§1368. Issuance of tradesman, journeyman, and master plumber's license; medical gas piping and installation license; medical gas and vacuum systems verifier license; water supply protection specialist endorsement; exemption; gas fitter

            A.(1) The board shall issue a tradesman plumber limited license to any person who meets the following qualifications:

            (a) Has a current apprentice registration certificate issued by the board.

            (b) Has worked at least four thousand hours at the manual labor of plumbing under the direct, constant, on-the-job supervision of a journeyman or master plumber licensed by the board.

            (c) Has successfully completed any educational requirements established by the board.

            (d) Has passed any written or manual examination required by the board.

            (e) Has paid the fees established by the board.

            (2) The board shall issue a license to any person who qualifies under the state board's regulations and who desires to engage in doing the work of a journeyman plumber if he passes a written and manual journeyman plumber's examination given by the board and pays the fees established by the board.

            B.(1) The board shall issue a license to any licensed journeyman plumber or other person who qualifies under the board's regulations and who desires to engage in the work of a master plumber, provided he passes a written master plumber's examination which shall be a standardized, nationally recognized test adopted by the board, pays the fees established by the board, and satisfies the provisions of R.S. 37:1367(B).

            (2) No municipal or other local regulatory authority shall require any master plumber to apply for or maintain any master plumber's license, or any equivalent thereof, as a condition to performing plumbing work in any municipal or other local jurisdiction, other than a master plumber's license issued by the board.

            C. Any individual who maintained a restricted journeyman's license or restricted master plumber's license prior to January 1, 2023, and maintained compliance with the provisions of R.S. 37:1371 and 1380 through January 1, 2023, shall be issued a journeyman's license or master plumber's license upon written request to the board.

            D. Any individual who was issued a restricted journeyman's license or restricted master plumber's license prior to January 1, 2023, but did not maintain such license due to a lack of compliance with R.S. 37:1371 and 1380 shall be treated as if he was inactive upon his last day of compliance with such provisions. Upon submission of a written request to the board, payment of renewal fees in accordance with R.S. 37:1371(A), and submission of a written showing of compliance with R.S. 37:1380, the board shall issue the individual a journeyman's license, if the individual previously held a restricted journeyman's license, or a master plumber's license, if the individual previously held a restricted master plumber's license.

            E. The board shall adopt regulations establishing a category of inactive master plumber, who shall be charged a reasonable annual renewal fee during the period of his inactive status. An inactive master plumber shall not be required to designate an employing entity. When an inactive plumber returns to work as a master plumber, he shall designate an employing entity and pay a reasonable fee set by the board.

            F. An inactive master plumber shall be permitted to work as a journeyman plumber during the period or periods he maintains an inactive plumber's license, if he is currently or was previously licensed by the board as a journeyman plumber.

            G. The board shall issue a license to any person who qualifies under the board's regulations and who desires to engage in doing the work of a medical gas piping installer if he passes a written and manual examination given by the board for this purpose and pays the fees established by the board. No person shall qualify for examination pursuant to this Section unless he completes a course of training provided by an organization recognized by the board. The board shall adopt regulations establishing conditions for board approval of such training programs.

            H.(1) The board shall issue a special endorsement to any person who qualifies under the board's regulations and who desires to engage in the work of a water supply protection specialist and who also possesses either a journeyman plumber's license or a master plumber's license issued by the board and passes a written and manual examination given by the board for this purpose and pays the fees established by the board. No person shall qualify for examination pursuant to this Section unless he completes a course of training provided by an organization recognized by the board. The board shall adopt regulations establishing conditions for board approval of such training programs.

            (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, any person who possesses a master plumber's license and produces acceptable proof that he has five years of experience as a water supply protection specialist prior to August 15, 1995, shall be issued an initial special endorsement by the board. This endorsement shall authorize the applicant to engage in the work of a water supply protection specialist without taking the licensing examination required of other applicants, provided that he pays the fees established by the board. Any applicant licensed pursuant to this Paragraph shall thereafter be subject to all provisions of this Chapter including the provisions regarding license renewal.

            I. The board shall issue a license to any natural person who qualifies under the board's regulations and who desires to engage in doing the work of a medical gas and vacuum systems verifier if he passes an examination conducted by a nationally recognized organization for this purpose and pays the fees established by the board. No person shall qualify for licensing pursuant to this Subsection unless he completes a course of training provided by an organization recognized by the board. The board shall adopt regulations establishing conditions for board approval of such training programs and certification.

            J.(1) The board shall issue a gas fitter license to any person who satisfies the following requirements:

            (a) Completion and satisfactory passage of a written and manual examination administered either by the board or by a recognized third-party certifier.

            (b) Compliance with all requirements of the applicable provisions of this Chapter and all requirements imposed by any rules and regulations promulgated by the board.

            (2) The board shall adopt a nationally recognized code or codes regulating gas fitting as the basis for the administered examination, as required by Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, and for any inspections of gas fitting performed by any person subject to the provisions of this Chapter.

            K. The board may refuse to grant a journeyman or master plumber's license to an individual who previously maintained a restricted journeyman or restricted master plumber's license, if the individual failed to comply with additional licensing requirements not provided for in R.S. 37:1371 and 1380.

            Acts 1990, No. 752, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1991; Acts 1993, No. 43, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1994; Acts 1995, No. 824, §1; Acts 1999, No. 956, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2000; Acts 1999, No. 1020, §1, eff. July 9, 1999; Acts 2016, No. 297, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2017; Acts 2016, No. 515, §1; Acts 2022, No. 460, §1.