Who requires it
State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers
License & permit · New Jersey
New Jersey Master Plumber Bond
A licensed New Jersey master plumber must post a $3,000 surety bond before doing plumbing work in the state. N.J.S.A. 45:14C-26 sets that statewide amount and stops municipalities from requiring a matching local bond for the same licensing act.
Common bond amount
$3,000
Statutory amount under N.J.S.A. 45:14C-26.
How you file
File with the plumbers board; 12-month term, renewed at each expiration
Renewal
Renew each 12 months; coordinate with license renewal
Who requires it
Master plumbers holding a license under the State Plumbing License Law of 1968 need this bond before undertaking plumbing work in New Jersey or any political subdivision. The State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers uses the bond as licensing security; it is not a project performance bond for a single job.
How much is required
Statute fixes $3,000. The Board’s rules describe who may claim on the bond when a licensee fails duties under N.J.S.A. 45:14C-1 et seq. or Board rules. There is no volume schedule for this instrument.
How to get and file it
Obtain a $3,000 bond from a surety authorized in New Jersey and approved by the Department of Banking and Insurance, conditioned on faithful performance of the plumbing licensing act, and file it with the State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers as part of licensure. If you later seek a Master HVACR license, that Board may accept proof of this same plumber bond under N.J.A.C. 13:32A-2.4. Statute requires a 12-month term renewed at each expiration for a similar period. Keep coverage aligned with the Board’s biennial license renewal practice so the bond never lags behind an active master-plumber license.
Cost note
$3,000 is the required bond amount, not the premium you pay. See bond amount vs premium. Bond amount vs premium →
Requirement checklist
- Required amount
- $3,000 surety bond in favor of the State of New Jersey
- Condition
- Faithful performance of the State Plumbing License Law / Board duties
- Municipal bonds
- No similar municipal bond may be required of a licensed master plumber
Official sources
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
Can this plumber bond also cover Master HVACR licensing?
The HVACR Board’s rule allows proof of an already-filed $3,000 plumber bond to satisfy the HVACR bond filing. Ask the HVACR Board how to document that proof for your application.
Related New Jersey bond guides
HVACR Contractor Bond
$3,000
A Master HVACR contractor licensed under New Jersey’s HVACR Contracting License Law must post a $3,000 surety bond before doing HVACR work in the state. N.J.S.A. 45:16A-23 sets that amount and bars municipalities from demanding a duplicate local bond for the same act.
Electrical Contractor Bond
$1,000
Anyone in the electrical-contracting business under New Jersey’s Electrical Contractors Licensing Act must post a $1,000 surety bond before doing electrical work in the state. N.J.S.A. 45:5A-19 names the State of New Jersey as the agency that requires the bond and ties it to faithful performance of that Act.
HICB / HECB Compliance Bond
$10,000 / $25,000 / $50,000
Home improvement and home elevation contractor businesses registered with New Jersey’s Division of Consumer Affairs must keep additional security—often a compliance surety bond—under N.J.S.A. 56:8-142. Official materials use one three-tier schedule ($10,000 / $25,000 / $50,000) for both HICBs and HECBs based on contract size and prior-year volume, not two unrelated fixed amounts.
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Apply for the Master Plumber Bond
The application can open with this bond already selected. You can still go back and change selections.
Last verified 2026-08-07. This guide is based on verified educational content and official sources.
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