Plumber License Requirements in New Hampshire
- Training hours
- 8000 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $280
- Exam
- NH Journeyman Plumbing Exam
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- Issuing board
- New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC), Mechanical Safety and Licensing Board
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Pass a criminal background check. No explicit minimum age was found on the application or in materials reviewed, so minAge is left null rather than assumed. The application requires disclosure of felony convictions or crimes involving injury/dishonesty since reaching the age of majority, disciplinary history, and pending claims; if the applicant answers 'yes' to the criminal-history question, a copy of the criminal record must be attached. This is a documentary self-disclosure process rather than a state-run fingerprint background check, but is recorded as backgroundCheck: true given the required criminal-record documentation. [5]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 8000 hours of training at a state-approved program. A Journeyman Plumber applicant must document approximately 8,000 hours of supervised field experience as a registered Plumbing Apprentice under a licensed master plumber, evidenced by a copy of the apprentice ID card and an apprenticeship completion certificate from the NH Department of Labor (or a letter from a supervising master plumber describing military-service or apprenticeship-employment supervision, for candidates without a completion certificate). [1]
- 3
NH Journeyman Plumbing Exam
Pass the NH Journeyman Plumbing Exam (fee: $90). Open book (candidates are provided a 2018 IPC code book and reference binder on-site; personal code books prohibited), no less than 100 questions (true/false, multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank), 3-hour maximum time limit. 70% or higher required to pass. $90 fee effective May 1, 2025 per a state law change (previously different). Out-of-state candidates may alternately submit ProV testing results in place of taking the NH Gasfitters exam. Exam must be completed before submitting the license application to OPLC; a passing score does not guarantee license approval. [2]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC), Mechanical Safety and Licensing Board with the $190 application fee. [3]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC), Mechanical Safety and Licensing Board issues your Journeyman Plumber License for New Hampshire.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [3] | $190 |
| License fee [3] | None specified |
| Renewal fee [3] | $180 |
| NH Journeyman Plumbing Exam [2] | $90 |
| Reinstatement fee (plumbing licenses) [3] | $350 |
OPLC's published Mechanical Safety License Fees table lists a single $190 'Journeyman Plumber Initial License Fee' that covers both application and license issuance together, so 'license' is left null to avoid double-counting. Renewal is $180. The $90 exam fee (paid to NH Gasfitters) is recorded separately under exams[].
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 2 years. 6 continuing education hours required per cycle.
Licenses renew on a 2-year cycle. Journeyman plumbers must show proof of 3 hours of Board-approved code-update education every year, totaling 6 hours per 2-year renewal cycle. Renewal fee is $180.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
No interstate compact specifically covers plumbing licensure (New Hampshire's own reciprocity page notes it participates in 'several interstate compacts' for licensure portability generally, but none identified are plumbing-specific). Under House Bill 594 (effective August 27, 2023), OPLC must issue a license to an applicant who holds an active license in good standing from another jurisdiction whose licensing requirements are 'substantially similar' to New Hampshire's, without requiring transcripts, exam results, or experience evidence otherwise needed. Reciprocity is not available for Apprentice Plumber registrations.
Cost calculator
- $190
- $90
Frequently asked questions
How much experience does New Hampshire require for a Journeyman Plumber license?
Approximately 8,000 hours of supervised field experience as a registered Plumbing Apprentice, documented via an apprentice ID card and an apprenticeship completion certificate from the NH Department of Labor.
Who administers the NH Journeyman Plumbing Exam?
NH Gasfitters, a private provider approved by OPLC to administer the exam on its behalf: no less than 100 questions, open book, 3-hour limit, 70% required to pass, for a $90 fee (as of May 1, 2025).
What does a Journeyman Plumber license cost in New Hampshire?
A $190 initial application/license fee to OPLC, plus a separate $90 exam fee paid to NH Gasfitters. Renewal is $180 every 2 years.
How often does an NH Journeyman Plumber license renew, and is continuing education required?
Every 2 years, with 3 hours of Board-approved code-update education required annually (6 hours total per renewal cycle).
Can an out-of-state plumber get a New Hampshire license without retesting?
Often yes. Under House Bill 594, OPLC must license an applicant who holds an active, good-standing license from a jurisdiction with substantially similar requirements, without requiring the usual transcripts, exam results, or experience documentation.
Sources
- [1] oplc.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt441/files/inline-documents/mechanical-plumbing-apprentice-packet_v2.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
- [2] nhgasfitters.com/plumbing-exams.html — accessed 2026-07-12
- [3] oplc.nh.gov/mechanical-safety-license-fees — accessed 2026-07-12
- [4] oplc.nh.gov/mechanical-safety-and-licensing-education-certification-requirements — accessed 2026-07-12
- [5] oplc.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt441/files/inline-documents/mechanical-initial-plumbing-application-packet_v2.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
- [6] oplc.nh.gov/reciprocity-licensing — accessed 2026-07-12