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How to become a plumber in Kentucky

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

The short answer

In Kentucky you work at least two consecutive years as an apprentice (or one year plus an approved course) to sit for the state journeyman exam, then hold the journeyman license at least two years and work two years under a master before taking the master exam; licenses renew yearly with 6 CE hours.

The steps in Kentucky

  1. 1

    Start as an apprentice

    The official pages we checked do not set out a separate apprentice registration in Kentucky. Most plumbers still start in an apprenticeship – see below. Ask the licensing office for the current rule.

  2. 2

    Earn your journeyman (first independent) license

    To take the journeyman plumber exam you need at least two consecutive years as an apprentice plumber, or one year as an apprentice plus a department-approved plumbing course; the state exam includes a practical portion.

  3. 3

    Master or contractor license

    To take the master plumber exam you must have held a journeyman license for at least two of the past five years and worked at least two years under a licensed master plumber.

  4. 4

    Keep your license current

    Master and journeyman plumber licenses renew every year, expiring at the end of the licensee's birth month, and each renewal requires at least six hours of approved continuing education.

Who licenses plumbers in Kentucky

Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, Division of Plumbing. License types we found: Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber.

Official application page

Licensed in another state?

Kentucky may license plumbers from another state if that state has a statewide plumbing code, an exam at least equal to Kentucky's, and agrees to reciprocate.

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 Kentucky?

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

Sources

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

  1. apps.legislature.ky.gov/services/karmaservice/documents/8316/ToPDF?marku
  2. apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/kar/titles/815/002/010/
  3. dhbc.ky.gov/Documents/2023%20KSPLRCB.pdf
  4. dhbc.ky.gov/newstatic_info.aspx?static_id=343
  5. oop.ky.gov/
  6. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters
  7. 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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