Before You Hire, Run a Georgia Plumber License Lookup

Who Needs a License in Georgia

Plumbing licenses in Georgia come from the Division of Master and Journeyman Plumbers, part of the Secretary of State's office. There are three of them, and they're not the same.

• Journeyman plumber. At least a year of plumbing experience. A journeyman can do the work but can't own a plumbing business, so they work under a master.
• Master plumber, Class I. Five years of experience, two of them as a licensed journeyman. A Class I license is limited to single-family homes, one-story duplexes and commercial buildings of 10,000 square feet or less.
• Master plumber, Class II. The same five years plus commercial or industrial experience, and no limits on the size of the job.

For almost any house in Valdosta, either master license covers the job. A two-story duplex, an apartment building or a bigger commercial space calls for Class II.

Two more things trip people up. Georgia doesn't accept plumbing licenses from other states, so a Florida license, however real, doesn't count here. And the state doesn't require a license for handyman repairs, so "licensed" on a handyman's flyer may only mean a business license from the city or county. That's not a plumbing license.

Running the Search Step by Step

The plumber license lookup lives on the state's newer licensing website, called GOALS. Here's the whole thing.

1. Go to the Georgia Secretary of State's licensing website, goals.sos.ga.gov, and open the Professional Licensee Search.
2. Leave the search set to Individual. The state licenses plumbers as people, so a company name won't come up.
3. Under Profession Type, pick Master & Journeyman Plumbers.
4. Type the plumber's last name, and the first name too if it's a common one. The search needs at least two boxes filled in, and the profession counts as one.
5. Find the right person in the list. The city next to each name helps. Then click Select to open the full record.

If you come across an older link to verify.sos.ga.gov, that site still works for a few professions, but plumbers aren't on it anymore.

What Each Line on the Record Means

You'll often see more than one line for the same person, since old licenses stay on file. Look for the one marked Active, then open it.

• Status. Active is the one you want. Lapsed or Expired means the license wasn't kept up, so it doesn't cover work today. You may also see Superceded, which is how the state spells it, on an older license that was replaced, like a journeyman license from before the person became a master.
• License type. Journeyman Plumber, Master Plumber Restricted, which is Class I, or Master Plumber Non-Restricted, which is Class II.
• License number. It usually starts with MP for a non-restricted master, MPR for a restricted master and JP for a journeyman. Ask for it on the phone and you can search by number instead of name.
• Expires. Plumbing licenses run two years and renew by November 30 in even-numbered years, so make sure the date hasn't passed.
• Public Board Orders. Discipline from the state board shows up here. The line you hope to see says there are no board order documents.

The record page also has a File a Complaint button, which is good to know about if something goes wrong later.

If You Only Have a Company Name

The state board doesn't license plumbing companies. It licenses people. But only a licensed master plumber can run a plumbing business in Georgia, so every legitimate company has one behind it. Ask, "Who's the master plumber on your license?" and search that name.

The plumber who shows up may be a journeyman or a helper working under that master, and that's normal. Most companies work that way, with the master responsible for the job and the permit.

To check the company itself, use the business search on the same Secretary of State website. It shows whether the business is registered and active, along with its registered agent.

When an Ad Says “Certified”

A certification is narrower than a license, and it doesn't replace one. These are the places the word usually comes from around here.

• Backflow testing. The City keeps a list of certified testers, and only someone on that list can do the yearly test. Backflow testing in Valdosta explains who needs it.
• Medical gas. Georgia offers licensed plumbers an extra state certification for medical gas piping, the oxygen and other gas lines in hospitals, clinics and dental offices. It doesn't come up in a house.
• Wells. Well pump installers get their certification, and well drillers their license, from Georgia's Water Well Standards Advisory Council rather than the plumbing board. So a pump swap calls for that certificate, which comes up again under well pump repair.
• Septic. The soil tests behind a septic system are done by people the state health department certifies. Drainfield replacement goes into how that works here.
• Brand training. A "certified installer" for a water heater or fixture brand has been trained on that product. That's helpful, but it isn't a state license.

Insurance Is a Separate Question

A license doesn't tell you whether a plumber carries insurance, and it matters. If a pipe they connected lets go and soaks your floors, their liability insurance is what pays for the damage. Georgia's consumer protection office says that in most cases residential contractors must carry general liability insurance, and a business with three or more employees also needs workers' compensation.

• Ask for a certificate of insurance. It should come from their insurance agent and show the company name, the coverage and the policy dates.
• Check that the dates cover your job and the name matches the company you're hiring.
• On a big job, call the insurance company on the certificate and confirm the policy is current. Fake certificates do turn up.
• If the company has a crew, ask about workers' comp too. If someone gets hurt at your house and there's no coverage, it can turn into your problem.

A good plumber hears these questions all the time and won't mind them. If someone gets defensive, that tells you something too.

The Permit Belongs in the Plumber's Name

Some jobs call for a permit from the City of Valdosta and an inspection, or a county permit outside city limits. A water heater replacement, gas line work, a new water line or new fixtures can all need one. The inspection is a second set of eyes on the work, which helps you.

When you hire a plumber, the permit should be pulled under their license. Valdosta does allow a homeowner permit, backed by a notarized affidavit, for the owner's own home, but that route is meant for owners doing the work themselves. If the plumber wants you to get it instead, they're asking you to put your name on their work. Ask whether the permit fee is in the price, and check what permits cost before you agree.

Red Flags Worth Walking Away From

• They get annoyed or vague when you ask for a license number or proof of insurance.
• They can't or won't name the master plumber behind the company.
• The license in the lookup belongs to someone else, is the wrong type for the job, or isn't active.
• Their only plumbing license is from another state.
• They want the whole price before starting. On bigger jobs, Georgia's consumer protection office suggests a down payment of no more than 25 percent, or a third at most.
• There's no written price, or they push you to decide on the spot, like a knock on the door right after a storm.
• They ask you to pull the permit, or wave it off when you're not sure the job needs one.

Cash only isn't always a scam, but paired with anything on that list, it's a good reason to keep looking.

Questions to Ask Before Anyone Comes Out

You can cover most of this on the first phone call. Ask these four, then look up the answer while you wait.

1. What's the name of the master plumber on your license?
2. Is it Class I or Class II, and what's the license number?
3. Can your insurance agent send me a certificate?
4. Who pulls the permit, if the job needs one?

Even in an emergency, the check only takes a couple of minutes. Shut off the water first, then look the plumber up while you wait. For what happens when you call the number on this site, see how it works.