WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2025 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 2029

By Delegate Butler

[Introduced February 12, 2025; referred
to the Committee on Government Organization]

A BILL to amend and reenact §21-14-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; relating to permitting individual employees of out-of-state businesses to perform plumbing in West Virginia without an individual plumbing license so long as the plumber is working under the supervision of the in-state licensed employer

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

Article 14.  Supervision of Plumbing Work.

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

(a) On and after January 1, 2009, 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.

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

(c) This article does not apply to:

(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 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 is a licensed plumber in another state and performing work in this state under the following conditions:

(A) The plumber's work is supervised by his or her employer or business; and

(B) The plumber's employer or business is licensed in this state.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to permit individual employees of out-of-state businesses to perform plumbing in West Virginia without an individual plumbing license so long as the plumber is working under the supervision of the in-state licensed employer.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.