§21-14-2. Definitions.

As used in this article:

(a) “License” means a valid and current license issued by the Commissioner of Labor in accordance with the provisions of this article.

(b) “Journeyman plumber” means a person qualified by at least ~~eight thousand~~ 5,000 hours of plumbing or related experience and who is competent to instruct and supervise the work of a plumber in training: Provided, That the commissioner credit relevant verified military service, training, or education toward the licensing requirements.

(c) “Residential plumber” means a person with at least 2,000 hours of plumbing work experience who performs plumbing work at single and dual family residential structures, or works under the supervision of a master plumber or a journeyman plumber: Provided, That the commissioner credit relevant verified military service, training, or education toward the licensing requirements.

~~(c)~~ (d) “Master plumber” means a person with at least ~~twelve thousand~~ 5,000 hours of plumbing work experience and who is competent to design plumbing systems, and to instruct and supervise the plumbing work of journeyman plumbers, and plumbers in training: Provided, That the commissioner credit relevant verified military service, training, or education toward the licensing requirements.

~~(d)~~ (e) “Plumber in training” means a person with interest in and an aptitude for performing plumbing work but who alone is not capable of performing plumbing work, and who has fewer than ~~eight thousand~~ ~~hours of plumbing experience~~ 2,000 hours of plumbing experience on single and dual family residential structures and 5,000 hours of plumbing experience in all settings: Provided, That the commissioner credit relevant verified military service, training, or education toward the licensing requirements.

~~(e)~~ (f) “Plumbing” means the practice, materials, and fixtures utilized within a building in the installation, extension, and alteration of all piping, fixtures, water treatment devices, plumbing appliances, and appurtenances, in connection with sanitary drainage or storm drainage facilities; the plumbing venting systems; medical gas systems; fuel oil and gas piping for residential, commercial, and institutional facilities; backflow preventers; and public or private water supply systems, as defined by the state building code.

~~(f)~~ (g) “Single family dwelling” means a building which is occupied as, or designed or intended for occupancy as, a single residence for one or more persons.

§21-14-3. License required; exemptions.

(a) ~~On and after January 1, 2009, a~~ A person performing or offering to perform plumbing work in this state shall have a license issued by the Commissioner of Labor, in accordance with the provisions of this article: Provided, That after the effective date of this article and in order to prevent against potential identity theft and fraud the Commissioner of Labor shall determine if each applicant for new licenses and license renewal has presented valid identification and shall use one or more of the following resources to make such a determination; the E-Verify program administered by the United States Department of Homeland Security and the United State Social Security Administration; The United States Social Security Administration’s Consent Based Social Security Number Verification (CBSV) Service or any other governmental database the Commissioner has legal authority to use.

(b) A person licensed under this article must carry a copy of the license on any job in which plumbing work is being performed.

(1) A person who personally performs plumbing work on a single-family dwelling owned or leased by that person or by a member of that ~~persons~~ person’s immediate family;

(2) A person who performs plumbing at any manufacturing plant or other industrial establishment as an employee of the person, firm, or corporation operating the plant or establishment;

(3) A person who performs plumbing work while employed by an employer who engages in the business of selling appliances at retail, so long as such plumbing work is performed incidental to the installation or repair of appliances sold by the employer;

(4) A person who, while employed by a public utility or its affiliate, performs plumbing in connection with the furnishing of public utility service;

(5) A person who performs plumbing work while engaging in the business of installing, altering, or repairing water distribution or drainage lines outside the foundation walls of a building, public or private sewage treatment, or water treatment systems including all associated structures or buildings, sewers, or underground utility services;

(6) A person who performs plumbing work while engaged in the installation, extension, dismantling, adjustment, repair, servicing, or alteration of a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, air-veyor system, air exhaust system, or air handling system;

(7) A person who performs plumbing work at a coal mine that is being actively mined or where coal is being processed; or

(8) A person who performs plumbing work at manufacturing, industrial, and natural gas facilities; or

(9) A person who performs plumbing work at a small business, as defined by the United States Small Business Administration, as an employee of the person, firm, or corporation operating the small business.