Reinstatement requires you to contact the Division of Professions and Occupations, pay a reinstatement fee, and often complete continuing education hours — the exact steps depend on how long your license has been expired.
Colorado does not automatically restore a lapsed plumbing license. You must take action to bring it back into active status. The process is faster if your license expired recently (usually within one to three years), but even older licenses can sometimes be reinstated if you meet the state's requirements.
The Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO), which sits within the Department of Regulatory Agencies, handles all plumbing license reinstatements. You cannot reinstate through a local city or county office — you must work directly with the state.
Key Takeaways
- Contact the Division of Professions and Occupations directly to find out whether your specific license can be reinstated and what steps explore to your situation.
- Reinstatement typically requires paying a fee and may require proof of continuing education hours, depending on how long the license has been expired.
- If your license expired more than a few years ago, you may need to retake the plumbing exam or complete additional training instead of straightforward reinstating.
- The DPO website lists current fees and renewal requirements, which change periodically, so verify the current cost before submitting payment.
How long your license has been expired matters
Colorado treats recently expired licenses differently from licenses that lapsed years ago. If your license expired within the last one to three years, reinstatement is usually straightforward: you pay the reinstatement fee and submit proof of any required continuing education hours you missed during the lapsed period.
If your license has been expired for longer — typically more than three to five years — the state may require you to retake the plumbing exam, complete additional training hours, or meet other conditions before reinstatement is possible. Some very old licenses may not be reinstatable at all, and you would need to explore for a new license from scratch.
The exact timeline and requirements are not published in a single table on the DPO website. You must contact the Division directly to learn what applies to your license. Call the DPO at the phone number listed on their website, or email them with your license number and the expiration date. They will tell you whether reinstatement is an option and what you need to do.
Gathering the information the DPO will ask for
Before you contact the Division, have your license number and expiration date ready. If you do not have your license certificate, you can search for your license online through the DPO's license lookup tool on their website. This tool lets you see your license status and some basic information about it.
You will also need to know whether you completed any continuing education hours after your license expired. If you did take courses, gather the certificates or documentation showing the hours and the dates completed. The DPO will want to see proof that the education was approved by Colorado or by a recognized national body.
Have a way to pay the reinstatement fee ready — the DPO accepts credit cards, checks, and electronic payments. The fee amount varies and changes periodically, so ask the Division what the current cost is when you contact them.
The reinstatement process process
Once you know reinstatement is possible for your license, the DPO will direct you to submit a reinstatement request. This is usually done by mail or through an online portal, depending on the Division's current procedures. You will need to include the reinstatement fee, proof of any continuing education you completed, and a completed form (the DPO will provide this or direct you to read it from their website).
Processing times vary. The DPO typically takes several weeks to review a reinstatement request, but this can be longer if they need additional information from you or if they are processing a high volume of requests. Do not assume your license is active until you receive written confirmation from the Division.
If the DPO denies your reinstatement request, they will explain why in writing. Common reasons include failure to complete required continuing education, a lapsed license that is too old to reinstate under current rules, or unpaid fees or fines owed to the state. If you are denied, ask the Division what your options are — sometimes you can appeal, and sometimes you must explore for a new license.
What to do if reinstatement is not possible
If your license is too old to reinstate, or if you do not meet the reinstatement requirements, you can explore for a new plumbing license. This requires passing the plumbing exam again and meeting the current apprenticeship or work-experience requirements, which may be different from the requirements that were in place when you originally licensed.
Before you go through a full new process, ask the DPO whether you can challenge the exam only, or whether you must complete additional training hours first. Some states allow experienced plumbers to test without repeating all the training, but Colorado's rules on this change, so you need to confirm what applies to you.
Continuing education requirements during reinstatement
Colorado requires plumbers to complete continuing education hours during each license renewal period. If your license has been expired, you may owe hours for the years it was lapsed. The number of hours required per year varies by license type (journeyman, master, contractor), so the DPO will tell you exactly how many you need.
You can complete these hours before you submit your reinstatement request, or the DPO may allow you to complete them after reinstatement as a condition of keeping your license active. Ask which option applies to you. Approved courses are offered by trade schools, community colleges, and online providers — the DPO website lists approved course providers.
Contacting the Division of Professions and Occupations
The DPO is the only state body that handles plumbing license reinstatement. Their website includes a phone number, mailing address, and email contact for licensing questions. When you reach out, have your license number ready and be clear that you are asking about reinstatement of an expired license, not a new process.
Response times vary depending on how you contact them. Email is often slower than a phone call, but a phone call gives you when ready answers. If you call and reach an automated system, listen for the option to speak with someone about license reinstatement or renewal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work as a plumber while my reinstatement is being processed?
No. You cannot legally work as a plumber in Colorado without an active license. Working with an expired or lapsed license is a violation of state law and can result in fines or other penalties. Wait for written confirmation from the DPO that your license is active before you take on plumbing work.
Do I have to retake the plumbing exam to reinstate?
Not always. If your license expired recently, reinstatement usually requires only the fee and proof of continuing education. If it expired years ago, the DPO may require you to retake the exam. Contact them with your license number and expiration date to find out what applies to you.
What if I cannot find my license number?
Use the DPO's online license lookup tool on their website. Enter your name and other identifying information to search for your license record. If you still cannot find it, call the DPO and they can look it up for you using your name and date of birth.
How much does reinstatement cost?
The reinstatement fee varies and is set by the state. Call the DPO or check their website for the current fee amount. Some licenses may also require payment of late fees or penalties if there are unpaid renewal fees from previous years.
What happens if I let my license expire again after reinstatement?
You will need to renew your license before it expires to keep it active. Renewal is different from reinstatement — it is the normal process for keeping a current license valid. The DPO will send renewal notices before your license expires, so watch for those notices and renew on time.