Note: Plumbing hour tables, bond schedules, exam vendors, and board portals change. This is September 2026 research from official boards and statutes — not legal advice. Prefer the cited .gov board when blogs conflict. Confirm before you advertise, hire, or expand into a second market. We do not invent exact application fees.
The short version — September 2026
Plumbing is one of the most uniformly licensed U.S. trades — but the map still splits. Most states issue statewide apprentice → journeyman → master cards (plus a separate contractor/business credential). Six states are truly local-only for plumber licensing: Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming. Colorado is statewide via DORA (our July 5 post wrongly put it in the local-only six).
Hard corrections: Texas master is 2 years as journeyman (HB 3214 / Sept 1, 2025) after an 8,000-hour journey path — not “12,000 hours highest nationally.” Missouri has no statewide 12k-hour rule. Connecticut P-2 is 8,000 OJT + 576 classroom — not 10,000. California C-36 bond remains $25,000. Georgia still expects every plumbing employee licensed. NYC Master Plumber remains one of the strictest local systems in the country. Jump to your state below.
A journeyman card that lets you pull permits in Texas means nothing in California, where the business entity needs a CSLB C-36. Move to New York and there is no state license at all — but New York City runs a master plumber system that rivals any state board. Go to Colorado and you do need a statewide DORA plumber license (despite what older “local-only” listicles still say) plus local permits. Go to Wyoming and the State Fire Marshal licenses electricians statewide while plumbing stays municipal.
That patchwork is exactly what trips up plumbers who relocate, hire across state lines, or expand a service business into a second market. This gold rewrite upgrades our July 5 table-heavy post to match our GC / locksmith / roofing mastery depth: per-state cards with agency links, honest hour corrections, reciprocity notes, insurance/bond stacks, and a dense FAQ — written for plumbing contractors and owners, not just apprentices Googling exam dates.
On this page
The license ladder — four credentials that shape everything
Before the state-by-state breakdown, understand the structure. Most states use some version of a four-rung ladder, and the credential you need to run a business is typically not the same as the one that lets you do the work.
1. Apprentice / Trainee
Entry level. Typically registered with the state or local authority. You work under a journeyman or master. No prior experience required. Most apprenticeships run 4–5 years of combined paid work and classroom hours (commonly 8,000 OJT + related instruction in registered programs).
2. Journeyman Plumber
The working license. Typically requires apprenticeship completion (often ~8,000 hours) plus a written trade exam. Allows you to perform plumbing work, often under master oversight. In most states this is the minimum to perform paid plumbing work at journey scope.
3. Master Plumber
The top individual credential. Typically requires additional journey-level time (1–3+ years depending on state) plus a harder exam covering code, design, and supervision. In many states the master is the only person who can pull permits and legally stand behind a plumbing business.
4. Plumbing Contractor / Company Credential
A separate business credential in most states — distinct from the master license. Usually requires employing or being a master (or qualifying party), sometimes a business-and-law exam, and bonding/insurance minimums. Arizona ROC and California CSLB put the primary statewide weight on the contractor classification rather than a state journey card.
The key miss: master plumber (individual) and plumbing contractor (business entity) are two different credentials in most states. Technically qualified plumbers still operate illegally when the company itself is not properly licensed or registered.
How to read the labels in this guide
- Required — statewide plumber and/or plumbing-contractor licensing through a state board.
- Local only — no statewide plumber license; cities/counties issue the credentials that matter.
- Hybrid notes inside cards — contractor-level state licensing (AZ ROC, CA CSLB, HI DCCA) vs individual journey/master boards; local overlays even in statewide states (Chicago, Denver permits, etc.).
Where hour or fee numbers appear, treat them as board-cited or clearly flagged “confirm live.” We will not invent exact invoices.
Corrections vs our July 5, 2026 post
| Topic | July 5 said | Board-prefer correction (Sep 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Local-only six | CO, KS, MO, NY, PA, WY | KS, MO, NE, NY, PA, WY — Colorado removed; Nebraska added |
| Colorado | “No state plumbing license” + confusing master note | Statewide DORA Residential / Journeyworker / Master + contractor registration (8,500 hrs master ceiling) |
| Wyoming | Listed in statewide table and local-only; claimed state master via Fire Prevention | Local only; Fire Marshal licenses electrical, not plumbing |
| Texas master | 12,000 hours — highest nationally | Journey 8,000 hrs; master = 2 years as journeyman (HB 3214, apps on/after Sept 1, 2025) |
| Missouri 12k hrs | Statewide master implication | No state license; 12k appears only in some city programs (e.g. Jefferson City) — not a state board rule |
| Connecticut | 10,000 hrs highest journeyman nationally | P-2 = 8,000 OJT + 576 classroom; P-1 adds 2 years journey |
| Delaware | “Licensed at county level” | Statewide DPR board; reciprocity with CT / IA / MD |
| California C-36 bond | $25,000 | Confirmed $25,000 (CSLB / B&P §7071.6) |
| Washington contractor fee | $141.10 | WAC / 2026 form cite $148.10 two-year plumbing contractor fee — verify live; bond still $6,000 |
The six states with no statewide plumbing license (corrected)
These states do not issue a statewide plumber license. Requirements live at the city/county level and vary enormously. Confirming “no state license” does not mean you are compliant.
| State | Status | What you actually need |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas | LOCAL ONLY | Municipal journey/master/contractor programs (Wichita, KC metro, Topeka, etc.). |
| Missouri | LOCAL ONLY | Kansas City, St. Louis City/County, Springfield, Columbia, Jefferson City, and peers. No state 12k-hour rule. |
| Nebraska | LOCAL ONLY | Omaha / Lincoln (and other city/village) plumbing boards + NDOL contractor registration overlay. |
| New York | LOCAL ONLY | NYC DOB Master Plumber (7 yrs / 2 as NYC journeyman) sets the national conversation; other cities independent. |
| Pennsylvania | LOCAL ONLY | Philadelphia, Allegheny County / Pittsburgh, and peers. HICPA registration is separate from a plumber trade card. |
| Wyoming | LOCAL ONLY | Cheyenne, Casper, and peers. No statewide plumber board; Fire Marshal = electrical only. |
Local-only trap: the city or county where you actually work almost certainly requires something — journey/master card, contractor registration, permits, insurance. Check both levels every time you enter a new market.
States / markets with the strictest requirements for business owners
Texas — statewide TSBPE, corrected hour story
Texas remains a demanding market because plumbing is licensed statewide through TSBPE with separate company/RMP frameworks — not because of a mythical 12,000-hour master rule. Budget the 8,000-hour journey path, the post-Sept-2025 two-year journey hold for master, exams, and contractor registration. Pair this with city GC/registration realities when you also remodel.
California — CSLB C-36 contractor licensing
C-36 Plumbing: ~4 years experience, trade + Law & Business exams, $25,000 bond, public lookup, real enforcement. Individual journey cards are often local; the statewide business unlock is CSLB.
Georgia — every employee needs a license
Anyone performing plumbing for a Georgia plumbing contractor generally needs their own current master or journeyman card. Unlicensed helpers under a master are not a lawful staffing model the way they sometimes are in other trades. Verify every hire before they touch a job — and tag licenses in dispatch so the wrong tech never gets the ticket. See our plumbing dispatch software guide for license-aware routing.
New York City — the most demanding local system
Seven years in ten, two as NYC-registered journeyman, written + practical exams, background investigation, DOB NOW filing. Engineering and PE/RA alternate paths exist. Unlocking the five boroughs is a multi-year project, not a weekend endorsement.
Colorado — statewide (stop calling it local-only)
DORA State Plumbing Board licenses individuals and registers contractors. Master experience ceiling 8,500 hours. Local permits and display rules still bite on the Front Range — but the state card is real.
Need a site that cites your license number correctly?
Plumbing shops get found on Google before they get found on a board lookup. Vortech Sites & SEO builds hand-coded trades sites you own — useful whether or not you also need dispatch. Soft pitch on purpose: licensing posts should stay cite-worthy first.
Reciprocity — when your license travels
Plumbing reciprocity is less standardized than many operators hope. Most states evaluate out-of-state credentials individually.
- Delaware — CT, IA, MD masters treated as substantially similar; other listed states may need 7 years post-master practice; PA municipal-only → exam.
- Maryland — reciprocates with Delaware for master plumber/gasfitter; local paths with Baltimore County / WSSC / DC for certain cards.
- Mississippi — may offer reciprocity when requirements are substantially equivalent — confirm case by case.
- Alaska — no formal list; board reviews case by case.
- Nevada — occasional trade-exam waiver lists for long-licensed out-of-state plumbers — confirm current NSCB materials.
Get any waiver in writing from the destination board before you wrap trucks.
Insurance, bond, and workers’ comp stack
- General liability — almost universal for licensing boards, GCs, and property managers. Florida and Washington publish specific floors; others leave limits to board rules or market practice.
- Workers’ compensation — required in virtually every state for businesses with employees. Washington is monopolistic (L&I). For liability when a tech gets hurt, see what happens when a technician gets hurt on the job.
- Surety bonds — California $25K CSLB; Washington $6K plumbing contractor; Idaho $2K compliance; Illinois contractor registration often cites $20K naming IDPH. Soft affiliate note: shop bonds/insurance through carriers that understand contractor license bonds — Vortech is not your surety broker.
- Exam prep / CE — board-approved providers only where CE is mandatory (Colorado’s attested-provider rule is a good example). We do not affiliate Jobber or Housecall Pro.
When you expand into a second market
- Identify whether the destination is statewide, contractor-level statewide, or local-only.
- Map the individual card and the business credential.
- Pull live bond/insurance letters — do not paste a blog chart into a surety app.
- Check city overlays even in statewide states (Chicago, Denver permits, coastal FL product approvals).
- Tag every tech’s license level in dispatch before the first shared calendar day — especially Georgia.
- Update website, GBP, and truck lettering with the correct license numbers for each market (Sites & SEO helps here).
All 50 states
Jump to your state
Red = statewide required. Gray/orange tint = local-only or specialty notes. State-jump uses position:static (mobile-safe — sticky ate mobile scroll on earlier license posts).
Alabama Required — Statewide PGFB
Agency: Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board
Alabama licenses plumbers and gas fitters statewide through the Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board. Ladder: apprentice registration → journeyman → master, plus separate gas-fitter credentials under the same board. Business registration is a distinct annual credential on top of the individual certificate.
Fee schedule (Ala. Admin. Code r. 720-X-4-.01 — confirm live): apprentice ~$35 initial/renewal; journeyman exam ~$110 + application/certificate fees; master written exam ~$160 plus business-law exam ~$100 and ~$175 certificate. Master certificate renews annually at the certificate fee. Exact experience-hour language sits in board rules — do not invent hour totals from blogs.
Local: building permits still apply city-by-city. Reciprocity exists where the board has current agreements — verify before assuming your out-of-state card transfers.
Alaska Required — Certificate of Fitness
Agency: Alaska Department of Labor & Workforce Development — Plumbing
Alaska issues plumber Certificates of Fitness (journeyman/master pathways) through the Department of Labor. Expect documented hours (commonly discussed near 8,000 for journeyman-level fitness — confirm live DOL materials) plus written and, where required, practical examination components.
No generous formal reciprocity list — the board reviews out-of-state credentials case by case. Contractor/business registration and bonding expectations apply separately from the individual certificate.
Remote mobilization trap: fly-in crews still need Alaska credentials and permits before advertising Fairbanks or Anchorage work.
Arizona Required — ROC C-37 / CR-37 / L-37
Agency: Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC)
Arizona licenses plumbing at the contractor level through ROC — not a statewide individual journeyman/master card. Classifications: C-37 (commercial), CR-37 (residential), L-37 (dual). Qualifying party typically needs ~4 years experience in the prior 10 years, Statutes & Rules exam, and plumbing trade exam (UPC-based) via PSI.
Cities such as Phoenix and Tucson may still license individual journeymen locally for permit pulls even though the business credential is ROC. Bond scales with volume/class — confirm your ROC schedule; do not paste a blog chart into a surety app.
Advertising plumbing contracting without an Active ROC license is a fast complaint path. Keep the license number on ads, trucks, and contracts.
Arkansas Required — DOH Plumbing & Gas
Agency: Arkansas Department of Health — Plumbing & Natural Gas
Arkansas licenses plumbers through the Department of Health Plumbing & Natural Gas Section. Expect apprenticeship → journeyman → master ladder with annual renewal. Secondary summaries often cite ~$200/year master renewal — confirm the live fee schedule.
Contractor/business operation typically requires a master on the entity plus any separate contractor registration the board requires. Local permits stack on every job.
Storm and remodel markets still expect Active license verification before subcontracting.
California Required — CSLB C-36 (Strict)
Agency: Contractors State License Board (CSLB)
California regulates plumbing contracting through CSLB classification C-36 Plumbing. Expect ~4 years journeyman-level or supervisory experience, C-36 trade exam and Law & Business exam, and a $25,000 contractor license bond (confirmed via CSLB / B&P §7071.6 as of 2026 — raised by SB 607 effective 2023). LLC employee/worker bond and Bond of Qualifying Individual rules may stack — read CSLB bond pages.
Individual journeyman cards are handled locally in many jurisdictions; the statewide credential that lets you operate the business statewide is the CSLB C-36. Workers' compensation: universal solo WC mandate delayed to Jan 1, 2028 for most classifications — but any employee voids a no-employee exemption. Verify the live CSLB WC page.
Unlicensed contracting enforcement is real. Public license lookup is customer-facing. Local building departments still own permits.
Colorado Required — Statewide DORA (Corrected)
Agency: Colorado DORA — State Plumbing Board
Correction vs our July 5, 2026 post: Colorado is not a "no statewide plumbing license" state. DORA's State Plumbing Board issues Residential, Journeyworker, and Master plumber licenses statewide, plus plumbing contractor registrations. Older SEO copy that lumps Colorado with Kansas/Missouri is wrong.
Experience ceilings in statute/rules (CRS 12-155-110 / 3 CCR 720-1): Residential up to 3,400 hours; Journeyworker 6,800; Master 8,500 (five full-time years). Exam pass scores commonly 70% residential/journeyworker and 75% master — confirm live applications page. CE: at least 8 hours each licensure year (March–February) of the two-year cycle.
Local jurisdictions still own permits and may require vehicle/bid display of master and registration numbers (display rules have tightened in recent years — confirm current board bulletins). Cities do not replace the state card.
Connecticut Required — DCP P-1 / P-2
Agency: CT Department of Consumer Protection — Plumbing
Correction vs July 5: Connecticut's unlimited P-2 journeyperson path is 8,000 hours on-the-job training + 576 classroom hours — not "10,000 hours highest nationally." Limited classes (J-2, P-6, etc.) have lower hour tables on the DCP equivalent-experience page.
P-1 Unlimited Plumbing Contractor requires two years as an unlimited licensed journeyperson (or equivalent) after the P-2 path — secondary summaries often describe the contractor track as ~12,000 total OJT hours. Only P-1 (and other contractor classes) may contract independently; P-2 works under a contractor.
Delaware treats Connecticut master standards as "substantially similar" for reciprocity. Keep CE and renewal current before expanding into DE/MD corridors.
Delaware Required — Statewide Board
Agency: Delaware Board of Plumbing, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Examiners
Correction vs July 5: Delaware licenses master plumbers at the state board level via DPR/DELPROS — not "county level only." County/municipal overlays may still exist for permits, but the credential is statewide.
Reciprocity: current master licenses from Connecticut, Iowa, and Maryland are treated as substantially similar (no extra experience proof). Many other listed states require 7 years post-master practice. Pennsylvania municipal-only licenses generally cannot use reciprocity — exam path required.
Apply through DELPROS; send license verifications directly from each jurisdiction. Confirm live fee schedule on DPR.
Florida Required — DBPR Certified or Registered
Agency: Florida DBPR / Construction Industry Licensing Board
Florida licenses plumbing contractors through CILB/DBPR. Certified plumbing contractor works statewide; Registered is competency-tested locally and limited to recognizing jurisdictions. Multi-county shops almost always need Certified.
Expect qualifying experience (commonly four years with foreman components — see Ch. 489 methods), trade knowledge exam, and Business & Finance exam. Financial responsibility / credit rules and GL minimums apply — secondary summaries often cite $100K BI / $25K PD style floors; confirm live CILB financial-responsibility materials before budgeting.
Endorsement from other states is strict and rarely rubber-stamped. Local building departments still own permits and product approvals (especially coastal).
Georgia Required — Every Employee Licensed
Agency: Georgia State Construction Industry Licensing Board — Plumbers
Georgia issues Journeyman and Master plumber licenses (Master Class I restricted / Class II unrestricted). Common path: ~3 years toward journeyman exam eligibility; master typically needs additional licensed experience (often framed as ~5 years total with 2 as licensed plumber — confirm live SOS application).
Employee rule (confirmed via Georgia Plumbing Institute / board practice materials): anyone performing plumbing for a plumbing contractor must hold their own current Georgia master or journeyman license. Unlike conditioned-air or electrical shops that can run helpers under a contractor card, unlicensed plumbing employees and the master who allows them are both in violation. Facility-maintenance exceptions exist under O.C.G.A. §43-14-13 — read the statute.
Verify every hire's Active status before they touch a job. Specialty routing in dispatch software is not optional theater in Georgia — it is compliance.
Hawaii Required — DCCA Contractors Board
Agency: Hawaii DCCA — Contractors License Board
Hawaii licenses plumbing contracting through DCCA specialty classifications under the Contractors License Board (commonly C-37 plumbing paths — confirm live classification list). Projects generally over $1,000 trigger contractor licensing.
Expect experience, exams, bond/insurance, and GET tax registration. Island logistics create no licensing exemption. Local county building departments own permits.
Verify Active status on the DCCA lookup before subcontracting across islands.
Idaho Required — DOPL Plumbing Board
Agency: Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses — Plumbing
Idaho issues apprentice registration, journeyman, and contractor certificates of competency through the Plumbing Board. Journeyman exam eligibility commonly requires 576 hours of approved instruction or 16,000 hours of experience (IDAPA 24.39.20 — confirm live). Contractor applicants need a journeyman certificate, contractor exam, and a $2,000 compliance bond.
Two-year renewal cycles and electronic processes have been modernizing — confirm current renewal windows on DOPL. Specialty appliance paths exist with lower hour tables.
Local permits still apply. Keep bond continuous for the certificate period.
Illinois Required — IDPH Statewide
Agency: Illinois Department of Public Health — Plumbing
Illinois licenses plumbers and apprentices statewide through IDPH under the Illinois Plumbing License Law (225 ILCS 320). Typical path: licensed apprentice for a minimum of 4 years (48–72 months depending on path), approved coursework, then state exam.
Plumbing contractors register annually; secondary materials commonly cite a $20,000 surety/indemnification bond naming IDPH plus GL certificate limits — confirm live contractor registration packet. Chicago adds local contractor registration on top of the state plumber license.
Trap: holding a state plumber card but skipping Chicago contractor registration when working the city.
Indiana Required — PLA Plumbing
Agency: Indiana Professional Licensing Agency — Plumbing Commission
Indiana licenses plumbing apprentices, journeymen, and plumbing contractors through PLA. Expect exam-based journeyman/contractor paths and proof of insurance/bond for contractor credentials.
Local building departments own permits; some cities layer business licenses. Confirm current experience tables on PLA before budgeting an apprenticeship timeline.
Keep Active status visible on estimates — Indiana consumers and GCs look up licenses.
Iowa Required — Plumbing & Mechanical Systems Board
Agency: Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing — Plumbing
Iowa licenses plumbers through the Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board. Ladder includes apprentice, journey, and master pathways with exams. Contractor credentials typically require employing or being a master.
Delaware treats Iowa master standards as substantially similar for reciprocity. Confirm CE and renewal on the DIAL portal.
Local permits still apply in every AHJ.
Kansas Local Only — No Statewide Plumber License
Agency: No statewide plumbing board. Cities (Wichita, Kansas City metro, Topeka, etc.) license locally.
Kansas issues no statewide plumber license. Municipal programs set apprentice/journeyman/master rules, exams, and contractor registrations. Wichita and Kansas City-area jurisdictions are the usual starting points for research.
Building permits still apply almost everywhere. Crossing city lines without a second local card is the classic failure mode.
Map every city you advertise in before hiring trucks. "No state license" ≠ "no license."
Kentucky Required — State Plumbing Licenses
Agency: Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services — Plumbing
Kentucky licenses plumbers statewide (apprentice, journeyman, master pathways) through state plumbing programs under CHFS/related boards. Confirm current application packets and hour tables on official pages — secondary blogs disagree on exact hour counts.
Louisville and Lexington add local contractor/business layers and aggressive permit enforcement. State license alone may not finish the compliance stack in those metros.
Verify Active status before advertising multi-county coverage.
Louisiana Required — State Plumbing Board
Agency: Louisiana State Plumbing Board
Louisiana licenses plumbers through the State Plumbing Board (journey/master ladder + exams). Operating a plumbing business typically requires a master plus separate business/contractor registration as the board defines.
Local parishes still own permits. Coastal/insurance markets expect license numbers on estimates.
Confirm current fee and CE schedules on lspb.state.la.us before budgeting.
Maine Required — PFR Plumbing
Agency: Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation — Plumbers
Maine licenses plumbers statewide through Professional and Financial Regulation. Expect journey/master exams and experience documentation. Licensed plumber required on covered jobs.
Local permits apply. Confirm current hour tables and renewal fees on the OPOR portal.
Do not assume a handyman exemption covers permitted plumbing installations.
Maryland Required — State Board of Plumbing
Agency: Maryland Board of Plumbing (DLLR / Labor)
Maryland licenses journey and master plumbers/gasfitters statewide. Master is typically required to qualify a contracting business. Insurance certificates are commonly required for master applicants.
Reciprocity corridors matter: Delaware treats Maryland masters as substantially similar; Maryland also reciprocates with Delaware for master plumber/gasfitter and has local reciprocity paths with Baltimore County / WSSC / DC for certain cards — read labor.maryland.gov reciprocity pages.
Local counties still own permits. Keep MHIC (home improvement) separate from plumbing trade cards when scopes mix.
Massachusetts Required — Board of State Examiners
Agency: Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters
Massachusetts runs one of the more comprehensive statewide plumber/gas systems: apprentice → journeyman → master with board exams and code enforcement culture that is famously strict. Gas fitting credentials sit alongside plumbing.
Local building departments are powerful AHJs. Liability coverage expectations attach to permit pulls. Confirm current fee tables on mass.gov.
Trap: holding a plumbing card but missing gas credentials on combined scopes.
Michigan Required — BCC Plumbing
Agency: Michigan LARA — Bureau of Construction Codes
Michigan licenses plumbers through BCC. Secondary materials commonly cite ~6,000 hours over at least 3 years toward certain exam paths, plus written and practical exam components — confirm live BCC candidate bulletins. Applications may expire; passing scores often do not carry forever.
Contractor/business credentials and local permits stack. Keep renewal calendars tight — Michigan paperwork timelines are unforgiving.
Verify Active status before advertising statewide coverage.
Minnesota Required — DLI Plumbing
Agency: Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry — Plumbing
Minnesota licenses plumbers and plumbing contractors through DLI. Journey/master ladder with exams; contractors must designate a responsible licensed individual.
Minneapolis and St. Paul may add local contractor registration. Confirm current bond/insurance minimums on DLI pages.
Cross-metro shops need both state cards and city registrations mapped.
Mississippi Required — State Board of Contractors
Agency: Mississippi State Board of Contractors
Mississippi licenses plumbing contracting through the State Board of Contractors with journey/master individual paths as defined by board rules. Reciprocity may be available with states that have substantially equivalent requirements — confirm case by case.
Local permits still apply. Keep classification matched to residential vs commercial scopes.
Verify Active status on the MSBOC lookup before bidding.
Missouri Local Only — No Statewide Plumber License
Agency: No statewide plumbing board. Kansas City, St. Louis City/County, Springfield, Columbia, Jefferson City, and others license locally. Statute (RSMo 341) pushes exam requirements in cities ≥15,000 population.
Correction vs July 5: Missouri does not have a statewide "12,000-hour master" requirement. There is no state plumber license. Hour and exam rules are municipal. Jefferson City materials sometimes cite ~12,000 total hours toward master locally — that is a city rule, not a statewide board rule. Kansas City and St. Louis run independent programs with their own experience tables (often ~4 years / 8,000 hours toward journey plus additional journey time toward master — confirm each city).
A multi-city Missouri plumbing contractor needs credentials in every jurisdiction where work is performed. Some smaller cities rely on limited registration.
Start research with the building department for the job address — not a "Missouri plumbing board" Google result that does not exist.
Montana Required — DLI Plumbing
Agency: Montana Board of Plumbers / DLI
Montana licenses plumbers statewide (journey/master ladder). Contractor operation typically requires a master. Confirm current hour tables and exams on the board page.
Local permits apply. Note Montana's separate 2026 Construction Contractor License transition for general contracting — that does not replace the plumbing trade card.
Verify Active status before advertising across counties.
Nebraska Local Only — Municipal Boards (+ NDOL Registration)
Agency: No statewide plumber license. Omaha and Lincoln plumbing boards (and other cities/villages) license locally. Statewide NDOL Contractor Registration is an administrative overlay — not a plumber exam card.
Taxonomy correction: Nebraska belongs in the true local-only plumber list (with KS, MO, NY, PA, WY) — replacing Colorado, which is statewide. Neb. Rev. Stat. §18-1917 points sanitary plumbing work to city/village master and journeyman credentials.
Omaha and Lincoln run separate exams and cards — one city license does not automatically authorize the other. NDOL contractor registration (~$25/year commonly cited for many contractors) still applies when thresholds are met — confirm live DOL materials.
Map cities before Google ads. Electrical is statewide in Nebraska; plumbing is not.
Nevada Required — NSCB C-1 Plumbing
Agency: Nevada State Contractors Board
Nevada licenses plumbing contracting through NSCB specialty classifications (commonly C-1 plumbing / related subclasses — confirm live classification text). Monetary limits and board-set bonds ($1,000–$500,000 band under NRS 624.270 frameworks) apply — do not invent a revenue-to-bond chart.
Individual journeyman licensing may still appear at local levels for certain permit contexts; the business credential is NSCB. Trade exam waivers sometimes exist for long-licensed plumbers from listed states — confirm current waiver lists.
Bid only within your monetary limit.
New Hampshire Required — OPLC Plumbing
Agency: NH Office of Professional Licensure and Certification — Plumbing
New Hampshire licenses plumbers through OPLC (journey/master pathways with exams). Master is typically required to operate independently / pull certain permits.
No state sales tax can help materials purchasing — it does not create a licensing exemption. Local permits still apply.
Confirm current fees and CE on OPLC.
New Jersey Required — DCA Master Plumber
Agency: NJ Division of Consumer Affairs — State Board of Examiners of Master Plumbers
New Jersey licenses master plumbers statewide through DCA. Journey/apprentice pathways feed the master exam. Contracting typically requires a master on the business.
Municipal permits and inspections remain aggressive. Keep HIC registration (home improvement) conceptually separate when remodel scopes mix trades.
Verify Active status on the DCA lookup before advertising.
New Mexico Required — RLD Construction Industries
Agency: New Mexico Regulation & Licensing Department — Construction Industries
New Mexico licenses plumbers through RLD Construction Industries (journey/master / contractor frameworks). Master is typically required to qualify a plumbing contracting business.
Local permits apply. Confirm current exam vendors and fee schedules on RLD.
Keep classification matched to residential vs commercial scopes.
New York Local Only — NYC DOB Sets the Bar
Agency: No statewide plumber license. NYC Department of Buildings — Master Plumber; other cities (Buffalo, Rochester, etc.) run independent programs.
New York State does not issue a plumber license. New York City's Master Plumber license is one of the strictest local credentials in the country: generally 7 years total experience within the prior 10 years, including at least 2 years as a DOB-registered journeyman plumber, plus written and practical exams and a background investigation. Engineering-degree path: commonly 5 years within 7 (with NYC experience components). PE/RA path and inspection-experience credit rules exist — read NYC DOB pages.
As of February 23, 2026, NYC Master Plumber applications route through DOB NOW: Licensing. Other NY cities set their own rules — a NYC card does not automatically authorize upstate work.
For plumbing contractors targeting the five boroughs, the NYC master is the unlock for permits and legal operation in one of the highest-value plumbing markets in the U.S.
North Carolina Required — State Board of Examiners
Agency: NC State Board of Examiners of Plumbing, Heating and Fire Sprinkler Contractors
North Carolina licenses plumbing (and related mechanical) contractors through a dedicated state board. Expect journey/master/contractor ladder with exams. Commonly discussed journey hour totals sit near 8,000 — confirm live board materials.
Local permits and inspections remain aggressive in growth metros (Charlotte, Raleigh, Triangle).
Keep license classification matched to fuel-gas and hydronic scopes if you advertise those services.
North Dakota Required — State Plumbing Board
Agency: North Dakota State Plumbing Board
North Dakota licenses plumbers statewide (journey/master). Contractors typically must employ or be a master.
Local permits apply. Confirm current fees and exams on the board site.
Verify Active status before advertising multi-city coverage.
Ohio Required — OCILB Plumbing
Agency: Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board
Ohio licenses plumbing contractors through OCILB (journey/master frameworks as defined by board rules). Some cities add local registration on top of the state card.
Local permits apply everywhere. Confirm current exam and CE requirements on the Commerce portal.
Trap: assuming a neighboring county accepts your city registration without checking.
Oklahoma Required — Construction Industries Board
Agency: Oklahoma Construction Industries Board
Oklahoma licenses plumbers through the Construction Industries Board (journey/master / contractor paths). Contractor credentials typically require a master.
Local permits apply. Confirm current fee schedules on CIB.
Keep Active status on trucks and ads.
Oregon Required — BCD Plumbing
Agency: Oregon Building Codes Division — Plumbing
Oregon licenses plumbers through BCD (apprentice → journey → master) and requires contractor registration/bond/insurance stacks for businesses.
Local jurisdictions still own permits. Confirm current hour tables and CE on BCD.
Cross-state work into Washington or California needs separate destination credentials — Oregon cards do not travel automatically.
Pennsylvania Local Only — Cities License Plumbers
Agency: No statewide plumber license. Philadelphia, Pittsburgh/Allegheny County, and other municipalities license locally. Statewide HICPA registration may still apply to home-improvement contracting — separate from a plumber trade card.
Pennsylvania does not issue a state plumber license. Philadelphia's master/journeyman system and Allegheny County programs are the usual research starting points. Experience tables vary (Allegheny secondary summaries often cite apprenticeship hour/classroom combinations — confirm local board PDFs).
Delaware will not reciprocity a Pennsylvania municipal-only plumber card into a DE state master — exam path required.
Always check the city/county of the job address. "No state license" is not a free pass in Philly.
Rhode Island Required — DLT Plumbing
Agency: Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training — Plumbing
Rhode Island licenses plumbers through DLT (journey/master ladder). Confirm current exams and fees on DLT pages.
Local permits apply. Compact geography still means multi-town permit discipline.
Verify Active status before advertising statewide.
South Carolina Required — LLR Contractors / Plumbing
Agency: South Carolina LLR — Contractors Licensing Board
South Carolina licenses plumbing contracting through LLR pathways with residential and commercial classifications available. Journey/master individual credentials feed contractor qualification.
Local permits apply. Confirm current exam vendors and bond/insurance minimums on LLR.
Keep classification matched to the bid before you advertise "statewide."
South Dakota Required — Plumbing Commission
Agency: South Dakota Plumbing Commission / DLR
South Dakota licenses plumbers statewide through the Plumbing Commission (journey/master). Contractor credentials typically require a master.
Local permits apply. Confirm current fees on DLR.
Verify Active status before multi-city advertising.
Tennessee Required — Board for Licensing Contractors
Agency: Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (+ local journey cards where required)
Tennessee licenses plumbing contracting through the Board for Licensing Contractors; individual journey credentials may also appear at local levels depending on jurisdiction. Confirm which card unlocks permits in your metro (Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga).
Nashville metro growth means more out-of-state crews — license verification before subcontracting matters.
Keep contractor classification matched to residential vs commercial plumbing scopes.
Texas Required — TSBPE (Hours Corrected)
Agency: Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE)
Major correction vs July 5: Texas does not require "12,000 hours for master — highest nationally." Journeyman eligibility requires at least 8,000 hours of plumbing experience plus approved training (48-hour course or DOL apprenticeship) per TSBPE. Master eligibility (applications on/after Sept 1, 2025 under HB 3214): hold a journeyman license for at least two years (or one year with an accepted DOL/national apprenticeship). The old four-year journeyman-hold rule is superseded for new applications.
Separate Responsible Master Plumber / contractor registration frameworks apply to operate the business — individual licenses alone are not the full stack. Confirm live TSBPE license-type pages for RMP/company rules.
Texas remains a heavily licensed plumbing market with statewide enforcement. City registrations may still layer for general contracting, but plumbing itself is a TSBPE statewide trade.
Utah Required — DOPL Plumbing
Agency: Utah Division of Professional Licensing — Plumbing
Utah licenses plumbers through DOPL (apprentice → journey → master). Contractor operation typically requires the appropriate master/contractor credentials.
Local permits apply. Confirm current exams and CE on DOPL.
Verify Active status before advertising Wasatch Front coverage.
Vermont Required — OPR Plumbing
Agency: Vermont Office of Professional Regulation — Plumbing
Vermont licenses plumbers through OPR (journey/master pathways). Confirm current hour tables and exams on sos.vermont.gov.
Local permits apply. Compact market still means multi-town permit discipline.
Keep renewal calendars current — small-state boards still enforce.
Virginia Required — DPOR Tradesman + Contractor
Agency: Virginia DPOR — Board for Contractors / Tradesman
Virginia uses tradesman certification (journeyman/master plumber) plus contractor licensing for the business. Secondary materials commonly cite ~8,000 hours toward certain plumber exam paths plus Virginia Plumbing Code exam components — confirm live DPOR candidate information.
Contractor class (A/B/C) is a separate dollar-volume system from the tradesman card — you may need both depending on how you contract. See our GC guide for 2025 class-band updates.
Local permits apply. Keep tradesman and contractor numbers straight on ads.
Washington Required — L&I Plumbing
Agency: Washington Department of Labor & Industries — Plumbing
Washington licenses plumbers and plumbing contractors through L&I. Individual journey/master certificates plus a Plumbing Contractor license for the business. Commonly discussed journey experience sits near 8,000 hours — confirm live L&I materials.
Plumbing contractor stack (confirm live forms/WAC 296-400A-045): continuous $6,000 plumbing contractor surety bond; GL at $250,000 combined single limit (or $200K public / $50K property); licensing fee cited on 2026 application materials near $148.10 for a two-year period (some L&I HTML pages still show older $139.10 — prefer the form/WAC figure and verify before you pay). Designated Plumber assignment required.
Washington is a monopolistic workers' comp state — buy industrial insurance from L&I, not a private WC carrier. Electronic insurance submission rules have been tightening — read current L&I contractor bulletins.
West Virginia Required — Division of Labor
Agency: West Virginia Division of Labor — Plumbing
West Virginia licenses plumbers through the Division of Labor. Secondary summaries commonly cite ~7,000 hours plus state exam for certain paths, and licensing triggers tied to job value thresholds (often discussed near $5,000) — confirm live DOL materials before relying on a blog number.
Local permits apply. Confirm current fees on labor.wv.gov.
Verify Active status before multi-county advertising.
Wisconsin Required — DSPS Plumbing
Agency: Wisconsin DSPS — Plumbing
Wisconsin licenses plumbers through DSPS. Secondary materials commonly cite ~6,000 hours and ICC exam acceptance for certain paths — confirm live DSPS credentialing pages.
Local permits apply. Contractor/business credentials may stack depending on how you contract.
Keep CE and renewal current on the DSPS portal.
Wyoming Local Only — No Statewide Plumber License
Agency: No statewide plumbing board. Cities (Cheyenne, Casper, Laramie, Gillette, Jackson, etc.) license locally. Wyoming State Fire Marshal licenses electrical statewide — not plumbing.
Correction vs July 5: Wyoming does not issue a statewide master plumber license through the Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety. That department's licensing program is electrical. Plumbing is municipal. The July 5 post wrongly listed Wyoming both in the "statewide" table (as LOCAL ONLY with an invented state master path) and again in the six local-only states.
Cheyenne Class C-1 master plumbing applications commonly require ICC Master Plumber with Gas (or WAM equivalent) plus documented hands-on experience. Casper publishes its own master/journeyman hour and ICC exam lists. Confirm each city before mobilizing.
Electrical statewide ≠ plumbing statewide. Treat Wyoming plumbing like Kansas: map cities.
What every plumbing contractor still needs regardless of state
- General liability insurance matching board and customer minimums
- Workers’ compensation for employees (and monopolistic L&I coverage in Washington)
- Surety bond where the board requires it
- Business entity registration (LLC/corp) separate from the trade card
- Building permits per job — master typically pulls and stands behind the work
- Tax hygiene on materials and labor — see tax deductions for trades as fits your CPA conversation
FAQ
Which states have no statewide plumbing license in 2026?
Six states regulate plumber credentials primarily at the city/county level with no statewide plumber license: Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming. Colorado is NOT on that list — DORA issues statewide Residential, Journeyworker, and Master plumber licenses plus contractor registrations. Local-only never means unregulated: NYC, Philadelphia, Kansas City, Omaha, Cheyenne, and peers still run strict programs.
Does Texas really require 12,000 hours for a master plumber?
No. That claim is outdated. TSBPE requires at least 8,000 hours of plumbing experience (plus approved training) to sit for journeyman. For master applications on or after September 1, 2025 (HB 3214), you generally must have held a journeyman license for at least two years (or one year with an accepted DOL/national apprenticeship). The old four-year journeyman-hold rule no longer applies to new applications. Separate contractor/RMP registration still applies to run the business.
Is Colorado a local-only plumbing state?
No. Colorado's State Plumbing Board under DORA licenses Residential, Journeyworker, and Master plumbers statewide and registers plumbing contractors. Experience ceilings include 3,400 / 6,800 / 8,500 hours respectively. Cities still own permits and may require display of license numbers — but they do not replace the state card.
What is the California C-36 bond amount in 2026?
CSLB requires a $25,000 contractor license bond for C-36 Plumbing (and other classifications) under Business and Professions Code §7071.6, as raised by SB 607 effective January 1, 2023. Additional Bond of Qualifying Individual and LLC employee/worker bond rules may apply. Confirm the live CSLB bond page before filing.
Does Georgia really require every plumbing employee to be licensed?
Yes for work performed for a plumbing contractor. Georgia practice materials and board rules require each person performing plumbing for a plumbing contractor to hold a current Georgia master or journeyman license. A master who allows unlicensed employees or subcontractors can also be in violation. Limited facility-maintenance exceptions exist in statute — read O.C.G.A. §43-14-13 and verify with the SOS board.
What are NYC Master Plumber experience requirements?
NYC DOB generally requires seven years of qualifying plumbing experience within the prior ten years, including at least two years as a DOB-registered journeyman plumber, plus written and practical exams and a background investigation. Alternative paths exist for qualifying engineering degrees (commonly five years within seven) and for PE/RA applicants. As of February 23, 2026, applications route through DOB NOW: Licensing.
Is Connecticut's journeyman requirement 10,000 hours?
No. Connecticut DCP lists P-2 Unlimited Journeyperson Plumbing as 8,000 hours on-the-job training plus 576 classroom hours (or equivalent). Limited classes have lower tables. The P-1 Unlimited Contractor path requires two additional years as an unlimited licensed journeyperson after P-2 — sometimes summarized as ~12,000 total OJT hours for the contractor track, not a 10,000-hour journeyman rule.
What is the difference between a master plumber license and a plumbing contractor license?
In most states the master (or equivalent) is the individual technical credential; the contractor/company registration is the business credential that lets the entity advertise, contract, and often pull permits. Arizona and California emphasize contractor-level licensing (ROC / CSLB) while individual journey cards may be local. Running a company on a personal card alone is a common compliance failure.
Does Delaware offer plumbing license reciprocity?
Yes. Delaware's state board treats current master licenses from Connecticut, Iowa, and Maryland as substantially similar (no extra experience proof). Many other listed states require seven years of post-master practice. Pennsylvania municipal-only licenses generally cannot use reciprocity — applicants take the exam path. Apply through DELPROS with direct license verifications.
What insurance and bonds do plumbing contractors typically need?
Nearly everywhere: general liability (limits vary; Florida and Washington publish specific floors), workers' compensation for employees (Washington is monopolistic — buy from L&I), and often a surety bond as a licensing condition (examples: California $25,000 CSLB bond; Washington $6,000 plumbing contractor bond; Idaho $2,000 compliance bond; Illinois contractor registration often cites $20,000). Confirm the board schedule — blog numbers are not invoices.
Can I use my plumber license in another state?
Almost never automatically. A few corridors (e.g., Delaware with CT/IA/MD; Mississippi and others with case-by-case equivalence) help. Most boards evaluate out-of-state credentials individually or require a full exam. Local-only states never accept a 'state card' you do not have — you need each city's credential.
Does this guide replace calling the state board?
No. This is September 2026 operator-facing research from official boards and statutes — not legal advice. Fees, hour tables, exam vendors, and classifications change. Prefer the cited .gov board when blogs conflict, and verify before you advertise, hire, or expand.
Route licensed plumbers to the right jobs
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The bottom line
Plumbing is one of the most uniformly licensed trades in the country — but “uniformly licensed” does not mean uniformly simple. Experience thresholds, exam structures, bond minimums, and the crucial distinction between individual and contractor licensing vary enough that an experienced plumber crossing state lines can end up out of compliance without realizing it.
The two things that still catch most plumbing business owners off guard: first, the difference between the master plumber license (individual) and the plumbing contractor license (business entity) — you often need both. Second, the local layer that sits on top of state requirements — especially in the six local-only states, but also in major cities like Chicago and NYC even where state cards exist.
Get the licensing right in every market you operate in. Pull the permits. Carry the insurance. Verify every employee’s individual credentials in states like Georgia where they are personally required. Prefer the official board dated closest to today when SEO blogs still recite July’s mistakes — Colorado as local-only, Texas at 12,000 master hours, Connecticut at 10,000 journey hours, Wyoming as a Fire Marshal plumbing state. The plumbing contractors customers can verify on arrival are the ones that still get called back in 2027.
