Can licensed plumbers perform electrical work now that an exemption relating to “work performed by a plumber” has been added to the Texas Electrical Licensing Act, Chapter 1305?
Yes, but the electrical work is limited. An exemption related to plumbers was approved during the 2007 session of the Texas Legislature under HB 1029, which amended the Law to allow licensed plumbers to perform the electrical work necessary to install, service, maintain, repair, or replace any type of plumbing fixture or appliance on existing electrical circuits only. Simply put, a plumber may disconnect and/or reconnect any plumbing fixture or appliance on existing electrical circuits to perform their jobs, but may not perform any other “electrical work” without an electrical license issued under Chapter 1305. The exemption does not authorize a plumber to extend or replace an existing wiring service (i.e. to provide power to an apparatus requiring more wattage), nor does it authorize a plumber to enter into the internal parts behind the arc flash cover of an electrical panel board. A plumber can open the door of an electrical panel to reach the over-current protection (OCP) “ON/OFF” h
