StateLicensed

Plumber License Requirements in Maryland

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
7500 hrs
Upfront cost
$108.5
Exam
Journey Plumber/Gas Fitter Examination
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Maryland State Board of Plumbing, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, Maryland Department of Labor

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Pass a criminal background check. No minimum age is stated for the Journey Plumber/Gas Fitter license itself (apprentices, the entry tier, must be at least 16). Criminal history is reviewed: per the Board's licensing FAQ, a criminal conviction does not automatically disqualify an applicant -- each is evaluated case-by-case considering the offense, time elapsed, and rehabilitation, and applicants must submit court documentation plus a written explanation. [5]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 7500 hours of training at a state-approved program. An applicant must have held an Apprentice Plumber/Gas Fitter license for at least 4 years and completed 7,500 hours of training under the control and direction of a licensed master plumber, plus a separate 32 hours of training in backflow prevention device testing. Apprentices must be at least 16 years old to enter the apprentice pathway. [1]

  3. 3

    Journey Plumber/Gas Fitter Examination

    Pass the Journey Plumber/Gas Fitter Examination (fee: $65). 100 questions, 240 minutes (4 hours), computer-based; testing centers in Baltimore, College Park, Hagerstown, Lanham, and Salisbury. A minimum score of 75% is required to pass, per the Board's own license-requirements page. Applicants register and submit required documents (proof of hours worked, backflow certification, driver's license copy) through PSI's Client Portal after reviewing PSI's Candidate Information Bulletin. [2]

  4. 4

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Maryland State Board of Plumbing, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, Maryland Department of Labor. [3]

  5. 5

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Maryland State Board of Plumbing, Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing, Maryland Department of Labor issues your Journey Plumber/Gas Fitter License for Maryland.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] None specified
License fee [3] $43.5
Renewal fee [3] $43.5
Journey Plumber/Gas Fitter Examination [2] $65

The Board's own Forms and Fees page (effective July 1, 2025) lists $43.50 as both the Original License fee and the License Renewal fee for Journey Plumber/Gas Fitter, separate from the $65 PSI exam fee. Maryland OneStop separately lists a '$35.00 Estimated Cost' for the application step, but this research treats the Board's own fee-schedule page as the more authoritative current figure and could not reconcile the two numbers, so application is left null rather than guessing which is current.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years.

Maryland plumbing licenses renew on a 2-year cycle. The Board's own continuing-education page states its 8-hours-per-calendar-year continuing education requirement applies only to plumbing inspectors, not to Journey Plumber/Gas Fitter licensees generally -- there is no continuing education requirement to renew a standard Journeyman license, so ceHours is left null.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

Per the Board's own licensing FAQ, Maryland 'ONLY reciprocates with the state of Delaware, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC), and Baltimore County' -- and Delaware reciprocity applies only to Master Plumber/Gas Fitter licenses, not the Journeyman tier. Individuals licensed by WSSC or Baltimore County who meet minimum qualifications may obtain a Maryland license without retaking the exam. This is a narrow, named-jurisdiction reciprocity list rather than broad endorsement; no interstate compact covers plumbing.

Cost calculator

  • $43.5
  • $65
Total$108.5

Frequently asked questions

What are the requirements to become a licensed Journey Plumber/Gas Fitter in Maryland?

Hold an Apprentice Plumber/Gas Fitter license for at least 4 years, complete 7,500 hours of training under a licensed master plumber, complete 32 hours of backflow prevention device testing training, and pass the Journey Plumber/Gas Fitter exam with a score of at least 75%.

Who administers Maryland's Journeyman Plumber/Gas Fitter exam, and what does it cost?

PSI Examination Services administers it at testing centers in Baltimore, College Park, Hagerstown, Lanham, and Salisbury. The exam is 100 questions over 240 minutes, and the PSI exam fee is $65.

How often does a Maryland Journey Plumber/Gas Fitter license renew, and is continuing education required?

Every 2 years, for a $43.50 renewal fee. No continuing education is required for the standard Journeyman license -- Maryland's 8-hour annual CE requirement applies only to plumbing inspectors.

Does Maryland have reciprocity with other states for plumbers?

Only in narrow cases: Maryland reciprocates with Delaware (Master Plumber/Gas Fitter tier only), the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC), and Baltimore County. There is no broad multi-state reciprocity for the Journeyman tier.

Does a criminal record disqualify someone from a Maryland plumbing license?

Not automatically. The Board evaluates each conviction case-by-case, considering the nature of the offense, time elapsed, and evidence of rehabilitation; applicants must submit court documentation and a written explanation.

Sources

  1. [1] labor.maryland.gov/license/pl/plreq.shtml — accessed 2026-07-12
  2. [2] labor.maryland.gov/license/pl/plexam.shtml — accessed 2026-07-12
  3. [3] labor.maryland.gov/license/pl/plaff.shtml — accessed 2026-07-12
  4. [4] labor.maryland.gov/license/pl/pleduc.shtml — accessed 2026-07-12
  5. [5] labor.maryland.gov/license/pl/pllicfaqs.shtml — accessed 2026-07-12