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How to become a plumber in Maine
The license steps in Maine, from apprentice to master or contractor, taken from the official licensing pages – plus pay, apprenticeships and where to apply.
The short answer
In Maine you start with a Trainee Plumber license, qualify for the Journeyman exam after at least two years and 4,000 hours as a licensed trainee under a master plumber (or 2,000 hours as a Journeyman-in-Training), and qualify for the Master exam after at least one year and 2,000 hours as a licensed journeyman.
The steps in Maine
- 1
Start as an apprentice
Learners must hold a Trainee Plumber license from the Plumbers' Examining Board; the board's rules set a minimum licensing age of 16, and trainees may only work while employed or supervised by a licensed master or journeyman plumber.
- 2
Earn your journeyman (first independent) license
The Journeyman Plumber license requires at least two years and 4,000 hours of plumbing work as a licensed trainee supervised by a master plumber (or 2,000 hours as a licensed Journeyman-in-Training within four years), plus passing the board exam.
- 3
Master or contractor license
The Master Plumber license requires at least one year and 2,000 hours as a licensed journeyman plumber (or four years and 8,000 hours as a supervised licensed trainee), plus passing the board exam.
- 4
Keep your license current
Trainee, journeyman and master plumber licenses renew every two years based on the first licensure date; no continuing education requirement was found in the board's laws and rules.
Who licenses plumbers in Maine
Maine Plumbers' Examining Board (Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation). License types we found: Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber, Journeyman-in-Training, Trainee Plumber.
Already licensed? Anyone can check a license on pfr.maine.gov.
Licensed in another state?
Maine issues a license to plumbers licensed in another state whose licensing standards and experience requirements are at least equivalent and which grants similar privileges to Maine licensees.
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 Maine?
20 plumbing businesses are listed on Plumbers Pages so far. Add your business free, or see plumbers in Maine.
Sources
Requirements come from Maine’s official licensing pages and statutes, checked October 2026. Rules change – confirm with the licensing office before you apply.
- maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/sites/maine.gov.pfr.professionallice
- maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/plumbers-examining-board
- legislature.maine.gov/statutes/32/title32sec3504-A.html
- maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/plumbers-examining-board
- www1.maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/plumbers-examining-
- maine.gov/pfr/professionallicensing/professions/plumbers-examining-board
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters
- U.S. Department of Labor – Apprenticeship.gov for career seekers
General information, not legal advice. All states · How we write our guides