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How to become a plumber in Wisconsin

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

The short answer

In Wisconsin you register as a plumbing apprentice while indentured in a state-recognized apprenticeship, take the Journeyman Plumber exam after completing that apprenticeship, and qualify for the Master Plumber exam after at least 1,000 hours a year for 3 or more years as a licensed Wisconsin journeyman (or with an approved engineering degree).

The steps in Wisconsin

  1. 1

    Start as an apprentice

    Plumbing apprentices must register with the Department of Safety and Professional Services and be indentured in an apprenticeship program recognized under Wisconsin's ch. 106 or by the U.S. Department of Labor.

  2. 2

    Earn your journeyman (first independent) license

    To take the Journeyman Plumber license exam you must have completed a recognized plumbing apprenticeship program, and the license is issued only after passing the exam.

  3. 3

    Master or contractor license

    The Master Plumber exam requires a record of at least 1,000 hours a year for 3 or more years as a licensed Wisconsin journeyman plumber, or an approved engineering degree, and the license is issued only after passing the exam.

  4. 4

    Keep your license current

    Journeyman plumbers must complete at least 24 hours of approved continuing education before their license expires; DSPS's master plumber application describes a 4-year credential term starting March 31.

Who licenses plumbers in Wisconsin

Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). License types we found: Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber, Master Plumber Restricted Service, Master Plumber Restricted Appliance, Journeyman Plumber Restricted Service, Journeyman Plumber Restricted Appliance, Plumbing Apprentice, Plumbing Learner Restricted Service, Plumbing Learner Restricted Appliance, Pipe Layer, Utility Contractor, Cross-Connection Control Tester.

Official application page

Already licensed? Anyone can check a license on licensesearch.wi.gov.

Licensed in another state?

There is no blanket reciprocity, but out-of-state plumbers can qualify for the Wisconsin Master Plumber exam by comity, for example with a current plumbing license and at least 8 years of experience including 1,000 hours a year for three years.

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 Wisconsin?

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

Sources

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

  1. dsps.wi.gov/Credentialing/Trades/fm3133.pdf
  2. docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/sps/safety_and_buildings_and_en
  3. docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/145/06
  4. dsps.wi.gov/Credentialing/Trades/fm3129.pdf
  5. dsps.wi.gov/
  6. licensesearch.wi.gov/
  7. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics – Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters
  8. 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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