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Nevada County · Plumber / Pipefitter
Plumber / Pipefitter prevailing wage in Nevada County, California
$101.72an hour, total · Plumber, Steamfitter
$70.37 wage + $31.35 employer payments
On California public works in Nevada County, a plumber or pipefitter working as plumber, steamfitter must be paid at least $101.72 an hour in total: $70.37 in wages plus $31.35 in employer payments to health, pension, training and other funds. Daily overtime is $136.91 and Sunday and holiday work is $172.09.
DIR general determination 204-447-3, issued August 22, 2026. Expires June 30, 2027. Checked against dir.ca.gov on October 24, 2026.
DIR lists 10 plumber or pipefitter rates for Nevada County, from $34.65 to $101.72 an hour. See all of them.
This rate covers only part of Nevada County. DIR's wording: “Rate applies to remainder of county.” Rates for the rest of the county are in the table below.
Base wage and fringe: $70.37 + $31.35
The basic hourly rate is the taxable wage. The other lines, usually called fringe benefits, are what DIR expects the employer to pay into health, pension and other plans for each hour worked. An employer can pay part of that as extra wages instead, as long as the total per hour stays at $101.72 or more.
| Basic hourly rate (taxable wage) (footnote A) | $70.37 |
| Health and welfare | $15.15 |
| Pension (footnote AQ) | $14.00 |
| Training | $1.50 |
| Other payments | $0.70 |
| Total straight-time hourly rate | $101.72 |
Vacation and holiday is $0.00 in DIR's table. Footnote B says where that money is counted.
Straight time covers an 8-hour day.
Davis-Bacon plumber or pipefitter rate in Nevada County
Federally funded or assisted construction here uses the U.S. Department of Labor's wage determinations. When a California awarding body runs a federally funded or assisted project, DIR's rates must be paid where they are higher than the Davis-Bacon rates (DIR public works FAQ).
We don't put a federal figure next to DIR's here, because the federal determination lists more than one rate for this trade here. The federal rows for this trade are below; match the classification to the work.
| Construction | Federal classification | Base + fringe | Base | WD |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building, Highway, Heavy | PLUMBER/PIPEFITTER: ALL OTHER WORK (PLUM0343-001 | $109.98 | $71.60 | CA20260007 Mod 5 |
| Building, Highway, Heavy | PLUMBER/PIPEFITTER: LIGHT COMMERCIAL (DEFINITION OF LIGHT COMMERCIAL: WORK SHALL INCLUDE STRIP SHOPPING CENTERS, OFFICE BUILDINGS, SCHOOLS, AND OTHER …PLUM0343-001 | $51.25 | $30.85 | CA20260007 Mod 5 |
| Building, Highway, Heavy | PLUMBER/PIPEFITTER (EL DORADO COUNTY (LAKE TAHOE AREA ONLY); NEVADA COUNTY (LAKE TAHOE AREA ONLY); AND PLACER COUNTY (LAKE TAHOE AREA ONLY))PLUM0350-001 | $70.85 | $52.14 | CA20260007 Mod 5 |
| Building, Highway, Heavy | SPRINKLER FITTER (ALPINE, BUTTE, COLUSA, EL DORADO, GLENN, LASSEN, MODOC, NEVADA, PLACER, PLUMAS, SACRAMENTO, SHASTA, SIERRA, SISKIYOU, SUTTER, TEHAMA, …SFCA0669-003 | $81.92 | $52.06 | CA20260007 Mod 5 |
| Residential | PLUMBERSUCA2013-004 | $35.50 | $21.45 | CA20260030 Mod 1 |
Davis-Bacon rates from SAM.gov, read October 25, 2026. Our federal totals are base plus fringe; DOL prints no total. California Davis-Bacon changes
Scheduled increases
DIR has already set these increases. Work on or after each date is paid the higher rate. DIR often leaves part of an increase "to be allocated to wages and/or employer payments" and confirms the split when it comes due, and it can reduce a scheduled increase in a later notice, so check DIR's increase page before you pay it.
| Takes effect | Increase per hour | Total after increase |
|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2027 | +$4.00 | $105.72 |
| July 1, 2028 | +$4.25 | $109.97 |
| July 1, 2029 | +$4.25 | $114.22 |
The double asterisk after DIR's expiration date means the next rate is already set. If the work runs past that date you have to pay the new rate, and DIR says to build it into contracts signed now (DIR FAQ, Q8).
Rate history since 2024
Total hourly rate for this classification in each DIR release. The chart under Scheduled increases above draws the same figures with the increases that follow.
| Release | Total | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2 | $90.22 | |
| 2025-1 | $93.97 | +$3.75 |
| 2025-2 | $97.72 | +$3.75 |
| 2026-1 | $97.72 | no change |
| 2026-2 | $101.72 | +$4.00 |
Every plumber or pipefitter rate in Nevada County
As DIR lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
- Plumber, Steamfitterpart of county$101.72
- Plumber, Pipefitterpart of county$86.82
- Fire Sprinkler Fitter (Protection and Control Systems, Overhead and Underground)$85.39
- Plumber (For Total Plumbing Jobs $150,000 or Under)part of county$82.95
- Light Commercial Plumberpart of county$72.36
- Underground Utility Pipefitter$54.96
- Underground Utility Assistant Journeyman$40.76
- Light Commercial Plumber - Helperpart of county$35.28
- Plumber, Pipefitter Helperpart of county$35.28
- Underground Utility Tradesman$34.65
| Classification | Total | Base | Employer payments | Daily OT | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumber: Fire Sprinkler Fitter (Protection and Control Systems, Overhead and Underground) | $85.39 | $55.23 | $30.16 | $113.01 | 204-669-1 |
| Plumber: Light Commercial Plumber Portion of county lying in the Tahoe Basin area | $72.36 | $46.42 | $25.94 | $95.57 | 204-350-1(Light) |
| Plumber: Light Commercial Plumber - Helper Portion of county lying in the Tahoe Basin area | $35.28 | $26.11 | $9.17 | $48.34 | 204-350-1(Light) |
| Plumber (For Total Plumbing Jobs $150,000 or Under) Rate applies to remainder of county | $82.95 | $57.58 | $25.37 | $111.74 | 204-447-3 |
| Plumber: Plumber, Pipefitter Portion of county lying in the Tahoe Basin area | $86.82 | $58.59 | $28.23 | $116.12 | 204-350-1(1) |
| Plumber: Plumber, Pipefitter Helper Portion of county lying in the Tahoe Basin area | $35.28 | $26.11 | $9.17 | $48.34 | 204-350-1(1) |
| Plumber, Steamfitter Rate applies to remainder of county | $101.72 | $70.37 | $31.35 | $136.91 | 204-447-3 |
| Plumber: Underground Utility Assistant Journeyman | $40.76 | $21.81 | $18.95 | $53.04 | 204-355-1 |
| Plumber: Underground Utility Pipefitter | $54.96 | $36.01 | $18.95 | $74.34 | 204-355-1 |
| Plumber: Underground Utility Tradesman | $34.65 | $18.95 | $15.70 | $45.50 | 204-355-1 |
How Nevada County compares
The main plumber or pipefitter rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and in the nearest counties. All bars use the same scale.
Every county in California
Wage and employer payments, nearby
- Nevada Countybase $70.37$101.72
- Placer Countybase $70.37$101.72
- Sierra Countybase $53.75$101.11
- Yuba Countybase $53.75$101.11
Plumber / Pipefitter rates in nearby counties
Current DIR rates. You pay the rate for the county where the work is done, even if your shop is somewhere else.
| County | Classification | Total | Base | vs Nevada County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada County | Plumber, Steamfitter | $101.72 | $70.37 | |
| Placer County | Plumber, Steamfitter | $101.72 | $70.37 | same |
| El Dorado County | Plumber, Steamfitter | $101.72 | $70.37 | same |
| Sierra County | Plumber, Steamfitter, Refrigeration Fitter (HVAC) | $101.11 | $53.75 | −$0.61 |
| Yuba County | Plumber, Steamfitter, Refrigeration Fitter (HVAC) | $101.11 | $53.75 | −$0.61 |
| Plumas County | Plumber, Steamfitter, Refrigeration Fitter (HVAC) | $101.11 | $53.75 | −$0.61 |
| Butte County | Plumber, Steamfitter, Refrigeration Fitter (HVAC) | $101.11 | $53.75 | −$0.61 |
California plumber or pipefitter prevailing wage by county, with a map
Footnotes on this rate
DIR's footnotes, in DIR's words. Several change the rate itself: zone pay, a percentage added to the total, or which overtime hours get which rate.
- A Includes amount withheld for dues check off.
- AQ Pursuant to Labor Code sections 1773.1 and 1773.8, the amount paid for this employer payment may vary resulting in a lower taxable basic hourly wage rate, but the total hourly rates for straight time and overtime may not be less than the general prevailing rate of per diem wages.
- B Included in straight-time hourly rate.
- AW Rate applies to the first 2 daily overtime hours and the first 10 hours on Saturday; all other time is paid at the Sunday and holiday overtime hourly rate.
- AX Rate applies to the first 2 daily overtime hours and the first 10 hours on Saturday; all other time is paid at the Sunday and holiday overtime hourly rate. Saturdays in the same work week may be worked at straight-time if job is shut down during the normal workweek due to inclement weather.
- AV Rate applies to remainder of county.
DIR's other marks: # means an apprenticeable craft, * means in effect until superseded, ** means the next rate is already set.
More from DIR on this rate
- Holidays (DIR PDF)
- Scope of work: which tasks this rate covers
- Travel and subsistence
- Apprentice rates: DIR publishes these separately, by program. Look them up on DIR.
Are you being paid this rate?
Add your hourly wage to what your employer pays into health, pension and other plans for you, and compare it with $101.72. Plan payments only count if the money goes into the plan; your pay stub won't show them, but plan statements will. The training amount goes to the California Apprenticeship Council or an apprenticeship program, not to you. Check a week of pay.
Contractors on most public works jobs file certified payroll with the state, and anyone can look it up in DIR's CPR public search. If your total comes up short, you can file a public works complaint with the California Labor Commissioner.
Source
California Department of Industrial Relations, general prevailing wage determination 204-447-3: www.dir.ca.gov/oprl/2026-2/PWD/Determinations/Subtrades/NEV.html
Each figure is copied from DIR's file and checked by a second, separate reader. How we check · How to read a determination · Download Nevada County as CSV · Report an error