Georgia Master Plumber Class II (Unrestricted) Exam: Complete 2026 Study Guide
Earning your Georgia Master Plumber Class II (Unrestricted) license is one of the most significant credentials in the trades. It signals that you have the technical knowledge and business acumen to run a full-scope plumbing operation — no restrictions on the work you can take on. The Georgia master plumber class II exam is also one of the more demanding contractor licensing exams in the state, covering everything from code compliance and system design to business law and pipe-offset math. This guide walks you through exactly what to expect, which topics to prioritize, the study materials you'll need, and smart strategies to pass on your first attempt.
Georgia Master Plumber Class II Exam Overview
The Georgia unrestricted master plumber exam is administered by PSI on behalf of the Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board. Here are the key numbers:
- Scored questions: 140
- Unscored pre-test questions: 28 additional questions (these do not count toward your score)
- Total questions you'll see: 168
- Time limit: 7 hours, split into two 3.5-hour parts with a break in between
- Passing score: A final scaled score of 70, which equals 98 of the 140 scored questions answered correctly. Scores are scaled to reflect the difficulty of the specific exam form you receive.
- Format: Closed book — no reference materials are permitted in the testing room
- Calculator policy: A silent, non-programmable calculator without alpha keys or printing capabilities is allowed
Because this exam is closed book, preparation depth matters more than knowing where to look something up. You need to own the material, not just recognize it.
Review the official exam bulletin and the state licensing website for the most current eligibility requirements before applying.
Topics Covered on the Georgia Master Plumber License Test
The exam spans 12 topic areas. Here they are ranked by how many questions each carries on the real exam — this is where your study time should go.
Heaviest hitters (15 items each):
- Comply with Regulations — Georgia Plumbing Code, Gas Code, OSHA (29 CFR 1926), permits, and state trenching law
- Perform Maintenance and Repair Activities — gas leak location, appliance service, drain obstruction removal, backwater valve cleaning
- Safety-related Issues — hot water heater and pressure vessel controls, gas piping, backflow prevention, PPE, and trenching hazards
- Comply with Business Laws — workers' comp, unemployment insurance, Circular E, sales and use tax, business licensing
- Comply with Administrative Requirements — bonding, liquidated damages, liability insurance, cash flow, bookkeeping, bidding
Strong mid-weight topics (7–21 items each):
- Perform Plumbing Systems Installation Activities (21 items) — the single largest topic; covers plan interpretation, water supply sizing, drainage, gas pipe sizing, and fixture assembly
- Perform Pipe Cutting and Joining Activities (10 items) — methods for cast iron, concrete, copper, plastic, and steel pipe
- Plumbing System Design (10 items) — sump selection, water heater and boiler sizing, specialty fixtures, industrial piping
- Work Planning/Organizing (7 items) — material takeoffs, isometrics, bar charts, equipment nameplates, code hierarchy
- Perform System Testing Activities (7 items) — pressure and smoke testing, gas line testing, backflow certification, potable water sterilization
Lighter but still tested:
- Calculate during installation and service (5 items) — pipe offsets, volume, pressure/head, grade and drop, unit conversions
- Comply with General Laws (5 items) — CILB rules, underground utility location law, ADA, ANSI accessibility, water conservation
Notice that installation and maintenance topics together make up a significant share of the exam. Don't let the business and administrative sections slide, though — they carry 30 combined items.
Sample Questions
These five questions give you a realistic feel for the style and difficulty of the Georgia master plumber class II exam. We've included the answer options — but not the answers. Work through them and see how you do, then try our free practice exam to test yourself on more.
Question 1 — Administrative Requirements (Hard)
The owner reduces the retainage it is holding and releases that money to you. Under the Georgia Prompt Pay Act, you must pass the reduction through to a subcontractor within ten days provided the project is proceeding satisfactorily, there is assurance of continued performance, and the subcontractor's work (including change orders and additions) is at least what percent complete?
- A) 25 percent
- B) 75 percent
- C) 50 percent
- D) 90 percent
Question 2 — Maintenance and Repair (Hard)
A lavatory will not drain while every other fixture drains normally. You seal the overflow with a wet rag and work a plunger with no result. A cable then shows the obstruction is in the fixture drain downstream of the waste arm. Why was the plunger incapable of clearing that obstruction?
- A) The trap weir blocks transmission of pressure
- B) The pressure created escapes through the individual vent
- C) The fixture drain slope dissipates the applied force
- D) The trap seal absorbs the pressure surge
Question 3 — Maintenance and Repair (Hard)
You are replacing a worn head shampoo sink faucet in a salon. In addition to being supplied with hot water limited to not more than 120°F, each such faucet is required to have:
- A) an integral atmospheric vacuum breaker
- B) integral check valves at the supply connections
- C) a balanced-pressure mixing valve at the outlet
- D) a temperature-actuated flow-reduction device
Question 4 — General Laws (Medium)
A master plumber submits a design locate request to the utilities protection center for bidding and predesign purposes on a proposed sewer project. Within how many working days after submission must the facility owner or operator respond?
- A) Twenty working days
- B) Five working days
- C) Ten working days
- D) Two working days
Question 5 — Plumbing Systems Installation (Medium)
You are setting a wall-hung urinal in an accessible public restroom. Measured from the finished floor to the rim of the fixture, the urinal shall be mounted no higher than:
- A) 14 inches
- B) 24 inches
- C) 15 inches
- D) 17 inches
Know the answers? Our full question bank will tell you immediately — with a detailed explanation of the code or rule behind each one.
What Types of Questions to Expect
Our full question bank covers all 12 exam topics. Here's what each area looks like in practice:
- Comply with General Laws — CILB complaint procedures, underground utility locate timelines, ADA rim heights and clearances, ANSI accessibility standards, and state water conservation requirements
- Comply with Regulations — code interpretation from the Georgia Plumbing Code, Georgia Gas Code, SBCCI standards, OSHA 29 CFR 1926 construction safety rules, permit requirements, and state trenching law provisions
- Work Planning/Organizing — reading isometric drawings, compiling material takeoffs from plans and specs, interpreting equipment nameplates (pumps, water heaters, backflow preventers, lift stations), reading bar chart schedules, and determining which code or standard takes precedence
- Perform Pipe Cutting and Joining Activities — selecting the right cutting method for cast iron, concrete, copper, plastic, and steel pipe; proper reaming technique; tool identification and correct application
- Perform Plumbing Systems Installation Activities — plan interpretation, water supply sizing, drainage system sizing and layout, gas pipe sizing, fixture and fitting assembly per manufacturer's instructions
- Perform System Testing Activities — hydrostatic and air pressure testing on water distribution, smoke and air testing for sanitary systems, air testing for gas lines, backflow certification procedures, and potable water sterilization steps
- Perform Maintenance and Repair Activities — locating gas leaks with soapy water or a gas detector, adjusting and servicing gas appliances and electric water heaters, clearing drain obstructions, and cleaning backwater valves
- Safety-related Issues — relief valve sizing and routing, pressure vessel venting, gas piping support and testing, backflow prevention controls, trench safety, poisonous gas hazards, and PPE selection and use
- Calculations — 45° pipe offset math (diagonal, rise, run), volume of cylinders and rectangular solids, psi-to-feet-of-head conversions, drainage grade and percent drop calculations, and metric/decimal/fractional conversions
- Comply with Business Laws — workers' compensation coverage requirements, unemployment insurance, IRS Circular E employer tax obligations, state sales and use tax, and business licensing rules
- Comply with Administrative Requirements — bonding provisions, liquidated damages clauses, liability and property damage insurance, cash flow management, bookkeeping principles, and job cost estimating and bidding
- Plumbing System Design — sizing sump reservoirs, selecting water heaters and boilers by capacity, specifying specialty fixtures for hospitals, restaurants, and correctional facilities, and selecting industrial piping systems
Study Materials for the Georgia Master Plumber Class II Exam
Because the exam is closed book, you study these references deeply before test day — you won't be able to look anything up during the exam. As of May 1, 2026, the reference list below is valid through December 31, 2026.
Code references:
- International Plumbing Code 2024 — the primary plumbing code base
- Georgia State Amendments to the International Plumbing Code (2024 Edition) — Georgia-specific modifications that supersede the base IPC; know these cold
- International Fuel Gas Code 2024 — gas system design and installation rules
- Georgia State Amendments to the International Fuel Gas Code (2024 Edition) — Georgia's modifications to the IFGC
Business and law:
- NASCLA Georgia CILB Contractors Guide to Business, Law and Project Management (5th Edition) — covers administrative requirements, business law, and the CILB rules that make up a large share of the exam
- Employer's Tax Guide (Circular E, IRS Publication 15) — required for the employer tax questions
Safety and accessibility:
- OSHA Standards for the Construction Industry (29 CFR 1926) — construction site safety rules tested directly on the exam
- 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design — fixture mounting heights, clearances, and accessibility requirements
- The ADA: Your Responsibilities as an Employer (EEOC) — the employer-side ADA obligations
- Georgia 811 Excavator Manual (2026) — underground utility locate procedures and state law requirements
Technical and math:
- Plumbing Technology: Design and Installation (4th Edition) — system design principles for water, drainage, and gas
- Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters (8th Edition) — offset calculations, volume, pressure, grade, and unit conversions
Study Tips That Actually Work
Set a realistic timeline. Give yourself at least three to six weeks of structured preparation. Use the Candidate Information Bulletin as your roadmap and allocate study time by topic weight — installation activities, maintenance, safety, business law, and administrative requirements each carry 15 or more exam items.
Practice more than you read. Reading code cover to cover won't get you there. This exam rewards pattern recognition built through repetition. Work through questions in timed sessions so the format feels routine before you sit down at PSI.
Aim for 80% in practice. Set your practice bar above the real cut score. Three clean practice-exam passes at 80% or higher gives you a comfortable margin on test day.
Read every explanation. Whether you got a question right or wrong, read the reasoning behind the answer. Understanding the underlying rule lets you answer reworded versions of questions you've never seen.
Pace yourself across both parts. You have 3.5 hours per part. That's generous, but don't burn ten minutes on a single question. Flag it, keep moving, and come back.
Sharpen your mental math. Since the exam is closed book, practice offset calculations, psi-to-head conversions, and grade calculations without looking at formulas until they come automatically.
Ready to Start Preparing?
The Georgia master plumber license test is thorough by design — it's meant to confirm that the people holding unrestricted master licenses can handle the full range of plumbing work safely and professionally. That standard is achievable with the right preparation.
Start today by taking our free practice exam — no account required, no payment needed. Get a feel for the question style and see which topics need the most attention. When you're ready for full exam simulation, upgrade to the paid version: 140 questions, a 7-hour clock, and a detailed score breakdown by topic so you know exactly where to focus next. Your license is within reach — put in the work, and go get it.