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How to become a plumber in Arkansas

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

The short answer

Register as an apprentice plumber enrolled in an approved apprentice program, then qualify for the journeyman exam with four years of plumbing experience, and become eligible for the master exam after one year as a licensed journeyman (five years' experience in total); licenses renew every year.

The steps in Arkansas

  1. 1

    Start as an apprentice

    Apprentice plumbers in Arkansas must be registered with the Department of Health and enrolled in a state-approved apprentice program.

  2. 2

    Earn your journeyman (first independent) license

    To sit for the journeyman plumber exam you need at least four years of plumbing experience, and the license is issued only after passing the state examination given through the Department of Health's Committee of Plumbing Examiners.

  3. 3

    Master or contractor license

    The master plumber exam requires five years of plumbing experience; a licensed journeyman becomes eligible for the master exam after holding the journeyman license for one year.

  4. 4

    Keep your license current

    Arkansas plumbing licenses are renewed every year; no continuing education hours were stated on the pages checked.

Who licenses plumbers in Arkansas

Arkansas Department of Health, Protective Health Codes (Plumbing and Natural Gas). License types we found: Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber, Apprentice Plumber, Restricted Plumber, Water and Sewer Service Line Installer, Gas Fitter.

Official application page

Already licensed? Anyone can check a license on adhplumbinghvacrlookup.arkansas.gov.

Licensed in another state?

Arkansas lists reciprocity agreements with Ohio, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, and its rules allow licensure without re-examination for plumbers licensed in another 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 Arkansas?

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

Sources

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

  1. healthy.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/PLUMBING_LAW_2022.pdf
  2. healthy.arkansas.gov/programs-services/licensing-military-member-licensu
  3. healthy.arkansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/Plumbing-Licensing-Rules.pdf
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters
  5. 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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