So you checked the reviews and confirmed they have a plumber’s license; that should mean your plumber is reputable, right? Not exactly. “License fraud is more common than most people realize,” said Warren Stroud, owner of Plumbing Outfitters, an Austin, Texas plumbing company.
A plumber’s license is a sign of credibility and is a legal requirement in many states. But just because a plumber shows a license doesn’t mean it’s theirs. Some may “rent” a license, while others borrow credentials from family members or past employees. When that happens, it “opens the door for untrained amateurs to tackle complex plumbing jobs without proper training or oversight.”
While there’s no one-and-done rule for catching plumbing license fraud, we spoke with plumbers who shared tips on what to look out for.
Why plumbing licensing matters
In most of the country, plumbers undergo rigorous licensing procedures, though in some areas, such as New York state, it’s handled by local jurisdictions rather than the state. Often, as plumbers gain experience, they go from apprentice status, working under a master, to journeyman status and eventually to master plumber status, enabling them to supervise other plumbers and run companies…