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How to become a plumber in Texas

The license steps in Texas, from apprentice to master or contractor, taken from the official licensing pages – plus pay, apprenticeships and where to apply.

The short answer

Register with TSBPE as a Plumber's Apprentice (age 16+) before your hours count, log 8,000 hours plus a 48-hour approved course (or a DOL-approved apprenticeship) and pass the Journeyman exam, then after two years as a journeyman (one year with a DOL apprenticeship) pass the Master exam; licensees need 6 CE hours to renew.

The steps in Texas

  1. 1

    Start as an apprentice

    In Texas you must register with the State Board of Plumbing Examiners as a Plumber's Apprentice (minimum age 16) before any work hours count, and apprentices work under the direct on-site supervision of a licensed plumber.

  2. 2

    Earn your journeyman (first independent) license

    The Journeyman Plumber license requires at least 8,000 hours of plumbing experience, a TSBPE-approved 48-hour training course or a DOL-approved apprenticeship, current apprentice registration or Tradesman Plumber-Limited license, and passing the TSBPE exam.

  3. 3

    Master or contractor license

    The Master Plumber license requires holding a journeyman license (Texas or another state) for at least two years, or one year plus completion of a DOL-approved apprenticeship, and passing the exam; a master works under a Responsible Master Plumber, who is the contractor-level license.

  4. 4

    Keep your license current

    All Texas plumbing licensees must complete six hours of continuing professional education to renew; apprentice and other registrations renew every year.

Who licenses plumbers in Texas

Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. License types we found: Responsible Master Plumber, Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber, Tradesman Plumber-Limited, Apprentice Registration.

Official application page

Already licensed? Anyone can check a license on vo.licensing.hpc.texas.gov.

Licensed in another state?

Texas lets journeyman or master plumbers licensed in another state qualify to apply for the corresponding Texas license, but the Texas exam is still required.

Finding an apprenticeship

Most plumbers learn the trade through a 4- or 5-year apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training each year plus classroom instruction, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeships are paid jobs with progressive wage increases, classroom instruction and a portable, nationally recognized credential; programs are approved by the Department of Labor or a State Apprenticeship Agency. Search programs at apprenticeship.gov, or ask local plumbing contractors and union locals.

Pay and job outlook

$63,800

Median yearly pay for plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters, May 2025 (BLS).

7%

Projected job growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 42,000 openings a year (BLS).

4-5 years

Typical apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training a year (BLS).

National figures from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook; pay varies by state and city.

Already a plumber in Texas?

202 plumbing businesses are listed on Plumbers Pages so far. Add your business free, or see plumbers in Texas.

Sources

Requirements come from Texas’s official licensing pages and statutes, checked October 2026. Rules change – confirm with the licensing office before you apply.

  1. tsbpe.texas.gov/license-types/apprentice/
  2. tsbpe.texas.gov/license-types/journeyman/
  3. tsbpe.texas.gov/license-types/master-plumber/
  4. tsbpe.texas.gov/license-types/
  5. tsbpe.texas.gov/
  6. tsbpe.texas.gov/license-types/responsible-master-plumber/
  7. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters
  8. U.S. Department of Labor – Apprenticeship.gov for career seekers

General information, not legal advice. All states · How we write our guides

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