Lincoln, NE Plumbing, Mechanical and Electrical License Renewal

At a glance

Plumbing renewal

The renewal period for registration is from March 1st to May 31st. If you do not renew by May 31st, you will no longer be licensed to perform certain plumbing work in the City of Lincoln. Failure to renew within 60 days from the expiration of the license will result in the revocation of your license and you will be required to re-take any examinations that are a requirement of the license

Continuing education

Plumbing: a journeyman or master license needs its CEUs submitted for approval before the license is approved for renewal: 10 hours for a Master Plumber Contractor or Master Plumber, 6 hours for a Journeyman Plumber. Hours are submitted through the city's Plumbing Continuing Education Unit Form

Plumbing fees

Yearly registration fees: Plumbing Master Contractor $250, Master $75, Journeyman $50, Apprentice $25; Gas Fitter Master $50, Journeyman $25, Apprentice $15; Water Conditioning Contractor $50, Installer $20

Mechanical renewal

The renewal period for registration is from October 1st to December 31st. If you do not renew by December 31st, the page says you will no longer be licensed to perform certain work in the City of Lincoln. Failure to renew within 60 days from the expiration of the license will result in the revocation of your license and you will be required to re-take any examinations that are a requirement of the license

Mechanical CEUs

A mechanical journeyman or master license needs its CEUs submitted for approval before the license is approved for renewal: 8 hours for a Master Contractor, 4 hours for a Journeyman. Hours are submitted through the city's Mechanical Continuing Education Units Form

Mechanical fees

Yearly registration fees: Mechanical Master Contractor $350, Inactive Master $50, Journeyman $25, Apprentice $15; Deco Fireplace Contractor $150, Fireplace Installer $25; Refrigeration-Mechanical Master Contractor $250

Electrical registration

The renewal period for the City of Lincoln Electrical Contractor and Fire Alarm Installer registration is typically from October 1st to December 31st every other year, but you can renew at any time during the two-year period. You must have a current City of Lincoln registration, and an approved Certificate of Insurance, before an electrical permit is issued within the City of Lincoln or three miles of it. New Master Contractors and Fire Alarm Installers must register for license through the City of Lincoln in addition to their State Registration; the page sends readers to the Nebraska Electrical Division for more information about State Registration

Electrical fees

Master Contractor $125 per year or $250 for biannual renewal; Fire Alarm Installer $100 per year or $200 for biannual renewal

How to renew

In Citizen Access (permits.lincoln.ne.gov), without creating an account or logging in: under Building, click Search Applications, enter your trade license number in the Record Number field, then Payments, Fees and Pay Fees, and enter your payment information. If your renewal application is approved, your new card is emailed to you within 5 business days

Master contractor registration

The plumbing contractors page says the Master Contractor must complete their annual registration online. A new contractor, or one needing to update information, uses the city's Contractor Registration Form, which also carries the insurance information

Insurance

Contractors pulling permits provide a certificate of liability insurance (COI) to Building and Safety, with the business's name, the authorized agent's signature and the policy number (binder numbers are not acceptable). The general liability policy must include the City of Lincoln as an additional insured, noted on the certificate with the phrase "City of Lincoln as an additional insured", with the endorsement form number and a copy of the endorsement. Minimum liability of $500,000 each occurrence for electrical, HVAC, plumbing and fire alarm work, among others, and $1,000,000 each occurrence for fire sprinkler, wet/dry chemical or fire extinguishing. Plumbing, HVAC, electrical and fire contractors must have a master's name listed on the certificate as an insured. Email documents to BldInsurance@lincoln.ne.gov

Bond

Not required if you are not doing work in the city right-of-way. House moving, sign, street use and excavation contractors must have a bond

State registration

The Nebraska Contractor Registration Act requires contractors and subcontractors doing business in Nebraska to register with the Nebraska Department of Labor (402-471-2239)

Contact

City of Lincoln Building and Safety, 555 S 10th St, Suite 203, Lincoln: 402-441-7521, plandev@lincoln.ne.gov

The city's trade registration pages name CEUs only for plumbing and mechanical journeymen and masters. Electrical licensing CE is the Nebraska Electrical Division's: see the Nebraska electrician guide.

The guide's board link is the Plumbing Trade Registration page; the city's Mechanical Trade Registration and Electrical Trade Registration pages, under Building and Safety on lincoln.ne.gov, give the mechanical and electrical facts.

The plumbing and mechanical pages don't give an expiration date beyond their renewal periods' last days (May 31st and December 31st), and the electrical page doesn't say which years its two-year period ends in. Check the date on your card or ask Building and Safety at 402-441-7521.

How to renew

1. Find your registration's renewal period: plumbing from March 1st to May 31st (the plumbing page lists the gas fitter and water conditioning fees under the same renewal); mechanical from October 1st to December 31st (the mechanical page lists the deco fireplace and refrigeration fees under it); an electrical contractor or fire alarm installer registration typically from October 1st to December 31st every other year.
2. Plumbing and mechanical masters and journeymen: submit your CEU hours for approval first, through the city's continuing education form (plumbing: 10 hours for a master or master contractor, 6 for a journeyman; mechanical: 8 for a master contractor, 4 for a journeyman). The renewal isn't approved without them.
3. Contractors: make sure Building and Safety has a current certificate of liability insurance naming the City of Lincoln as an additional insured, with the endorsement attached, the policy number (not a binder number), the master's name listed as an insured and at least $500,000 each occurrence. Email it to BldInsurance@lincoln.ne.gov.
4. Electrical contractors and fire alarm installers: the city registration comes in addition to your State Registration; for State Registration, contact the Nebraska Electrical Division.
5. Renew in Citizen Access without logging in: under Building, Search Applications, enter your trade license number in Record Number, then Payments, Fees and Pay Fees. If the renewal is approved, your new card is emailed within 5 business days.
6. Plumbing and mechanical: don't let it lapse. Past the renewal period you're no longer licensed to perform certain work in Lincoln, and failure to renew within 60 days from the expiration of the license means revocation and re-taking the examinations the license required. Electrical: the page lets you renew at any time during the two-year period, but an electrical permit needs a current city registration.

Deadline checklist

• March 1stThe plumbing renewal period opens. Master and journeyman plumbers submit their CEU hours for approval.
• May 31stLast day of the plumbing renewal period: if you do not renew by May 31st, you will no longer be licensed to perform certain plumbing work in Lincoln.
• October 1stThe mechanical renewal period opens (and the electrical contractor and fire alarm installer one, typically, every other year). Mechanical master contractors and journeymen submit their CEU hours.
• December 31stLast day of the mechanical renewal period.
• 60 days lateA plumbing or mechanical license not renewed within 60 days from its expiration is revoked, and the license's examinations have to be re-taken.

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

Frequently asked questions