14.1 The PSI Exam Day: Structure, Fees, Retakes, Rules, and Pacing

The Three Portions

The totals are 150 items and 270 minutes. According to L&I, the code portion draws on UPC Chapters 1–10, 15, 16, and 17 with Washington amendments. The drawing portions draw on Chapter 7 (waste and vent) and Chapter 6 (water). Tables 702.1, 610.3, 610.4, and 610.10 are provided; Table 703.2 is not. The exam is based on the 2015 UPC.

Pass all three: The PSI bulletin says journey level candidates "need to pass all 3 portions of the exam. If they fail any portion of the exam then they will have to retake all portions of the exam. The Department will make the determination if the candidate will receive a waived portion based off of previous attempts."

Getting to the Test

1. Apply to L&I online or by mail with the $202.10 non-refundable exam fee. Include affidavits of experience, a copy of photo ID, and, for out-of-state plumbers, a copy of the out-of-state license. Journey level candidates need 8,000 hours including 4,000 commercial, plus 16 hours of continuing education (Section 1.1).
2. Approval: Approved applications are valid for one year. L&I sends instructions, and PSI emails a confirmation.
3. Schedule with PSI online or by phone and pay PSI's fee: $84 for the three-portion exam, $52 per portion on a retest. PSI fees are not refundable or transferable and are valid for one year from payment.
4. Reschedule or cancel at least 2 days before the appointment. For a Monday exam, notice must reach PSI by the previous Saturday. Voicemail and email do not count.

Exam Day Rules

• Arrive at least 30 minutes early. Late arrivals may be refused and forfeit the fee.
• Identification: one valid, unexpired, government-issued photo ID with a signature. Bring the examination notice or certification from the Department. Names must match exactly.
• Allowed: a silent, battery-operated, non-programmable calculator with no paper tape and no alphabetic keyboard. PSI provides scratch paper and a pencil, which are returned at the end.
• Not allowed: phones, smart watches, bags, notes, reference books (these exams are closed book), food and drink, hats not worn for religious reasons, and bulky outerwear. Items go in secure storage.
• Tutorial: up to 15 minutes before the exam, and it does not count against exam time.
• Navigation: you may return to any question and change your answer while time remains. You can leave comments on questions, but PSI does not respond to them.
• Missed appointment: failing to cancel at least 2 days ahead, not appearing, not checking in on time, or lacking ID forfeits the fee. The bulletin says an absence counts as a fail.

Results and What Comes Next

• Scores are given immediately. A pass shows "PASS". A fail comes with a diagnostic report of strengths and weaknesses.
• After passing, you have 90 days to pay the certification fee ($242.70 for three years). Otherwise you must retest (WAC 296-400A-020).
• After failing, reapply with L&I (new application and fee) and wait 14 days from the last failed test. Unlimited attempts are allowed during the one-year eligibility.

Pacing

70 percent means about 70 of 100 on the code portion and roughly 18 of 25 on each drawing portion.

Test-Taking Techniques That Fit This Exam

1. Washington amendments first. When two options differ only by a Washington amendment, such as 21 or 24 inches, or 900 or 1,024 square inches, the Washington value is the answer (Section 13.1).
2. Read the occupancy. Private, public, and assembly values differ in Tables 702.1 and 610.3.
3. Write the notes on scratch paper at the start. Table 703.2 with its notes, Table 1002.2, and the vent area list take about 2 minutes to write from memory, and they speed up both drawing portions.
4. Units and rounding: round fixture unit totals up when choosing a pipe size. Never round a load down to fit a smaller pipe.
5. Do not change answers without a reason. Change an answer only when you find a specific error.

Where to Test

The July 30, 2026 PSI bulletin lists Washington test sites including Arlington, Bremerton, Ellensburg, Everett, Kennewick, Lakewood, Liberty Lake, Olympia, Puyallup, Seattle (Bellevue), Snohomish, Spokane (Spokane Valley), Tacoma (Spanaway), Vancouver, and Yakima. Out-of-state testing is requested through PSI's accommodations process.