NYC Master Plumber Exam: A Study Guide
The New York City Master Plumber Exam is the written examination administered by CPS HR Consulting for the New York City Department of Buildings. This guide walks through the official content outline topic by topic, shows sample questions from our practice bank, lists the recommended code references, and points you to the next steps.
New York City Master Plumber Exam at a Glance
Here are the key numbers and rules for the NYC DOB master plumber written exam:
| Questions | 100 questions |
| Time limit | 4 hours |
| Passing score | 70% correct |
| Books in the exam room | Closed book (no books in the room) |
On exam day
- The written examination is computer-administered multiple-choice, while the practical examination requires producing two hands-on work specimens.
- Candidates must present two forms of identification: a current, valid government-issued photo ID with signature matching the registration name, plus any non-expired photo ID.
- Candidates should arrive at least 30 minutes before the written examination appointment and promptly at the call time for the practical examination.
- No reference materials, notes or books may be brought into the testing site, and an administrator inspects candidates before the examination and collects any prohibited materials.
- Scratch paper, pens/pencils and a calculator are provided, while personal notes, books, calculators, electronic devices, hats, extra pocket items, bags and weapons are prohibited.
Study references listed in the bulletin (not allowed in the exam room)
- 2022 NYC Administrative Code, Title 28, Chapter 1: Administration; Chapter 2: Enforcement; Chapter 3: Maintenance of Buildings
- 2022 NYC Construction Codes: Building Code, Chapter 1: Administration; Chapter 33: Safeguards During Construction or Demolition; Appendix G: Flood-Resistant Construction; Appendix Q: Modified National Standards for Automatic Sprinkler, Standpipe, Fire Pump, Fire Alarm, and Smoke Control Systems
- 2022 NYC Construction Codes: Fuel Gas Code, Chapter 1: Administration; Chapter 3: General Regulations; Chapter 4: Gas Piping Installations
- 2022 NYC Construction Codes: Plumbing Code, Chapter 1: Administration; Chapter 3: General Regulations; Chapter 4: Fixtures, Faucets and Fixture Fittings; Chapter 5: Water Heaters; Chapter 6: Water Supply and Distribution; Chapter 7: Sanitary Drainage; Chapter 8: Indirect/Special Waste; Chapter 9: Vents; Chapter 10: Traps, Interceptors and Separators; Chapter 11: Storm Drainage; Chapter 12: Special Piping and Storage Systems; Chapter 13: Nonpotable Water Systems; Appendix E: Sizing of Water Piping System
Scheduling, changes and retakes
- The written examination is scheduled online through the link in the eligibility confirmation email, while CPS HR schedules the practical examination and sends a scheduling notice; scheduling questions go to CPS HR at 855-224-6977.
- Candidates must be approved by the Department and receive an eligibility email before scheduling, and eligibility lasts six (6) months from the date the examination application is submitted.
- A written examination appointment may be cancelled or rescheduled without losing the fee if notice is received two calendar days before the exam date, while a confirmed practical examination date may be changed only for a documented emergency.
- Missing the appointment, arriving late (after the start time for the written exam, or more than 15 minutes after the call time for the practical), or lacking proper ID invalidates the appointment and forfeits the examination fee.
- Written examination results are given as a printed score report immediately after testing showing overall score, grade and pass/fail, while practical results are mailed within four to six weeks.
- A passing candidate must submit a Background Investigation Questionnaire in person within one year of passing the practical exam and, after receiving the notice of qualification, schedule an appointment with the Licensing & Exams Unit within one year to obtain the license.
Source: Candidate Information Bulletin – Master Plumber License Examinations, Last Updated 06.24.2025. Check the bulletin before test day: fees and rules can change.
What the Exam Covers
The outline divides the NYC master plumber exam into five topics.
Drainage — 21 items (21%)
Our study breakdown covers Installation; Maintenance; Inspection Requirements; Permits; Indirect/Special Waste; Sanitary Drainage; Storm Drainage; and Vents.
One rule our practice questions on this topic teach: horizontal branches shall connect to the base of a stack at a point not less than 10 times the diameter of the drainage stack downstream from the stack (NYC Plumbing Code 2022, Section 704.3).
Equipment — 23 items (23%)
Our study breakdown covers Installation (Equipment); Maintenance (Equipment); Inspection Requirements (Equipment); Permits (Equipment); Materials (Equipment); Limited Alterations; Applicability; and Fixtures, Faucets, and Fittings.
One rule our practice questions on this topic teach: Category 1 limited plumbing alterations permit the addition of not more than five plumbing fixtures or fixture connections in a building within any 12-month period (NYC Administrative Code Title 28 (2022), Art. 101, definition of "Limited Plumbing Alterations," Category 1).
Gas Piping — 29 items (29%)
Our study breakdown covers Installation (Gas); Maintenance (Gas); Inspection Requirements (Gas); Permits (Gas); Materials (Gas); Sizing (Gas); Gas Appliances; and Drips and Sloped Piping.
One rule our practice questions on this topic teach: corrosion protection of ferrous metal gas piping installed in buried locations is limited to bonded coatings or protective wrappings (NYC Fuel Gas Code 2022, Section 404.11.3).
Water Supply — 17 items (17%)
Our study breakdown covers Installation (Water); Maintenance (Water); Inspection Requirements (Water); Permits (Water); Water Recycling Systems; Water Distribution; Potable Water Protection and Cross-Connection Control; and Backflow Preventer Types, Standards, and Testing Requirements.
One rule our practice questions on this topic teach: a low-pressure cutoff is required on all house pumps filling a water tank and on booster pumps, set to prevent creation of a vacuum or negative pressure on the suction side when a positive pressure of 10 psi or less occurs on the suction side (NYC Plumbing Code 2022, Section 606.5.5).
Fire Protection — 10 items (10%)
Our study breakdown covers Standpipe and Sprinkler Installation; Standpipe and Sprinkler Maintenance; Inspection Requirements (Fire); Permits (Fire); fire protection during construction and demolition (standpipes, sprinklers, water supply); stationary fire pump installation requirements (NFPA 20 as modified for NYC); fire department connections (FDC) — placement, marking, and zoning; and standpipe system design requirements (pipe sizing, zones, pressure limits, water supply).
One rule our practice questions on this topic teach: in altering existing sprinkler systems containing 3/4-inch (19 mm) pipe, the existing 3/4-inch pipe shall be removed and replaced with pipe having a minimum diameter of 1 inch (25 mm), except as provided in the listed exceptions (NYC Building Code 2022, Section Q102 (NFPA 13 as modified), §8.15.20.4.4).
Sample Questions
Sample 1 — Water Supply
Question: A nonpotable water storage tank must be vented. On what basis is the required vent sized?
- A. The peak demand of the conveyance system
- B. The aggregate diameter of all tank influent pipes
- C. The rated storage capacity of the tank
- D. The diameter of the tank overflow pipe
Sample 2 — Fire Protection
Question: As the master plumber of record, you are preparing a newly installed stationary fire pump for its acceptance test in New York City. The New York City modifications to the fire pump standard add a testing provision requiring that the fire pump be equipped with which of the following?
- A. A listed circulation relief valve
- B. A listed flowmeter
- C. A test header with four 2-1/2 in. outlets
- D. A calibrated pitot gauge assembly
Sample 3 — Gas Piping
Question: As the licensed master plumber of record, you are designing a natural gas installation that will operate at elevated pressure. In addition to the general piping-system requirements of the Fuel Gas Code, compliance with Appendix G is required for installations operating at which pressure?
- A. 2 psig or above
- B. 5 psig or above
- C. 15 psig or above
- D. 25 psig or above
Sample 4 — Equipment
Question: A shower lining is being installed over a mortar bed in a field-built shower compartment. The liner must be recessed and fastened to an approved backing, and shall not be nailed or perforated at any point less than ___ above the finished threshold.
- A. 1 inch
- B. 3 inches
- C. 2 inches
- D. 6 inches
The answers are not shown here. Our free practice exam gives 10 questions per attempt from its own separate set of questions, and it can be retaken as often as you like.
Study Materials
The written exam is closed book. Four code references are recommended for this exam:
- New York City Plumbing Code 2022 (2022) — recommended. Our practice questions cite it for drainage fitting and cleanout rules, indirect waste, storm drain testing, water distribution, tanks and pumps, and water heater code references.
- New York City Fuel Gas Code 2022 (2022) — recommended. Our practice questions cite it for corrosion protection of buried ferrous piping, joint methods, and appliance connection unions.
- New York City Administrative Code, Title 28 (2022), Chapters 1-3 (2022) — recommended. Our practice questions cite it for permit classifications, ordinary plumbing work, limited alteration applications, emergency work, and periodic gas piping inspection and certification.
- New York City Building Code 2022 (2022) — recommended. Our practice questions cite it for construction document approval, limited alteration application permits, and the Appendix Q modifications to the sprinkler standard.
Our full practice exam gives you 100 questions on a 4 hours clock, drawn fresh from our question bank each attempt. After every attempt, the results page breaks your score down by outline topic.
Study Tips
- Gas Piping is the heaviest topic at 29 items; plan your schedule around the item counts for all five topics.
- This is a closed-book exam, so learn the rules themselves — the numbers, the limits and the conditions attached to them — rather than where to find them in a code book.
- Work at about 2 minutes 24 seconds per question during practice so your timing on the real thing is familiar.
- Answer the questions you know first, bookmark the rest, and come back to them with the time you have left.
- Use the topic breakdown on your practice results to decide what to review next, then retake for a fresh draw.
Next Steps
The DOB NOW licensing portal and the official bulletin from CPS HR Consulting are the official sources for this exam. General license information is on the Department of Buildings website. To keep testing yourself, try our New York City master plumber license practice test.