Plumbing Jobs In Arkansas

According to the state’s legislation, plumbers without a license are not allowed to bid for plumbing jobs in Arkansas that cost $20,000 or more. Similar to Illinois, the licensure to practice in Arkansas is issued by the Department of Health and it is renewed annually. As a side note, all paperwork for renewing the license should be sent in before the 31st of December in any year, as that is the date all issued licenses become invalid. However, plumbers have 30 days at their disposal to renew their license but may have to pay some penalties for being late.

Minimum requirements for licensure in Arkansas

Apprentice plumbers can apply for the journeyman license after completing 4 years of service under the supervision of a licensed plumber. According to the law, if the apprentice is interested in applying for a master plumber status, then he must have 5 years of apprenticeship completed previously to the examination. In a nutshell, candidates hoping to find the best paid plumbing jobs in Arkansas should first acquire the journeyman license and after one year has passed, the master plumber licensure. The authorities allow other categories of candidates to apply for examination, such as engineers that have special expertise in plumbing for instance. The state of Arkansas offers the following licenses:

The Arkansas perspective

The current annual income of plumbers in Arkansas is 1% lower than the salaries for job posting nationwide, namely $47,000. However, individuals interested in pursuing a career in this field should rest assured that the demand is still higher than the supply. As expected, licensed professionals who have a specialty and who work in the urban areas and in larger contractor companies hold the highest paying jobs in the plumbing field.

Commercial plumbing jobs in Arkansas: Special demands

The good news for plumbers interested in becoming licensed in commercial plumbing is that they automatically qualify for residential work in Arkansas as well. On the other hand, in order to get the commercial plumbing licenses, these professionals will need to send a $10,000 contractor’s bond along with other necessary paperwork. It is worth highlighting that this bond must be executed exclusively by the main beneficiary. However, if the plumber’s company has encountered some difficulties in obtaining the bond, he should know that he has other options, such as sending an Irrevocable Letter of Credit from the bank or filling a cash bond. 

Clarifications on the reciprocal agreements

Plumbing jobs in Arkansas now has an added benefit. Since 2011, the state has allowed licensed plumbers to move from Arkansas to other states, such as Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. However, the plumbers who want to benefit from license recognition in the aforementioned states are required to pass a trade exam and meet the requirement for licensure and practice as mandated by the new state. Applicants who want to work as licensed plumbers in Arkansas must meet certain requirements as well: submit an application for new licensing, show proof that he lived in Arkansas for at least 3 years, provide evidence of license issued by another state and submit the Reciprocal Form and Affidavit.

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