Licensed Plumber in Colorado: How to Verify Before You Hire

Colorado licenses plumbers through the State Plumbing Board under the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). Both the contracting business and the individual plumbers performing work must hold active credentials. Colorado's altitude and freeze-thaw climate add specific code requirements that only licensed plumbers are trained to meet. Here's how to verify a plumber's credentials before work begins.

Does Colorado require plumbers to be licensed?

Yes. Colorado requires plumbing contractors and individual plumbers to hold licenses issued by the Colorado State Plumbing Board at dora.colorado.gov. License types include Master Plumber and Journeyman Plumber. Performing plumbing work for compensation in Colorado without a current DORA-issued license is illegal.

The Master Plumber credential is the highest classification, authorizing independent contracting, permit applications, and supervision of journeymen. Journeyman Plumbers perform installations and repairs under a master's oversight. When hiring a plumbing company, verify that a licensed Master Plumber is the responsible party for your project.

How do you verify a plumber's license in Colorado?

Go to dora.colorado.gov and use the license lookup tool from the Colorado State Plumbing Board. Search by name or license number to see license type, current status, expiration date, and any disciplinary actions on record. This is the official database and the authoritative source for Colorado plumber credentials.

The only acceptable status is “Active” with a future expiration date. An expired or inactive license means the plumber is not currently authorized to perform work in Colorado, regardless of their experience or how long they've been in business. Do not accept a verbal claim that the license is current — verify directly through DORA.

Ask any plumber for their Colorado license number before scheduling work. A licensed plumber will provide this without hesitation. Resistance or evasiveness around a license number is a strong signal to hire someone else.

What are the plumbing license types in Colorado?

Colorado's State Plumbing Board issues two individual credentials. Master Plumber is the independent license authorizing a plumber to contract directly with homeowners and businesses, pull permits, and supervise other plumbers. Journeyman Plumber is the field credential for experienced plumbers who work under a master's direction. Both are verified through the DORA license database at dora.colorado.gov.

For major work — repiping, water heater installation, gas line work, or sewer line repair — confirm that a Master Plumber is the licensed contractor of record. Journeymen can perform the hands-on work, but a master must be responsible for the project and available for inspections.

What bond and insurance does a Colorado plumber need?

Colorado requires plumbing contractors to post a surety bond as a condition of licensure through the State Plumbing Board. The bond provides a financial backstop if the contractor defaults on completing work or causes damage they refuse to remedy. General liability insurance is required to cover property damage during the course of plumbing work.

Request a certificate of insurance before any work starts. Verify that both general liability and workers' compensation coverage are active. If a plumber's employee is injured on your property and the contractor lacks workers' comp, you can be held liable for medical bills and lost wages.

What are the risks of hiring an unlicensed plumber in Colorado?

Water damage is the second most common homeowner's insurance claim in the United States, with the average claim exceeding $11,000. If unlicensed plumbing causes a leak, pipe failure, or flooding, your insurer can deny the claim if they find the work was performed without a license or permit. That $11,000 average suddenly becomes an out-of-pocket expense.

Colorado's altitude creates specific plumbing code requirements — pipe sizing, venting calculations, and freeze protection standards differ from lower-elevation states. An unlicensed plumber may not know these state-specific requirements, leaving you with a system that fails code or performs poorly in Colorado conditions.

Unpermitted plumbing work creates real estate disclosure obligations. When you sell your home, known unpermitted work must be disclosed. Buyers' lenders increasingly require permit history on major systems, and unpermitted plumbing can delay closing or require costly remediation.

Does plumbing work in Colorado require a permit?

Yes. Most plumbing work in Colorado requires a permit from the local building authority. This includes new installations, water heater replacements, gas line work, drain and sewer repairs, and any modifications to supply or waste lines. Permits trigger inspections that verify the work meets Colorado's plumbing code. A licensed plumbing contractor will pull permits routinely as part of the job.

A plumber who suggests skipping the permit to save time or money is suggesting you absorb all the risk of their unverified work. The permit process exists to protect you, not to inconvenience the contractor.

How can CheckLicensed help verify Colorado plumbers?

CheckLicensed.com lets you verify any Colorado plumber's DORA license in seconds for $0.99. Enter the contractor's name or license number and get a full report showing license type, current status, expiration date, and any disciplinary history — pulled directly from the Colorado State Plumbing Board's official database. Before any plumber works on your home, spend $0.99 at CheckLicensed.com to confirm they're actually licensed to be there.