Difference Between a Master Plumber’s License and a Journeyman’s Plumber’s License

Besides being able to pull a permit, what else is the difference between a master plumber’s license and a journeyman’s plumber’s license?

A master plumber is actually licensed to own and operate a plumbing business. There are licensed plumbing companies that have a master license which is the m-number, and others have an RMP for the responsible master plumber. That means you are licensed with the state, you do have your business name licensed with the state, and you also have your company’s insurance on file with the State of Texas, so if anybody has any questions, they can go online and look at the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiner’s website. They can do a search for a company name. They can do a search for a person’s name or even a license number that will pull that up, and they can actually check and verify that this person is who they say they are. They may hire a handyman to change a faucet or change a toilet, but handymen don’t have insurance. If that person comes in and floods your house, his insurance is probably not going to cover it because he’s not supposed to be doing plumbing work if he doesn’t have insurance. The homeowner’s insurance may cover it, but they’re going to try to subrogate back against this guy, and a lot of time, a homeowner is left out in the dark where neither insurance company will cover it because this guy wasn’t supposed to be doing it anyway.

Where else would you say that it is required to see that plumber’s license number in advertisements? Door hangers? Websites?

Yes, all of the above. Licensed plumbing companies have to list their plumbing license on every piece of advertisement all the way from business cards to anything you may see in a phone book or in the mail. Along with their invoices, they have to have the master’s number on every invoice or paper that they give to the homeowner. They have the name and address along with phone number to the Texas State Board of Plumbing examiners, so if they want to verify anything about who you are or anything for that matter, all of that information is there for the homeowner as well.

Is it safe to say that a journeyman plumber can do any of the plumbing tasks, and he is licensed to do any of the plumbing tasks that a master plumber can do, the difference is he is not authorized to own a business or pull a permit?

Yes, correct.

Call Leak Geeks Plumbing at 817-431-8929 for all your plumbing needs, and you can expect our service team to be professional and courteous, to always make sure your questions are answered, and to do the highest quality work.