Journeyman Plumber
Exam Guide

The code section is the largest slice of the journeyman plumber exam. Know which code your jurisdiction adopts before you study — the wrong book will lose you points on lookup questions: • **Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC)** — used across much of the western US and by IAPMO jurisdictions • **International Plumbing Code (IPC)** — used across much of the eastern US and by ICC jurisdictions • **Local amendments** — many states/counties overlay their own changes on top of the model code • **Chapter navigation** — practice finding fixture unit tables, vent sizing charts, and material approvals fast • **Tabbing your code book** — allowed in most open-book exams; tab the chapters you use most Open-book does NOT mean easy. Candidates who don't drill code lookups run out of time long before the last question.

Drain-waste-vent (DWV) design is where journeyman-level questions get sharpest: • **Drainage fixture units (DFU)** — sizing horizontal branches, stacks, and building drains • **Slope requirements** — 1/4" per foot standard, 1/8" for larger pipe • **Vent types** — individual, common, wet, circuit, loop, air admittance valves (AAVs) • **Vent sizing** — developed length and DFU load determining minimum vent diameter • **Trap seals** — 2"–4" seal depth, distance from vent (critical distance) • **Cleanouts** — where required, spacing, and access requirements Expect at least one isometric drawing question where you size a stack or identify a code violation.

Water distribution is the second-largest question pool after DWV: • **Water supply fixture units (WSFU)** and sizing tables • **Pressure loss** — friction, elevation, meter and backflow device drops • **Minimum working pressure** — typically 20 psi at the highest fixture • **Pipe materials** — copper types (K, L, M), PEX, CPVC, galvanized limits • **Backflow prevention** — air gap, AVB, PVB, RPZ — where each is required • **Cross-connection control** — high vs low hazard, containment vs isolation Backflow questions almost always trip up first-time test takers — memorise which device belongs on which hazard level.

The trade-knowledge section leans on hands-on installation detail: • **Fixture rough-in dimensions** — WC (12" standard), lavatory, tub, shower, kitchen sink • **Water heaters** — T&P valve, expansion tank, seismic strapping, gas venting • **Gas piping** — sizing (longest length method), materials, shutoff placement, drips • **Medical & special-waste** — indirect waste, air breaks, food-service requirements • **ADA fixtures** — grab bar heights, WC centreline, lavatory clearances • **Isometric symbols** — reading and drawing a small DWV iso from a floor plan Bring a scientific calculator (no phones). Any question with "developed length" or "pressure drop" is a calculation, not a guess.

Formats vary by state but the shape is remarkably consistent: • **80–100 multiple-choice questions** across 3–4 hours • Often split into an **open-book code** section and a **closed-book trade** section • **Passing score:** typically 70–75% • **Calculators:** basic scientific allowed, no phones or programmables • **Code book:** you may bring the exact adopted edition, tabbed and highlighted (check your state's rules) • **Same-day results** in many jurisdictions; some mail results within 2 weeks Pace target: one minute per closed-book question, up to two minutes for open-book code lookups. Flag anything longer and come back at the end.