can become a journeyman plumber once your apprenticeship period is over.

You’re expected to pass the journeyman exam and then you can receive your license.

For this, you’ll have to provide proof you were employed for at least two years while registered as an apprentice.

The journeyman plumber license application fee is $110.

If your application is accepted, you have 30 days to take the test administered by PSI Services, LLC.

Test locations can be found both in and out of state.

You have to answer correctly to 70% of the 70  questions on the test, and you can find out the result on the spot.

If you pass, you need to apply for the license within 90 days, or else you’ll need to re-take the exam.

The journeyman license costs $50 and this fee must be paid to the Board.

Journeymen are allowed to perform more types of jobs, and they include water sprinkler installations and plumbing repairs.

This license also has to be renewed every year.

The associated fee is $50.

Becoming a Master Plumber

To earn the certification as a master plumber you’ll need:

  • At least 1 year of experience on a journeyman position
  • To pass the master plumber exam
  • To pay the application fee of $160

Becoming a master plumber means you can perform all types of plumbing jobs and you also don’t need supervision.

Master plumbers also need to renew their certifications every year.

Their fee is higher compared to apprentices and journeymen, and the fee is $150.

Plumber Employment and Salary Information

Plumbers work in a variety of settings:

  • Domestic
  • Commercial
  • Industrial

These professionals can find employment as early as the apprenticeship stage.

These positions are considered apprenticeship jobs.

The salary you’ll earn will depend on the experience you have, with an apprentice towards the end of the apprentice program earning more than one who barely started.

Your location and union membership will also influence how much you earn.

Annual Salary Range:
$40K
$53K
$68K
10%
50%
90%
Annual Salary by Location:
Location Avg. Annual Salary
Birmingham $54,423
Montgomery $51,549
Huntsville $54,377
Mobile $53,209
Tuscaloosa $53,891
Dothan $50,859
Auburn $51,530
Decatur $52,715
Madison $54,377
Florence $49,569

Regional Salary in Alabama

Region Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary
Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL80$51,070$24.55$69,910$32,700
Auburn-Opelika, AL140$47,520$22.84$66,190$30,930
Birmingham-Hoover, AL2,170$54,390$26.15$70,710$36,250
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL250$46,220$22.22$63,220$30,890
Decatur, AL250$59,690$28.7$99,030$37,900
Dothan, AL120$46,600$22.4$61,610$31,080
Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL260$53,840$25.88$77,620$33,770
Gadsden, AL80$46,760$22.48$61,360$29,260
Huntsville, AL760$55,800$26.83$78,070$35,360
Mobile, AL960$54,120$26.02$65,360$36,680
Montgomery, AL370$50,710$24.38$69,360$31,510
Tuscaloosa, AL500$54,420$26.16$68,700$36,150
* Salary information based on the May 2023 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters, OCC Code 47-2152, BLS.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.

Additional Information

As a future plumber, there are a few aspects you need to be aware of before you start.

Insurance

Plumbers need to have insurance in Alabama, and this is generally covered by the employer.

Not all employers are willing to offer to cover the insurance, and in this case, it will be your duty to cover it as follows:

  • $100,000 general liability
  • $300,000 for property damage

The Board will ask for a copy of your insurance certificate.

Union Membership

Plumbers have the option to either join a union or not.

Each of these has advantages and disadvantages.

The biggest factor to attract a person to join a union is the higher salary compared to a non-union member plumber.

The biggest drawback for a plumber to reject union membership is that they’ll have to follow the regulations the union decides on, even if the individual doesn’t agree with them.

Resources for Plumbers

Plumbers in Alabama need to be up-to-date with the changes to the code or rules.

This can be done by accessing the website of the International Code Council, as well as the various blogs available on this topic.

Schools Offering Plumbing Programs in Alabama

School Name Address
Lawson State Community College 1100 Ninth Avenue SW Bessemer, AL 35022
Calhoun Community College 6250 Hwy. 31 North Tanner, AL, 35671
J F Ingram State Technical College 5375 Ingram Rd, Deatsville, Alabama 36022
UA Local 91 3648 9th Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35222
UA Local 119 Plumbers and Pipefitters 2456 Old Shell Rd, Mobile, AL 36607
APHCC of Alabama
Construction Education Foundation Of Alabama 6700 Oporto Madrid Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35212
United Association Local Union No. 52 5563 Wares Ferry Road Montgomery Alabama 36117
Skilled trades of west Alabama apprenticeship program 1300 James I Harrison Jr Pkwy, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405
MCTI 350 Industrial Dr, Birmingham, AL 35211
UA Local 372 Plumbers & Pipefitters 9410 Hwy 82 E, Duncanville, AL 35456
University of South Alabama Center for Continuing Education and Conf Services 555 University Blvd, North, AHE 232 29725983 Mobile, AL 36688
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