Indiana Plumbing Contractor License Requirements (2026)

Indiana licenses journeyman plumbers and plumbing contractors statewide through the Indiana Plumbing Commission within the Professional Licensing Agency (PLA). Applicants for either examination must qualify through the applicable four-year experience route; the contractor route is not a mandatory extra two years after becoming a journeyman. Commission rules define four years as at least 6,400 hours over at least four years, with no more than 40 hours counted in a calendar week; a completed approved apprenticeship also includes at least 576 classroom hours. Local governments can still require contractor registration and project permits in addition to the state credential.

Regulatory Body

Indiana Plumbing Commission — Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA) is the statutory authority responsible for issuing and enforcing this license under Indiana Code 25-28.5; 860 IAC 1 (Plumbing Commission rules); 675 IAC 16 (Indiana Plumbing Code). The Indiana Plumbing Commission, administered by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (IPLA), licenses Plumbing Contractors and Journeyman Plumbers statewide, approves apprenticeship programs, and conducts disciplinary proceedings under IC 25-28.5.

Official portal: https://www.in.gov/pla/professions/plumbing/
Address: 402 W. Washington Street, Room W072, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Phone: (317) 234-3009

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Applicants must provide a Social Security Number. Indiana residents use the approved-apprenticeship or verified-experience routes. Nonresidents follow the separate out-of-state license or experience rules in IC 25-28.5-1-12 and PLA instructions.

Good moral character

PLA requires applicants to explain positive responses and submit supporting court documents where applicable; the Commission reviews the application under its licensing authority.

Background investigation

PLA’s application instructions require positive-response documentation, including the violation, location, date, cause number, disposition, and court documents.

Experience and Education

The experience bar is 4 years of For a four-year experience route, Commission rules require at least 6,400 hours in the plumbing trade over at least four years. An approved four-year apprenticeship requires at least 576 classroom hours and 6,400 related on-the-job-training hours. PLA publishes distinct qualifying documentation routes for journeyman and contractor applicants., and it must be backed by verifiable records — typically payroll, tax, project, or supervisor documentation covering the claimed period.

Accepted proof of experience or eligibility

Approved apprenticeship certificate of completion with sponsor signature
Employer affidavit verifying qualifying plumbing-trade experience
If an employer affidavit cannot be obtained, an affidavit explaining why; PLA says W-2s may also be submitted in that circumstance
For the published out-of-state route, current active out-of-state plumbing-license verification

Education substitution

An approved apprenticeship is a listed qualification route. The Commission’s rule specifies the classroom and related on-the-job-training components; do not assume stand-alone trade-school coursework substitutes for them.

Exam Requirements

Testing provider or authority: PROV (after the Plumbing Commission approves examination eligibility).. 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:

Indiana Journeyman Plumber examination — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score: confirm in the current candidate bulletin
Indiana Plumbing Contractor examination — question count: confirm with the authority, timing: confirm with the authority, passing score: confirm in the current candidate bulletin

Examination fee: PLA lists a $30 journeyman application fee and a $50 contractor application fee. Obtain the current examination charge and scheduling instructions from PROV after Commission approval.

Retake policy: PLA says incomplete applications are abandoned after one year. Its FAQ states that an applicant may take the test up to seven times within a two-year period; confirm current scheduling and fee rules with PROV.

Insurance and Bonds

There is no statewide surety bond tied to this credential in the cited record. Bonding can still surface at the project level — permit, license, or public-works bonds — so check before you bid.

General liability

PLA’s current statewide plumbing application instructions do not list a general-liability minimum. A local registration, permit, project owner, or contract may require insurance.

Workers' compensation

Workers’ compensation obligations depend on the business and workforce. Local permit or contractor-registration processes may require proof; verify the requirement with the relevant local authority.

Additional financial requirements

PLA’s current statewide plumbing application instructions do not list a financial-statement requirement. Local requirements may differ.

Fee Schedule

Fee	Amount
Application	$50
Initial license	$100
Renewal (every 2 years)	$100

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 Indiana plumber.

Renewal and Continuing Education

The Indiana Plumbing Contractor (and Journeyman Plumber) runs on a 2 years renewal cycle. The current renewal fee is $100. Journeyman and plumbing contractor licenses expire December 31 of every odd year. Published renewal fees are $30 for journeymen and $100 for contractors.

Continuing education: PLA’s current plumbing renewal instructions do not list a continuing-education requirement for journeyman or contractor renewal.

Downloadable Asset

2026 Indiana Plumber License Roadmap (PDF) — a printable step-by-step checklist for the application process.

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity

For this classification, Indiana does not recognize the NASCLA Accredited Examination.

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

PLA’s current plumbing FAQ says reciprocity is not available for journeyman and contractor plumbers. Out-of-state applicants should use the current PLA application instructions rather than assume a waiver.

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 Indiana's requirements against the bordering jurisdictions before committing to an application:

Illinois Plumber License Requirements — Illinois Licensed Plumber and Plumbing Contractor Registration
Kentucky Plumber License Requirements — Kentucky Master Plumber (and Journeyman Plumber)
Michigan Plumber License Requirements — Michigan Journey Plumber / Master Plumber / Plumbing Contractor
Ohio Plumber License Requirements — Ohio Plumbing Contractor (OCILB Commercial License)

Step-by-Step Application Roadmap

Choose the license type and qualifying route. Review PLA’s current journeyman or contractor instructions. Both use the applicable four-year apprenticeship, trade-experience, out-of-state-license, or plumbing-business route.
Complete approved training or document experience. For the four-year experience route, document at least 6,400 hours over at least four years. For an approved apprenticeship, obtain the completion certificate from the sponsor.
Submit the online application and supporting evidence. Submit the applicable $30 journeyman or $50 contractor application, experience documents, and any positive-response documentation.
Obtain Commission approval before scheduling. PLA says the Plumbing Commission must review and approve examination eligibility before the candidate registers with PROV.
Pass the applicable examination. Schedule through PROV after approval and retain the resulting credential and application records.
Meet local registration and permit requirements. The state license does not replace a city or county contractor registration, permit, inspection, or project-specific insurance requirement.
Renew by the applicable biennial deadline. Journeyman and contractor licenses expire December 31 of every odd year; the published renewal fees are $30 and $100, respectively.

Application Checklist

Before submitting to IPLA, the applicant should have each of the following ready:

Select the journeyman or contractor application route
Approved apprenticeship completion certificate or employer experience affidavits
Positive-response documentation, if applicable
$30 journeyman or $50 contractor application fee
Commission examination-eligibility approval
PROV examination registration
Local contractor registration, permit, and project documentation as applicable

Common Filing Mistakes

The following pitfalls summarize the issues most likely to delay, return, or derail a Indiana Plumber application based on the published board instructions and source materials cited on this page.

Using obsolete examination details

PLA’s current instructions direct approved candidates to PROV. Confirm the current bulletin, fee, allowed references, and scheduling requirements after Commission approval.

Miscounting the four-year experience route

Commission rules define four years as at least 6,400 hours over at least four years and limit the count to 40 hours in a calendar week. Preserve employer affidavits and other requested evidence.

Assuming contractor applicants need two extra journeyman years

PLA’s contractor instructions list qualifying four-year apprenticeship, trade-experience, out-of-state-license, and plumbing-business routes. Review the exact route before planning the application.

Assuming the statewide license replaces local approval

A local authority may still require registration, a permit, inspection, or project documentation. For example, Shelbyville directs applicants to provide proof of an active state plumbing credential for its local registration.

Assuming out-of-state licensure means automatic transfer

PLA’s current FAQ says reciprocity is not available for journeyman and contractor plumbers. Follow the current out-of-state application route and obtain Commission approval.

Study and Reference Materials

The list below collects the board's cited references and the materials applicants typically study from. CLR is not paid to recommend any of them.

Indiana Plumbing Licensing Information — Indiana PLA. Current application, renewal, fee, and FAQ information.
Indiana Plumbing Commission rules compilation — Indiana PLA. Experience, apprenticeship, and verification rules.
Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission rules — State of Indiana. Current statewide code-rule index.

Other Indiana Trade Licenses

For a different Indiana credential, see these companion guides published by CLR:

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Indiana require a state plumbing license?

Yes. Plumbing is the one Indiana construction trade with full statewide licensing. The Indiana Plumbing Commission, administered by IPLA, issues both Journeyman Plumber and Plumbing Contractor licenses under IC 25-28.5.

How many hours of apprenticeship does Indiana require?

Commission rules define the four-year route as at least 6,400 hours in the plumbing trade over at least four years. An approved four-year apprenticeship also includes at least 576 classroom hours and 6,400 related on-the-job-training hours.

What is the difference between a Journeyman Plumber and a Plumbing Contractor in Indiana?

Indiana issues separate statewide journeyman plumber and plumbing contractor licenses. PLA publishes distinct application routes for each; the contractor route can be based on the listed four-year qualification routes and is not described as a mandatory two-year post-journeyman step.

What plumbing code does Indiana use?

Use the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission’s current rules and the local authority having jurisdiction to identify the code requirements for the particular project. Do not rely on an outdated exam-prep code edition.

Does Indiana reciprocate plumbing licenses?

PLA’s current FAQ says reciprocity is not available for journeyman and contractor plumbers. An out-of-state applicant should follow the current PLA application instructions and obtain Commission approval before scheduling an examination.

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.