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Plumber — License Requirements by State
Installs and repairs water, gas and drainage systems. Journeyman plumber licenses vary by state and locality; many require apprenticeship hours plus an exam.
11 of 51 states populated with official data (retrieved 2026-08-20).
By The LicenseFig Editorial Team · independent editorial research project
How to get your Plumber license
- Check your state requirements. Open the requirements table for your state on this page — education hours, exam vendor, fees and retake rules.
- Complete pre-license education. Finish the required education hours (or approved equivalent) from an accepted provider.
- Pass the background check. Submit fingerprints and clear the required criminal background check where applicable.
- Register and pass the exam. Register with the exam vendor (PSI, Pearson VUE or Prometric), then pass the national and state portions.
- Pay the license fee. Submit the application and license fee to the state board to receive your license.
- Keep it active. Track renewal dates and continuing-education hours using the License Renewal Calculator.
How much does it cost to get your Plumber license?
Costs vary by state. Most charge a modest application or license fee — often between $0 and $120 — and a handful of states also require a small exam fee. A few occupations add pre-license education tuition. See the Fees column in the table below for your state, then compare costs across states with the Exam Cost Compare tool.
| State | Education | Exam | Pass % | Fees | Retake | Reciprocity | Official |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| AZ | — | — | — | — | — | No state-level journeyman plumber license — the Arizona Registrar of Contractors licenses plumbing contractors (C-37) | Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC) ↗ |
| AR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CA | — | — | — | — | — | No state-level plumber license — plumbing contractors are licensed by the CSLB (C-36 Plumbing Contractor); journeymen are not state-licensed | California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) ↗ |
| CO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| CT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| DC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| FL | — | — | — | — | — | No state-level journeyman plumber license — DBPR licenses plumbing contractors (Certified/Registered) | Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) ↗ |
| GA | — | · 70% | — | App $40 | — | No — Georgia has no plumbing reciprocity agreements; out-of-state plumbers apply and pass the exam | Georgia Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) — Division of Master Plumbers and Journeyman Plumbers ↗ |
| HI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ID | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IL | — | — | — | — | — | No state license — plumber licensing is municipal in Illinois (Chicago and other local jurisdictions); there is no statewide plumbing license | City of Chicago Department of Buildings (no state-level plumber license in Illinois) ↗ |
| IN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| IA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| KY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| LA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| ME | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MI | — | · 70% · $100 | — | App $40 · Lic $40 | — | No — Michigan does not have reciprocity agreements for plumbers | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) — Bureau of Construction Codes, Plumbing Division ↗ |
| MN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MS | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MO | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| MT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NH | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NM | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NY | — | — | — | — | — | No state license — NYC DOB licenses master plumbers locally; other jurisdictions (counties, upstate cities) license separately | New York City Department of Buildings (licensing is at the local, not state, level) ↗ |
| NC | — | · 70% · $75 | — | App $100 · Lic $75 | — | Limited/none — NC licenses Plumbing Technicians and Plumbing Contractors (P-I/P-II); reciprocity is not offered for most paths | North Carolina State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors ↗ |
| ND | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OH | — | — | — | — | — | No state-level journeyman plumber license — OCILB licenses plumbing contractors (commercial) at the state level | Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — Ohio Department of Commerce ↗ |
| OK | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| OR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| PA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| RI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SC | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SD | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| TX | 48 hrs | · $40 | — | App $40 · Lic $40 | 30 days after a failed attempt, increasing with each retake; up to 5 attempts within 1 year | No blanket reciprocity — TSBPE reviews each case; holding a journeyman/master license from another state waives the 48-hour training requirement | Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) ↗ |
| UT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VT | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VA | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WA | — | · 70% · $202.1 | — | · Lic $242.7 | — | Yes — Idaho only, for journey level plumbers (bilateral) | Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) — Plumber Certification Program ↗ |
| WV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WI | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| WY | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
● Data updated 2026-08-20Data retrieved 2026-08-20 from state boards, PSI, Pearson VUE and CMS. Requirements change — verify with your state board before enrolling or paying. Dash (—) = not published / pending verification.
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