Local directory
Plumbers
Licensed plumbing contractors for water heaters, leaks, drains, fixtures and repiping.
- Metro areas
- 51
- Listings
- 1
- States
- 31
What plumbers are licensed to do
Nearly every state licenses journeyman and master plumbers; gas fitting is often a separate endorsement.
Install and repair the water supply, drainage, gas and fixture systems that keep buildings habitable.
Verify before hiring
- Licence number, current and correctly classified
- Certificate of insurance sent by the insurer
- Written scope with exclusions stated
- Who pulls the permit, in writing
What this directory covers
Plumbing mistakes show up slowly — a bad gas connection can explode immediately, but a drain that was routed wrong may take years to rot out a floor. Gas fitting, medical gas and process piping are often separate licence endorsements from general plumbing, and a journeyman card that covers residential service may not cover commercial hydronic work.
We do not rank plumbers or sell leads. What follows is the scope a licence typically covers, the jobs where permits are normal, and the verification steps that separate a legitimate contractor from someone who learned on YouTube.
Trade context reviewed September 2026. Licensing rules vary by state — verify on the board lookup for your metro.
Typically in licence scope
- Water heater replacement, repair and expansion-tank upgrades
- Drain cleaning, sewer line repair and repiping
- Fixture installation — toilets, sinks, showers and laundry
- Gas line repair, appliance hookups and leak testing
- Backflow preventer installation and testing where required
Usually outside scope
- Municipal water main or sewer main work on the street side of the connection
- Fire suppression systems — usually a separate licence in most states
- Medical gas piping in healthcare facilities
- Septic system design in jurisdictions that require a separate installer licence
Federal credentials that apply
No federal plumbing licence
Plumbing is regulated at the state and local level. The one federal intersection homeowners encounter is cross-connection and backflow rules, which local water authorities enforce — not a federal licence card.
Common jobs and what they should cost
National planning ranges from our cost guides. Apply the labor index on each metro page before using them as a local benchmark.
Cost guides
- Water Heater ReplacementReplacing a standard tank water heater with a like-for-like unit, installed and hauled away.
- Sewer Line Repair & ReplacementRepairing or replacing the sewer lateral between a home and the municipal main.
- Whole-House RepipingReplacing all water supply lines in a home — typically galvanized steel or polybutylene with copper or PEX.
- Water Softener InstallationInstalling a whole-house ion-exchange water softener on the main supply line with a drain and brine connection.
- Well Pump ReplacementPulling and replacing a submersible or jet well pump, including electrical connection and system restart.
- Toilet ReplacementRemoving an old toilet and installing a new one, including wax ring, supply line, and disposal.
- Shower Valve & Cartridge ReplacementReplacing a failed shower valve cartridge or the entire valve body behind the shower wall.
- Slab Leak RepairLocating and repairing a water supply line leak beneath a concrete slab foundation.
Diagnose before you call
- No Hot WaterFind out why a water heater has stopped producing hot water, for both gas and electric units.
- Drain Keeps CloggingTell the difference between a local fixture clog and a main line problem before you spend money on the wrong fix.
- Water Heater LeakingWater pooling around your water heater — identify where the leak is coming from and whether you can wait or need same-day replacement.
- Toilet Running ConstantlyA toilet that will not stop running wastes 200 gallons or more per day — find the cause and fix it in minutes or know when to call a plumber.
- Low Water PressureWeak water pressure at one fixture or throughout the house — narrow down whether it is a local clog, a supply problem, or aging pipes.
- Sewer Smell in HouseA sewage odor inside your home — track it to a dry trap, a vent problem, or a failing sewer line before it becomes a health hazard.
- Water HammerLoud banging in your pipes when you shut off a faucet or valve — what causes it and how to stop it before it damages fittings.
- Brown Water from TapsRusty or brown water from your faucets — determine whether it is a municipal issue, a water heater problem, or corroding pipes in your home.
Red flags before you sign
Gas work quoted without mentioning a pressure test
Legitimate gas piping work includes leak testing before the appliance is fired. A quote that jumps straight to hookup without testing language is incomplete.
Water heater swap with no mention of code upgrades
Expansion tanks, drain pans, seismic strapping and venting changes are frequently required on replacement and are commonly excluded from the headline price.
Drain cleaning with no camera option on a recurring clog
A clog that returns in the same spot often indicates a structural problem — offset joints, roots or a belly in the line. Jetting without diagnosing the cause treats the symptom.
No gas fitting endorsement on a gas job
In states that split gas from general plumbing, the licence lookup should show the gas endorsement. Confirm it before anyone opens a gas line.
Verification checklist
- Verify the licence number and classification on the state board site.
- For gas work, confirm a gas-fitting endorsement where your state requires one.
- Ask whether the water heater quote includes expansion tank, pan, strapping and venting.
- Request the permit number for any work that alters supply, DWV or gas piping.
- Have insurance certificates sent by the agent, and confirm workers' comp if they have employees on site.
Common questions
Does a plumber need a separate licence for gas lines?
Is a permit required to replace a water heater?
What should a sewer line repair quote include?
Can a general handyman replace a toilet?
Largest metro areas
Percentages show local labor cost against the national median — the adjustment worth applying to any national estimate before you use it.
- Plumbers in New YorkNew York · 8,258,035 residents+29%
- Plumbers in Los AngelesCalifornia · 3,820,914 residents+22%
- Plumbers in ChicagoIllinois · 2,664,452 residents+14%
- Plumbers in HoustonTexas · 2,314,157 residents · 1 listed-4%
- Plumbers in PhoenixArizona · 1,650,070 residents-2%
- Plumbers in PhiladelphiaPennsylvania · 1,550,542 residents+11%
- Plumbers in San AntonioTexas · 1,495,295 residents-8%
- Plumbers in San DiegoCalifornia · 1,388,320 residents+19%
- Plumbers in DallasTexas · 1,302,868 residents-3%
- Plumbers in JacksonvilleFlorida · 985,843 residents-6%
- Plumbers in AustinTexas · 979,882 residents+2%
- Plumbers in Fort WorthTexas · 978,468 residents-4%
- Plumbers in San JoseCalifornia · 969,655 residents+35%
- Plumbers in ColumbusOhio · 913,175 residents-5%
- Plumbers in CharlotteNorth Carolina · 911,311 residents-5%
- Plumbers in IndianapolisIndiana · 879,293 residents-8%
- Plumbers in San FranciscoCalifornia · 808,988 residents+38%
- Plumbers in SeattleWashington · 755,078 residents+24%
- Plumbers in DenverColorado · 715,522 residents+6%
- Plumbers in Oklahoma CityOklahoma · 702,767 residents-12%
- Plumbers in NashvilleTennessee · 687,788 residents-4%
- Plumbers in WashingtonDistrict of Columbia · 678,972 residents+23%
- Plumbers in El PasoTexas · 678,815 residents-13%
- Plumbers in Las VegasNevada · 660,929 residents+1%
- Plumbers in BostonMassachusetts · 653,833 residents+27%
- Plumbers in PortlandOregon · 635,749 residents+12%
- Plumbers in DetroitMichigan · 633,218 residents+3%
- Plumbers in LouisvilleKentucky · 622,981 residents-10%
- Plumbers in MemphisTennessee · 618,639 residents-12%
- Plumbers in BaltimoreMaryland · 565,239 residents+9%
All metros
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Michigan
Minnesota
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Nebraska
Nevada
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New York
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Utah
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin
Other categories
- ElectriciansLicensed electrical contractors for panel work, wiring, troubleshooting and code corrections.
- HVAC ContractorsHeating, cooling and refrigeration contractors for service, replacement and duct work.
- RoofersRoofing contractors for leak repair, replacement, storm damage and inspections.
- CarpentersFraming, finish carpentry, decks, stairs and structural repair contractors.
- Trade SchoolsAccredited trade and technical schools offering programs in the skilled trades.
- Apprenticeship ProgramsRegistered apprenticeship programs through union locals, contractor associations and employers.