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How to become a plumber in Missouri

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

The short answer

Missouri has no statewide plumber license; cities and counties license plumbers, and in Kansas City a master plumber certificate requires three years of full-time plumbing experience including at least two years certified as a journeyman.

Note: Missouri does not issue a statewide plumber license; cities or counties do. The steps below describe the largest local program we could confirm – check the rules where you will work.

The steps in Missouri

  1. 1

    Start as an apprentice

    The official pages we checked do not set out a separate apprentice registration in Missouri. 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

    The official pages we checked do not describe a statewide journeyman license in Missouri. Ask the licensing office for the current rule.

  3. 3

    Master or contractor license

    Missouri has no statewide plumber license; in Kansas City, the largest city, a master plumber certificate of qualification requires three years of full-time hands-on plumbing experience, including at least two years certified as a journeyman plumber.

  4. 4

    Keep your license current

    We could not confirm renewal and continuing education rules on an official page. Ask the licensing office for the current rule.

Who licenses plumbers in Missouri

the local licensing office. License types we found: see the agency.

Official application page

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 Missouri?

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

Sources

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

  1. kcmo.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/7116/637686064769670000
  2. revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=341.170
  3. documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills241/sumpdf/HB1926I.pdf
  4. pr.mo.gov/boards.asp
  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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