# Own a Plumbing Company without a License?



## NyNick (Feb 14, 2013)

Hi,
Forgive me for the naive question but how is it that some large commercial plumbing companies are owned/headed by non licensed plumbers or non-plumbers. I'm in NY and many companies here do work in schools which don't require you to be licensed which I think is odd. Aside from schools there are a lot of other big jobs being plumbed. Is it as blatant as the company renting someone's license? I don't understand how that works since you are not allowed to whore out your license and I doubt companies that do large commercial jobs that have been in business for years scrounge craigslist to find someone willing to cover them. Can someone explain how this works?

Thanks!


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Maybe the license holder is in a key position in the company with authority / decision making responsibilities , and very well compensated for his/her expertise. That is not whoring out your license.


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## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

Is the work preformed by liscenced plumbers? In IL, anyone can own a plumbing company, but they must employ Atleast one liscenced plumber.


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## SchmitzPlumbing (May 5, 2014)

if a large company wants to pay me a lot of money to use my wisconsin master lisence, it is legal and give me a call. i will make sure to talk to my lawyer before i sign anything. it probably happens more than you think. do you think the owner of every large factory is an engineer, probably not. he just owns the patents that he paid them to design.:yes:


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## Plumber71 (Dec 20, 2010)

In New York City if there are plans for the job, then there must be a license plumber on that job.If you are working on a job, and want to find out who's the plumber and the job is in NYC just go online to the BIS


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

NyNick said:


> ...how is it that some large commercial plumbing companies are owned/headed by non licensed plumbers or non-plumbers...


It ain't right but in most states it is legal as long as the company has an employee that is a Master Plumber that they can work under.

This is how so many national brands have been able to cross into other licensed trades.

Many HVAC companies are trying to be plumbers. Plumbers, electricians, roofers, and foundation companies are doing the same thing.


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## Unclog1776 (Feb 5, 2013)

I guess I don't really see the issue. Some millionaire and his buddies wants to invest in your company, seems like free market to me. As long as the jobs are permitted, inspected and the work is preformed by a pro with the proper credentials what's the problem?


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Unclog1776 said:


> I guess I don't really see the issue. Some millionaire and his buddies wants to invest in your company, seems like free market to me. As long as the jobs are permitted, inspected and the work is preformed by a pro with the proper credentials what's the problem?


Better to have unlicensed owner with top licensed plumbers doing the work than a Master Plumber running a plumbing business with sales techs with little experience doing the work.


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## 422 plumber (Jul 31, 2008)

Flyout95 said:


> Is the work preformed by liscenced plumbers? In IL, anyone can own a plumbing company, but they must employ Atleast one liscenced plumber.


Sorry to bust balls, but that's not quite right. 
To get an 055, if it is not incorporated, the owner must have an 058. If it's incorporated, one of the officers must have an 058. I know, because I was the owner of an S-Corp plumbing shop, and now am an officer in my boss' shop, and am the plumber of record. My boss is a 597 fitter and wanted to offer more services, so he bought my shop and I went to work for him.

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


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## Flyout95 (Apr 13, 2012)

Bust away, just not literally. 

I like learning new ****.


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## jc-htownplumber (Feb 29, 2012)

In Texas anyone can own a plumbing company IF they have a master plumber with a responsible master plumber endorsement.


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## Richard Hilliard (Apr 10, 2010)

A plumbing company must have a qualifier. The qualifier is a Master Plumbing License holder. One of the larger companies in Sarasota and he also holds a position as a director of a sales /management organziation does not hold his own plumbing license.

The qualifier can but is not mandated to be an every day roll player within the company. However he or she is responsible party.


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## newyorkcity (Nov 25, 2010)

In NYC, a plumbing company can only be owned by a master plumber in possession of at least 51% of the shares of the company. 
There is plenty of license whoring out there, but every once in a while someone gets caught, and here is how:
Inspector walks onto a job, witnesses plumbing work being done, and gathers the i.d. of the workers. The master plumber must produce copies of the pay stubs, or there is a problem.
On the other hand, an inspector cannot demand to go into a residence without a warrant.
I had a problem renewing my license due to the fact an unlicensed outfit with a similar company name had >$75K in city fines outstanding.(they were doing water and sewer mains). It took years for the Dept. of Investigations to do something about it.
The State registers a company name and does not check for a City license - that is how they were able to function.
If the OP knows of unlicensed work in schools, send me a PM and I will make some calls.


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## Plumber71 (Dec 20, 2010)

NYC the fines are personally in the license plumber name, I love for DOB to do more about unlicensed plumber doing work.But there is no money going after the unlicensed only going after the licensed master plumber can they make their money .


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## newyorkcity (Nov 25, 2010)

The best is sitting there as a hostage during the continuing education course while the DOB meatball is spending an hour telling us what they will do to us if we break their rules. Every single time, one of us stands up and asks what they are doing about the unlicensed guys doing renovations. DOB responds with the usual "help us to find them", but then admits they can't do anything if they can't get in.


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## SunnyDaRench (Apr 2, 2014)

Go to any nyc plumbing supply house, you will see more unmarked trucks loading, rather than actual trucks with lic. # on them, the illegal plumbers are doing a lot better than licensed guys it seems in nyc, it's really ****ed up, and I've never heard of not needing a lic. To work in schools


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## Plumber71 (Dec 20, 2010)

Yeah !! What they say is here is a 2500.00 dollar fine. Just add it to the cost of the job. Bunch of dickheads


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

Same problem here. There is no revenue to be had from the hacks. It is much more profitable to pursue the truck with a name on it.


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## Plumber71 (Dec 20, 2010)

Here the city has lawyers who take over the case when it's placed on their desks. The fines amounts have now set numbers they make them up as they go .


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## SunnyDaRench (Apr 2, 2014)

Sometimes I seriously think about contacting nyc DOB, and asking them to give me a couple of guys and some resources and I would volunteer my time to locate these hacks, cuz it's really out of control in the five boros!


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## Plumber71 (Dec 20, 2010)

They wouldn't allow it, because you would probably bring in a lot of hacks. Then all the lawyers and investigators wouldn't be able to justify their jobs


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## SunnyDaRench (Apr 2, 2014)

Ur right, but it's a dream,


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## Plumber71 (Dec 20, 2010)

Did you ever get your Lic.?


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## SunnyDaRench (Apr 2, 2014)

Nope not yet, finally hired a lawyer 2 months ago


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## Plumber71 (Dec 20, 2010)

Why are they holding you up? Time? That's what they try to get everyone on! Did you hire Ralph?


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## SunnyDaRench (Apr 2, 2014)

Yup Ralph casella, he was recommended by manny,


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## Plumber71 (Dec 20, 2010)

Yeah! He's help out a few people I know. Grumpy old *******!! But he gets the job done. Journeyman card is a real waste, hurt Manny big time.


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## SunnyDaRench (Apr 2, 2014)

Yea closed down practical shop, what year u went to class?


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## Plumber71 (Dec 20, 2010)

You took the last test that the j card wasn't needed. I has a friend take it same year you did and still haven't received it yet. I'm old timer consider all the crap that goes on at DOB


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## SunnyDaRench (Apr 2, 2014)

What's his name maybe I know him, 90% of us in the practical class became friends, I keep in touch with a couple of them, there were maybe 25 of us and I know 12 guys got the first year, mostly local 1 guys


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## Plumber71 (Dec 20, 2010)

They only give out so many a year, if there is anything that catches their attention . They will hold them up, that class they held up a lot of guys for one reason or another


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