How to Get a Plumbing Licence in Each State - USA

Without a licence, you're not legally a plumber — you're just someone messing about with pipes. A plumbing licence makes your work legitimate, whether you're a contractor, subcontractor or business owner. If you're looking to start your own plumbing business, your plumbing licence ensures you’re qualified, up to date with technical standards, and protected if something goes wrong.

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1. How do you get a plumbing licence in the USA?
2. What’s the difference between apprentice, journeyman, and master plumber?
3. Do you need a plumbing licence to run a business? 
4. How long does it take to get licensed as a plumber?
5. Is it easy to get a plumbing licence?
6. What are the risks of working without a plumbing licence?
   

1. How do you get a plumbing licence in the USA?

Most states require only a high school diploma to begin an apprenticeship or attend a trade school. Once you complete an apprenticeship, pass the exam and pay the licensing fees, you'll be able to get your licence to become journeyman. From there, you can work towards your licence to become a master plumber. 

2. What’s the difference between apprentice, journeyman, and master plumber?

An apprentice plumber is still learning the trade, so they need to work under supervision while completing training and on-the-job hours. By the time you've finished your apprenticeship, passed your first plumbing licence and become a journeyman plumber, you can work on their own, although there may be some limitations. A master plumber is the highest level, with additional experience and certification that allows you to run their own business, pull permits, and oversee major projects. In short, apprentices learn, journeymen work independently, and masters hold full authority in the trade.

Apprentice

• Must register as an apprentice with the state or local licensing board and complete 3–5 years of supervised training, combining classroom study with hands-on work.

• 2,000+ hours per year under supervision (approx. 8,000–10,000 total).

Key achievements:

• Learn plumbing basics and safety standards.
• Assist on installations and repairs.
• Build hours and knowledge needed to qualify for the Journeyman exam

Journeyman

Training & licensing:

• After completing apprenticeship hours, sit and pass the Journeyman plumber licensing exam. This is the first official license, allowing independent work.

Average hours worked:

• Full-time tradesperson hours (around 40 hrs/week).
  

Key achievements:

• Work independently and manage jobs from start to finish.
• Supervise apprentices.
• Ensure code compliance.
  

Master

In some states, may still require a Master plumber to pull permits or own a plumbing business

Training & licensing:

• Requires holding a Journeyman license for 2–5+ years, meeting state work-hour requirements, and passing the Master plumber licensing exam.

Average hours worked:

• Similar full-time hours, with flexibility if running your own business.

Key achievements:

• Full authority to pull permits and run a plumbing business.
• Manage large-scale projects.
• Oversee teams of journeymen and apprentices.
  

3. Do you need a plumbing licence to run a business?

Most states require the following licences to work independently: 

Journeyman plumber:

With this licence, you can work independently on plumbing jobs but often cannot operate as a contractor in your own right. In many states, journeymen need a Master Plumber to pull permits and oversee the legal/business side of projects.

Master plumber:

This is the level required in most states to register as a plumbing contractor, run your own business, quote jobs under your business name, and supervise other plumbers.

Contractor licence:

Some states (like California, Texas, and Florida) also require a separate contractor’s licence in addition to your plumbing licence. This ensures you meet business, insurance, and financial requirements for contracting work.

However, the following states set their licensing requirements at a more local level and may have alternative options available:

• Kansas – Cities manage their own licensing.

• Nebraska – Local municipalities may have licenses.

• Pennsylvania – Cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh require licensing.

• Wyoming – Local jurisdictions decide.

Even in these states, you usually still need to check local city or county rules, since many municipalities set their own requirements for apprentices, journeymen, or master plumbers.

4. Is it easy to get a plumbing licence?

Getting a plumbing licence isn't designed to be easy, for good reason! The licensing process ensures prospective plumbers gain the technical knowledge, safety awareness, and real-world experience needed to handle complex plumbing systems safely. While the process can feel long and demanding, the rewards are significant once you’re qualified.

Pros:

• Provides a clear career pathway with structured training and milestones.
• Earn while you learn through paid apprenticeships.
• Opens the door to stable, high-demand jobs once licensed.
• Increases earning potential at journeyman and master levels.
• Gives legal protection — insurance, permits, and compliance rely on holding a licence.
• Shows options for specialisations (e.g., gas, backflow, irrigation) to grow your business opportunities.

Cons:

• Takes time — usually 4–5 years to reach journeyman level, with an additional 2–5 years for master status.
• Involves thousands of supervised work hours plus classroom study.
• Licensing exams can be challenging and require serious preparation.
• Requirements differ by state, which can complicate relocating.
• Upfront costs for registration, courses, and exam fees.
• Apprentices have limited independence and must always work under supervision.

5. How long does it take to get licensed as a plumber?

On average, it takes 4–5 years to become a licensed journeyman plumber, followed by an additional 1–3 years of experience to qualify for the master plumber licence.

Work hours:

Apprentices typically log around 2,000 hours per year on the job (full-time, 40 hrs/week). By the time you qualify for journeyman status, you’ll usually have completed 8,000–10,000 hours of supervised work.

Study hours:

Alongside job training, expect 150–250 classroom hours per year (roughly 3–5 hours per week) in plumbing theory, codes, and safety practices. Over the course of your apprenticeship, that adds up to 600–1,000+ hours of study before your journeyman exam.

Master level:

After holding a journeyman licence for 2–5 years (varies by state), you’ll need to complete additional logged work hours and pass a master plumber exam to qualify.

In total, becoming a master plumber is usually a 6–8 year journey combining thousands of on-the-job hours with several hundred hours of classroom study.

6. What are the risks of working without a plumbing licence?

Performing unlicensed plumbing work comes with financial, legal, and reputational risks that can damage your career in the long run.

Risks of working without a licence:

• Heavy fines or even criminal charges in some states for operating without the right licence.
• Most insurers won’t cover damages caused by unlicensed work, leaving you personally liable for costs.
• You won’t be able to pull permits, bid on commercial or government projects, or legally advertise plumbing services.
• Being caught working without a licence can ruin trust with customers and harm your future job prospects.
• Authorities can stop your business operations immediately if you’re found to be non-compliant.

In short, working without a licence almost always costs more in the long run, both financially and professionally. The safest and smartest option is to get licensed properly and build your career on a solid foundation.

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