Plumber License Requirements in Minnesota
- Training hours
- —
- Upfront cost
- $98
- Exam
- Journeyworker Plumber Examination
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- Issuing board
- Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Be at least 18 years old, No formal classroom-education minimum beyond completing a registered apprenticeship program or accumulating the required practical-experience hours as a registered unlicensed plumber, pass a criminal background check. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Minnesota Statutes require that licenses be issued only to persons of good moral character; the license application requires mandatory disclosure of any criminal charges, pleas, or convictions in the past 10 years, and DLI may request court records for disclosed offenses, subject to the limits on considering criminal history set out in Minn. Stat. 364.01-.10. [4]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete the required training. Minnesota does not set a single fixed classroom-hour requirement for the journeyworker plumber license. Eligibility is experience-based: an applicant must have completed a DLI-registered plumbing apprenticeship program, OR accumulated at least 4 years of recorded practical experience as a DLI-registered unlicensed plumber (minimum 2,000 hours water distribution systems, 2,000 hours drain/waste/vent systems, and 1,000 hours fixture installation, certified by the supervising licensed master plumber; a maximum of 1,750 hours counts per calendar year), OR hold a current restricted journeyworker/restricted master license plus 2 more years of experience, OR hold an out-of-state plumber's license from a jurisdiction that itself requires at least 4 years of practical experience. A separate, higher-tier Master Plumber license (requires 1 year as a licensed journeyworker, or an equivalent out-of-state master license, or a restricted master license plus 5 years as a Minnesota plumbing contractor) and lower-tier Restricted Journeyworker/Restricted Master licenses (work limited to municipalities under 5,000 population) also exist; this record covers the primary statewide Journeyworker Plumber pathway. [1]
- 3
Journeyworker Plumber Examination
Pass the Journeyworker Plumber Examination (fee: $50). 5.5-hour, 240-point open-book written exam based on the 2020 Minnesota Plumbing Code (Chapter 4714) plus Chapters 144, 325 and 326; DLI supplies the code book and a basic calculator on-site. A 70% passing score is required. Applicants who fail must wait at least 30 days before retesting and must resubmit the application and fee. Results are mailed within about two weeks; scores are not given by phone or email. [2]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. [3]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry issues your Journeyworker Plumber for Minnesota.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [3] | None specified |
| License fee [3] | $48 |
| Renewal fee [3] | $53 |
| Journeyworker Plumber Examination [2] | $50 |
| Exam application/testing fee (separate from license issuance; also listed under exams[].value.fee) [3] | $50 |
| Late renewal fee (added on top of the renewal fee) [3] | $20 |
Per DLI's official CCLD licensing fee schedule (updated July 1, 2025): the journeyworker plumber (PJ) 'NEW' license issuance fee is $48, which bundles a $40 base license fee with an $8 licensing-board fee; there is no separate 'application' fee beyond the $50 fee to apply for and sit the exam (tracked under exams[].value.fee), so 'application' is recorded as null here. Renewal is $53 ($40 base license renewal + $8 board fee + $5 continuing-education fee); a $20 late fee applies on top of that if renewed after the deadline (total $73).
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 2 years. 16 continuing education hours required per cycle.
Journeyworker (and master) plumber licenses expire Dec. 31 of odd-numbered years. Renewal requires 16 hours of DLI-approved continuing education completed during the 2-year cycle, at least 8 of which must relate to the State Plumbing Code.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
Minnesota has reciprocal licensing agreements with some other states: an applicant who obtained an equal-or-greater class of plumbing license by examination at the state level in a reciprocal state (not via a city/local reciprocal or grandfather clause), scored at or above Minnesota's required passing score, and has held that license for at least 1 year may qualify for a Minnesota license through this reciprocal pathway. Separately, holding a current out-of-state plumber's license from a jurisdiction that itself requires at least 4 years of practical experience is one of the qualifying pathways to sit the Minnesota journeyworker exam. No interstate plumbing licensure compact exists, so 'compacts' is empty.
8 state-approved training providers in Minnesota — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $48
- $50
Frequently asked questions
What are the requirements to become a journeyworker plumber in Minnesota?
You must either complete a DLI-registered plumbing apprenticeship program or accumulate at least 4 years of recorded practical experience as a DLI-registered unlicensed plumber (with minimum hours in water distribution, drain/waste/vent, and fixture installation work), then pass the journeyworker plumber exam and submit a notarized application.
Who administers Minnesota's journeyworker plumber exam?
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry administers the exam itself, on-site at its St. Paul office. It is a 5.5-hour, 240-point open-book exam based on the 2020 Minnesota Plumbing Code, requiring a 70% passing score, with a $50 exam fee.
How much does a Minnesota journeyworker plumber license cost?
The exam application fee is $50, and the new-license issuance fee is $48 (a $40 base license fee plus an $8 board fee). Renewal is $53 every 2 years, with a $20 late fee if renewed after the deadline.
How often must a Minnesota journeyworker plumber license be renewed?
Every 2 years — the license expires Dec. 31 of odd-numbered years. Renewal requires 16 hours of DLI-approved continuing education, at least 8 of which must relate to the State Plumbing Code.
Can a plumber licensed in another state transfer their license to Minnesota?
Minnesota has reciprocal agreements with some states: if you obtained an equal-or-greater license by examination at the state level, scored at or above Minnesota's passing threshold, and have held it at least 1 year, you may qualify through reciprocity. Otherwise, an out-of-state license from a state requiring at least 4 years of practical experience is one accepted pathway to sit the Minnesota journeyworker exam directly.
Sources
- [1] dli.mn.gov/workers/plumber/plumbing-license-experience-requirements — accessed 2026-07-12
- [2] doli.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/pdf/plumbing_guide.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
- [3] dli.mn.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/fees.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
- [4] dli.mn.gov/workers/plumber/plumbing-license-basics — accessed 2026-07-12