DELPROS Plumber Application: How to Navigate Delaware's Licensing Portal

The Portal That Deletes Your Application

DELPROS is the online licensing portal run by Delaware's Division of Professional Regulation. Every master plumber application in the state goes through this system — there is no paper alternative. And the portal has one feature that catches applicants off guard: a strict 180-day countdown.

The moment you create a draft application in DELPROS, a six-month timer starts. If you do not complete, pay for, and submit the application within that window, the system automatically and permanently deletes your draft. Every document you uploaded, every form you attached — gone. You start over from scratch.

What You Need Before You Open a Draft

The 180-day timeout means you should gather every required document before you touch the "Start New Application" button. Here is what the Board expects:

For standard-path applicants (with apprenticeship):

• Copy of your DOL Journeyperson Certificate
• Verification of Employment forms signed by every licensed master plumber who supervised your two years of post-certificate experience
• Photo ID

For bypass-path applicants (seven years, no apprenticeship):

• Verification of Employment forms covering all seven years of experience under licensed masters
• W-2 forms or Schedule C filings for any periods where standard verification is unavailable
• Photo ID

For reciprocity applicants:

• Active out-of-state master plumber license documentation
• State licensing board verification letter
• Evidence of seven years of post-licensure master-level practice (if your state's standards are not deemed "substantially similar")

The Verification of Employment Bottleneck

The single document most likely to blow your 180-day deadline is the Verification of Employment form. This form requires your supervising master plumber's physical signature, and in some cases a notary seal or company stamp. If you worked under multiple masters over the years, you need a form from each one.

Former employers can be slow to respond, uncooperative, or out of business entirely. Start tracking down every supervisor weeks before you plan to open your DELPROS draft. If a supervisor is deceased, unavailable, or refuses to cooperate, Delaware allows you to substitute W-2 tax forms along with a signed written statement explaining why the standard form is unobtainable.

Forms requiring supervisor signatures, company seals, or notary verification must be physically mailed to the Board office in Dover. DELPROS routinely rejects digital uploads of these specific documents.

The Application Fee

The non-refundable state application fee is $173, paid through DELPROS when you submit. This fee covers the Board's review of your application — it does not include the ProV exam fee ($100 per attempt), which you pay separately when you schedule your test.

Board Review Timeline

The Board of Plumbing Examiners meets monthly. After you submit your completed application and fee, the Board reviews your file at their next scheduled meeting. If your documentation is complete and your experience qualifies, they authorize you for the exam and DPR notifies ProV.

If anything is missing or unclear, the Board can table your application until the following month. Each delay costs you a month of waiting — which is why getting your documents right before submitting matters so much.

What to Do If Your Draft Gets Deleted

If the 180-day timer expires and your application is deleted, you have no recourse within the system. You must start a new DELPROS application, reupload every document, re-request any verifications from past employers, and pay the $173 fee when you submit.

The best defense is not needing one. Gather your paperwork first, confirm that every Verification of Employment form is signed and mailed, and only then start your DELPROS draft. The Delaware Plumber License Guide includes a pre-filing document checklist designed to help you confirm every requirement is met before the clock starts.

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