StateLicensed

Plumber License Requirements in Massachusetts

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
550 hrs
Upfront cost
$243
Exam
Journeyman Plumber Exam - Part I (Written), Journeyman Plumber Exam - Part II (Practical)
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters (Division of Occupational Licensure)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Pass a criminal background check. No explicit minimum age for the Journeyman Plumber examination/license was found in 248 CMR 11.00 or the application materials reviewed (only a continuing-education exemption at age 65+ appears), so minAge is left null rather than assumed. A high school diploma or equivalent is required. Applicants must submit a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) Acknowledgement form (second page notarized) as part of the application. [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete 550 hours of training at a state-approved program. Per 248 CMR 11.02(1)(b), an apprentice plumber licensed on or after September 1, 2008 (the current rule; an older 300-hour/8,000-hour pathway for apprentices licensed before that date expired May 1, 2021) must complete 550 clock hours of plumbing and gas-fitting theory (a Board-approved 5-tier education program, capped at 165 hours credited per calendar year) plus 6,800 clock hours of practical work experience as a licensed apprentice under the direct supervision of a Massachusetts-licensed master plumber (or a journeyman plumber employed by a master). Education and work experience must be earned in tandem year-by-year, not banked separately. [1]

  3. 3

    Journeyman Plumber Exam - Part I (Written)

    Pass the Journeyman Plumber Exam - Part I (Written) (fee: $80). Computer-based, 80 questions, 160 minutes, 70% required to pass. The Board's PSI candidate bulletin lists a single $80 'Examination Administration Fee' per Journeyman Plumber exam type without separately itemizing Part I vs. Part II; this $80 figure is applied to this entry. A separate $52 Massachusetts License Fee is paid to PSI at the test center only after passing (see fees.value.other). [2]

  4. 4

    Journeyman Plumber Exam - Part II (Practical)

    Pass the Journeyman Plumber Exam - Part II (Practical) (fee: $80). Computer-based (isometric analysis and trade calculations), 40 questions, 160 minutes, 70% required to pass. Fee shown is the same $80 administration-fee line item as Part I; the source bulletin does not break this fee out per part (see Part I notes). [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters (Division of Occupational Licensure) with the $31 application fee. [3]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters (Division of Occupational Licensure) issues your Journeyman Plumber License for Massachusetts.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $31
License fee [3] $52
Renewal fee [3] $52
Journeyman Plumber Exam - Part I (Written) [2] $80
Journeyman Plumber Exam - Part II (Practical) [2] $80
Exam administration fee (per exam, paid to PSI) [3] $80
Late renewal fee (received after May 1st) [3] $57

Board application fee is $31 (non-refundable, paid with the initial application). The $52 Massachusetts License Fee is charged separately by PSI at the test center only after the candidate passes the exam. Journeyman renewal is also $52 every 2 years.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years. 12 continuing education hours required per cycle.

Licenses renew on February 1 of every even-numbered year; the application deadline is May 1 of the same year, after which a $57 late fee applies. Journeyman and Master Plumber licensees must complete 12 hours of Board-approved continuing education per renewal cycle.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.

No interstate compact covers plumbing licensure. Massachusetts has no blanket reciprocity agreements with other states; instead, under 248 CMR 11.02(7) and the Board's 'Substantially Equivalent License' policy, an out-of-state journeyman/master plumber whose license has been active at least 3 consecutive years may petition the Board to have their out-of-state education/experience deemed substantially equivalent, but unless Massachusetts has a formal reciprocity agreement with that jurisdiction (none identified), the applicant must still pass the Massachusetts exam.

1 state-approved training provider in Massachusetts — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $31
  • $52
  • $80
  • $80
Total$243

Frequently asked questions

How many training hours does Massachusetts require for a Journeyman Plumber license?

550 clock hours of Board-approved plumbing and gas-fitting theory (spread over a minimum of 4 years, capped at 165 hours credited per calendar year), plus 6,800 clock hours of supervised practical work experience as a licensed apprentice.

Who administers the Massachusetts Journeyman Plumber exam?

PSI Exams, under contract with the Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters. The exam has a Part I (Written, 80 questions/160 minutes) and Part II (Practical, 40 questions/160 minutes), each requiring a 70% passing score.

What does it cost to apply for and obtain a Journeyman Plumber license in Massachusetts?

A $31 non-refundable application fee to the Board, an $80 PSI exam administration fee, and a $52 Massachusetts License Fee paid to PSI at the test center after passing.

How often do Massachusetts plumber licenses renew, and what's required?

Every 2 years, on February 1 of even-numbered years (deadline May 1), with 12 hours of Board-approved continuing education and a $52 renewal fee for Journeyman Plumbers.

Can an out-of-state plumber transfer their license to Massachusetts?

There's no automatic reciprocity. An applicant with an out-of-state license active for at least 3 years can petition the Board to have their education/experience recognized as 'substantially equivalent,' but must still pass the Massachusetts exam unless a formal reciprocity agreement exists with that state.

Sources

  1. [1] mass.gov/doc/248-cmr-11-education-and-experience-standards-and-requirements-for-licensure/download — accessed 2026-07-12
  2. [2] mass.gov/doc/board-of-examiners-of-plumbers-gas-fitters-licensure-candidate-exam-application-information/download — accessed 2026-07-12
  3. [3] mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-a-journeyman-plumber-license — accessed 2026-07-12
  4. [4] mass.gov/how-to/renew-a-plumber-gas-fitter-or-liquified-petroleum-installer-license — accessed 2026-07-12
  5. [5] mass.gov/policy-statement/substantially-equivalent-license — accessed 2026-07-12