Plumber License Requirements by State
Plumbers install and repair the pipes, fixtures, and systems that carry water, gas, and waste in buildings, typically working from the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) or International Plumbing Code (IPC) depending on the state's adopted standard. There is no national plumbing license — apprenticeship-hour requirements, journeyman and master exams, and renewal rules are set independently by each state, or in some states by individual municipalities, with exams commonly administered through vendors such as PSI Services, Prometric, or the International Code Council (ICC).
- States verified
- 51
- Median wage (BLS 2024)
- $62,970/yr
- Employment (BLS 2024)
- 504,500
- Outlook (10-yr)
- +4.5%
Pick your state
Requirements at a glance
| State | Training hours | Upfront cost | Renewal cycle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | — | $235 | Every 1 year |
| Alaska | 8000 hrs | $250 | Every 2 years |
| Arizona | — | $477 | Every 2 years |
| Arkansas | — | $150 | Every 1 year |
| California | — | $650 | Every 2 years |
| Colorado | 6800 hrs | $120 | Every 2 years |
| Connecticut | 8000 hrs | $90 | Every 1 year |
| Delaware | — | $173 | Every 2 years |
| District of Columbia | 8000 hrs | $175 | Every 2 years |
| Florida | 8000 hrs | $675 | Every 2 years |
| Georgia | — | $40 | Every 2 years |
| Hawaii | 10000 hrs | $130 | Every 3 years |
| Idaho | 8000 hrs | $51.9 | Every 3 years |
| Illinois | — | $175 | Every 1 year |
| Indiana | 6400 hrs | $105 | Every 2 years |
| Iowa | — | $279 | Every 3 years |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Kentucky | — | $120 | Every 1 year |
| Louisiana | 8000 hrs | $310 | Every 1 year |
| Maine | 4000 hrs | $330 | Every 2 years |
| Maryland | 7500 hrs | $108.5 | Every 2 years |
| Massachusetts | 550 hrs | $243 | Every 2 years |
| Michigan | 6000 hrs | $140 | Every 1 year |
| Minnesota | — | $98 | Every 2 years |
| Mississippi | — | $640 | Every 1 year |
| Missouri | — | — | — |
| Montana | 7500 hrs | $270 | Every 1 year |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | 8000 hrs | $340 | Every 3 years |
| New Hampshire | 8000 hrs | $280 | Every 2 years |
| New Jersey | 8000 hrs | $75 | — |
| New Mexico | 4000 hrs | $212.76 | Every 3 years |
| New York | — | — | — |
| North Carolina | 4000 hrs | $300 | Every 1 year |
| North Dakota | 7600 hrs | $200 | Every 2 years |
| Ohio | — | $75 | Every 1 year |
| Oklahoma | — | $75 | Every 3 years |
| Oregon | 8276 hrs | $100 | Every 3 years |
| Pennsylvania | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | 8576 hrs | $147 | Every 1 year |
| South Carolina | — | $355 | Every 2 years |
| South Dakota | 7600 hrs | $150 | Every 1 year |
| Tennessee | — | $128 | Every 2 years |
| Texas | 8000 hrs | $188.5 | Every 1 year |
| Utah | 576 hrs | $273 | Every 2 years |
| Vermont | 12000 hrs | $170 | Every 2 years |
| Virginia | 240 hrs | $271.75 | Every 3 years |
| Washington | 8000 hrs | $524.8 | Every 3 years |
| West Virginia | — | $134.95 | Every 1 year |
| Wisconsin | 576 hrs | $370 | Every 4 years |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Upfront cost = application fee + license fee + exam fees, from each state's verified fee schedule. States marked "coming soon" are being verified against their issuing board and will be published shortly.