Delaware Plumbing and HVACR License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 4 min read

Delaware master plumber, master HVACR and master HVACR restricted licenses all expire on October 31 of each even-numbered year and renew online in DELPROS: this cycle's deadline is October 31, 2026, the next October 31, 2028. Continuing education is new for the 2026 renewal: 5 hours of Board-approved courses (6 for a dual plumbing and HVACR licensee). Miss the deadline and the license expires: you can't work until a late renewal, with a late fee, goes through, and after one year it terminates.

At a glance

Renews every: Two years. Master plumber, master HVACR and master HVACR restricted licenses expire on October 31 of each even-numbered year. This cycle's deadline is October 31, 2026; the next is October 31, 2028
Renew: Online in DELPROS, where you answer the renewal questions, attest to your CE and pay the renewal fee by credit card. DPR tells you the fee at renewal
Renewal notice: DPR emails a renewal notice a few months before the expiration date, to the email address on your record. Renewal and audit notices go by email only, so keep your address current in DELPROS
Continuing education: New for the 2026 renewal: 5 hours of Board-approved CE each renewal period, done by October 31 of the renewal year. 3 hours on code changes and 1 hour on safety, plus 1 hour on cross connections and backflow for plumbing licensees or 1 hour on the energy code for HVACR licensees. Extra hours don't carry over
Dual licensees: Holding both a plumbing and an HVACR license: 6 hours in all, covering both trades' topics, with the 3 code hours alternating between plumbing and HVACR each renewal period
CE at your first renewal: None if you've been licensed less than a year. Licensed at least 1 year but less than 2: 3 hours
Audit: From the 2026 renewals the board randomly audits 5% of renewals, telling those picked within 60 days after the deadline; they send proof of their CE. Every late renewal is audited for CE
Not renewed by October 31: The license expires and it is illegal to work under it in Delaware until it is renewed. Filing a late renewal doesn't let you work: there is no grace period
Late renewal: Up to one year after the expiration date, in DELPROS, with a late fee of 50% of the renewal fee on top of it
More than a year late: The license terminates: you reapply in DELPROS as a new applicant
Inactive status: If you're not practicing in Delaware, ask for it through a DELPROS Service Request before the late renewal period ends (October 31 of odd years). A license can stay inactive for up to five years and you can't work under it; reactivate it within that time with a Service Request, the reactivation fee and proof of your CE, or it terminates

The board's continuing education page lists approved courses with each one's hours and approval number; it labels them as approved for the licensure period ending October 31, 2028.

Apprentices, journeymen and mechanics working under the supervision of a master plumber, master HVACR or master HVACR restricted licensee who employs them (or works full time for the same business) don't need a license of their own.

How to renew

Keep your email address current in DELPROS: renewal and audit notices go by email only.
Finish your CE by October 31: 5 hours of Board-approved courses (3 on code changes, 1 on safety, 1 on backflow for plumbing or the energy code for HVACR), or 6 if you hold both licenses.
Renew in DELPROS by October 31, attesting to your CE and paying the fee. Keep your course certificates in case you're audited.
Missed it? Stop work: the license has expired. Renew late in DELPROS within one year, with the late fee, and wait until it's renewed before working again.

Still tracking this in a spreadsheet? On a paid plan, get emailed 90, 60, 30, 7 and 1 days before it expires, by default.

Start free

Deadline checklist

90 days outPick Board-approved courses: 3 hours on code changes, 1 on safety, and 1 on backflow (plumbing) or the energy code (HVACR); 6 hours if you hold both licenses.
60 days outFinish your CE hours and save each course certificate.
30 days outCheck your DELPROS email address and look for the renewal notice DPR emailed.
October 31Last day to renew in DELPROS. After it the license is expired and you can't work until a late renewal goes through.

Put this renewal in your calendar

Know your expiration date? Download a free calendar file with reminders before it, no sign-up needed. It's made in your browser: nothing you type is sent to us (your browser keeps it only if you follow the sign-up link, for your new ledger). A Google Calendar button sends just that one event to Google.

The file covers one date: once you renew, make a new one. How to add it to your calendar

The license isn't the only thing expiring

Most lapses that cost contractors work aren't the license itself. They're one of these, renewing on a different date:

Your CE certificates: keep them in case you're audited
General liability insurance policy
Workers' compensation policy (or exemption)
Certificates of insurance (COIs) you've given to clients and GCs
Commercial auto insurance

LicenseLedger keeps every one of those dates in one place and emails you before each one expires, with reminders far enough ahead to finish CE and paperwork.

Track your renewal dates free

Frequently asked questions

When do Delaware plumbing and HVACR licenses expire?

Master plumber, master HVACR and master HVACR restricted licenses expire on October 31 of each even-numbered year. This cycle's deadline is October 31, 2026; the next is October 31, 2028.

Do Delaware plumbers and HVACR contractors need continuing education?

Yes, new for the 2026 renewal: 5 hours of Board-approved CE each renewal period, done by October 31 of the renewal year. 3 hours on code changes and 1 hour on safety, plus 1 hour on cross connections and backflow for plumbing licensees or 1 hour on the energy code for HVACR licensees. Holding both licenses, 6 hours in all. At your first renewal: none if you've been licensed less than a year; licensed at least 1 year but less than 2, 3 hours.

What if I missed the Delaware plumbing or HVACR renewal deadline?

The license expires and it is illegal to work under it in Delaware until it is renewed. Up to one year after the expiration date you can renew late in DELPROS, with a late fee of 50% of the renewal fee on top of it. After a year the license terminates and you reapply as a new applicant.

Official sources

Rules, fees and CE requirements change. Confirm the current requirements with the official source before you renew:

Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation)

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Delaware guides

Delaware Electrician License Renewal

All Delaware guides on one page

Plumber guides for other states

Get a reminder before this renewal is due

Add this license, your insurance policies and the COIs you collect from subs to LicenseLedger, and get an email before each one expires. Free for up to 3 records, no credit card required.

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How LicenseLedger works for plumbers

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Delaware Plumbing and HVACR License Renewal

Last reviewed October 2026 · 4 min read

At a glance

Renews every: Two years. Master plumber, master HVACR and master HVACR restricted licenses expire on October 31 of each even-numbered year. This cycle's deadline is October 31, 2026; the next is October 31, 2028
Renew: Online in DELPROS, where you answer the renewal questions, attest to your CE and pay the renewal fee by credit card. DPR tells you the fee at renewal
Renewal notice: DPR emails a renewal notice a few months before the expiration date, to the email address on your record. Renewal and audit notices go by email only, so keep your address current in DELPROS
Continuing education: New for the 2026 renewal: 5 hours of Board-approved CE each renewal period, done by October 31 of the renewal year. 3 hours on code changes and 1 hour on safety, plus 1 hour on cross connections and backflow for plumbing licensees or 1 hour on the energy code for HVACR licensees. Extra hours don't carry over
Dual licensees: Holding both a plumbing and an HVACR license: 6 hours in all, covering both trades' topics, with the 3 code hours alternating between plumbing and HVACR each renewal period
CE at your first renewal: None if you've been licensed less than a year. Licensed at least 1 year but less than 2: 3 hours
Audit: From the 2026 renewals the board randomly audits 5% of renewals, telling those picked within 60 days after the deadline; they send proof of their CE. Every late renewal is audited for CE
Not renewed by October 31: The license expires and it is illegal to work under it in Delaware until it is renewed. Filing a late renewal doesn't let you work: there is no grace period
Late renewal: Up to one year after the expiration date, in DELPROS, with a late fee of 50% of the renewal fee on top of it
More than a year late: The license terminates: you reapply in DELPROS as a new applicant
Inactive status: If you're not practicing in Delaware, ask for it through a DELPROS Service Request before the late renewal period ends (October 31 of odd years). A license can stay inactive for up to five years and you can't work under it; reactivate it within that time with a Service Request, the reactivation fee and proof of your CE, or it terminates

The board's continuing education page lists approved courses with each one's hours and approval number; it labels them as approved for the licensure period ending October 31, 2028.

How to renew

Keep your email address current in DELPROS: renewal and audit notices go by email only.
Finish your CE by October 31: 5 hours of Board-approved courses (3 on code changes, 1 on safety, 1 on backflow for plumbing or the energy code for HVACR), or 6 if you hold both licenses.
Renew in DELPROS by October 31, attesting to your CE and paying the fee. Keep your course certificates in case you're audited.
Missed it? Stop work: the license has expired. Renew late in DELPROS within one year, with the late fee, and wait until it's renewed before working again.

Still tracking this in a spreadsheet? On a paid plan, get emailed 90, 60, 30, 7 and 1 days before it expires, by default.

Start free

Deadline checklist

90 days outPick Board-approved courses: 3 hours on code changes, 1 on safety, and 1 on backflow (plumbing) or the energy code (HVACR); 6 hours if you hold both licenses.
60 days outFinish your CE hours and save each course certificate.
30 days outCheck your DELPROS email address and look for the renewal notice DPR emailed.
October 31Last day to renew in DELPROS. After it the license is expired and you can't work until a late renewal goes through.

Put this renewal in your calendar

The file covers one date: once you renew, make a new one. How to add it to your calendar

The license isn't the only thing expiring

Most lapses that cost contractors work aren't the license itself. They're one of these, renewing on a different date:

Your CE certificates: keep them in case you're audited
General liability insurance policy
Workers' compensation policy (or exemption)
Certificates of insurance (COIs) you've given to clients and GCs
Commercial auto insurance

LicenseLedger keeps every one of those dates in one place and emails you before each one expires, with reminders far enough ahead to finish CE and paperwork.

Track your renewal dates free

Frequently asked questions

When do Delaware plumbing and HVACR licenses expire?

Master plumber, master HVACR and master HVACR restricted licenses expire on October 31 of each even-numbered year. This cycle's deadline is October 31, 2026; the next is October 31, 2028.

Do Delaware plumbers and HVACR contractors need continuing education?

What if I missed the Delaware plumbing or HVACR renewal deadline?

Official sources

Rules, fees and CE requirements change. Confirm the current requirements with the official source before you renew:

Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation)

This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Other Delaware guides

Delaware Electrician License Renewal

All Delaware guides on one page

Plumber guides for other states

Get a reminder before this renewal is due

Add this license, your insurance policies and the COIs you collect from subs to LicenseLedger, and get an email before each one expires. Free for up to 3 records, no credit card required.

Start free

How LicenseLedger works for plumbers

Not ready to sign up? Get the free tracking spreadsheet