Texas Plumber License: 8,000 Hours, Pearson VUE Exam

Q: How much experience do you need to become a Master Plumber in Texas, and did it change?

Two years, and yes -- it was cut in half. Tex. Occ. Code 1301.002(5)(B) now requires that a master plumber has worked as a journeyman plumber for at least two years, or for at least one year plus successful completion of a training program approved by the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship or another nationally recognized apprentice training program accepted by the board. The change was made by House Bill 3214 of the 89th Texas Legislature and took effect September 1, 2025. TSBPE announced it in these words: "starting September 1, 2025, the experience requirement for a licensed Journeyman Plumber to become a Master Plumber will be reduced from four years to two years." Many third-party guides still publish the superseded four-year figure.

How to get licensed as a plumber in Texas: 8,000 hours (Journeyman Plumber License), Pearson VUE exam — verified from Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE).

Source-verified

Requirements below are drawn from Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) (official site) and last verified July 29, 2026. Boards change fees and rules often — confirm before acting.

Requirements at a glance

Who must hold a credential: Texas licenses the INDIVIDUAL, not the firm. Tex. Occ. Code 1301.351(a): "A person, other than a responsible master plumber, may not engage in plumbing unless: (1) the person holds the proper license, registration, or endorsement required by this chapter; and (2) the person's work is supervised and controlled by a person licensed under this chapter." A worker cannot rely on an employer's credential -- an employee doing plumbing must personally hold at least a Plumber's Apprentice Registration, and TSBPE describes itself as "the state agency responsible for licensing plumbers in Texas." 22 TAC 365.1(a) puts it the same way: "The scope of plumbing work that an individual may perform is dictated by the type of license, endorsement, or registration held." A separate business-side requirement sits on top: "A person may not act as a responsible master plumber unless the person holds the appropriate license and meets the requirements for a responsible master plumber under this chapter" (1301.351(a-1)), and "a person that advertises or otherwise offers to perform or provide plumbing must secure the services of a responsible master plumber" (1301.351(a-2)). The statutory exemptions below remove some work and some people from the licence requirement entirely.
Register as an apprentice FIRST -- hours before registration do not count: Tex. Occ. Code 1301.354(a): "A person who desires to learn the trade of plumbing must register as a plumber's apprentice before assisting a person licensed under this chapter in the trade of plumbing." TSBPE is explicit about the consequence: "You MUST register as a Plumber's Apprentice before you can start counting the hours of experience you have working in the plumbing trade. Any hours worked before you are registered do not count toward the hours requirements for the Tradesman Plumber-Limited or Journeyman Plumber examinations." 22 TAC 363.2(e): "To receive credit for experience working in the trade, the applicant must hold either a valid Plumber's Apprentice Registration or Tradesman Plumber-Limited License at the time the hours were worked." The minimum age to register is 16 (363.7).
Master Plumber experience dropped from four years to two -- effective September 1, 2025: Tex. Occ. Code 1301.002(5)(B) now requires that a master plumber "has worked as a journeyman plumber: (i) for at least two years; or (ii) for at least one year and has successfully completed a training program approved by the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship or another nationally recognized apprentice training program accepted by the board." The section was amended by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 618 (H.B. 3214), Sec. 1, effective September 1, 2025. TSBPE announced it on June 23, 2025: "starting September 1, 2025, the experience requirement for a licensed Journeyman Plumber to become a Master Plumber will be reduced from four years to two years. This change was recently passed by the Texas Legislature and signed by the Governor," adding that "all Master Plumber applications will be updated on September 1, 2025" and that applications received before that date had to meet "the current four-year requirement or one year with a DOL program certificate." The one-year alternative is broader in the statute and in the board rule than on TSBPE's Master Plumber page: 1301.002(5)(B)(ii) and 22 TAC 363.4(2) both accept a USDOL Office of Apprenticeship programme "or another nationally-recognized apprentice training program accepted by the Board," while the web page names only the USDOL Office of Apprenticeship.
Experience is documented on an Employer's Certification Form the applicant may not complete: A Plumber's Apprentice or Tradesman Plumber-Limited licensee applying to take an examination must submit an Employer's Certification Form (ECF) showing the accrued hours; where hours were accrued with multiple employers, a separate ECF must come from each employer (22 TAC 363.2(d)). "The ECF shall be completed by the Responsible Master Plumber (RMP) who was the RMP for the company at the time the applicant worked there or the licensee who supervised the applicant on the job" (363.2(d)(2)). A currently employed applicant must request the ECF in writing and provide the form to the RMP or supervising licensee; "once a written request for an ECF is received, the RMP or licensee shall return the completed ECF to the applicant within thirty (30) business days," and on separation of employment or the end of a contract an employer must automatically provide a completed ECF to the applicant or send it to the Board (363.2(d)(3)-(5)). Refusing to fill out an Employer Certification Form is an enumerated violation of 363.2(d) carrying a $2,000 administrative penalty in the Board's penalty matrix.
Supervision, scope of work and who may contract with the public: 22 TAC 365.1: an individual who holds a current Master Plumber License and meets the RMP requirements may advertise or offer plumbing to the general public, enter into contracts, obtain plumbing permits, perform plumbing without supervision, and shall supervise plumbing work performed by other licensees or registrants. A Journeyman or Master Plumber may perform or supervise plumbing work only under the supervision of an RMP and only under contracts secured by an RMP or a person who has secured an RMP's services. A Tradesman Plumber-Limited may perform or supervise plumbing work on one or two-family dwellings under an RMP's supervision and under RMP-secured contracts, or assist in the installation of plumbing other than for one or two-family dwellings under the on-the-job supervision of a Journeyman or Master Plumber -- TSBPE puts the second limb as direct supervision: "If you are a licensed Tradesman and want to work on a job that involves a structure other than a one or two-family dwelling, you may do so only under the direct supervision of a licensed Journeyman or Master Plumber. Direct supervision means that the Journeyman or Master is on the job site with you at all times you are performing plumbing work." A Plumber's Apprentice "may learn about and assist with the installation of plumbing under the direct supervision of a licensed plumber... If a licensee is not present, a Plumber's Apprentice may only perform manual tasks like digging trenches." A licence holder supervising plumbing in the construction of a new one-family or two-family dwelling in an unincorporated area must have training and management responsibility for, and shall review and inspect, the work, but "is not required to provide continuous or uninterrupted on-the-job oversight" (Tex. Occ. Code 1301.351(c)). A licence or registration must be carried on the person while engaged in plumbing (1301.351(d)).
No company may offer plumbing to the public without an RMP: 22 TAC 367.9(a): "A person or company shall not advertise, contract for or otherwise offer or agree to perform plumbing work for or provide plumbing services to the public unless the person or company has secured the services of at least one RMP holding a current Master Plumber License." Services are secured if the RMP is an employee of the person or company, or is the owner of the plumbing company that will contract for and perform the work (367.9(b)). A licensee who contracts for plumbing work is not in violation if there is a written subcontracting agreement with a person or company that has secured an RMP's services, signed by the contracting licensee and the RMP of record, describing all the work and stating the price (367.9(c)-(d)). Disclosure duties follow the designation: the RMP's licence number preceded by "M", "MPL" or "RMP" plus the company name must appear on both sides of every service vehicle in a contrasting colour and at least two inches high (367.10(a)); and the first page of every written or electronic proposal, invoice or contract for plumbing services must carry, in at least twelve-point font, the RMP of record's first and last name and licence number, the phrase "regulated by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners," and the Board's mailing address, phone number and website (367.10(b)). Tex. Occ. Code 1301.302 imposes the same content requirement by statute.
Responsible Master Plumber insurance -- $300,000: Before a master plumber works as a responsible master plumber, the master plumber must provide the board with a certificate of insurance meeting Tex. Occ. Code 1301.552 (1301.3576). That certificate must be written by an insurer authorized to engage in the business of insurance in Texas or an eligible surplus lines insurer as defined by Insurance Code 981.002; must provide commercial general liability insurance for the RMP for a claim for property damage or bodily injury, "regardless of whether the claim arises from negligence or on a contract"; and must "provide coverage of not less than $300,000 for all claims arising in a one-year period." A political subdivision that requires an RMP or an RMP's agent to obtain a permit must verify through the board's website or by telephone that the certificate is on file. TSBPE's RMP page describes general supervision and management as including maintaining at least $300,000 of general commercial liability insurance, obtaining all necessary permits and requesting all inspections required by the applicable plumbing or building codes, ensuring that all individuals performing plumbing work hold a current licence or registration, ensuring a licensee is present and providing direct supervision at all job sites where one or more registrants are engaged in plumbing, and ensuring service vehicles display the company name and the RMP's licence number.
Fingerprints -- $39.05, one time, through IdentoGO: Tex. Occ. Code 1301.3515 requires an applicant for a licence to submit a complete and legible set of fingerprints for a criminal history record information check by the Texas Department of Public Safety and the FBI, and "the board may not issue a license to a person who does not comply." TSBPE: "Fingerprints are submitted electronically to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through IdentoGO. The fee is $39.05 and is collected by IdentoGO. This fee is in addition to your initial license or renewal fees. Cash and personal checks are not accepted." It is a one-time requirement -- applicants who have previously submitted fingerprint data to the TSBPE are not required to re-submit per application -- and TSBPE asks applicants to allow 45 days for the status to update. Do not request a hard card; it will not be accepted. Fingerprint data is not shared between state agencies, so a background check done for another Texas agency is not accepted. TWO OFFICIAL SOURCES DIFFER ON SCOPE, and both are TSBPE's: 22 TAC 363.2(f)(1) enumerates the credentials for which fingerprint submittal is required as "Master Plumber license, Tradesman Plumber-Limited License, and Journeyman Plumber license," while TSBPE's fingerprint page says "all Plumbers Apprentices, Plumbers and Plumbing inspectors in the state of Texas, regardless of registration or license type, are required to have their fingerprints on file with the TSBPE" and adds that the requirement "applies to all exam applicants as well" and to reinstatement candidates -- and TSBPE's own Apprentice and Plumbing Inspector pages each state the fingerprint requirement. Rule 363.2(f)(2) applies the requirement to renewals as well as initial applications. Applicants convicted of a felony must also submit a Supplemental Criminal History Information Form (SCHIF).
Reciprocity -- Louisiana and Arkansas only, everyone else takes an exam: TSBPE's Reciprocal License Verification Request states: "Texas currently reciprocates plumbing licenses with Louisiana and Arkansas. If the applicant does not hold a qualifying plumbing license in Louisiana or Arkansas, please use the Out-of-State Examination Request." TSBPE's Printable Forms page labels the same form "Reciprocal License Verification Request (Louisiana and Arkansas ONLY)." RECIPROCITY IS JOURNEYMAN-LEVEL AND CONDITIONAL, AND THE CONDITIONS ARE HARD -- holding a licence in one of the two states is not enough. The same form states, per state and in terms: "LOUISIANA ONLY: Check this box to confirm that the applicant has: Held BOTH a Journeyman plumbing license AND a Journeyman Natural Gas fitter license in the State of Louisiana for at least 2 years, AND 8,000 hours of on-the-job training under the supervision of a Master plumber. If this is not the case, the applicant is not eligible for a reciprocal plumbing license from the State of Texas." And: "ARKANSAS ONLY: Check this box to confirm that the applicant has held a Journeyman plumbing license in the State of Arkansas for at least 4 years. If this is not the case, the applicant is not eligible for a reciprocal plumbing license from the State of Texas." The reciprocal route also carries its own non-refundable $40 verification fee. So an Arkansas journeyman with two years, or a Louisiana journeyman lacking the Natural Gas Fitter licence or the 8,000 hours, is NOT eligible by reciprocity and must use the Out-of-State Examination Request instead. Every other out-of-state licensee uses the Out-of-State Examination Request, whose minimum requirements are proof of authorization to work lawfully in the United States, proof of a current Journeyman or Master Plumber licence in another state, having HELD that licence for two years, and a non-refundable out-of-state examination processing fee of $40 for Journeyman or $25 for Master. The enabling statute is broader than the board's current practice: Tex. Occ. Code 1301.3581(a) lets the board waive any prerequisite for an applicant holding a similar credential from a jurisdiction with substantially equivalent requirements, (b) lets it make reciprocity agreements with other states subject to the governor's approval, and (d) provides that an applicant "may not be required to undergo an examination to obtain the license, registration, or endorsement if the applicant has held an equivalent license, registration, or endorsement in another jurisdiction for at least two years." Out-of-state Journeyman and Master holders are also exempt from the 24-hour and 48-hour classroom training programs (22 TAC 363.5(e)(3), 363.6(d)(3); TSBPE exam-training page). Separately, a person who held a Texas credential, moved away, and has practised in the other state for the two years preceding application may obtain a new credential without re-examination by paying twice the normal renewal fee (1301.403(e)).
Military service members, veterans and spouses -- fees waived, credentials credited: 22 TAC 361.6(a): "The Board shall waive the initial license, application and examination fees for military service members, military veterans and military spouses who substantially meet all of the requirements for licensure or examination by the Board." 22 TAC 365.22 adds that such applicants who held a TSBPE licence in the five years preceding application will be issued the same licence type; that those holding a current, in-good-standing licence from another jurisdiction similar in scope will be issued the same licence type, with the agency notifying the applicant within 10 business days; that applications are processed and issued, if qualified, not later than the 10th business day after receipt; that "licensing and examination fees payable to the Board are waived... as provided by Chapter 55 of the Texas Occupations Code" and late fees incurred while on active duty are waived for military service members; that military spouses may instead have their out-of-state licence recognized at no cost on submitting a military ID, marriage licence and proof of the current out-of-state licence; and that military service members and veterans without a current out-of-state licence may have military experience credited toward licence eligibility and apprenticeship requirements on evidence of verified military service (DD Form 214 or equivalent), plumbing training and plumbing education. By statute the board "shall credit verified military service, training, or education toward the licensing requirements, other than examination requirements" (Tex. Occ. Code 1301.3585(a)). Active-duty military service members are also exempt from continuing education (22 TAC 365.24(1)). Applicants under 365.22 must still pass a criminal history background check.
Adopted plumbing codes: The board is required to adopt the Uniform Plumbing Code (IAPMO) and the International Plumbing Code (ICC) as those codes existed on May 31, 2001, and may by rule adopt later editions (Tex. Occ. Code 1301.255(a)-(b)). Plumbing installed by a licensee in an area not otherwise subject to regulation under the chapter must be installed in accordance with a board-adopted code (1301.255(c)). A municipality or a public water system owner adopting a code may amend provisions to conform to local concerns that do not substantially vary from board or other state rules (1301.255(d)), and plumbing installed in compliance with an adopted code must be inspected by a plumbing inspector (1301.255(e)).
Municipal regulation still applies: A municipality with more than 5,000 inhabitants shall regulate by ordinance or bylaw the material, construction, alteration and inspection of any pipe, faucet, tank, valve, water heater or other fixture by or through which a supply of water, gas or sewage is used or carried (Tex. Occ. Code 1301.551(a)). Work performed under the incidental-to-other-professions exemption "is subject to inspection and approval as provided by applicable state law or municipal ordinance" (1301.053(b)). Where the boundaries of a municipality and another political subdivision overlap, only the affected municipality may perform a plumbing inspection and collect a permit fee (1301.553). A licence, endorsement or registration issued under the chapter is valid throughout Texas and its number is not assignable or transferable except under the 35-year transfer provision (1301.359; 1301.406).
Failing an exam triggers a waiting period: An applicant who fails any single part of a multiple-part examination may retake only the failed part or parts; a failing score on a single part is 69.9 points or less; three hours are allotted for the re-examination of the failed part; and a new exam application and fee must be submitted to retake it (22 TAC 363.22(a)). "An applicant who fails any part or parts of an examination shall complete a training period before the applicant may retake the examination," the length set by the number of failures -- 30 days for a first failure, 60 days for a second, 90 days for a third and subsequent failures (363.22(b)); TSBPE's application forms state the same ladder as waiting periods. Missing a scheduled exam without written notice postmarked at least ten business days before the exam date forfeits the examination fee and requires a new application and fee; one reschedule is allowed without a new application and fee for an excused emergency, requested in writing within five business days of the original exam date, and "scheduling conflicts due to work will not be considered an excused emergency" (363.17). The board notifies applicants of results within 30 days and, if requested within two weeks of notification, provides an analysis of the applicant's examination performance (363.21; Tex. Occ. Code 1301.355(a)). Incomplete applications expire one year from receipt (TSBPE application forms), and the Board will not process incomplete applications (363.16(b)).

Legal basis

Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) administers plumber licensing in Texas. Every figure below is verified against the board’s own official pages and dated. Who must personally hold a credential — the contractor, the business, or the individual worker — is set out under Requirements.

What it’s called

Texas licenses individual plumbers – the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) is, in its own words, “the state agency responsible for licensing plumbers in Texas,” and a person other than a responsible master plumber may not engage in plumbing without personally holding the proper licence, registration or endorsement (Tex. Occ. Code 1301.351(a)). “Texas plumbing license,” “plumber’s license,” “journeyman plumber license” and “master plumber license” all refer to TSBPE credentials, and the tier names are the official ones: Plumber’s Apprentice (a registration, not a licence), Tradesman Plumber-Limited, Journeyman Plumber, Master Plumber and Plumbing Inspector. Two naming traps are worth separating. First, “Responsible Master Plumber” (RMP) is not a fifth licence level reached by experience – it is a designation added to an existing Master Plumber License, backed by $300,000 of commercial liability insurance, and it is what a plumbing business must have secured before it can advertise, contract or pull permits; TSBPE’s licence-type pages call it the RMP “Designation” while the fee rule 22 TAC 361.6 lists a “Responsible Master Plumber License.” Second, there is no Texas “plumbing contractor license” – the contracting authority travels with the RMP designation on an individual’s Master licence, not with a separate business credential, which is the opposite of how neighbouring contractor-licensing states are organised. “Drain cleaner” and “residential utilities installer” are also formal TSBPE registrations rather than informal job titles.

License types & fees

Type	Experience	Exam	Fee
Plumber's Apprentice Registration (the entry credential, and the clock-starter)	None. An applicant must be at least 16 years old and a citizen or national of the United States, or an alien or non-immigrant eligible for licensure by the State of Texas (22 TAC 363.7; 363.2(a)). Statutorily, "a person who desires to learn the trade of plumbing must register as a plumber's apprentice before assisting a person licensed under this chapter in the trade of plumbing" (Tex. Occ. Code 1301.354(a)). Registration is also load-bearing for every later licence: TSBPE states "You MUST register as a Plumber's Apprentice before you can start counting the hours of experience you have working in the plumbing trade. Any hours worked before you are registered do not count toward the hours requirements for the Tradesman Plumber-Limited or Journeyman Plumber examinations," and rule 363.2(e) says the applicant must hold either a valid Plumber's Apprentice Registration or Tradesman Plumber-Limited License at the time the hours were worked.	None.	$15 registration application; $15 renewal (22 TAC 361.6(b)(1)(L), (b)(3)(H))
Tradesman Plumber-Limited License	At least 4,000 hours of experience working at the trade under the supervision of a Responsible Master Plumber or a Master Plumber licensed in another state, AND 24 hours of approved classroom training, AND the applicant must hold a current Plumber's Apprentice Registration, or a current Journeyman Plumber License issued in another state, or a current Master Plumber License issued in another state (22 TAC 363.6(a)). The 24 hours are prescribed: one 6-hour apprentice continuing professional education class, the OSHA 10-Hour Outreach Training class, and 8 hours of training on residential plumbing installation (363.6(a)(1); TSBPE's exam-training page lists the same 24 hours as a 6-hour CPE course in the classroom, the OSHA 10-Hour Outreach Training, and 8 hours of training on the International Residential Code and/or Uniform Plumbing Code). On written request the Board may credit up to 1,000 hours of the required work experience if the applicant has completed a training program approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship, or provided by an approved person and based on approved course materials (363.6(b)). A registered Plumber's Apprentice may instead take the Tradesman examination on an associate of applied science degree from a plumbing technology program that combines classroom and on-the-job training and is approved by the Board and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (363.6(c)). The 24-hour training is waived where the applicant has completed the classroom portion of an approved program, is a registered Apprentice enrolled in good standing in a USDOL Office of Apprenticeship programme, or holds a current Master or Journeyman Plumber License issued in another state (363.6(d)); and an applicant who has successfully completed a high-school career and technology education program under Tex. Occ. Code 1301.3542 is exempt from subsection (a) altogether (363.6(e)).	Tradesman Plumber-Limited Examination. TSBPE designs and conducts the examination and it may include written questions and practical applications (22 TAC 363.18(a)); approved applicants receive an Authorization to Test and schedule through Pearson VUE.	$36 exam; $35 initial licence; $35 renewal (22 TAC 361.6(b)(2)(J), (b)(1)(K), (b)(3)(G)). The official Tradesman Plumber-Limited Examination Application also states the $36 fee.
Journeyman Plumber License	At least 8,000 hours of experience working at the trade under the supervision of a Responsible Master Plumber or a Master Plumber licensed in another state, AND 48 hours of classroom training in an approved program, AND the applicant must hold a current Plumber's Apprentice Registration, or a current Tradesman Plumber-Limited License, or a current Journeyman Plumber License issued in another state (22 TAC 363.5(a)-(b)). The 48 hours are prescribed by rule as two 6-hour Continuing Professional Education classes, the OSHA 10-Hour Outreach Training class on Construction Industry Procedures, 8 hours of classroom training on the International Residential Code (fuel gas; general plumbing requirements; plumbing fixtures and water heaters; water supply and distribution; sanitary drainage and vents; traps; plus 2 hours on reading residential construction drawings, plumbing math and rough-in/riser diagrams), and 18 hours of classroom training on the commercial codes -- certain chapters of the Uniform Plumbing Code, International Plumbing Code and International Fuel Gas Code, the Texas Accessibility Standards, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and water conservation (363.5(f)-(g)). On written request the Board may credit up to 1,000 hours of the required work experience where the applicant has completed the classroom portion of a training program approved by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship, or provided by an approved person and based on approved course materials (363.5(c)). A registered Plumber's Apprentice may instead take the Journeyman examination on an associate of applied science degree from a plumbing technology program that combines classroom and on-the-job training and is approved by the Board and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (363.5(d)). The 48-hour training is waived where the applicant has completed the classroom portion of an approved program, is a Plumber's Apprentice enrolled in good standing in a USDOL Office of Apprenticeship programme, or holds a current Journeyman Plumber License issued in another state (363.5(e)); TSBPE's exam-training page states the same exemptions and adds a Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board-approved associate of applied science plumbing technology degree and a current out-of-state Master Plumber License.	Journeyman Plumber Examination. TSBPE's Out-of-State Examination Request states that the Journeyman examination is computer-based and administered by Pearson VUE and that "the Journeyman exam also includes a practical exam portion."	$40 exam; $40 initial licence; $40 renewal (22 TAC 361.6(b)(2)(B), (b)(1)(C), (b)(3)(C)); the official Journeyman Plumber Examination Application states the $40 fee. If the holder also holds a Master Plumber License, only the Master renewal fee is paid (TSBPE; 361.6(b)(3)(F)).
Master Plumber License	Must have worked as a journeyman plumber for at least TWO years -- or for at least one year and successfully completed a training program approved by the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship "or another nationally recognized apprentice training program accepted by the board" (Tex. Occ. Code 1301.002(5)(B), as amended by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 618 (H.B. 3214), Sec. 1, EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 2025; 22 TAC 363.4 states the same two routes and frames them as having HELD a Journeyman Plumber License issued in Texas or another state). This is a reduction from four years to two years: TSBPE announced that "starting September 1, 2025, the experience requirement for a licensed Journeyman Plumber to become a Master Plumber will be reduced from four years to two years." TSBPE's Master Plumber page lists four qualifying statuses: a Journeyman Plumber in Texas or another state who has held the licence at least two years; a Journeyman Plumber in Texas or another state who has held it at least one year and completed a USDOL Office of Apprenticeship-approved training program; a Master Plumber in another state who previously held a Journeyman Plumber License for at least two years; and a Master Plumber in another state who previously held a Journeyman Plumber License for at least one year and completed a USDOL Office of Apprenticeship-approved training program. A master plumber is also defined as a person "skilled in the design, planning, and superintending of plumbing and in the practical installation, repair, and servicing of plumbing" (1301.002(5)(A)).	Texas Master Plumber Examination -- computer-based, "administered at authorized Pearson VUE testing centers using Pearson VUE-provided computers" (Master Plumber Examination Application, revised January 2026). An approved applicant receives an Authorization to Test email with instructions to pay the separate Pearson VUE examination fee and schedule the exam.	TSBPE's Master Plumber page: $25 exam processing fee payable to the TSBPE plus $128.50 exam fee payable to Pearson VUE on the day of the exam; $75 initial licence; $75 renewal. The official Master Plumber Examination Application states the "$25 application processing fee" and a "separate Pearson VUE examination fee" without naming an amount. 22 TAC 361.6(b)(2)(A) publishes a single line, "Master Plumber--$175", for the Master Plumber examination fee -- a figure that no TSBPE form actually charges. The Out-of-State Examination Request (revised March 2026) states the out-of-state processing fee twice as "Journeyman - $40, Master - $25," and the in-state Master Plumber Examination Application also charges $25, so $25 applies on both routes and the rule's $175 is an UNEXPLAINED rule-versus-practice divergence. See Fees for the full attribution; both figures are published by TSBPE and the board does not reconcile them.
Responsible Master Plumber (RMP) designation -- required before any person or company may offer plumbing to the public	Not a separate licence tier by experience: the applicant must already be currently licensed as a Master Plumber in Texas, be in good standing with the TSBPE, and submit proof of a minimum of $300,000 of commercial liability insurance coverage. TSBPE adds: "You may NOT receive the RMP Designation if you hold a Plumbing Inspector License." Statutorily a responsible master plumber is a person licensed as a master plumber who allows the licence to be used by ONE plumbing company for offering and performing plumbing work, is authorized to obtain permits, assumes responsibility for plumbing work performed under the licence, and has submitted a certificate of insurance as required by Tex. Occ. Code 1301.3576 (1301.002(9-a)). The certificate must be written by an insurer authorized to engage in the business of insurance in Texas or an eligible surplus lines insurer, provide commercial general liability insurance for claims for property damage or bodily injury regardless of whether the claim arises from negligence or on a contract, and "provide coverage of not less than $300,000 for all claims arising in a one-year period" (1301.552). An RMP may act as the RMP of record for only one company at a time.	None. It is a designation added to an existing Master Plumber License, not an examined credential.	$225 initial application fee and $300 renewal per TSBPE's Responsible Master Plumber page and the official RMP Designation Application ("$225 RMP Designation Application fee (the fee is non-refundable)"). 22 TAC 361.6(b)(1)(A) publishes the initial "Responsible Master Plumber License" fee as $300 and 361.6(b)(3)(A) the renewal as $300. TSBPE notes that an applicant who applies during the renewal period, which opens 90 days before the expiration date, pays only the $300 renewal fee and not the $225 initial application fee. Relinquishing the designation costs $10 (waived if submitted with the regular renewal), on a signed and notarized Request to Relinquish RMP Designation Form.
Plumbing Inspector License	Two alternative routes (22 TAC 363.8; TSBPE Plumbing Inspector page). Route 1: hold a current Journeyman or Master Plumber License issued in Texas or another state; or a current Plumbing Inspector licence issued in another state with licensing requirements substantially equivalent to the TSBPE's; or a current professional engineer or professional architect licence issued in Texas. Route 2: TSBPE's page requires a high school diploma or GED and 500 hours of training and experience in the plumbing industry; rule 363.8(c) states an applicant is exempt from the licensure requirement in 363.8(a) if the applicant has completed a total of 500 hours of training or experience in the plumbing industry, and sets out how credit accrues -- 100 hours for a Uniform Plumbing Code or International Plumbing Code certification issued by IAPMO or the ICC; 100 hours each for an approved Medical Gas Piping Installation, Multipurpose Residential Fire Protection Sprinkler Specialist, or Water Supply Protection Specialist endorsement training program; 100 hours for an approved Backflow Tester Certification program; 6 hours for each approved CPE for Licensed Plumbers and Plumbing Inspectors course; up to 100 hours for attending approved, documented and verified plumbing-related training academy or educational sessions; up to 200 hours for working in the trade or an approved similar plumbing-related trade as verified by former employers; and up to 200 hours for documented and verified on-the-job training in the enforcement of plumbing codes under the direct supervision of a licensed Plumbing Inspector. An applicant who holds a Journeyman or Master Plumber License issued in another state must take and pass the examination developed by the Board (363.8(b)). The Board may not issue a plumbing inspector licence to a person who has a financial or advisory interest in a plumbing company (Tex. Occ. Code 1301.353).	Plumbing Inspector Examination.	$55 exam; $55 initial licence; $55 renewal (22 TAC 361.6(b)(2)(F), (b)(1)(G), (b)(3)(D)). To obtain the pocket card the licensee must submit documentation showing affiliation with a political subdivision.
Drain Cleaner-Restricted Registration	Current registration as a Plumber's Apprentice in Texas, plus a passing score on the Drain Cleaner-Restricted Registrant Verification of Training Affidavit (TSBPE Other Registrations page). Statutorily the registrant has worked as a plumber's apprentice under the supervision of a responsible master plumber and clears obstructions in sewer and drain lines through any code-approved existing opening under that supervision (Tex. Occ. Code 1301.002(3)).	No examination; a Verification of Training Affidavit must receive a passing score. If it does not, a new affidavit must be submitted before the application can be approved.	$18 registration application; $18 renewal (22 TAC 361.6(b)(1)(O), (b)(3)(K))
Drain Cleaner Registration	Current registration as a Plumber's Apprentice in Texas, at least 4,000 hours working in the plumbing trade as a Drain Cleaner-Restricted, and a passing score on the Drain Cleaner Verification of Training Affidavit; an Employer Certification Form is also required (TSBPE Other Registrations page; Tex. Occ. Code 1301.002(2) -- at least 4,000 hours under the supervision of a responsible master plumber as a drain cleaner-restricted registrant). This registration may be added to a Plumber's Apprentice Registration or to a Tradesman Plumber-Limited License.	No examination; a Verification of Training Affidavit must receive a passing score.	$18 registration application; $18 renewal (22 TAC 361.6(b)(1)(N), (b)(3)(J))
Residential Utilities Installer (RUI) Registration	Current registration as a Plumber's Apprentice in Texas, at least 2,000 hours working in the plumbing trade as a Plumber's Apprentice, and a passing score on the Residential Utilities Installer Verification of Training Affidavit; an Employer Certification Form is also required (TSBPE Other Registrations page; Tex. Occ. Code 1301.002(9)).	No examination; a Verification of Training Affidavit must receive a passing score.	$18 registration application; $18 renewal (22 TAC 361.6(b)(1)(M), (b)(3)(I))
Medical Gas Piping Installation Endorsement (added to a Master, Journeyman or Plumbing Inspector licence)	Current Texas licence as a Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber or Plumbing Inspector, plus a 24-hour TSBPE-approved training course. The 24 hours are based on the current edition of the National Fire Protection Association 99 Health Care Facilities Code and must include a minimum of four hours in the shop covering the proper assembly, purging and brazing procedures for horizontal and vertical joints.	Medical Gas Piping Installation Endorsement Examination. TSBPE notes the examinations are based on the ASSE Gold standard and NFPA 99, and that TSBPE does not regulate Medical Gas Verifiers (a separate American Society of Sanitary Engineers national accreditation).	Exam fee by tier: Master $80, Journeyman $27, Inspector $40. Initial endorsement fee: Master $55, Journeyman $14, Inspector $27.50 (22 TAC 361.6(b)(2)(C)-(E), (b)(1)(D)-(F)).
Multipurpose Residential Fire Protection Sprinkler Specialist Endorsement (added to a Master, Journeyman or Plumbing Inspector licence)	Current Texas licence as a Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber or Plumbing Inspector, plus a 24-hour TSBPE-approved training course -- OR a current RME-General or RME-Dwelling License issued by the State Fire Marshal, which removes the classroom-training requirement. The 24 hours are specific to multipurpose dwelling fire sprinkler systems and NFPA Standard 13D and cover the criteria in the American Society of Sanitary Engineering Series 7000 as it relates to plumbing-based residential fire protection systems installers for one and two-family dwellings.	Multipurpose Residential Fire Protection Sprinkler Specialist Endorsement Examination.	Exam fee by tier: Master $80, Journeyman $27, Inspector $40. Initial endorsement fee: Master $55, Journeyman $14, Inspector $27.50 (22 TAC 361.6(b)(2)(K)-(M), (b)(1)(P)-(R)).
Water Supply Protection Specialist Endorsement (added to a Master, Journeyman or Plumbing Inspector licence)	Current Texas licence as a Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber or Plumbing Inspector, plus a 24-hour TSBPE-approved training course covering the protection of public and private potable water supplies as required by the plumbing codes and state laws and regulations, and rainwater harvesting as outlined in the latest edition of the Texas Water Development Board's Rainwater Harvesting Manual.	Water Supply Protection Specialist Endorsement Examination.	Exam fee by tier: Master $80, Journeyman $27, Inspector $40. Initial endorsement fee: Master $55, Journeyman $14, Inspector $27.50 (22 TAC 361.6(b)(2)(G)-(I), (b)(1)(H)-(J)).

Who does NOT need this license — exemptions

Texas puts its plumbing exemptions in Subchapter B of the Plumbing License Law itself (Tex. Occ. Code ch. 1301, secs. 1301.051-1301.059). Each is framed as “a person is not required to be licensed under this chapter,” so it removes the person from the licence, registration AND endorsement requirement for the work described – not merely from one tier. (1) PROPERTY OWNER IN A HOMESTEAD (sec. 1301.051): “A property owner is not required to be licensed under this chapter to perform plumbing in the property owner’s homestead.” (2) WORK INSIDE COUNTIES OR INSIDE OR OUTSIDE MUNICIPALITIES (sec. 1301.052): a person is not required to be licensed “to perform plumbing, other than plumbing performed in conjunction with new construction, repair, or remodeling, on a property that is: (1) located in a subdivision or on a tract of land that is not required to be platted under Section 232.0015, Local Government Code; (2) not connected to a public water system and is located outside a municipality; (3) located outside a municipality and connected to a public water system that does not require a license to perform plumbing; or (4) located inside a municipality that is within a county that has fewer than 50,000 inhabitants and that: (A) has fewer than 5,000 inhabitants; and (B) by municipal ordinance has authorized a person who is not licensed under this chapter to perform plumbing.” Note the carve-out from the carve-out: this exemption does NOT reach plumbing performed in conjunction with new construction, repair, or remodeling. (3) WORK INCIDENTAL TO OTHER PROFESSIONS (sec. 1301.053(a)): a person is not required to be licensed to perform “(1) plumbing incidental to and in connection with the business in which the person is employed or engaged if the person: (A) is regularly employed as or acting as a maintenance person or maintenance engineer; and (B) does not engage in plumbing for the public; (2) construction, installation, or maintenance on the premises or equipment of a railroad if the person is an employee of the railroad who does not engage in plumbing for the public; (3) plumbing if the person is engaged by a public service company to: (A) lay, maintain, or operate its service mains or lines to the point of measurement; and (B) install, change, adjust, repair, remove, or renovate appurtenances, equipment, or appliances; (4) appliance installation and service work, other than installation and service work on water heaters, that involves connecting appliances to existing openings with a code-approved appliance connector if the person performs the work as an appliance dealer or an employee of an appliance dealer; or (5) water treatment installations, exchanges, services, or repairs, other than the treatment of rainwater to supply a plumbing fixture or appliance.” Two of these five carry their own internal exclusions worth reading twice – the appliance-dealer exemption expressly does NOT cover water heaters, and the water-treatment exemption expressly does NOT cover treatment of rainwater to supply a plumbing fixture or appliance (that work belongs to the Water Supply Protection Specialist endorsement). Sec. 1301.053(b) adds: “Work described by this section is subject to inspection and approval as provided by applicable state law or municipal ordinance.” (4) IRRIGATORS AND WATER WELL PUMP INSTALLERS (sec. 1301.054): a person is not required to be licensed to perform plumbing if the person holds “(1) certificate of registration as an irrigator issued under Chapter 1903; or (2) license as a water well pump installer issued under Chapter 1902.” (5) LP GAS INSTALLERS (sec. 1301.055): a person is not required to be licensed “to perform LPG system installation if the person performs the LPG system installation as an LP gas installer licensed under Subchapter D, Chapter 113, Natural Resources Code.” (6) LAWN IRRIGATION SYSTEMS (sec. 1301.056) – this one runs the other way, protecting the plumber rather than exempting an outsider: “A person licensed by the board is not required to be licensed by another board or agency to install or work on a lawn irrigation system.” (7) SELF-HELP PROJECT (sec. 1301.057): a person is not required to be licensed “to perform plumbing, limited to the provision of a residential potable water supply or residential sanitary sewer connection, for a project that: (1) is in a county a part of which is within 50 miles of an international border; and (2) is performed by an organization that: (A) is certified by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to provide self-help project assistance; and (B) provides the board with the following information before the 30th day before the date the project begins: (i) the exact location of the project; (ii) the intended duration of the project; and (iii) other information the board requires.” The board may require a post-construction report signed by a plumbing inspector stating that the plumbing is safe, and may provide training to an organization providing self-help project assistance (1301.057(b)-(c)). This section was amended by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 986 (S.B. 766), Sec. 47, effective September 1, 2025. (8) TESTING OF MEDICAL GAS AND VACUUM PIPING (sec. 1301.058): “A person is not required to be licensed under this chapter to verify medical gas and vacuum piping integrity and content.” This is the statutory reason TSBPE does not regulate Medical Gas Verifiers, whose accreditation comes from the American Society of Sanitary Engineers – installing medical gas piping, by contrast, requires a Medical Gas Piping Installation Endorsement. (9) WORK PERFORMED ON CERTAIN PRIVATE PROPERTY (sec. 1301.059(a)): “A person is not required to be licensed under this chapter to perform work consisting of installing, servicing, or repairing service mains or service lines that provide water, sewer, or storm drainage services on private property in an area that extends from a public right-of-way or public easement to not less than five feet from a building or structure.” Subsection (b) limits it: “This section does not apply to plumbing work performed on private property designated for use as a one-family or two-family dwelling.” Sec. 1301.059 was added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 715 (H.B. 2334), Sec. 1, effective September 1, 2023. Two boundary rules travel with the whole subchapter. First, an exemption from licensing is not an exemption from inspection: work done under sec. 1301.053 “is subject to inspection and approval as provided by applicable state law or municipal ordinance” (1301.053(b)), and a municipality with more than 5,000 inhabitants must regulate by ordinance the material, construction, alteration and inspection of plumbing fixtures and piping (1301.551(a)). Second, plumbing installed in an area not otherwise subject to regulation under the chapter, when installed by a licensee, must still comply with a board-adopted plumbing code (1301.255(c)). Separately from Subchapter B, two eligibility-side exemptions are commonly mistaken for licence exemptions but are not: a person who completes a high-school career and technology education sequence in the plumbing trade may apply for and take the Tradesman Plumber-Limited examination without registering as a plumber’s apprentice, paying any fee, or complying with sec. 1301.354 (sec. 1301.3542) – that is an exemption from prerequisites, not from licensure; and the 24-hour and 48-hour classroom training programs are waived for applicants enrolled in or having completed a USDOL Office of Apprenticeship programme, holding a Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board-approved associate of applied science plumbing technology degree, or holding a current out-of-state Master or Journeyman Plumber licence (22 TAC 363.5(e), 363.6(d); TSBPE exam-training page).

Fees

Fees are set by 22 TAC 361.6, most recently published in TSBPE’s Administrative Rules dated March 13, 2026. INITIAL licences, endorsements and registrations (361.6(b)(1)): Responsible Master Plumber $300; Master Plumber $75; Journeyman Plumber $40; Plumbing Inspector $55; Tradesman Plumber-Limited $35; Plumber’s Apprentice Registration/Application $15; Residential Utilities Installer, Drain Cleaner and Drain Cleaner-Restricted Registration/Application $18 each; each of the three endorsements $55 (Master), $14 (Journeyman), $27.50 (Inspector). EXAMINATIONS (361.6(b)(2)): Master Plumber $175; Journeyman Plumber $40; Plumbing Inspector $55; Tradesman Plumber-Limited $36; each endorsement $80 (Master), $27 (Journeyman), $40 (Inspector). RENEWALS (361.6(b)(3)): Responsible Master Plumber $300; Master Plumber $75; Journeyman Plumber $40; Plumbing Inspector $55; Plumbing Inspector with a Master and/or Journeyman License $55; Master Plumber with Journeyman Plumber License $75; Tradesman Plumber-Limited $35; Plumber’s Apprentice $15; Residential Utilities Installer, Drain Cleaner and Drain Cleaner-Restricted $18 each. OTHER (361.6(b)(4)): late renewal at one-half the renewal fee if expired less than 90 days and a full renewal fee if expired more than 90 days (RMP $150/$300; Master $37.50/$75; Journeyman $20/$40; Inspector $27.50/$55; Tradesman $17.50/$35; Apprentice $7.50/$15; each of the three registrations $9/$18) – which matches the statutory totals in Tex. Occ. Code 1301.403(b)-(c), where a licence or endorsement expired 90 days or less renews at 1-1/2 times, and one expired more than 90 days but less than two years at two times, the normally required renewal fee; Instructor Certification Training $150 per day; duplicate pocket card $25; returned check $25; fees for a provisional licence under 1301.358 or a provisional registration under Tex. Occ. Code 53.0211(c) equal to the corresponding initial fees; Transfer of License $500 (361.6(b)(4)(G)); and License Verification $15 (361.6(b)(4)(H)). The subsection runs (A) through (H). The $500 is the price of the 1301.406 transfer route (35 consecutive years, second-degree consanguinity) that 1301.359(b) otherwise forbids. The $15 License Verification fee at (H) is stated by the rule WITHOUT naming a route or tier, so it must not be read as the reciprocity fee: the Reciprocal License Verification Request charges its own non-refundable $40, and 361.6 sets no verification fee in that amount – a further rule-versus-practice gap. TWO FEES ARE PUBLISHED DIFFERENTLY BY TSBPE IN DIFFERENT PLACES, AND BOTH SOURCES ARE OFFICIAL. (1) MASTER PLUMBER EXAMINATION. 22 TAC 361.6(b)(2)(A) gives one figure, “Master Plumber–$175.” TSBPE’s Master Plumber licence-type page instead splits it: “Exam Processing Fee (payable to the TSBPE): $25” plus “Exam Fee (payable to Pearson VUE on the day of the exam): $128.50.” The official Master Plumber Examination Application (revised January 2026) confirms the board’s half – “Applicants must submit the TSBPE’s $25 application processing fee with this application” – and describes the Pearson VUE examination fee as separate without naming an amount. The rule’s $175 is NOT what any TSBPE form charges. The Out-of-State Examination Request (revised March 2026) states the fee twice as “Journeyman - $40, Master - $25,” and the string “175” does not appear in that document; the in-state Master Plumber Examination Application likewise charges $25. $25 therefore applies on BOTH the in-state and out-of-state Master routes, and no TSBPE page or form publishes $175 for anything. The 361.6(b)(2)(A) line is an unexplained divergence between the rule and the board’s own practice, recorded here with both figures attributed and no bridge invented between them. Confirm the amount with TSBPE before paying. (2) RESPONSIBLE MASTER PLUMBER INITIAL FEE. 22 TAC 361.6(b)(1)(A) publishes “Responsible Master Plumber License–$300” as the initial fee. TSBPE’s Responsible Master Plumber page and the official RMP Designation Application both charge $225: “$225 RMP Designation Application fee (the fee is non-refundable).” TSBPE adds that an applicant who applies during the renewal period, which opens 90 days before the expiration date, pays only the $300 renewal fee and does not pay the $225 initial application fee. Not set by 361.6 and paid to a third party: the fingerprint background check, “$39.05 and is collected by IdentoGO,” in addition to the initial licence or renewal fees; and the Pearson VUE examination fee. Relinquishing the RMP designation costs $10, waived if the form is submitted with the regular licence renewal. A printed copy of the Plumbing License Law or Board Rules costs $5. Fee waivers: the Board shall waive the initial licence, application and examination fees for military service members, military veterans and military spouses who substantially meet all the requirements (361.6(a)), and a person providing meaningful course instruction in a career and technology education program described by Tex. Occ. Code 1301.3542 is not required to pay a fee to renew the licence (1301.401(d)). All fees paid online are non-refundable; the board must refund an examination fee in the circumstances set out in 1301.3521.

Exam

TSBPE designs and conducts the examinations: “For each license and endorsement, the Board shall design and conduct a uniform, reasonable examination that includes written questions and practical applications, when appropriate” (22 TAC 363.18(a)), and the board must make information about the scope of each examination accessible on its website. Delivery runs through Pearson VUE – TSBPE’s notice to examinees says an approved applicant receives an Authorization to Test (by email if an email address was supplied, otherwise by regular mail) and then follows the instructions in it “to schedule your exam through Pearson VUE.” The Master Plumber Examination Application (revised January 2026) states that “the Texas Master Plumber Examination is computer-based and administered at authorized Pearson VUE testing centers using Pearson VUE-provided computers,” and that once approved the applicant receives the Authorization to Test with instructions to pay the separate Pearson VUE examination fee and schedule the location and date. The Out-of-State Examination Request states that the out-of-state Journeyman and Master exams “are now computer-based and are administered by Pearson VUE” and that “the Journeyman exam also includes a practical exam portion.” Where an examination contains a practical component the board must employ or contract with plumbing examiners to administer that portion (Tex. Occ. Code 1301.202(a)). The board may set and adjust minimum passing scores for each licence or endorsement category (363.20). Identity is verified with current government-issued photo identification on the day of the exam. Non-standard accommodations require an applicant request form and a physician or qualified licensed professional recommendation form; examiners may not give oral versions of the written components, though they may give oral instructions and explanations, and an applicant diagnosed with a specific learning or reading disability such as dyslexia may request additional time, a separate examination area or another reasonable accommodation (363.19). The board must develop an examination review course in English and Spanish to assist licence applicants, and may charge a fee for it (Tex. Occ. Code 1301.3522). Registrations (Plumber’s Apprentice, Drain Cleaner-Restricted, Drain Cleaner, Residential Utilities Installer) require no examination – the three add-on registrations instead require a passing score on a Verification of Training Affidavit.

Renewal & continuing education

Annual. “A license, registration, or endorsement under this chapter is valid for one year. Except as provided by Subsection (d), on payment of the required fee, a license, registration, or endorsement may be renewed annually” (Tex. Occ. Code 1301.401(a)), and the board may adopt a system under which credentials expire on various dates during the year (1301.401(b)). TSBPE implements that with staggered dates: “When you are issued your license for the first time, you will be assigned a random expiration date anywhere from 6-18 months from the date you passed your licensure exam–unless you are a Plumbing Inspector,” and the same 6-to-18-month assignment applies to a first Apprentice Registration, dated from application approval. A Plumbing Inspector License renews in January instead of syncing to any other licence the holder has. Before expiry the holder must submit a completed renewal application form, obtain the required continuing education or training hours, and pay the required fees (22 TAC 365.5(a)); a renewal not completed by the annual expiration date is late and subject to late fees, and “late renewal applications will have an unlicensed period from the expiration date of the previous license, registration or endorsement to the issuance date of the renewed license,” during which work requiring the credential may not be performed (365.5(b)-(c); 1301.403(a)). The board must send written notice of impending expiration not later than the 31st day before the expiration date, and the holder must report any name or address change within 30 days of receiving it (1301.402). Stacked credentials: a holder may hold both a Journeyman and a Master Plumber License, the Master licence is automatically assigned the Journeyman licence’s expiration date, and only the Master renewal fee is paid; a Plumbing Inspector License may be held in addition, but renews in January – a holder of all three who is an unaffiliated Plumbing Inspector pays both the Master and the Plumbing Inspector renewal fees, while an affiliated Plumbing Inspector pays only the Plumbing Inspector renewal fee. TWO-YEAR CLIFF: “A person whose license, endorsement, or registration has been expired for two years or more may not renew” it, and must instead obtain a new credential by complying with the requirements and procedures, including the examination requirements, for an original credential (1301.403(d)). TSBPE spells out what that means in practice: “When your license or registration goes into reinstate, it is like you never held that license or registration at all. Therefore, reinstating your license requires registering as a Plumber’s Apprentice and applying for and passing all applicable exams. To take an exam, you must meet all CURRENT eligibility requirements even if those requirements were not in effect the first time you obtained your license.” ENDORSEMENT CYCLE – TWO OFFICIAL SOURCES CONFLICT. TSBPE’s License Types page states “Endorsements renew once every three years” and that a first endorsement is automatically assigned an expiration date matching the licence it was added to. The statute says a credential – including an endorsement – “is valid for one year” (1301.401(a)) and that an endorsement issued under 1301.356, 1301.3565 or 1301.357 “expires on the date the master plumber or journeyman plumber license of the endorsement holder expires,” with rules to allow renewing the endorsement in the same transaction as the licence (1301.401(c)); 22 TAC 365.14(a) likewise gives an endorsement holder twelve months to obtain the hours required “for a timely annual renewal.” Neither Chapter 1301 nor the March 2026 board rules state a three-year endorsement term. Confirm the endorsement’s expiration date with TSBPE or in the Online Licensing System rather than relying on either statement alone. Six hours of continuing professional education (CPE) annually for licence holders. Tex. Occ. Code 1301.404(b): “A person who holds a license or endorsement under this chapter must complete at least six hours of continuing professional education annually to renew the person’s license or endorsement. Three of the six hours must be in the subjects of health protection, energy conservation, and water conservation.” TSBPE lists the credentials that owe the 6 hours as the Master Plumber License (with or without the RMP designation), the Journeyman Plumber License, the Tradesman Plumber-Limited License, an Apprentice Registration with endorsement(s), and the Medical Gas Piping Installation Endorsement – noting that “Apprentices Registration holders are only required to take 6 hours of CPE if they hold an endorsement” and that some providers offer a special Apprentice training program satisfying the yearly requirement. Registrants owe an equivalent six hours of training: a drain cleaner, drain cleaner-restricted registrant or residential utilities installer “must annually complete at least six hours of approved training that includes training in health and safety requirements, board-approved plumbing codes, and water conservation” (1301.405(a)). 22 TAC 365.14 gives a licensee, drain cleaner registrant, drain cleaner-restricted registrant, residential utilities installer registrant or endorsement holder twelve months to obtain at least six hours for a timely annual renewal; requires a person whose credential has been expired for less than two years to complete at least six hours for EACH year it was expired; and allows courses to be taken in person, by correspondence or virtually by means of telecommunications equipment. Credit is only awarded for a course from a TSBPE-approved provider, and the Board must also approve anyone who instructs CPE or publishes the course materials that serve as the basis of a course; the executive director approves programs meeting the board’s minimum curriculum standards, and a person may receive credit only for an approved program (1301.404(c)-(e); 365.15). Course materials are valid for two years from the stated effective date or the date of approval, whichever is later, and OSHA Outreach Training Program courses are approved for credit without an application. MEDICAL GAS ENDORSEMENT – a smaller, differently scoped requirement: 22 TAC 365.21(a) provides that a licensed Journeyman Plumber, Master Plumber or Plumbing Inspector who also holds a Medical Gas Piping Installation Endorsement “shall complete a minimum of two (2) hours of CPE or demonstrate successful completion of a national certification before he or she may renew his or her endorsement,” and may not use a single medical gas CPE course for more than one renewal period; the course must be based on the most current edition of NFPA 99 with comprehensive instruction on changes from the previous edition, and must be presented in a single day of at least two clock hours of classroom instruction. TSBPE’s pages state the same two hours on a three-year cycle (“Med Gas endorsement holders are required to take 2 hours of CPE every three years”) – the two-hour figure is in the rule, the three-year interval is not (see Renewal cycle for the endorsement-term conflict). An individual may not instruct the 24-hour Medical Gas training program unless the individual holds the Med Gas Endorsement. EXEMPTIONS from continuing education and training (22 TAC 365.24): a military service member on active duty who submits documentation establishing active-duty status for the period claimed; a Board employee who reviews submitted course materials for compliance with the minimum curriculum standards or who monitors courses for compliance with the Plumbing License Law and Board rules; a course instructor approved for the period claimed; and an employee, contractor or volunteer of a high school or institution of higher education who provides at least 18 hours annually of instruction or training for a career and technology education program, who may renew any licence or endorsement by completing six hours of continuing education or training at least every three years (the statutory basis being 1301.404(g), with 1301.404(f) authorising the board to exempt certain persons by rule where it is in the public interest). Every holder must be given at least 12 months to complete required continuing education (1301.4055).

How to apply

Applications are handled by Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE). Start at the official application page .

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a license to work as a plumber in Texas?

Yes, in almost all cases, and the credential belongs to you personally rather than to your employer. Tex. Occ. Code 1301.351(a) provides that a person other than a responsible master plumber may not engage in plumbing unless the person holds the proper licence, registration or endorsement required by the chapter and the person’s work is supervised and controlled by a licensee. Even someone just starting out must register as a Plumber’s Apprentice – and must do so before any hours count toward a licence. Texas does list nine statutory exemptions in Subchapter B of the Plumbing License Law, covering a property owner’s own homestead, certain rural and small-municipality properties, work incidental to other professions and trades, registered irrigators and licensed water well pump installers, licensed LP gas installers, lawn irrigation systems, certified border-area self-help projects, verification of medical gas and vacuum piping, and certain service mains and service lines on private property. Exempt work can still be subject to inspection and approval under state law or municipal ordinance.

How much experience do you need to become a Master Plumber in Texas, and did it change?

Two years, and yes – it was cut in half. Tex. Occ. Code 1301.002(5)(B) now requires that a master plumber has worked as a journeyman plumber for at least two years, or for at least one year plus successful completion of a training program approved by the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship or another nationally recognized apprentice training program accepted by the board. The change was made by House Bill 3214 of the 89th Texas Legislature and took effect September 1, 2025. TSBPE announced it in these words: “starting September 1, 2025, the experience requirement for a licensed Journeyman Plumber to become a Master Plumber will be reduced from four years to two years.” Many third-party guides still publish the superseded four-year figure.

What are the plumbing licence levels in Texas?

TSBPE issues licences, endorsements and registrations. The licences are the Tradesman Plumber-Limited, the Journeyman Plumber, the Master Plumber and the Plumbing Inspector. Sitting on top of a Master Plumber License is the Responsible Master Plumber (RMP) designation, which is what allows a person or company to advertise, contract and pull permits for plumbing work for the public. The registrations are the Plumber’s Apprentice plus three add-ons – Drain Cleaner-Restricted, Drain Cleaner and Residential Utilities Installer. The endorsements, which can be added to a Master, Journeyman or Plumbing Inspector licence, are Medical Gas Piping Installation, Multipurpose Residential Fire Protection Sprinkler Specialist and Water Supply Protection Specialist. You may hold a Journeyman and a Master licence at the same time, and a Plumbing Inspector licence in addition to either or both.

How many hours do you need for a Texas Journeyman Plumber license?

8,000 hours of experience working at the trade under the supervision of a Responsible Master Plumber or a Master Plumber licensed in another state, plus 48 hours of classroom training in a TSBPE-approved program, and you must hold a current Plumber’s Apprentice Registration, a current Tradesman Plumber-Limited License, or a current Journeyman Plumber License from another state. The 48 hours are prescribed by rule: two 6-hour continuing professional education classes, the OSHA 10-Hour Outreach Training class, 8 hours on the International Residential Code, and 18 hours on the commercial codes. Two things shorten the path. On written request the Board may credit up to 1,000 hours of the work experience where you have completed the classroom portion of an approved training program. And the 48-hour training is waived if you have completed the classroom portion of an approved program, are an apprentice enrolled in good standing in a USDOL Office of Apprenticeship programme, or hold a current out-of-state Journeyman licence – TSBPE’s exam-training page adds an associate of applied science degree from a Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board-approved plumbing technology program and a current out-of-state Master licence. Hours worked before you registered as an apprentice do not count at all.

How much does a Texas plumbing license cost?

It depends on the tier, and the fee schedule is 22 TAC 361.6. Journeyman: $40 exam, $40 initial licence, $40 renewal. Tradesman Plumber-Limited: $36 exam, $35 initial, $35 renewal. Plumbing Inspector: $55 exam, $55 initial, $55 renewal. Plumber’s Apprentice: $15 to register and $15 to renew. The three add-on registrations are $18 each. Master Plumber: $75 initial and $75 renewal, and TSBPE’s Master Plumber page puts the exam at a $25 processing fee to the board plus $128.50 to Pearson VUE on the day of the exam – while 361.6(b)(2)(A) publishes a single “Master Plumber–$175” examination fee, a figure no TSBPE form charges – the Out-of-State Examination Request (revised March 2026) puts the out-of-state Master processing fee at $25, the same as the in-state route, leaving the rule’s $175 unexplained. The Responsible Master Plumber designation is $225 to apply per TSBPE’s page and its own application form, though 361.6(b)(1)(A) publishes $300, and renewal is $300. On top of any of these, the fingerprint background check is $39.05, collected by IdentoGO. Initial licence, application and examination fees are waived for military service members, military veterans and military spouses who substantially meet the requirements.

How often do you renew a Texas plumbing license, and how much continuing education is required?

Every year. A licence, registration or endorsement is valid for one year (Tex. Occ. Code 1301.401(a)), and TSBPE assigns a first-time licensee a random expiration date 6 to 18 months out from the date the licensure exam was passed – except a Plumbing Inspector, which renews in January. Continuing education is six hours annually, and the statute is specific about the content: “Three of the six hours must be in the subjects of health protection, energy conservation, and water conservation” (1301.404(b)). Drain cleaners, drain cleaner-restricted registrants and residential utilities installers owe an equivalent six hours of approved training each year. An apprentice owes the six hours only if the apprentice holds an endorsement. A Medical Gas Piping Installation Endorsement holder must complete at least two hours of CPE, or demonstrate successful completion of a national certification, before renewing the endorsement. Active-duty military service members, approved course instructors, and certain Board employees are exempt, and a person providing at least 18 hours a year of career-and-technology-education instruction may complete the six hours once every three years instead.

What happens if a Texas plumbing license expires?

There is a hard two-year cliff. Expired 90 days or less, you renew at 1-1/2 times the normal renewal fee; expired more than 90 days but less than two years, at two times (Tex. Occ. Code 1301.403(b)-(c)) – and the board’s fee rule expresses the same totals as a late surcharge equal to half a renewal fee, then a full one. Either way you may not perform work requiring the credential during the unlicensed period between expiry and reissue. Once it has been expired for two years or more you cannot renew at all: you must obtain a new credential by meeting the requirements for an original one, including the examinations (1301.403(d)). TSBPE is blunt about what that means: “When your license or registration goes into reinstate, it is like you never held that license or registration at all. Therefore, reinstating your license requires registering as a Plumber’s Apprentice and applying for and passing all applicable exams. To take an exam, you must meet all CURRENT eligibility requirements even if those requirements were not in effect the first time you obtained your license.”

Does Texas have plumbing license reciprocity with other states?

With two. TSBPE’s Reciprocal License Verification Request states that “Texas currently reciprocates plumbing licenses with Louisiana and Arkansas,” and TSBPE’s forms page labels that form “Louisiana and Arkansas ONLY.” The reciprocal route is JOURNEYMAN-LEVEL and conditional – holding a licence in one of the two states is not enough. A Louisiana applicant must have held BOTH a Journeyman plumbing licence AND a Journeyman Natural Gas Fitter licence for at least 2 years, plus 8,000 hours of on-the-job training under a Master plumber; an Arkansas applicant must have held a Journeyman plumbing licence for at least 4 years. The form states in terms that otherwise “the applicant is not eligible for a reciprocal plumbing license from the State of Texas.” The reciprocal route also carries its own non-refundable $40 verification fee. Anyone else who is licensed elsewhere uses the Out-of-State Examination Request, which requires proof of authorization to work lawfully in the United States, a current Journeyman or Master Plumber licence in another state, having held that licence for two years, and a non-refundable processing fee of $40 for Journeyman or $25 for Master. Out-of-state Journeyman and Master holders are at least excused from the 24-hour and 48-hour classroom training programs. Note that the statute is broader than the board’s current practice: Tex. Occ. Code 1301.3581 authorises the board to waive any prerequisite for a licensee of a substantially equivalent jurisdiction and provides that an applicant “may not be required to undergo an examination… if the applicant has held an equivalent license, registration, or endorsement in another jurisdiction for at least two years.”

Who can run a plumbing company in Texas?

Only a business that has secured a Responsible Master Plumber. Tex. Occ. Code 1301.351(a-2) requires that a person who advertises or otherwise offers to perform or provide plumbing must secure the services of a responsible master plumber, and 22 TAC 367.9(a) says no person or company may advertise, contract for or otherwise offer plumbing services to the public unless it has secured the services of at least one RMP holding a current Master Plumber License. To hold the designation you must already be a Texas-licensed Master Plumber in good standing and file a certificate of insurance providing commercial general liability coverage of not less than $300,000 for all claims arising in a one-year period. An RMP may act as the RMP of record for only one company at a time, and may not hold a Plumbing Inspector License. The designation also carries visible duties: the RMP’s licence number, preceded by “M”, “MPL” or “RMP”, plus the company name must appear on both sides of every service vehicle in letters at least two inches high, and every proposal, invoice or contract must show the RMP’s name and licence number, the phrase “regulated by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners,” and the board’s contact details.

See every license and certification LicensingAtlas covers in Texas.

Sources & verification

Last verified against these sources: July 29, 2026.

LicensingAtlas states licensing and certification requirements categorically from official sources. It is a reference, not legal or career advice, and requirements change frequently — confirm details with the issuing board before you act.