Plumber job description template: service or construction, license level, trench and ladder safety
On this page
- Pick the work type before the title
- License level, with Texas as an example
- Safety lines: trenches, ladders and minors
- The plumber job description template
- Pay structure and EEO
- From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
- Common mistakes in plumber job descriptions
- Before you publish
- Questions people ask
"Plumber wanted, licensed, 5 years experience" is how most plumbing jobs are advertised, and it attracts a mix of new-construction rough-in plumbers, service plumbers who run drain calls alone, and commercial pipe crews. Those are different jobs. A service plumber spends the day in customers' homes diagnosing leaks and selling repairs; a construction plumber works from blueprints on a crew; a commercial plumber may spend months on one site with a superintendent. A useful plumber job description names the work type, the license level the state requires, the truck and tools, the on-call pattern, and the pay. Below are the work types, the licensing and safety lines checked against official sources, a copy-ready template, screening and scorecard rows, and the mistakes that cost contractors applicants. For the phone call itself, use plumber screening questions.
Not legal advice. The licensing, OSHA and child labor points below were checked against the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, OSHA, the Department of Labor, Cornell's Legal Information Institute and BLS as of October 2026. Plumbing licensing is set by states and sometimes cities; confirm the rules where the work is done.
Pick the work type before the title
| Work type | What the week looks like | Must-have that separates it |
|---|---|---|
| Residential service and repair | Several calls a day in occupied homes: leaks, water heaters, fixtures, drain stoppages, repair options explained to the homeowner | Diagnoses alone and explains options and prices to a customer |
| Residential new construction | Underground, rough-in and top-out on tract or custom homes, working from plans with a builder's schedule | Has done rough-in and top-out to plan and passed inspections |
| Commercial construction | Larger pipe sizes, multiple trades on site, submittals and inspections, long projects | Commercial pipe experience on materials you use (cast iron, copper, PEX, PVC) |
| Drain cleaning and jetting | Cable machines, hydro-jetting, camera inspections, sewer line locating | Has run a jetter and a camera and can read what the camera shows |
| Facilities or in-house plumber | Hospital, campus or property portfolio; preventive maintenance and repairs; work orders | Works from a work-order system and coordinates shutdowns with occupants |
Then settle the level with the service manager or superintendent: an apprentice or helper working under a licensed plumber, a licensed plumber who runs calls or a crew, or a lead who supervises others. Put the level in the title and the on-call rotation, if any, in the summary (for example, one week in four, as an example rotation). If the role is mostly building maintenance with some plumbing, the maintenance technician job description template may fit better.
License level, with Texas as an example
BLS notes that most states and some localities require plumbers to be licensed, and that most plumbers learn the trade in a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training each year (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, last modified August 27, 2026). Texas shows how specific the posting line needs to be. The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) sets these levels:
- Plumber's Apprentice (registration): at least 16 years old; may assist with plumbing only under the direct supervision of a licensed plumber who is on the job site at all times. Hours worked before registering do not count toward the license exams (TSBPE, apprentice registration).
- Tradesman Plumber-Limited: at least 4,000 hours of experience and a 24-hour TSBPE-approved course (or a Department of Labor-approved apprenticeship program); works on one- and two-family dwellings under a Responsible Master Plumber (TSBPE, tradesman).
- Journeyman Plumber: at least 8,000 hours of experience and a 48-hour approved course (or an approved apprenticeship program); installs, repairs and services plumbing under a Responsible Master Plumber, without the tradesman's one- and two-family limit, and may directly supervise apprentices on all job sites (TSBPE, journeyman).
So a Texas service posting should say "Texas Journeyman Plumber license (or Tradesman Plumber-Limited for residential work only)," not "licensed plumber." Other states use different titles and hours, and some license plumbing contractors separately from the workers. Endorsements such as medical gas piping or water supply protection belong in the must-haves only if the work needs them.
Safety lines: trenches, ladders and minors
Trenches. Sewer and water service work often means digging. OSHA requires a protective system against cave-ins for employees in an excavation unless it is entirely in stable rock, or less than 5 feet deep and a competent person finds no sign of a potential cave-in (29 CFR 1926.652). If the job includes excavation, say so and say who serves as the competent person.
Ladders and fall protection. BLS lists falls from ladders among plumbers' common injuries. In construction, OSHA's Subpart M requires fall protection for employees on a walking or working surface 6 feet or more above a lower level (29 CFR 1926.501), with training for each employee who might be exposed to fall hazards (1926.503); Subpart X requires a ladder training program as necessary (1926.1060). Write "we train on our fall protection and ladder procedures" instead of demanding a card.
OSHA 10. OSHA says its Outreach Training Program is voluntary and does not meet the training requirements of any OSHA standard. Require the card only if a contract or local rule does.
Minors. Hazardous Occupations Order 17 bars workers under 18 from most trenching and excavation work, including work in a trench more than four feet deep, and 14- and 15-year-olds may not work in construction at all. There is a limited exemption from HO 17 and some other orders for apprentices and student-learners who are at least 16 and enrolled in approved programs (DOL Fact Sheet #43). If you hire high school apprentices, see hiring minors and work permits.
The plumber job description template
Plumber — [Residential Service / New Construction / Commercial /
Drain Cleaning], [Apprentice / Journeyman / Lead]
[Company], based in [city, state], covering [service area]
Pay: $[min]–$[max] per hour [plus commission on [what], with how it
is calculated]. On-call: $[N] per [week / call]. [Benefits summary,
if required.]
SUMMARY
You will [diagnose and repair plumbing in customers' homes / rough
in and top out new homes / install commercial piping systems] for
[customer type] across [area]. You will run about [N] calls a day
(an estimate) [alone / with a helper] in a company [van / truck]
[you take home]. On-call is [one week in N], [evenings and
weekends].
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Diagnose and repair [leaks, water heaters, fixtures, drain and
sewer lines].
- [Install underground, rough-in and top-out to plan and code.]
- Explain findings and options to customers and complete work
orders in [field service software].
- Follow our trench, ladder and confined-space procedures.
- Keep the vehicle stocked and tools in working order.
YOU MUST HAVE
- [State license line, e.g. "Texas Journeyman Plumber license" /
"Plumber's Apprentice registration, or able to register before
start".]
- [N] years of [service / new construction / commercial] plumbing
experience at the level above.
- Valid driver's license and a driving record that meets our
insurer's standard [state the standard].
- Availability for the on-call rotation described above.
NICE TO HAVE
- [Medical gas / backflow / water heater manufacturer] training.
- Hydro-jetting and camera experience.
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
TOOLS AND VEHICLE
We provide [van, jetter, camera, press tool, specialty tools]. You
provide [hand tools list], with [tool allowance].
WORKING CONDITIONS
- Work in crawlspaces, attics and trenches, on ladders, in heat and
cold, with or without reasonable accommodation.
- Offers subject to [driving record check, background check] as
permitted by law.
[EEO STATEMENT]
To request an adjustment to apply or interview, contact [contact].Pay structure and EEO
Service plumbing pay often mixes hourly, commission and on-call pay. Post the hourly range and explain each variable part with how it is calculated. The BLS profile linked above publishes pay data for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (last modified August 27, 2026); this page does not quote figures. Check pay transparency laws by state, and close with a short EEO statement covering the characteristics the EEOC lists. A driving record check is usually a consumer report; follow the FCRA background check process.
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| License level | "Which plumbing license or registration do you hold, in which state, and what is the number so we can look it up?" | Not scored: verified on the agency lookup | Level and state match the posting |
| Diagnosis alone (service) | "A homeowner reports low hot water pressure in one bathroom only. Walk me through the call." | Diagnostic method | Narrows it to the fixture or branch first, checks aerators and cartridges, then supply, before suggesting big repairs |
| Construction to plan | "Tell me about the last rough-in you did that failed inspection. What was it and how did you fix it?" | Code knowledge and ownership | Names the specific item, the fix and what they changed afterward |
| Trench safety | "You are replacing a sewer line and the trench is getting deeper than five feet in sandy soil. What happens next?" | Safety judgment | Stops, gets shoring or a trench box and the competent person, does not keep digging |
| Customer communication | "How do you present a repair-or-replace choice on a 14-year-old water heater?" | Customer communication | Clear options with prices and trade-offs, no pressure language |
| On-call | "The rotation is one week in four with a [N]-hour response. Does that work?" | Not scored | Knockout confirmed |
The interview guide for skilled trades covers ride-alongs and practical tests. If you are hiring for the mechanical side too, the HVAC technician job description template shows how to word certification lines.
Common mistakes in plumber job descriptions
"Licensed plumber" with no level or state
A residential-only license and a journeyman license allow different work. Name the level and the agency.
Hiding the work type
A new-construction plumber may never have sold a repair in a customer's kitchen. Put the work type in the title.
Vague commission
"Top techs earn six figures" tells no one what they will make. Say what commission is paid on and how.
Counting unregistered hours
In Texas, hours before apprentice registration do not count toward the exams. Tell new helpers to register first; they will notice that you did.
Before you publish
- Work type and level are in the title.
- The license line names the state agency's title for the level.
- Trench, ladder and on-call conditions are stated plainly.
- Pay, commission and on-call pay are explained with how they are calculated.
- The EEO statement and accommodation contact close the posting.
Questions people ask
What license should a plumber job description ask for?
The license your state or city requires for the work, written in the licensing agency's own terms. In Texas, for example, the State Board of Plumbing Examiners issues Plumber's Apprentice registrations and Tradesman Plumber-Limited, Journeyman Plumber and Master Plumber licenses, and a journeyman candidate needs at least 8,000 hours of experience before the exam. Check the agency where the work is done before posting.
Can a plumbing apprentice start without any registration?
It depends on the state. In Texas, a person must register as a Plumber's Apprentice with the TSBPE before hours start counting toward the Tradesman or Journeyman exams, and the apprentice must be at least 16. Say in the posting whether you will help a new hire register before the first day.
Can a 16- or 17-year-old work as a plumber's helper?
Federal child labor rules bar workers under 18 from most trenching and excavation work, including work in a trench more than four feet deep, with a limited exemption for apprentices and student-learners aged 16 and 17 in approved programs. Workers aged 14 and 15 may not work in construction at all. State rules can be stricter.
Should a plumber posting require OSHA 10?
Only if a contract, your state, or your own policy requires it. OSHA says its Outreach Training Program is voluntary and does not meet the training requirements of any OSHA standard. Your own site safety training is still required under the standards that apply to the work, such as fall protection and excavation.