Kansas Plumber License Requirements (2026)

Kansas does not issue a statewide plumber license. There is no Kansas state plumbing board, no state journeyman or master credential, and no statewide examination. Plumbing licensing is handled entirely at the municipal level. Wichita (Office of Central Inspection) operates the dominant program in the south-central part of the state, requiring Journeyman Plumber and Master Plumber credentials built on documented hours of practical experience and an examination. Overland Park, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County / KCK, Topeka, Lawrence, and Johnson County each run independent plumbing licensing programs. Most Kansas cities accept ICC-administered plumbing examinations in lieu of a city-administered exam. A multi-city plumbing contractor must hold credentials in each jurisdiction where work is performed.

Regulatory Oversight

This license is issued and enforced by Kansas — No Statewide Contractor Licensing (Municipal Authorities) (KS-LOCAL) pursuant to No statewide contractor licensing statute. Authority flows from Kansas home-rule cities under Kan. Const. art. 12 §5 and counties under K.S.A. 19-101a, enforced through municipal building codes adopted from the International Code Council.. Kansas has no state contractor board for general construction, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical trades. Licensing, testing, bonding, and enforcement are handled entirely by individual municipalities and counties. Wichita (Office of Central Inspection), Overland Park (Building Safety Division), the Unified Government of Wyandotte County / Kansas City Kansas, and Topeka (Development Services) operate the dominant programs, with Lawrence, Olathe, Lenexa, Manhattan, and Johnson County operating their own independent programs.

Official portal: https://www.kansas.gov/
Address: Varies by municipality (Wichita, Overland Park, Kansas City KS, Topeka, Lawrence, Olathe, and other home-rule cities)
Phone: Wichita Office of Central Inspection: (316) 268-4481 | Overland Park Building Safety: (913) 895-6225 | KCK Unified Government Neighborhood Resource Center: (913) 573-8600 | Topeka Development Services: (785) 368-3704

Who May Apply

An applicant qualifies only after meeting the age floor of 18 and producing a valid Social Security Number. No statewide residency requirement. Wichita, Overland Park, KCK, and Topeka all accept out-of-state applicants whose business is registered with the Kansas Secretary of State.

Good moral character

Each municipal program reviews applicants individually. Felony convictions and prior license revocations in any state are grounds for denial.

Background investigation

Wichita and Overland Park require a criminal history disclosure on the Master Plumber application. Other cities require disclosure and may run a background check on principal officers.

Required Experience and Education

The applicant must document and verify at least 4 years of Wichita Journeyman Plumber: 8,000 hours (approximately four years) of documented practical plumbing experience under a licensed Master Plumber. Wichita Master Plumber: two additional years of journey-level experience after the Journeyman credential. Overland Park, KCK, and Topeka use comparable experience thresholds tied to ICC Master Plumber eligibility.. 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

Municipal experience verification form signed by each licensed Master Plumber supervisor
W-2 statements, pay stubs, or 1099 records covering the qualifying period
Approved plumbing apprenticeship completion certificate (where applicable)

Education substitution

Approved plumbing apprenticeship and accredited plumbing trade school programs substitute for portions of the experience requirement at the discretion of each city.

Examination Requirements

No state exam. Wichita Office of Central Inspection administers its own Journeyman and Master Plumber examinations. Overland Park, KCK, Topeka, and Johnson County generally accept passing ICC Master Plumber or Journeyman Plumber examination scores in lieu of a city-administered exam. runs the examination for this credential. Issuance is contingent on passing every part below:

Wichita Master Plumber examination — Uniform Plumbing Code or International Plumbing Code, Wichita amendments, business and law — 100 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 75%
ICC Master Plumber examination (accepted by Overland Park, KCK, Topeka, and Johnson County) — 80 questions, 240 minutes, passing score 75%

Examination fee: Wichita exam fee approximately $100 per attempt. ICC exam fee approximately $129 per attempt paid to the International Code Council.

Retake policy: Failed exams may be re-taken after a waiting period set by each city or by ICC. Each application typically remains valid for one year.

Insurance and Financial Requirements

The KS-LOCAL requires a $5,000 contractor license surety bond to be on file before the license will issue.

General liability

Wichita requires $300,000 minimum general liability for plumbing contractors. Overland Park requires $500,000 minimum. KCK and Topeka require $300,000 minimum. Most commercial owners contractually require $1,000,000/$2,000,000.

Workers' compensation

Kansas requires workers' compensation insurance for any employer with a gross annual payroll over $20,000 under K.S.A. 44-505.

Additional financial requirements

No state financial statement requirement. None of the major Kansas cities requires a net-worth statement for a plumbing contractor business license.

Licensing Fees

Fee	Amount
Application (non-refundable)	$150
Examination	$129
Initial license	$200
Renewal (every year)	$200

Keeping the License Current

Renewal of the Kansas Plumber (Municipal — Wichita, Overland Park, KCK, Topeka) comes due every year. As cited, the renewal fee stands at $200. Kansas municipal plumber licenses are almost universally annual. Calendar every jurisdiction separately.

Continuing education: Wichita requires continuing education for plumbers on a renewal cycle set by the Office of Central Inspection. Other Kansas cities generally do not impose CE for plumber renewals at the municipal level.

Downloadable Asset

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

Download the PDF roadmap →

Reciprocity and License Transfer

The NASCLA Accredited Examination is not accepted by Kansas for this classification.

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

Kansas reciprocity is effectively nonexistent at the state level because there is no state credential to reciprocate. Some Johnson County cities honor each other's plumber licenses through the shared JoCo program. Holding an ICC Master Plumber certification streamlines applications across multiple Kansas cities even though it is not formal reciprocity.

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

Application Process, Step by Step

Identify every jurisdiction where work will occur. Kansas has no state license. List every city and county where you intend to perform plumbing work.
Document journey-level plumbing experience. Most Kansas cities require approximately 8,000 hours (four years) under a licensed Master Plumber for Journeyman eligibility, plus two additional years for Master eligibility.
Pass the ICC Master Plumber examination. A passing ICC score is accepted by Overland Park, KCK, Topeka, and Johnson County. Wichita administers its own exam in addition.
Apply to the City of Wichita Office of Central Inspection. Submit the Master Plumber application with experience documentation, exam pass, insurance certificates, and fee.
Apply to Overland Park, KCK, and Topeka. Each city requires its own application, ICC exam pass certificate, insurance, and annual fee.
Add Johnson County multi-city licensing if working in JoCo. Johnson County operates a shared contractor and plumber licensing program covering most JoCo cities with a single license.
Renew annually and verify before each permit. Kansas municipal plumber licenses are annual. Calendar each city separately.

Document Checklist

The items below are the ones worth confirming before the application is filed with KS-LOCAL:

☐ Documented 8,000+ hours of journey-level plumbing experience
☐ ICC Master Plumber exam pass certificate (or Wichita exam pass)
☐ General liability insurance certificate ($300K – $1M minimum)
☐ Kansas workers' compensation certificate (above $20,000 payroll)
☐ Wichita Office of Central Inspection Master Plumber application and fee
☐ Overland Park Building Safety plumber registration and fee
☐ KCK Unified Government plumber registration and fee
☐ City of Topeka Development Services plumber registration and fee
☐ Johnson County multi-city plumber license (if applicable)

Recommended References

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.

International Plumbing Code (current adopted edition) — International Code Council. Primary technical reference for Overland Park, KCK, Topeka, and most JoCo cities.
Uniform Plumbing Code (current adopted edition) — IAPMO. Historical Wichita reference. Confirm the current adopted code with the Office of Central Inspection.
ICC Master Plumber Exam Prep — International Code Council. Standard prep for the ICC Master Plumber examination accepted by most Kansas cities.
Wichita Code of Ordinances Chapter 18 — Buildings and Building Regulations — City of Wichita, Kansas. Direct source for Wichita plumbing licensing and code amendments.

Frequent Application Errors

Based on the board's own instructions and the sources cited here, the problems below are what most often stall a Kansas Plumber application.

Assuming a state license exists

Kansas has no state plumber license. Out-of-state applicants often waste time searching for a state board that does not exist.

Studying the wrong plumbing code

Wichita and the Kansas City metro cities historically use different code families (UPC vs IPC). Confirm the adopted code with each city before sitting for an exam.

Skipping the ICC exam

A passing ICC Master Plumber score streamlines applications in Overland Park, KCK, Topeka, and Johnson County.

Missing the Johnson County multi-city program

A single Johnson County plumber license covers most JoCo cities. Applying individually to each city overpays.

Letting any single city lapse

A lapse in any one city freezes plumbing permits there until renewal is processed and late fees are paid.

Other Kansas Trade Licenses

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

Questions Applicants Ask

Does Kansas have a state plumber license?

No. Kansas has no statewide plumber licensing. Wichita, Overland Park, KCK, Topeka, Lawrence, and Johnson County cities each run independent programs.

How many hours of experience does Wichita require for a Master Plumber?

Approximately 8,000 hours (four years) under a licensed Master Plumber to become a Journeyman, plus an additional two years of journey-level experience to qualify as a Master.

Do Kansas cities accept the ICC plumbing exam?

Yes. Overland Park, KCK, Topeka, and Johnson County all accept passing ICC Master Plumber or Journeyman Plumber scores. Wichita administers its own exam in addition.

What plumbing code do Kansas cities use?

It varies. Wichita has historically used the Uniform Plumbing Code with local amendments while Overland Park, KCK, and Topeka generally adopt the International Plumbing Code. Confirm the adopted edition with each city before testing or pulling permits.

Does Kansas reciprocate plumber credentials?

No meaningful state reciprocity because there is no state credential. ICC Master Plumber certification eases multi-city applications but is not formal reciprocity.

Primary Sources

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

Verified 2026-05-23 · Next scheduled review 2026-08-21