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Portland Emergency Plumbers

Hiring questions

Questions to ask a Portland plumber before you say yes

Oregon gives you two license numbers to ask for and a public complaint record to read. Ask for the numbers on the first call, and look them up before the van arrives.

Licenses

  1. What is your CCB number? Oregon requires it on contractor advertising, so it should match the one on the van and the website. (CCB guide)
  2. What is your BCD plumbing contractor license number? Oregon plumbing businesses need it on top of the CCB license. (BCD)
  3. Is the plumber coming a licensed journeyman? Oregon journeyman plumbers apply to BCD with verified experience and pass an exam. (BCD)
  4. Which CCB endorsement do you hold? A residential specialty contractor carries a $20,000 bond; a residential general contractor carries $25,000. (CCB bonds) Each tier also has a per-occurrence insurance minimum set by rule, so ask for the certificate. (OAR 812-003-0221)

If it is the sewer line

  1. Is the break between the house and the property line, or past it toward the curb?
  2. Who pulls the plumbing permit? Portland Permitting & Development issues it for repairs between the house and the property line. (PP&D)
  3. If the work runs into the right-of-way, who gets the separate UR permit? (PP&D UR permits)

Money

  1. Is there a charge to come out, and does a night or weekend call cost more?
  2. Will you charge by the hour or give me one flat price? Put it in writing before you start.
  3. Will I get a written contract? Oregon requires one for jobs over $2,000. (CCB)

Before you hang up

Search the CCB number at search.ccb.state.or.us and read the complaint history. Then find the plumbing contractor license in the BCD license search. A CCB license also gives you access to CCB mediation if the job goes wrong. (CCB)

Step-by-step lookups: how to check an Oregon plumber.

Sources

We read each source on October 17, 2026. Rules and prices change, so check the linked page before you rely on a number.

  1. Oregon CCB: Selecting and Working with a Contractor (PDF)
  2. Oregon BCD: Getting licensed work
  3. Oregon BCD: Apply for a plumbing license
  4. Oregon CCB: Licensing (bond amounts)
  5. OAR 812-003-0221, CCB insurance amounts
  6. Portland Permitting & Development: Broken sewer and drain lines
  7. Portland Permitting & Development: UR and UC permits
  8. Oregon CCB: Home Improvement Month
  9. Oregon CCB license search
  10. Oregon BCD license holder search

Written by the Portland Emergency Plumbers team. We list businesses; we do not employ, bond or insure them. Spot a mistake? Use the claim page to tell us.