What a plumbing license costs to apply for, test for and renew, state by state, sourced from each board's own fee schedule or statute.
A plumbing license costs most applicants between $75 and $450 once the application fee, exam fee and license fee are added together, and the exact number depends entirely on which state is issuing it. A handful of states only license the plumbing business rather than the individual plumber, and that business-level license runs $270 to $600 before any bond or insurance is added.
At a glance
- A journeyman or master plumber license typically runs $75 to $310 to apply for and test, then $40 to $500 to renew.
- Six states, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania and Wyoming, have no statewide plumbing license at all; cities and counties set their own fees.
- Arizona, California and Nevada license only the plumbing contracting business, not the individual plumber, and that license runs $270 to $600.
- PSI, Pearson VUE, Prov and Professional Testing administer most state plumbing exams; Arkansas, Idaho and Minnesota give the exam themselves.
What the plumbing license fee actually buys
Every state that licenses plumbing charges some combination of four separate fees: an application fee, an exam fee (usually paid to a testing vendor, not the board), a license or certificate issuance fee, and a renewal fee on a cycle the board sets, anywhere from one year to four. A handful of boards fold two or three of these into one combined fee, which is why the same license can look like a flat $200 on one state's website and $75 plus $125 on another's for a similar credential. This page covers the cost to license an individual plumber or a plumbing contracting business specifically. For the cost of a general contractor license that is not trade specific, see how much a contractor license costs; for the full requirements in two states with detailed guides already, see Michigan's plumbing license and Ohio's plumbing license. For the broader question of getting licensed in more than one state at once, The Licensing Company's licensing services in all 50 states cover plumbing along with every other trade.
Plumbing license cost by state
Pick your state above to see its details, or show all 50 states.
| State | Apply and test | Initial license | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $50 app plus $110 exam | $75 journeyman | $75 a year |
| Alaska | $150 app plus $150 exam (PSI) | $200 (2 year term) | $200 every 2 years |
| Arizona | $80 app plus trade and law exams | $270 (R-37 residential) | $540 every 2 years |
| Arkansas | $75 app (exam included) | $75 journeyman | $75 a year |
| California | $450 app (exam via PSI) | $200 sole owner, $350 other | $450 to $700 every 2 years |
| Colorado | $78 exam (PSI); app fee not posted | Confirm with the board | Confirm with the board |
| Connecticut | $90 to $150 app plus $59 per exam part (PSI) | Included in application fee | $120 to $150 a year |
| Delaware | $173 app (exam fee set by Prov) | $173 (combined) | Confirm with the board (2 years) |
| District of Columbia | $65 app plus $52 exam (PSI) | $110 to $120 | $110 to $180 every 2 years |
| Florida | $335 certified app and exam | $145 to $245 (initial certification, by filing window) | $209 every 2 years |
| Georgia | Confirm with the board | Confirm with the board | Biennial; fee not posted |
| Hawaii | $40 app plus $90 exam (PSI, individual) | $52 individual, $494 to $663 contractor | $156 every 3 years, $338 every 2 (contractor) |
| Idaho | $22.50 app plus $75 exam (given by the board) | $29.40 journeyman, $147 contractor | $21.60 every 3 years, $108 (contractor) |
| Illinois | $175 to $225 app (exam included) | Included; contractor registers for $150 a year | Confirm with the board |
| Indiana | $30 app plus $75 exam (journeyman, Prov) | $15 to $30 journeyman, $50 to $100 contractor | Biennial, $30 to $100 |
| Iowa | $180 to $400 (3 year app) plus $35 exam (PSI) | Included | $180 to $250 every 3 years |
| Kansas | No state license; each city sets its own | Not applicable, local | Not applicable, local |
| Kentucky | $50 exam journeyman, $150 master | $60 journeyman, $250 master | $60 to $250 a year |
| Louisiana | $62.50 + $125 exam journeyman; $240 PSI contractor exams | $40 journeyman | $40 a year (journeyman) |
| Maine | $200 app, exam included (Prov) | Included | $200 every 2 years |
| Maryland | $65 exam (PSI) | $87.50 | $87.50 every 2 years |
| Massachusetts | $31 app plus $80 exam (PSI) | $52 journeyman, $78 master | $52 to $78 every 2 years |
| Michigan | $40 a year journeyman reg. plus $100 exam (PSI) | $300 every 3 years (master or contractor) | $40 a year, or $300 every 3 years |
| Minnesota | $50 app and exam (given by the board) | $40 journeyworker every 2 years | $40 to $180 every 2 years |
| Mississippi | $50 to $400 app (exam via PSI, fee not posted) | Included | $100 to $400 a year |
| Missouri | No state license; cities and counties set their own | Not applicable, local | Not applicable, local |
| Montana | $270 journeyman app (exam via IAPMO) | Included | $160 a year |
| Nebraska | No state license; each city sets its own | Not applicable, local | Not applicable, local |
| Nevada | $300 app; exam fee set by PSI | $600 | $600 every 2 years |
| New Hampshire | $190 journeyman, $310 master app | $20 certificate | $180 to $300 a year |
| New Jersey | $240 in exams total (PSI, master plumber) | Confirm with the board | Confirm with the board |
| New Mexico | $75 journeyman (exam fee not posted) | $75 journeyman | Confirm with the board |
| New York | No state license; each city sets its own | Not applicable, local (for example, NYC) | Not applicable, local |
| North Carolina | $30 app (exam fee not posted, PSI) | $130 a year | $130 a year |
| North Dakota | $50 exam, set by rule | $100 journeyman, $200 master | $100 to $200 a year |
| Ohio | $25 app plus exam (PSI) | $25 | $60 a year, or $180 every 3 years |
| Oklahoma | $25 to $30 app (exam via PSI) | $50 to $300 | $75 to $200 a year |
| Oregon | $100 journeyman app, $150 business app | Included | $180 journeyman, $450 business |
| Pennsylvania | No state license; set by the city (e.g. Philadelphia) | Not applicable, local | Not applicable, local |
| Rhode Island | $75 app (exam included) | $72 journeyperson, $240 master | $72 to $240 a year |
| South Carolina | $135 app (residential, exam via PSI) | $220 | $220 every 2 years |
| South Dakota | $50 app, plumber or contractor | Confirm with the board | Capped at $300; exact fee not posted |
| Tennessee | $250 contractor license app; no separate plumbing license | Confirm with the board | Confirm with the board |
| Texas | $40 journeyman app; master exam $128.50 (Pearson VUE) | $40 journeyman, $75 master | $40 to $75 a year |
| Utah | $110 app plus $78 to $85 exam (Prov) | Included | $68 every 2 years |
| Vermont | Confirm with the board | $90 journeyman, $120 master | $90 to $120 every 2 years |
| Virginia | $171.75 combined, plus $100 to $125 exam (PSI) | Included | Confirm with the board (2 years) |
| Washington | $202.10 app and exam (PSI) | $227.90 (journey level) | $227.90 every 3 years |
| West Virginia | Exam fee not posted (Prov) | $75 (master or journeyman) | $75; cycle not posted |
| Wisconsin | $10 journeyman, $20 master app | $180 journeyman, $500 master | $180 to $500 every 4 years |
| Wyoming | No state license; set by the city (for example, Cheyenne) | Not applicable, local | Not applicable, local |
Notes on the table:
- Six states have no statewide plumbing license at all: Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania and Wyoming. In every one of them, the city or county sets its own fee, exam and renewal cycle.
- Arizona, California and Nevada license only the plumbing contracting business. There is no separate individual journeyman or master card from the state in any of the three.
- Hawaii and Louisiana run two licensing systems at once: an individual trade card and a separate contractor or business license, each with its own fee schedule.
- Idaho also requires a $2,000 surety bond for the plumbing contractor license, confirmed on the board's own application.
- Where a cell reads confirm with the board, the agency's own published fee schedule or administrative rule did not state a dollar figure as of the date this page was researched; call the board directly before budgeting.
- Master-level and contractor-level credentials generally cost more than the entry-level journeyman card in the same state; the table above shows the journeyman or lowest tier unless that state does not offer one.
Who actually needs the license, and what qualifying it means
A company that wants to bid plumbing work in most states still needs an individual who holds the license, works for the company as an owner or a full time W-2 employee, and supervises the work; that person is the qualifying agent, and the arrangement is explained in full at what a qualifying agent is and hiring a qualifying agent. Companies that would rather not search for and manage that person themselves often use contractor qualifier services instead. The same logic applies whether the state licenses an individual plumber, as most do, or only a plumbing contracting business, as Arizona, California and Nevada do: someone has to hold the credential and stand behind the work.
FAQ
Why does a plumbing license cost so much more in one state than another? States set their own fees by rule or statute, and some bundle the application, exam and first year of licensure into one fee while others charge for each step separately. A state that licenses only the contracting business, not the individual plumber, also tends to charge more, since that fee covers the right to operate a company rather than just to work a trade.
Is the exam fee separate from the application fee? Usually yes. Most boards hire an outside testing vendor, commonly PSI, Pearson VUE or Prov, and that vendor collects its own fee directly from the applicant on top of whatever the board charges to apply. A few boards, including Arkansas, Idaho and Minnesota, give the exam themselves and fold the cost into one fee.
Do I need a bond or insurance to get a plumbing license? It depends on the state. Some require a specific bond amount, such as Idaho's $2,000 plumbing contractor bond; others require liability insurance instead, such as Maryland's $300,000 bodily injury minimum; and many require neither for an individual journeyman or master card. Check the specific state's board page before budgeting for one.
How often do I have to renew a plumbing license? It ranges from every year (Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Michigan's journeyman tier, Montana) to every four years (Wisconsin). Two and three year cycles are the most common.
Which states don't require a state plumbing license at all? Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania and Wyoming have no statewide plumbing license; licensing in those six states happens at the city or county level instead.
Is a plumbing contractor license the same as a plumber's license? Not always. Several states, including Hawaii and Louisiana, issue both: an individual trade card for the person doing the work, and a separate contractor or business license for the company bidding and billing the job. Arizona, California and Nevada issue only the contractor version.
Getting the fee right is only one part of getting licensed. If you would rather have someone confirm the current requirement, schedule the exam and manage the paperwork for you, call 615-219-2110 or start at Hire a Qualifying Agent.
Sources
- Alabama Administrative Code Ch. 720-X-4-.01, read 2026-10-27
- Alaska Mechanical Administrator License Application, Form 08-4904 and PSI Alaska Mechanical Administrators Candidate Bulletin, read 2026-10-27
- Arizona Registrar of Contractors, Licensing Fees, read 2026-10-27
- Arkansas Dept. of Health, Plumbing Licensing Rules, read 2026-10-27
- California CSLB, Application for Original Contractor License, Form 13A-1 and CSLB Fee Schedule, read 2026-10-27
- PSI Colorado State Plumbing Board Candidate Information Bulletin, read 2026-10-27
- Connecticut DCP, Plumbing and Pipefitting Licensing, read 2026-10-27
- Delaware Division of Professional Regulation, Board of Plumbing Examiners Fee Schedule, read 2026-10-27
- DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, plumber licensing and PSI Washington D.C. Candidate Information Bulletin, read 2026-10-27
- Florida Administrative Code R. 61G4-12.009, Fees, read 2026-10-27
- Georgia Rules and Regulations, Rule 121-3-.02, Statewide Master and Journeyman Plumber License, read 2026-10-27
- Hawaii Administrative Rules 16-53, Fees, Hawaii Revised Statutes 444-16.5 and Hawaii Contractor License Board, C-37 Plumbing Contractor fee schedule, read 2026-10-27
- Idaho DOPL State Plumbing Board and DOPL Plumbing Exam Bulletin, read 2026-10-27
- Illinois Dept. of Public Health, Plumber's License Examination Application and IDPH Plumbing Contractor Registration, read 2026-10-27
- Indiana Plumbing Commission, 860 IAC 1-1-2.1 and Prov Indiana Journeyman Plumber Candidate Information Bulletin, read 2026-10-27
- Iowa DIAL, Plumbing and Mechanical Systems License Fees, read 2026-10-27
- Kansas Statutes 12-1508 and 12-1509, read 2026-10-27
- Kentucky Administrative Regulations 815 KAR 20:030, read 2026-10-27
- Louisiana Revised Statutes 37:1371 and LSLBC Plumbing Classification, read 2026-10-27
- Maine Plumbers' Examining Board, Individual Licenses, read 2026-10-27
- Maryland Dept. of Labor, Board of Plumbing Forms and Fees and PSI Maryland Candidate Information Bulletin, read 2026-10-27
- Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters, license renewal, read 2026-10-27
- Michigan Compiled Laws 339.6121 and PSI Michigan Plumbing Candidate Information Bulletin, read 2026-10-27
- Minnesota Statutes 326B.092 and 326B.49, read 2026-10-27
- Mississippi State Board of Contractors, Fee Schedule, read 2026-10-27
- Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 341, read 2026-10-27
- Montana Board of Plumbers, Journeyman and Master Plumber Applications, read 2026-10-27
- Nebraska Dept. of Labor, Labor Standards, Contractors, read 2026-10-27
- Nevada State Contractors Board, License Application, read 2026-10-27
- New Hampshire OPLC, License Fees, Mechanical Safety and Licensing Board, read 2026-10-27
- PSI New Jersey Master Plumber Candidate Information Bulletin, read 2026-10-27
- New Mexico Construction Industries Division, Fees, read 2026-10-27
- NYC Department of Buildings, plumbing applications toolkit, read 2026-10-27
- North Carolina Administrative Code 21 NCAC 50 .1102 and N.C.G.S. 87-22, read 2026-10-27
- North Dakota State Plumbing Board, Licensing and Renewal Fees and Exam Fees, read 2026-10-27
- Ohio Administrative Code 4101:16-2-09, read 2026-10-27
- Oklahoma Construction Industries Board, Plumbing Application Information, read 2026-10-27
- Oregon Administrative Rule 918-780-0030, read 2026-10-27
- Rhode Island Dept. of Labor and Training, Plumbers application, read 2026-10-27
- South Carolina LLR, Residential Plumber License and LLR Plumbers Instructions, read 2026-10-27
- South Dakota Plumbing Commission, License Application, read 2026-10-27
- Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors and Contractor's License Application, read 2026-10-27
- Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, Journeyman and Master Plumber licensing and TSBPE Master Plumber, read 2026-10-27
- Utah DOPL Fee Schedule and Prov Utah Plumbing Candidate Information Bulletin, read 2026-10-27
- Vermont Statutes 26 V.S.A. 2193, read 2026-10-27
- Virginia DPOR, Tradesman Exam and License Application, Form A501-2710EXLIC and DPOR Tradesmen page, read 2026-10-27
- Washington Dept. of Labor and Industries, Plumber Exam Application F627-008-000 and Plumber Renewal F627-019-000, read 2026-10-27
- West Virginia Division of Labor, Plumber Certification Fees, read 2026-10-27
- Wisconsin DSPS, Credential Fees and Renewal Dates, read 2026-10-27
- City of Cheyenne Contractor Licensing Regulations, read 2026-10-27
Disclaimer: This article is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, licensing guidance, or an offer of services. Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction. For specific compliance questions, contact The Licensing Company for a confidential consultation.