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How to become a plumber in Alaska

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

The short answer

Alaska has no master plumber license: you register as a plumber trainee while indentured in a federally accredited apprenticeship, earn 8,000 hours of plumbing work and pass a state exam (70% to pass) for a journeyman certificate of fitness, and anyone running a plumbing business also needs a Mechanical Administrator license.

The steps in Alaska

  1. 1

    Start as an apprentice

    Plumber trainees must hold a trainee certificate and show proof they are indentured in an apprentice plumber program accredited by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship.

  2. 2

    Earn your journeyman (first independent) license

    A journeyman plumber certificate of fitness requires 8,000 hours of legally obtained plumbing installation work and a state exam with a 70% passing score; anyone who fails must wait 30 days to retest.

  3. 3

    Master or contractor license

    Alaska does not issue a master plumber license; a mechanical contractor must hold, or assign someone who holds, a Mechanical Administrator license (Commerce Department) in addition to the contractor license.

  4. 4

    Keep your license current

    Plumber certificates renew every 2 years with 16 hours of continuing education in the prior 24 months, at least 8 of them on Uniform Plumbing Code changes.

Who licenses plumbers in Alaska

Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Labor Standards and Safety Division, Mechanical Inspection Section. License types we found: Plumber Journeyman, Plumber Gas, Plumber Restricted Utility, Plumber Trainee, Plumber Utility Trainee.

Official application page

Already licensed? Anyone can check a license on commerce.alaska.gov.

Licensed in another state?

Alaska may grant a reciprocal certificate to plumbers from any U.S. jurisdiction with substantially similar requirements.

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 Alaska?

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

Sources

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

  1. labor.alaska.gov/lss/mi-license-req.html
  2. commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/ProfessionalLicensing/ConstructionContracto
  3. labor.alaska.gov/lss/mihome.htm
  4. labor.alaska.gov/lss/contractor_licensing.htm
  5. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters
  6. 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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