Updated 2026-10-11 · by Plumbline
Short answer: Since 1 April 2018 it has been an offence to engage a plumber not licensed by PUB for regulated water service and sanitary plumbing works. Simple works are exempt and a handyman may do them: replacing taps and mixers and some accessories, clearing blockages in toilets, sanitary appliances and floor traps, replacing floor trap gratings, and installing or removing sinks and basins.
Plumbline writes these guides from PUB and government sources and published Singapore price data; each claim links to where it comes from.
The rule
PUB’s position is direct: with effect from 1 April 2018, it is an offence for anyone to engage a plumber who is not licensed by PUB for regulated works, and all regulated water service and sanitary plumbing works must be carried out by Licensed Plumbers (PUB).
What a handyman may do (simple works)
PUB lists these as simple works that do not need a Licensed Plumber:
On the water supply side
- Replacing or removing taps and mixers, and some connected accessories such as a shower hose or showerhead
- The pipe between a stop valve and an instantaneous water heater
- Some flushing cistern parts
On the used-water side
- Installing, replacing or removing washbasins, sinks, bathtubs, shower trays or enclosures, floor waste outlets and urinals
- Replacing floor trap or floor waste gratings and covers
- Clearing blockages in floor traps, water closets and sanitary appliances
- Clearing and flushing drainage pipes and related fittings
What needs a PUB Licensed Plumber
Anything outside that list on your water service or sanitary plumbing, such as replacing or rerouting pipes, falls under regulated work.
How to check a licence
Search PUB’s online register of Licensed Plumbers (PUB online search), or find one through the Singapore Plumbing Society or your Town Council. A 2026 comparison of eight plumbing firms found only three publishing a licence number on their website, so ask for it.
Find out who fixes your problem.
Want a plumber to sort it?
A plumber who covers your area calls you back with a price.
Request received.
A plumber who covers your area will call you on the number you gave. If water is flooding, turn off the main stop valve beside your water meter while you wait.
More questions
How do I check if a plumber is licensed?
PUB lists its Licensed Plumbers on its online search. You can also find them through the Singapore Plumbing Society or your Town Council.
Can a handyman install a water heater?
PUB lists the pipe between a stop valve and an instantaneous water heater among the simple works. Other water service work is regulated, and any wiring needs an EMA-licensed electrical worker.