Plumber Resume: Examples & Guide (2026)
A plumber resume is read license-first: apprentice, journeyman, or master, plus the codes you work to and whether your background is service, remodel, or new-construction rough-in. Then employers want numbers, jobs completed, callback rate, inspection pass rate, and on-call reliability.
Here is how to lay that out so you get the call. In a related trade? See our electrician resume and HVAC technician resume guides.
What employers screen for first
- License level: apprentice, journeyman, or master, and the state that issued it.
- Work type: residential service, commercial service, remodel, or new-construction rough-in and top-out.
- Code knowledge: UPC or IPC, local amendments, and inspection pass rate.
- Extras that win ties: backflow certification, med-gas endorsement, gas-line qualification, drain-camera and jetting experience.
How to structure a plumber resume
- Header: name, location, phone, email.
- License and certifications: level, state, license number if customary, backflow or med-gas endorsements, list these high.
- Summary: years in the trade, service or construction focus, and one standout number.
- Experience: each employer with work type, systems, and measurable outcomes.
- Skills: fixtures and systems, materials and joining methods, diagnostics, and codes.
- Education, trade school, and apprenticeship hours last.
Skills and keywords to include
Use the posting’s exact terms. If it says "rough-in", "PEX", or "backflow", those words should appear in your skills and in at least one bullet.
- Systems: water supply, DWV (drain-waste-vent), gas lines, water heaters (tank and tankless), sump and sewage pumps, fixtures.
- Materials and joining: copper (solder and press), PEX, PVC/CPVC, cast iron, threading.
- Service: leak detection, drain cleaning and jetting, camera inspection, repipes, emergency on-call.
- Codes and certs: UPC/IPC, backflow prevention, med-gas, OSHA 10/30, trench safety.
Resume bullet examples
Weak: "Performed plumbing repairs and installations."
Strong: "Ran 6-8 residential service calls daily, diagnosing and repairing supply, DWV, and water-heater issues with a callback rate under 2%."
Weak: "Did rough-in work on new houses."
Strong: "Completed rough-in and top-out on 90+ single-family homes per year, passing 100% of inspections on first attempt across three jurisdictions."
Weak: "Trained new apprentices."
Strong: "Supervised and signed off hours for 3 apprentices while running my own truck, all 3 passed the journeyman exam on their first try."
Full plumber resume example
Jake Sullivan - Journeyman Plumber | Columbus, OH | (555) 604-7719 | jake.sullivan@email.com
Licenses & Certifications: Journeyman Plumber License (State of Ohio) · Backflow Certified · OSHA 30 · 8,000 apprenticeship hours
Summary: Journeyman plumber with 10 years across residential service and new-construction rough-in. Backflow certified, with a callback rate under 2% and a 100% first-attempt inspection record.
Experience - Journeyman Plumber, Buckeye Plumbing Co. (2019–Present): Residential service and new-construction rough-in.
- Ran 6-8 residential service calls daily across supply, DWV, and water heaters with callbacks under 2%.
- Completed rough-in and top-out on 90+ single-family homes per year, passing 100% of inspections on the first attempt.
- Supervised 3 apprentices while running my own truck; all 3 passed the journeyman exam on the first try.
Experience - Apprentice Plumber, Capital City Mechanical (2014–2019): Apprenticeship across service, remodel, and new construction.
- Completed 8,000 apprenticeship hours across residential service, remodel, and new construction.
- Installed and repaired copper, PEX, and PVC systems; assisted on water-heater and repipe jobs.
Skills: Supply & DWV systems · Water heaters (tank & tankless) · Copper, PEX, PVC · Drain cleaning & jetting · Leak detection · Camera inspection · Backflow prevention · UPC/IPC code · Gas lines
Education: Trade School - Plumbing Technology
Common mistakes to avoid
- Hiding your license level or apprenticeship hours below the fold.
- Saying "plumbing work" without separating service from rough-in, they are different hires.
- No inspection, callback, or volume numbers to back up quality claims.
- Leaving off endorsements (backflow, med-gas, gas) that filters and postings search for.
Quick checklist
- License level and state visible in the top third.
- Service vs rough-in focus is obvious at a glance.
- Every role shows volume and a quality number (inspections passed, callbacks).
- Materials, systems, and code keywords match the posting.
- One page, clean ATS-readable layout.
Ready to build yours? Browse more resume examples, start from a free Applygrid resume template, keep it ATS-friendly, and pair it with a tailored letter from our AI cover letter generator.
Frequently asked questions
What should a plumber resume say about licensing?
State your level (apprentice, journeyman, or master), the issuing state, and completed apprenticeship hours if you are not yet licensed. Put it in the top third of the page, license level is the first filter both recruiters and applicant tracking systems apply.
How do I write a plumber resume with no experience?
Lead with your apprenticeship enrollment or trade-school hours and any hands-on exposure: fixtures installed, rough-in assisted, tools you can run. Add proof of reliability, attendance, a clean driving record, physically demanding work history. Shops hire green apprentices on dependability more than skill.
What skills do employers look for on a plumber resume?
Diagnosis and repair of supply, DWV, and gas systems; water-heater install and service; materials and joining methods (copper, PEX, PVC, press fittings); drain cleaning and camera inspection; and code knowledge (UPC or IPC). Mirror the exact wording of the posting and back each claim with a number.
Applygrid builds the ATS-friendly resume builder and AI cover letter generator behind these guides. We write from hands-on experience with how applicant tracking systems parse resumes, what recruiters actually screen for, and what gets job seekers to the interview.
Put this into practice
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