Plumber License Requirements in Alabama
- Training hours
- —
- Upfront cost
- $235
- Exam
- Journeyman Plumber Examination
- Renewal cycle
- Every 1 year
- Issuing board
- State of Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Meet the eligibility requirements set by the issuing board. No minimum age or fingerprint/criminal-history background-check requirement for Journeyman Plumber certification was found in Ala. Code Title 34, Chapter 37 or the Board's administrative rules; the operative prerequisite is 2 years of current work experience as a registered Apprentice. [1]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete the required training. Alabama requires 2 years of current work experience as a registered Apprentice (not a fixed classroom-hour count) to qualify for the Journeyman exam, either through a Board-approved apprentice training program combined with registered-apprentice time, or through other verifiable documentation of 2 years' apprenticeship experience subject to Board approval. Apprentice registration must be renewed annually. Alabama also licenses a Master Plumber tier, reachable after 1 additional year as a certified Journeyman. [1]
- 3
Journeyman Plumber Examination
Pass the Journeyman Plumber Examination (fee: $110). Computerized, open-book exam (2021 International Plumbing Code / International Fuel Gas Code permitted as reference material); 70 questions, 2.92 hours allowed (about 2 hours 55 minutes) Candidates must have 2 years of current work experience as a registered Apprentice to be eligible. After passing, the candidate has 90 calendar days to obtain certification or must re-test. [2]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to State of Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board with the $50 application fee. [3]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, State of Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board issues your Journeyman Plumber Certificate for Alabama.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [3] | $50 |
| License fee [3] | $75 |
| Renewal fee [3] | $75 |
| Journeyman Plumber Examination [2] | $110 |
The $50 is the initial application-processing fee and $75 is the initial Journeyman certificate fee (separate from the $110 Prov exam fee tracked under exams). The $75 annual renewal figure is published in the Board's licensee newsletter (https://pgfb.alabama.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2024-Newsletter-New-Template.pdf).
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 1 year. 4 continuing education hours required per cycle.
Journeyman certifications renew annually (e.g., the 2026 certification renewal window ran October 1 - December 31, 2025). Starting with the 2026 renewal cycle, 4 hours of Board-approved continuing education are required per renewal year (split 2 hours plumbing / 2 hours gas for dual plumbing-and-gas certificate holders). Licensees 65 or older may claim an age exemption, and a first renewal falling in the same calendar year the certificate was issued does not require CE.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
No interstate compact covers plumbing. Alabama runs its own out-of-state pathway: a journeyman licensed elsewhere by exam (minimum passing score 70%), currently active and in good standing with no unresolved discipline, applies using a Request for Verification of License/Registration form; approved applicants can then sit Alabama's own Journeyman exam without re-doing the 2-year work-experience requirement. Separately, Mississippi-licensed contractors have a dedicated reciprocal pathway into Alabama's Master Plumber tier.
2 state-approved training providers in Alabama — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $50
- $75
- $110
Frequently asked questions
How do I qualify to take Alabama's Journeyman Plumber exam?
You need 2 years of current work experience as a registered Apprentice, either through a Board-approved apprentice training program plus registered-apprentice time, or through other verifiable documentation of that experience subject to Board approval.
Who administers the Alabama Journeyman Plumber exam, and what does it cost?
Prov, Inc. administers the exam under contract with the Alabama Plumbers & Gas Fitters Examining Board. The exam fee is $110 (non-refundable), covering a 70-question, open-book computerized test with 2.92 hours allowed.
What does it cost to get an initial Journeyman Plumber certificate after passing the exam?
A $50 initial application-processing fee plus a $75 initial Journeyman certificate fee, paid within 90 calendar days of passing the exam.
How often does an Alabama Journeyman Plumber certificate need to be renewed, and is continuing education required?
Annually, for a $75 renewal fee. Starting with the 2026 renewal cycle, 4 hours of Board-approved continuing education are required each renewal year, unless the licensee is 65 or older or the renewal falls in the same calendar year the certificate was first issued.
Can a plumber licensed in another state transfer their license to Alabama?
Alabama doesn't have a formal interstate reciprocity compact for plumbing, but an out-of-state journeyman licensed by exam (70% or higher passing score), active and in good standing, can apply via a Request for Verification of License/Registration form and then sit Alabama's own Journeyman exam without re-doing the 2-year experience requirement.
Sources
- [1] pgfb.alabama.gov/applicants/how-do-i-become-licensed/ — accessed 2026-07-12
- [2] pgfb.alabama.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/ExamPacket-Prov.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
- [3] pgfb.alabama.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/InitialApplCertificate-Journeyman.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
- [4] pgfb.alabama.gov/continuing-education/ — accessed 2026-07-12
- [5] pgfb.alabama.gov/applicants/reciprocation/ — accessed 2026-07-12