Washington state began to issue plastic wallet cards to licensed plumbers.
We must carry the card while working the trade.
We must show the card on demand.
We must go to school every year to maintain the license. We must pay for the school.
We must pay for the renewal.

The following is from the state's site. Notice the pictured card is for Donald Duck, the electrician. His boss is Mickey Mouse.

Licensing & Registration

New licenses for construction, electrical, elevator contractors and electrical administrators.
New colored plastic cards for tradespeople.

The Department of Labor & Industries has redesigned the license, registration and certificates issued to construction, electrical, elevator contractors, and electrical administrators. Contractors and administrators will no longer receive a wallet sized card.

Tradespeople, (electricians, trainees, elevator mechanics, plumbers, and manufactured home installers) must have their certificate/license card with them when on the jobsite. Tradespeople will be issued a new more durable plastic wallet sized card. These new cards will also have a color stripe to help identify their qualifications and certification. An example of the new cards to be issued to individuals is shown below.

:
- Indicates person is certified to work without supervision within a specific specialty. Individuals with this color have qualified for, taken, and passed an examination for a specific specialty. No supervision is required for workers with a yellow stripe when working in their specific specialty.
  - Specialty Master Electricians.
  - Specialty Electricians.
  - Specialty Plumbers.
  - Modified Electrical Trainees (unsupervised).
- Indicates journeyman status – No supervision is required for workers with a green stripe when working in their respective industry.
  - Master General Electricians (01).
  - General Electricians (01).
  - Plumbers (01).
  - Elevator Mechanics.
  - Manufactured Home Installers.

- Indicates person is a trainee or has a temporary certificate. Individuals with this color have not qualified for, taken, and passed an examination for the certification.
  - Trainee: requires some level of supervision.
  - Temporary elevator mechanic: does not require supervision.

The department will begin issuing the new licenses and cards beginning September, 2011.

The department will not be re-issuing cards/licenses to those who have an active license. The new licenses/cards will be issued through standard renewal, new license or the request for replacement card process.

This is an example of the new wall licenses that will be issued by the department beginning September 2011. These will be issued to Construction, Electrical and Elevator contractors and Electrical Administrators. We have added the UBI number to the contractor licenses and registrations issued. The information indicating the contractor type and specialty has been relocated and is more clear. These licenses will be on green card stock with the Washington State seal in the background.