Plumbers, Gasfitters
and Drainlayers Board
Examination information
Examination information
Plumbing, gasfitting, drainlaying and Certifying examinations
The Board's registration examinations are offered through an online platform delivered by Aspeq.
Examination support
Candidates can get special assessment conditions if they have a disability or difficulty which they believe could impair their performance sitting the Board’s registration examinations.
Interactive Certifying examination module
Get ready for your certifying exam with the Board's new step-by-step module on what you can expect when it comes to sitting your certifying exam.
Go to Certifying examination module
Plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying examinations
The Boards plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying registration exams are delivered by Aspeq throughout the year, but advanced bookings are necessary.
Venues and timetables are listed on the ASPEQ website.
How to book your plumbing, gasfitting or drainlaying exam with Aspeq
- Register with Aspeq: https://pgdb.aspeqexams.com/registration
- Log in to your PGDB trade log in: https://www.pgdb.co.nz/trade-log-in/
- Download your examination eligibility report – You can find this under the exams tab, accessible from the top menu
- Upload your eligibility report onto your Aspeq account
- Once the eligibility has been validated, you will be able to book your examination.
Contact the Aspeq team on (04) 913 9812 or by email at info@aspeq.com if you need help.
Plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying past examination papers
Past examination papers from 2018 onwards
- Online examinations are generated for each sitting, so no examples are available. Watch a video about the types of questions in online exams.
Past exam papers up until 2017
- The answer papers below were compiled as guidelines for the markers of the corresponding examinations. Alternative answers, when appropriate, were marked on their own merit.
- Legislation, registration class names, standards and practices mentioned in the answer papers were valid at the time of the appropriate examinations and have not been reviewed against new or updated legislation and/or bibliography.
- These are available for reference only and preparation should be based on up-to-date practices and resources.
- For technical advice and tutoring towards examinations, please contact your local or preferred training provider directly.
Plumbing questions
Plumbing answers
Gasfitting questions
Gasfitting answers
Drainlaying questions
Drainlaying answers
Certifying examinations
The online certifying examinations are computer based and consist of 65 - 70 questions. 75% of the questions will be electronically answered, and 25% will need to be answered on a paper exam sheet.
The exams consist of a range of question types for the computer-based exams, including:
- Multiple choice/single choice (one correct answer from a range of possible answers)
- Inline (select a word/phrase to complete a statement)
- Numerical
- Multi-select (select the number of correct answer options)
The paper-based questions will require the candidate to draw, design or fill in answers on a diagram, much like the current plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying examinations.
The exam lasts for two and a half hours and costs $410.00 (GST inclusive).
Reference materials will be supplied to candidates as a PDF within the exam, if you require hard copies of the codes and standards when sitting your exam, you will need to apply for special conditions prior to booking your exam with Aspeq.
Where can I sit the exam?
The current Aspeq examination centre locations are:
- Every week in; East Tamaki, North Shore, Hamilton, Lower Hutt, Oamaru, and Christchurch
- Every week with limited seats in: Blenheim, Greymouth, and Timaru
- Twice a month in; Tauranga, Rotorua, Palmerston North, Whanganui, Havelock North, Motueka, Blenheim, Dunedin, Wanaka, and Invercargill
- Every three weeks in; Whangārei, New Plymouth, and Gisborne
- By arrangement in some overseas locations.
Can I sit the examination as many times as I need?
Yes. You can book your second attempt as early as the next available sitting. A three month stand down period will be enforced after a failed second attempt.
How can I book?
To book your examination you will need to:
- Register with Aspeq
- Download your examination eligibility report from your trade login and email it to info@aspeq.com
- After receiving confirmation your eligibility report has been loaded, log on to your Aspeq account, book and pay for your examination.
Certifying examinations past papers
NEW for 2025 - Mock Exams
The PDF mock exams available are designed to give you a clear understanding of the exam format and the types of questions you can expect. These mock exams do not contain actual questions from the official exam. They have been created as a practice tool to help familiarise you with the structure and difficulty level of the exam.
Certifying mock exam questions
Past exam papers 2020 - 2023
We have a limited selection of past exams for you to use as a study resource. This is because some of the older exams may contain outdated content or formats that no longer align with our current exam. Additionally, the format of our examinations has changed, and many of the questions now differ from those in previous years.
In our new format, we will be using a range of question types for the computer-based exams, including:
- Multiple choice/single choice (one correct answer from a range of possible answers)
- Inline (select a word/phrase to complete a statement)
- Numerical
- Multi-select (select the number of correct answer options)
We encourage you to use the available exams as a guide, but also to consult more recent study materials and resources to ensure your exam prep is up to date.
Certifying plumbing questions
Certifying plumbing answers
Certifying gasfitting questions
Certifying gasfitting answers
Certifying drainlaying questions
Certifying drainlaying answers
Examination refresher courses
Trade Lab's online, on-demand refresher courses
By providing a one-stop-shop for anyone sitting their Board examinations, Trade Lab’s ultimate goal is to help people feel confident and prepared, so they can pass with flying colours.
Trade Lab offers online refresher courses designed to take you through a logical and sequential series of modules capable of being completed in six weeks (although available for longer).
Trade Lab has helped over 200 plumbers, gasfitters, and drainlayers pass their examinations, now it's your turn!
Visit courses.tradelab.co for more information.
TTE Plumbing and Drainlaying Education
Up-skill and prepare for Board exams with custom in-house plumbing and drainlaying courses at Auckland based TTE.
Visit TTE | Plumbing and Drainlaying Education for more information.
Certifying examination refresher courses
Certifying plumber courses, May-June 2025 - Auckland
Certifying drainlaying courses, May-June 2025 - Auckland
Drainlaying examination refresher courses
Drainlaying - Auckland - Jim Roskvist
Gas Training Consultants Ltd
Wellington based and available elsewhere on request.
Gasfitting examination refresher courses
Gasfitting - Gas Training Consultants - Lynn Oxenbridge
Special conditions and examination support
If you have a long-term or short-term health, physical, or learning disability that would significantly impair your ability to sit an exam, you can apply to the Board for assistance with your exam.
Assistance can be in the form of one or more of the following:
-
an exam assistant - an exam assistant will read you the exam questions.
-
a separate room – you will be able to sit your exam in a separate room to other candidates
-
30 minutes extra time
-
hardcopy resources – you can receive hard copy resources instead of referring to resources on your exam computer
-
verbal examination - a verbal exam allows you to have an assessor to read you the exam questions; and write down the answers that you verbalise. Your exam will be conducted in a separate room and you will be allocated 30 minutes extra to complete the exam.
How to make an application
Fill in and submit an application for special exam conditions. Your application must give reasons why you need special assistance which is supported by a current report from an independent, registered professional recommending the assistance that is required to address your specified needs.
Who can support your application for special exam conditions?
Literacy Aotearoa provides a support programme for candidates that struggle with literacy and numeracy, dyslexia, the use of English, or severe anxiety. Many learning support services offered by Literacy Aotearoa or other parties are free or funded by government – however fees may be payable if undertaken and no such funding is available.
Literacy can supply a report which confirms your need for special conditions.
Contact Literacy Aotearoa on 0800 678910 or email admin@literacy.co.nz for more information.
FAQs
How much does the examination cost?
The plumbing, gasfitting and drainlaying examinations cost $330 each and the Certifying examination costs $410.
How many questions are in each examination?
The examination consists of 70 questions with a duration of 2.5 hours.
How can I prepare for my examination?
It is recommended that you do a minimum of 200 hours of study per examination.
There are refresher courses available to candidates preparing to sit the registration examinations.
What does the examination look like?
Aspeq have published a video of what the examinations look like.
Where can I sit an examination?
I struggle with examinations, is there anything available to help me sit and pass my examination?
Special assessment conditions are available if you have a long-term disability/difficulty or a short-term disability (through accident or injury, which you believe will significantly impair your performance in examinations). Information on the special assessment conditions available can be found above these FAQs.
What should I do once I have passed my examination?
Once you have sat and passed your examination, you need to apply for registration as a plumber, gasfitter or drainlayer. This process is not automatic.
Contact
If you need more help or have an exam question, call us on 0800 743 262 (+64 4 494 2970 from overseas) or email exams@pgdb.co.nz