Delaware Plumber License Cost: Every Fee From Application to Permit

The True Cost Is Spread Across Multiple Agencies

There is no single fee that covers a Delaware master plumber license. The costs are split between the Division of Professional Regulation, the testing vendor, the Division of Revenue, and whatever local jurisdiction you plan to pull permits in. Most candidates budget only for the state application fee and end up surprised by the rest.

Here is what the full licensing and business setup process actually costs.

State Licensing Fees

DELPROS application fee: $173. This is non-refundable and paid through the DELPROS portal when you submit your application to the Board of Plumbing Examiners. It covers the Board's review of your experience documentation and exam authorization. An unsubmitted draft that hits the 180-day timeout is deleted before you pay. If a submitted file is later terminated after three exam failures, you pay this fee again on a new application.

ProV exam fee: $100 per attempt. Paid directly to ProV when you schedule the master plumber licensing exam. This is a per-attempt cost — if you fail and retake, you pay another $100 each time. Bypass-path candidates pay this on top of whatever their VoTech school charges for the Apprenticeship Bypass Exam.

Contractor Business Registration

After you pass the exam and receive your individual master plumber license, you need additional registrations to legally operate a plumbing business.

Division of Revenue business license: $75 per year. Filed through the Delaware One Stop Business Registration portal. This is a general business license, required for any commercial activity in the state.

DPR contractor registration: $100. A separate registration with the Division of Professional Regulation that links your individual master plumber license to your business entity. Required before you can pull permits as a business.

Insurance Requirements

Delaware requires licensed plumbing contractors to carry general liability and property damage insurance. The mandatory minimums are:

• $100,000 per occurrence general liability
• $300,000 per occurrence property damage

The actual premium you pay depends on your claims history, business size, and coverage limits, but new plumbing contractors in Delaware typically see annual premiums in the range of $1,500 to $4,000 for the required coverage.

Workers compensation insurance is also required if you have employees. Check with the Department of Labor for current rules that apply to your business structure.

Local Permit Fees

Permit costs vary by jurisdiction, and Delaware has multiple permitting authorities:

State Division of Public Health (DPH): $100 flat fee per plumbing permit in areas under DPH jurisdiction (parts of Kent and Sussex counties without local plumbing departments). First three inspections are included; re-inspections cost $50 each.

City of Wilmington: Permit fees are based on construction value — $12 per $1,000 of project valuation, plus a $50 Certificate of Compliance fee.

New Castle County: Contractor business registration is $400 annually, plus a $10 ICC Digital Code Access Fee.

City of Dover: Maintains its own fee schedule. Re-inspection fees escalate by visit: the first re-inspection is free, the second is $25, the third is $50, and subsequent visits are $100.

Apprenticeship-Period Costs

If you are still in the apprenticeship stage, your costs include RTI tuition ($400 to $850 per year) and textbooks (roughly $750 total over the four-to-five-year program). The Journeyperson Certificate itself is issued by the DOL at no charge.

Total First-Year Cost Estimate

For a plumber going from exam-ready to fully operational contractor:

These figures do not include tools, vehicle costs, or office overhead. The licensing and registration fees alone run just under $450 before insurance.

The Delaware Plumber License Guide includes a cost tracker that breaks every fee down by agency and helps you budget the full first-year outlay before you commit to the application.

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