Plumber License Requirements by State
Installs and repairs water, gas, and drainage systems. This page currently compares 50 of 51 jurisdictions published jurisdictions for plumber contractors while the remaining states are still being researched and drafted. Every row links to the verified state page with statute citations, fees, exam scope, insurance, and renewal rules.
- Published guides
- 50
- Require trade exam
- 50
- Require surety bond
- 17
- Local / municipal
- 16
- Avg published experience
- 4.4 yr
Comparison table — 50 of 51 jurisdictions
Scroll horizontally on smaller screens. Use the sort control to compare low-fee states, high-bond states, or the jurisdictions with the heaviest published experience requirements. Click any state to open the verified license page.
16 of these published jurisdictions rely on local or municipal licensing instead of a single statewide credential.
| State | License | Exam | Experience | Bond | Initial fee | Renewal | NASCLA | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Alabama Master Plumber (and Journeyman Plumber) | Yes | 6 yr | — | $150 | 1 yr | — | — |
| Alaska | Alaska Journeyman Plumber Certificate of Fitness | Yes | 4 yr | $10,000 | $200 | 2 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to issued certificate |
| Arizona | Arizona Plumbing Contractor (C-37, CR-37, or L-37) | Yes | 4 yr | $4,250 | $480 | 2 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to wallet card |
| Arkansas | Arkansas Master Plumber (Restricted / Unrestricted) and Journeyman Plumber | Yes | 2 yr | — | $80 | 1 yr | — | 45 – 90 days from application to wallet card |
| California | California Class C-36 — Plumbing Contractor | Yes | 4 yr | $25,000 | $200 | 2 yr | — | 4 – 6 months |
| Colorado | Colorado Master Plumber (and Plumbing Contractor Registration) | Yes | 7 yr | — | $88 | 3 yr | — | 7 – 9 years end to end (apprentice through master) |
| Connecticut | Connecticut P-2 Journeyperson Plumber and P-1 Unlimited Plumbing Contractor | Yes | 4 yr | — | $150 | 1 yr | — | 4 years apprenticeship + 60–120 days application processing |
| Delaware | Delaware Master Plumber (Board of Plumbing, HVACR, and Master Pipefitters) | Yes | 7 yr | — | $174 | 2 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to license issuance |
| District of Columbia Local / municipal | DC Master Plumber (and Journey Plumber) | Yes | 7 yr | — | $230 | 2 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to wallet card |
| Florida Local / municipal | Florida Certified Plumbing Contractor (CFC) | Yes | 4 yr | — | $249 | 2 yr | — | 4 – 8 months due to bi-monthly Trade Knowledge exam scheduling |
| Georgia | Georgia Master Plumber (Class I or Class II) | Yes | 5 yr | — | $200 | 2 yr | — | 3 – 6 months from Master Plumber application to wallet card |
| Hawaii | Hawaii C-37 Plumbing Contractor and Master Plumber | Yes | 5 yr | $5,000 | $351 | 3 yr | — | 90 – 180 days for C-37 contractor license after Master Plumber credential |
| Idaho | Idaho Journeyman Plumber and Plumbing Contractor License | Yes | 4 yr | — | $60 | 1 yr | — | 4 years apprentice to journeyman; 5+ years to contractor |
| Illinois | Illinois Licensed Plumber (IDPH) | Yes | 4 yr | — | $175 | 1 yr | — | 4 years (apprenticeship) + 2 – 4 months (examination cycle and license issuance) |
| Indiana Local / municipal | Indiana Plumbing Contractor (and Journeyman Plumber) | Yes | 4 yr | — | $100 | 2 yr | — | 4 – 6 years from apprenticeship entry to Plumbing Contractor credential |
| Iowa | Iowa Master Plumber (and Plumbing Contractor) | Yes | 1 yr | — | $180 | 3 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to wallet card |
| Kansas Local / municipal | Kansas Plumber (Municipal — Wichita, Overland Park, KCK, Topeka) | Yes | 4 yr | $5,000 | $200 | 1 yr | — | 4 – 12 weeks per municipality including exam scheduling |
| Kentucky | Kentucky Master Plumber (and Journeyman Plumber) | Yes | 6 yr | — | $200 | 1 yr | — | 6+ years from apprentice registration to Master Plumber wallet card |
| Louisiana Local / municipal | Louisiana Master Plumber (LSPB) and Plumbing Contractor (LSLBC) | Yes | 5 yr | — | $125 | 1 yr | — | 5+ years from apprentice registration to Master Plumber credential |
| Maine | Maine Master Plumber (Trainee, Journeyman, and Master classes) | Yes | 4 yr | — | $120 | 1 yr | — | 45 – 90 days from application to wallet card after exam pass |
| Maryland | Maryland Master Plumber | Yes | 6 yr | — | $37 | 2 yr | — | 6 – 8 years from apprentice registration to master license |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts Master Plumber and Journeyman Plumber | Yes | 5 yr | — | $132 | 2 yr | — | 5 years minimum from apprentice to Journeyman |
| Michigan | Michigan Master Plumber (and Plumbing Contractor) | Yes | 5 yr | — | $110 | 3 yr | — | 3 – 5 years total (apprenticeship + journeyman experience) |
| Minnesota | Minnesota Master Plumber (and Plumbing Contractor) | Yes | 4 yr | $25,000 | $120 | 2 yr | — | 5 years (apprenticeship through Master) |
| Mississippi Local / municipal | Mississippi Plumber — No State License (Municipal Only) / MSBOC Plumbing Classification | Yes | 4 yr | — | $200 | 1 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to credential |
| Missouri Local / municipal | Missouri Plumber (Municipal — Kansas City Master Plumber + St. Louis City Plumbing) | Yes | 5 yr | $25,000 | $300 | 1 yr | — | 90 – 180 days per jurisdiction after the Journeyman prerequisite is complete |
| Montana | Montana Master Plumber / Journeyman Plumber | Yes | 4 yr | — | $120 | 1 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to license card |
| Nebraska Local / municipal | Nebraska Plumber — Municipal License (Omaha, Lincoln, and other cities) | Yes | 4 yr | — | $200 | 1 yr | — | 60 – 180 days from application to wallet card (varies by municipality) |
| Nevada Local / municipal | Nevada C-1 Plumbing and Heating Contractor | Yes | 4 yr | $15,000 | $600 | 2 yr | — | 90 – 150 days from application to issued license |
| New Hampshire Local / municipal | New Hampshire Master Plumber (Apprentice, Journeyman, Master) | Yes | 4 yr | — | $150 | 3 yr | — | 4 – 6 years for the full Apprentice → Journeyman → Master path |
| New Jersey | New Jersey Master Plumber License | Yes | 6 yr | $3,000 | $240 | 2 yr | — | 120 – 240 days from application approval to license issuance |
| New Mexico | New Mexico MM-98 Plumbing Contractor (and JP-1 Journeyman Plumber) | Yes | 4 yr | $10,000 | $360 | 3 yr | — | 45 – 90 days from application to JP-1 card; longer for MM-98 |
| New York Local / municipal | New York City Master Plumber License | Yes | 7 yr | $25,000 | $50 | 3 yr | — | 6 – 12 months including supervisor affidavit collection |
| North Carolina | North Carolina Plumbing Contractor (P-I or P-II) | Yes | 2 yr | — | $150 | 1 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to wallet card |
| North Dakota | North Dakota Master Plumber or Journeyman Plumber | Yes | 4 yr | $1,000 | $150 | 1 yr | — | 30 – 90 days from application to wallet card |
| Ohio Local / municipal | Ohio Plumbing Contractor (OCILB Commercial License) | Yes | 5 yr | $25,000 | $360 | 1 yr | — | 90 – 150 days from application to wallet card |
| Oklahoma Local / municipal | Oklahoma Journeyman Plumber and Plumbing Contractor | Yes | 4 yr | $5,000 | $150 | 3 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to wallet card |
| Oregon | Oregon Journeyman Plumber and Plumbing Contractor Business License | Yes | 4 yr | — | $100 | 3 yr | — | 4 years (apprenticeship) + 30 – 90 days (exam to wallet card) |
| Pennsylvania Local / municipal | Pennsylvania Plumber (Municipal Licensing — No State License) | Yes | 4 yr | — | $300 | 1 yr | — | 60 – 180 days per municipality from application to license issuance |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island Plumber License (Journeyperson and Master) | Yes | 4 yr | — | $96 | 2 yr | — | 30 – 90 days from application to license issuance after passing the exam |
| South Carolina Local / municipal | South Carolina Plumbing Contractor License (SCMCB) | Yes | 3 yr | — | $200 | 2 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to wallet card |
| South Dakota | South Dakota Plumbing Contractor, Journeyman Plumber, and Restricted Appliance Installer | Yes | 4 yr | $5,000 | $150 | 1 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to wallet card |
| Tennessee | Tennessee CMC-A Plumbing Contractor (LLP Limited Licensed Plumber for projects under $25,000) | Yes | 3 yr | — | $250 | 2 yr | — | 90 – 150 days from application to wallet card |
| Texas | Texas Master Plumber License | Yes | 2 yr | — | $75 | 1 yr | — | 2 – 4 months from application to pocket card |
| Utah | Utah Master Plumber (and Journeyman Plumber) | Yes | 6 yr | $50,000 | $100 | 2 yr | — | — |
| Vermont Local / municipal | Vermont Master Plumber (Apprentice, Journeyman, Master) | Yes | 4 yr | — | $220 | 2 yr | — | Approximately 5 years from apprentice registration to Master license |
| Virginia | Virginia Master Plumber (and PLB Specialty Contractor) | Yes | 1 yr | — | $130 | 3 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to wallet card |
| Washington | Washington Journey Level Plumber (PL01) | Yes | 4 yr | $6,000 | $95 | 2 yr | — | 30 – 90 days from application to wallet card |
| West Virginia | West Virginia Master Plumber (and Journeyman Plumber) | Yes | 4 yr | — | $75 | 1 yr | — | 60 – 120 days from application to wallet card |
| Wisconsin | Wisconsin Master Plumber | Yes | 7 yr | — | $100 | 2 yr | — | 7 years from apprentice to Master Plumber credential |
National picture for plumber contractors
Of the 50 jurisdictions currently published in this dataset, 50 require a trade examination administered by PSI, Prometric, NASCLA, Pearson VUE, ICC, or the state board directly. 17 require an explicit surety bond filed with the regulator before the license issues, and 0 accept the NASCLA Accredited Examination as a path toward reciprocal licensure for this line of work. Where the regulator publishes a numeric threshold, the average documented experience requirement is 4.4 years.
The comparison above is generated at build time directly from the state license entries on this site. Every value is traceable to the regulator's published rule. If you spot a discrepancy, the state page is the source of truth and will be re-verified against the official source set.
Choosing where to license first
- Lowest barrier to entry: sort by initial fee and look closely at rows where Exam = No or the state is marked Local / municipal.
- Strongest reciprocity downstream: states marked NASCLA Accepted, because the same exam can unlock multiple jurisdictions later.
- Lowest upfront cost: focus on combinations with the smallest initial fee and no bond requirement.
- Fastest path to wallet card: compare the Time column, but remember that municipal programs can still involve multiple city registrations.
Related reading
Original cross-state analyses from our dataset that add context to the plumber contractors table above — who runs the exams, where the burden is heaviest, and what a criminal record means for eligibility.
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The Contractor Licensing Atlas
What mapping 586 licenses revealed about exam providers, bonds, and where a trade needs no state license at all.
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Contractor license difficulty index
Where each state ranks on exam, experience, and bond burden — hardest to easiest.
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License costs ranked by state
Cheapest to most expensive states once fees, bond, and first-year insurance are counted.
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Licensing with a criminal record
A 50-state look at background checks and which convictions actually block a license.
All data verified from the issuing state board's published rules. Last full pass: 2026-Q2.