Alabama Master Plumber License Requirements (2026)

Alabama regulates plumbing statewide through the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board (PGFB). The ordinary route is Apprentice Plumber registration, Journeyman Plumber certification, then Master Plumber certification. A journeyman applicant needs two years of current apprentice experience or a board-approved apprentice-training path combined with registered-apprentice time equal to two years. A master applicant needs one year of current experience as a Journeyman Plumber. Beginning January 1, 2026, master applicants must pass both the master plumbing examination and a Business Law examination. A company that bids on or performs plumbing work must register with PGFB and designate an active Principal Master.

Regulatory Body

Under Ala. Code Title 34, Chapter 37; Ala. Admin. Code Chapter 720-X-4., Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board (PGFB) is the body that issues this license and enforces compliance with it. PGFB registers apprentices and plumbing/gas-fitting companies, certifies journeymen and masters, administers examinations through its contracted testing provider, and sets annual certificate and business-registration requirements.

Official portal: https://pgfb.alabama.gov/
Address: 216 Aquarius Drive, Suite 319, Homewood, AL 35209
Phone: (205) 945-4857

Eligibility Requirements

This guide does not establish a minimum applicant age; confirm any age requirement with the issuing authority. Check the current application for identification and tax-number requirements. No residency requirement was identified in the PGFB materials reviewed.

Good moral character

Current out-of-state applicants must be in good standing with no pending disciplinary action in the originating state.

Background investigation

No general fingerprint requirement was identified in the PGFB materials reviewed.

Experience and Education

The applicant must document and verify at least 3 years of Journeyman: two years of current apprentice experience, or a board-approved apprentice-training path combined with registered-apprentice time equal to two years. Master: one year of current experience as a Journeyman Plumber.. Keep payroll, tax, project, or supervisor records to support the claim, as the board can request proof for any period within its lookback window.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

PGFB Application for Examination
Verifiable current apprentice or journeyman work-experience documentation
Declaration of U.S. Citizenship or Lawful Presence of an Alien
Board Appearance Request and supporting documentation when relying on apprentice experience gained through other means

Education substitution

A board-approved apprentice training program may be combined with registered-apprentice time to meet the two-year journeyman requirement.

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: Prov, Inc., after PGFB approves the applicant to test. The following examination requirements cover the pathways described in this guide; follow each part's classification, waiver, and local-scope conditions. Unpublished format details do not remove an examination requirement:

Journeyman Plumber written examination — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score: confirm in the current candidate bulletin
Master Plumber written examination — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score: confirm in the current candidate bulletin
Business Law examination (Master applicants, effective January 1, 2026) — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score: confirm in the current candidate bulletin

Examination fee: Journeyman written examination: $110. Master written examination: $160; Master Business Law examination: $100.

Retake policy: PGFB states that an applicant who passes an examination has 90 calendar days to obtain certification; otherwise the applicant must re-test. Confirm current retake scheduling with PGFB and Prov.

Insurance and Bonds

The cited state source set does not require a contractor license surety bond for this credential. Contractors should still confirm project-specific bond, permit-bond, or public-works bond requirements before bidding.

General liability

No PGFB statewide general-liability minimum was identified for the individual certificate. A city, permit office, customer, or contract may impose its own insurance requirement.

Workers' compensation

Alabama generally requires workers’ compensation coverage for employers with five or more employees, including corporate officers, subject to statutory exceptions. The Department of Labor identifies a separate rule for construction of new single-family detached residences.

Additional financial requirements

No PGFB financial-statement requirement was identified in the materials reviewed.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application	$50
Examination	$260
Initial license	$175
Renewal (every year)	$175

To turn these board fees into a realistic year-one budget — bond premium, liability insurance, and exam prep included — open the cost calculator preloaded for Alabama plumber.

Renewal and Continuing Education

Expect to renew the Alabama Master Plumber Certification and Company Registration every year. Renewal currently costs $175. PGFB lists a $175 annual Master certificate renewal fee and a separate $25 annual business-registration renewal fee.

Continuing education: Master- and Journeyman-Plumber-only certificate holders need four hours of plumbing continuing education or business/compliance courses. Combined plumbing and gas holders need four hours total: two plumbing and two gas-fitting hours.

Reciprocity

Alabama does not accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination for this classification.

Reciprocal State	Accepted Exam	Conditions
No formal bilateral reciprocity agreements identified.

PGFB may certify an out-of-state applicant at the corresponding level when the applicant provides the required verification and meets the Board’s requirements. Do not assume a named-state blanket reciprocity agreement; verify the current route with PGFB.

Weighing more than one jurisdiction? The national hub compares published Plumber license requirements by state — exam, bond, fee, and experience thresholds side by side.

Plumber Licensing in Neighboring States

Contractors working near a state line, or weighing where to qualify first, should compare Alabama's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

Florida Plumber License Requirements — Florida Certified Plumbing Contractor (CFC)
Georgia Plumber License Requirements — Georgia Master Plumber (Class I or Class II)
Mississippi Plumber License Requirements — Mississippi Plumbing Contractor License
Tennessee Plumber License Requirements — Tennessee CMC-A Plumbing Contractor (LLP Limited Licensed Plumber for projects under $25,000)

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Register as an Apprentice Plumber. Submit the Apprentice Registration form, photo identification, lawful-presence declaration, and prescribed fee to PGFB. No written apprentice examination is required.
Complete the journeyman experience path. Accumulate two years of current apprentice experience, or use a board-approved apprenticeship-training route combined with registered-apprentice time equal to two years.
Apply for and pass the Journeyman Plumber examination. Apply through PGFB, provide the lawful-presence declaration and experience proof, then schedule with Prov after Board approval.
Hold Journeyman certification for one year. Document one year of current work experience as a Journeyman Plumber before applying for Master certification.
Pass both Master examinations. Since January 1, 2026, Master applicants must pass the Master Plumber written examination and the Business Law examination.
Obtain and maintain the Master certificate. After passing, complete the initial certification process and pay the applicable processing and certificate fees within PGFB’s 90-day deadline.
Register the contracting business. Before bidding on or performing plumbing work, register the company with PGFB and designate an active Master Plumber as its Principal Master.

Application Checklist

These are the pieces to lock down before filing with PGFB:

Current Apprentice Plumber registration
Two years of qualifying apprentice experience or qualifying board-approved training route
Journeyman Plumber examination application and lawful-presence declaration
Current Journeyman Plumber certificate and one year of current journeyman experience
Master Plumber and Business Law examinations passed
Master processing fee and initial certificate fee paid within 90 days of passing
Company registered with PGFB and active Principal Master designated before contracting
Local permits and employer coverage requirements checked

Common Filing Mistakes

Working from the cited board instructions, here are the snags most likely to trip up a Alabama Plumber filing.

Using the old six-year experience claim

Current PGFB rules require two qualifying apprentice years for the journeyman level and one current journeyman year for the master level.

Missing the Master Business Law examination

It is now a separate master-level examination requirement, effective January 1, 2026.

Operating a company without a Principal Master

A plumbing company must register with PGFB and designate an active Master as Principal Master before bidding or performing work.

Treating gas fitting as plumbing

Gas fitting uses separate classifications and requirements.

Allowing the annual certificate to lapse

PGFB charges annual renewal fees and penalties; track both individual certificate and business-registration renewal.

Study and Reference Materials

What follows are the regulator-cited and commonly used preparation references for this trade. They appear here for convenience only; CLR takes no compensation for them.

2021 International Plumbing Code — International Code Council. PGFB identifies it as the current plumbing-code reference for examinations.
Ala. Code Title 34, Chapter 37 and PGFB Rules 720-X — State of Alabama / PGFB. Licensing law, requirements, and business/compliance reference.
PGFB / Prov Candidate Information Bulletin — Alabama PGFB and Prov, Inc.. Use the current bulletin for scheduling, exam content, timing, and permitted references.

Other Alabama Trade Licenses

CLR covers other Alabama trades as well — the published guides below may be more relevant:

Frequently Asked Questions

How much experience is required for an Alabama Master Plumber?

The PGFB rule requires one year of current work experience as a Journeyman Plumber. The prior journeyman path requires two years of current apprentice experience or the qualifying board-approved training route.

What changed for Master Plumber examinations in 2026?

Effective January 1, 2026, PGFB requires Master-level applicants to pass the Master Plumber written examination and a Business Law examination.

Can a Journeyman Plumber contract directly with the public?

No. PGFB states that a journeyman must be employed by a company with a Principal Master; the company must be properly registered with the Board.

Does an Alabama plumbing company need its own registration?

Yes. PGFB says every company must register before bidding on or performing plumbing or gas-fitting work and must designate a Principal Master responsible for the work.

Is gas fitting included in a Master Plumber certificate?

No. Plumbing and gas fitting have separate classifications. Maintain the appropriate gas-fitting registration or certification for gas work.

Primary Sources

Regulatory requirements on this page are drawn from the official board, statute, and exam-provider materials listed below.

Verified 2026-09-04 · Next scheduled review 2026-12-03

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Corrections and presentation updates

2026-09-30: Corrected examination detection when format details are unpublished and updated the summary layout and requirements score. Source-check dates are unchanged.
2026-09-08: Shared template updated to distinguish unspecified eligibility requirements, retain cost qualifications, and use consistent headings. Source-check dates are unchanged by presentation updates.
2026-09-21: Local-only guides now use a compliance-focused structure and terminology instead of implying a statewide license application. Source-check dates are unchanged by this presentation update.