CT-P2 Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows

What the Available Data Actually Shows

Anyone searching for a "CT-P2 pass rate" is usually hoping for a single number - something like "72% of candidates pass on the first try." That number does not exist in any public Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) or PSI Services document. Unlike some national certification bodies that release annual pass/fail statistics, the Plumbing and Piping Work Examining Board and PSI have not published a scored pass-rate figure for the P-2 Unlimited Journeyperson Plumber examination. Anyone citing a specific percentage for this exam is either guessing or confusing it with a different credential entirely.

So instead of inventing a statistic, this article looks at what actually determines whether a candidate passes: the scoring structure, the question format, the allowed references, the domain weighting, and the retake rules. Those mechanics - all drawn directly from the PSI candidate bulletin revised February 4, 2026 - tell you far more about your real odds than a vague percentage ever could.

Passing Score Mechanics: 49 of 70

The P-2 exam is scored on a straightforward basis: 70 scored questions, 70% passing threshold, which works out to 49 correct answers. Up to 10 additional unscored (pretest) questions may be mixed into the same 150-minute session, meaning you could see as many as 80 questions total without knowing which ones count. This is a common design in PSI-administered licensing exams, and it means candidates should treat every question as if it counts toward the score, because there's no way to identify the unscored items during the test.

For a full breakdown of exactly what 49-of-70 means in practice and how it compares to other licensing thresholds, see our dedicated CT-P2 Passing Score 2026 guide.

Exam Format and Question Style

The P-2 exam is computer-based and open-book - a detail that changes how you should prepare compared to a closed-book licensing exam. Candidates are allowed to bring their own copies of approved references, including the International Plumbing Code (2015, 2018, or 2021 editions), NFPA 54 (National Fuel Gas Code or Handbook, 2012), NFPA 58 (Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code, 2014), OSHA 29 CFR 1926, Water Processing: Residential, Commercial, Light Industrial (3rd edition, 2000), and the current PSI-listed edition of NFPA 56.

Two commonly recommended study titles - Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters and Plumbing Design and Installation - are study-only resources. You cannot bring them into the exam room, so any calculations or formulas from those books need to be memorized or reconstructed from the codes you're allowed to carry.

• Prior highlighting, underlining, annotation, and permanent tabs in your books: allowed.
• Loose notes, attached papers, question-and-answer sheets, or temporary tabs: prohibited.
• Writing inside your reference books during the exam itself: prohibited.
• A silent, nonprinting, nonprogrammable calculator: permitted.

Because the exam is open-book, PSI's writers tend to lean on application-style questions rather than simple recall - expect scenario-based prompts that require you to locate a code section quickly rather than answer from memory alone. That means your ability to navigate a tabbed code book under time pressure is arguably as important as your raw content knowledge. We cover navigation strategy in more depth in the CT-P2 Study Guide 2026.

Domain Weighting and Where Candidates Lose Points

PSI's published outline breaks the 70 scored questions across 16 content domains. Not all domains carry equal weight, and understanding that distribution is the single most actionable thing you can do with "pass rate" data in the absence of an actual published pass percentage.

The remaining domains - General Plumbing Regulations, Gas Systems, Cleanouts, Fixtures and Equipment, Water Heaters, Piping Valves and Controls, Water Supply, Hangers and Supports, Backflow, Traps and Interceptors, Joints and Connections, Safety and Excavation, and Water Treatment - round out the rest of the 70-question exam in smaller allocations. For a full question-by-question domain map, read the CT-P2 Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 16 Content Areas.

Eligibility Window and Retake Rules

Connecticut's structure gives candidates more room to maneuver than many state licensing programs. Once DCP approves your eligibility - through an approved apprenticeship or the documented equivalency route (8,000 on-the-job hours plus 576 classroom hours) - that eligibility window stays open for one year. Within that year, you may schedule and sit for the PSI exam as many times as needed.

This unlimited-attempts structure is important context for anyone worried about a "one shot" pass rate. There is no cap on retakes within the eligibility period, which shifts the real risk from "can I pass at all" to "how many $59 attempts will it take, and how much study time can I realistically fit into a year." Full eligibility requirements, including the equivalency path, are broken down in CT-P2 Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.

Who Sits for the P-2 Exam

P-2 Unlimited Journeyperson Plumber is a working credential, not a supervisory or business license. P-2 holders are legally required to work as employees of properly licensed contractors - they cannot pull their own permits or run an independent plumbing business. That's the distinction from Connecticut's P-1 contractor license, which additionally requires a Business and Law examination that P-2 candidates do not take.

This narrower scope shapes who actually shows up to test: apprentices finishing their hours, tradespeople transferring in from equivalent out-of-state experience, and journeypersons who completed DCP's equivalency documentation path. If you're still unclear on how P-2 differs from other plumbing credentials in Connecticut, our explainer on What Is CT-P2? lays out the classification in plain terms, and CT-P2 Jobs covers the kinds of employers who hire licensed journeypersons.

Fees and the Real Cost of a Failed Attempt

Every PSI attempt costs $59, separate from DCP's $90 application fee. Neither fee is refunded if you fail and need to reschedule. Multiply $59 by however many attempts it takes, and the "pass rate" question becomes a budgeting question as much as a knowledge question.

For a complete cost breakdown including CE requirements, see CT-P2 Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown. Once licensed, journeypersons must also complete five approved CE credit hours every two years by July 31 of odd-numbered years, with the first renewal cycle exempt - a detail worth planning around well before your license's October 31 expiration date.

A Domain-Based Study Timeline

Rather than a generic study calendar, the most efficient approach ties your available prep weeks directly to the PSI outline's weight distribution - heavier domains get more repetitions, lighter domains get a single focused review pass.

If you'd rather follow a structured plan end-to-end instead of building your own, the CT-P2 Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt walks through a complete preparation sequence, and How Hard Is the CT-P2 Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 gives added context on where candidates typically underestimate the workload.

Frequently Asked Questions