01Who licenses plumbers in Georgia
Georgia plumbers are licensed through the Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers, part of the State Construction Industry Licensing Board under the Secretary of State. The City of Alpharetta's permitting procedures say Georgia law, O.C.G.A. 43-14, requires anyone contracting or performing plumbing for hire to be duly and currently licensed for that work, and that the City will not issue trade permits to unlicensed persons.
There is one exception in Alpharetta's procedures: a homeowner performing their own work on their own home may obtain a permit for that work. Anyone you pay to do plumbing must hold a license.
02The three license types
The Secretary of State's plumbing FAQ lists three types. A Journeyman Plumber must have at least one year of experience in plumbing work covered by the Georgia State Plumbing Code. A Class I Master Plumber is limited to plumbing involving single-family dwellings, one-level dwellings designed for not more than two families, and commercial structures not exceeding 10,000 square feet. A Class II Master Plumber has no restrictions.
For a typical single-family home in Alpharetta, Roswell or Milton, either master class covers the work. For a larger multi-family building or a bigger commercial property, the Class II license is the one that applies.
03Who may run a plumbing business
The FAQ says only licensed Master Plumbers may have a business, not journeymen, and that the Licensing Board does not register plumbing companies. A journeyman may work under a master, but the business you contract with should be backed by a master plumber's license.
Alpharetta's plumbing permit application asks for the installer's Georgia card number, class, expiration date and card holder. Asking for that information before work starts is reasonable, and a licensed contractor will expect the question.
Need a licensed plumber to look at it?
Free Quote Request04Experience, exams and renewal
The FAQ says applicants for a statewide Master Plumber license must document at least five years of plumbing experience, with at least two of those years licensed as a Journeyman Plumber, and that Class II applicants must also document commercial or industrial experience. Applicants who are approved sit an exam administered by PSI.
Licenses are renewed online by November 30 of even-numbered years, and the FAQ says four hours of continuing education are required each year. Georgia has no reciprocity with other states for master or journeyman plumbers, so an out-of-state license does not authorise work here.
05Questions to ask before you hire
Ask for the license number and class, and confirm the class fits your property. Ask whether the plumber will pull the permit; in Alpharetta, the City tells homeowners to require every hired contractor to show a City-issued permit for their work before allowing them to proceed. For an emergency at night or on a weekend, Alpharetta's procedures say the installer obtains the permit on the next City business day.
For backflow work, Fulton County's backflow policy says repairs and installation must be done by a licensed plumber trained and certified to enter the device, and tests by a certified tester; see backflow testing.
06Complaints and how we work
The Secretary of State's site explains how to submit a complaint about a licensee. Keep your contract, invoice and permit records in case you need them.
We do not license or vouch for anyone. When you send a Free Quote Request, independent plumbers who serve the area may contact you; checking their license is always your decision. See permits in Alpharetta and the emergency steps.