Trade license requirements · 51 jurisdictions
Plumber · broad-license lane (#3/20 by licensing breadth)
Installs and repairs water, gas, and drainage systems Licensing breadth 92% (#3/20 by licensing breadth) places this trade in the broad-license lane. Open-data from state boards, NCSL, and NASCLA; verify live status before you hire.
- 47
- States require license
- 92%
- Of all jurisdictions
- 0
- Surety bond mandates
- 4
- No state license
Plumber licensing-breadth posture
Plumber lands in the broad-license lane (#3/20 by licensing breadth): a state license is required in 47 of 51 jurisdictions (92%), with 47 of those rows also listing an exam.
- 47
- states require a license
- 47
- of those also mandate an exam
- 0
- also require a surety bond
- #3
- of 20 trades by breadth
Source: state licensing boards · NCSL · NASCLA · snapshot 2026-06-27. Specialty or local credentials may still apply where no statewide license is listed.
Plumber · broad-license lane
According to state licensing boards, NCSL, and NASCLA, Plumber requires a state license in 47 of 51 jurisdictions (92%), rank #3 of 20 by licensing breadth; #3/20 by licensing breadth.
According to the same board-sourced directory (snapshot 2026-06-27), plumber sits in the broad-license lane. Of the 47 licensing states, 47 also mandate an exam and 0 list a surety-bond requirement. This is a requirements directory, not a live credential check - confirm status on the board roster before you hire.
Among 47 licensing states
NASCLA trade screen folio
Plumber board screens in this snapshot
Entity-varying counts from state licensing boards, NCSL, and NASCLA: how many jurisdictions stamp exam, bond, and insurance requirements on this trade.
- 47/51 jurisdictions require a license 92% coverage
- 47 licensing states mandate an exam 100% of licensed rows
- 0 licensing states list a surety bond 0% of licensed rows
- 47 licensing states set a liability floor 100% of licensed rows
- #3 of 20 trades by breadth
Exam-mandate neighbourhood
Among licensing states, how many also mandate an exam; nearest trades by exam count (snapshot 2026-06-27).
Peer placement
Licensing breadth across all 20 tracked trades
Highlighted bar is Plumber: share of jurisdictions requiring a state license in this snapshot (#3/20 by licensing breadth).
Same board as the distribution above (state licensing boards · NCSL · NASCLA · 2026-06-27).
States Requiring a Plumber License (47)
The Exam, Bond, Insur., and Fee columns below reflect an industry-typical baseline for plumber licensing, per-state statutory research for this trade is still in progress, so these are not yet confirmed dollar figures for each individual state. Confirm the exact current requirement with the state licensing board (link on each state's page) before relying on a specific number.
| State | License Type | Exam | Bond | Insur. | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Alaska | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Arizona | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Arkansas | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| California | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Colorado | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Connecticut | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Delaware | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| District of Columbia | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Florida | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Georgia | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Hawaii | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Idaho | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Illinois | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Indiana | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Iowa | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Kentucky | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Louisiana | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Maine | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Maryland | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Massachusetts | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Michigan | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Minnesota | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Mississippi | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Missouri | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Montana | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Nevada | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| New Hampshire | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| New Jersey | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| New Mexico | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| New York | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| North Carolina | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| North Dakota | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Ohio | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Oklahoma | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Oregon | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Pennsylvania | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Rhode Island | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| South Carolina | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Tennessee | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Texas | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Utah | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Vermont | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Virginia | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Washington | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| West Virginia | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
| Wisconsin | Master Plumber License | Yes | No | $300K | $50-$250 |
States Without State Plumber License (4)
In these states, plumber contractors do not require a state license. Local permits and municipal registration may still apply.
Breadth peers
Trades whose statewide licensing share sits nearest to Plumber's 92% - not a fixed guide strip.
- Electrician 100% · Δ7.8
- Pest Control 100% · Δ7.8
- HVAC Technician 78.4% · Δ13.8
- Carpenter 70.6% · Δ21.6
- Demolition 70.6% · Δ21.6
Disclaimer: Requirements shown are from state licensing boards, NCSL, and NASCLA data. Always verify current requirements directly with your state's licensing board.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Nationwide trades with similar licensing breadth
Peer sets for Plumber lead with jurisdiction licensing share (92% here), then exam-mandate count, distinct from the sidebar ABS(%) peers.
Similar licensing breadth
Nearest nationwide trades by share of jurisdictions requiring a license (92% here).
- Electrician · 100% licensed
- Pest Control · 100% licensed
- HVAC Technician · 78.4% licensed
- Carpenter · 70.6% licensed
Similar exam-mandate stack
Nearest nationwide trades by count of licensing states that also mandate an exam (47 here).
- Electrician · 51 exam states
- Pest Control · 51 exam states
- HVAC Technician · 40 exam states
- Elevator Mechanic · 36 exam states
| Publisher | PlainHireCheck |
| Sources | Public state contractor licensing board records |