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How to become a plumber in Massachusetts

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

The short answer

In Massachusetts you register with the state board as an apprentice plumber, work three years as an apprentice and complete 300 hours of approved theory before passing the journeyman exam, then after at least one year as a journeyman and 100 hours of advanced theory you can take the master plumber exam.

The steps in Massachusetts

  1. 1

    Start as an apprentice

    Apprentice plumbers must register with the Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters and work under the direct supervision of a master or journeyman plumber.

  2. 2

    Earn your journeyman (first independent) license

    A journeyman plumber license requires three years of work as an apprentice, 300 hours of theory at a board-approved school, and passing the journeyman exam.

  3. 3

    Master or contractor license

    A master plumber license requires at least one year as a journeyman, 100 hours of advanced plumbing theory, and passing the master plumber exam.

  4. 4

    Keep your license current

    Plumber licenses renew every two years (renewal opens February 1 of each even-numbered year, deadline May 1), and plumbers need 12 hours of approved continuing education.

Who licenses plumbers in Massachusetts

Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters (Division of Occupational Licensure). License types we found: Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber, Apprentice Plumber (registered).

Official application page

Already licensed? Anyone can check a license on occupationallicensingandpermitting.mass.gov.

Licensed in another state?

Out-of-state licensed plumbers from jurisdictions that adopt a plumbing code may be deemed to have equivalent education and experience, but must still pass the Massachusetts exam unless a reciprocity agreement applies.

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 Massachusetts?

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

Sources

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

  1. mass.gov/info-details/plumbers-and-gas-fitters-consumer-fact-sheet
  2. mass.gov/how-to/renew-a-plumber-gas-fitter-or-liquified-petroleum-instal
  3. mass.gov/policy-statement/substantially-equivalent-license
  4. mass.gov/orgs/board-of-state-examiners-of-plumbers-and-gas-fitters
  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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