Plumbing License in Wisconsin: Requirements & How to Get One

Yes, Wisconsin licenses plumbers at the state level. A plumbing license in Wisconsin comes from the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). You start as a registered plumbing apprentice, finish a state-recognized apprenticeship (about 5 years), then pass the journeyman exam. After 3 years of at least 1,000 hours a year as a journeyman, you can test for master.

Who licenses plumbers in Wisconsin

The Department of Safety and Professional Services issues every plumbing credential in the state. There’s no separate plumbing board. You apply, upload documents, pay, and renew through the LicensE portal at license.wi.gov, and plumber credentials need an individual account.

The law is Wis. Stat. Chapter 145. DSPS sums it up in its plumbing license laws handout: no one may do plumbing in the state unless licensed by the department. The detailed rules are in Wis. Admin. Code SPS 305.

Requirements change, so confirm with DSPS before you apply. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice.

License types

Plumbing Apprentice. A registration, not a license. You must be in a plumbing apprentice contract recognized under Wis. Stat. chapter 106. It renews every year.
Journeyman Plumber. Your full working license. Under SPS 305.93, you work under the general supervision of a master plumber, a master plumber-restricted, or a utility contractor.
Master Plumber. The top license. A master can also work as a journeyman.
Restricted Appliance (learner, journeyman, master). Covers things like water heaters and water treatment devices that don’t need a direct connection to a drain system.
Restricted Service (learner, journeyman, master). Covers septic tanks and drain fields for private onsite wastewater systems, sewer service, and water service outside the foundation wall.
Pipe Layer and Utility Contractor. Credentials for underground utility work. Pipe layers are registered, not licensed.
Inspectors. Commercial Plumbing, UDC Plumbing, and POWTS Inspector certifications are for code enforcement.

There’s no separate plumbing contractor or business license. Licenses only go to individuals, never to a company. A licensed master plumber has to be in charge of every install, and any owner, officer, or employee who oversees plumbing for a firm needs a master license.

How to become a plumber in Wisconsin

Here’s the standard path:

Get into a registered apprenticeship. According to the Department of Workforce Development, the plumber apprenticeship runs about 5 years. That’s 7,428 hours on the job plus 572 paid hours of classroom instruction. You also need First Aid/CPR, OSHA 10 or 30, and an 8-hour Transition to Trainer course.
Register as an apprentice with DSPS. Apply in LicensE. Each year you renew, you attest that you’re still in a recognized apprentice contract. Apprentices don’t need CE.
Finish and get your letter. The journeyman exam page says you upload a letter from the Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards showing you met the apprenticeship requirements.
Pass the journeyman exam. Your application shows “Pending Exam” until you pass.
Go for master. Under SPS 305.91, you need at least 1,000 hours of plumbing work a year for at least 3 years as a licensed journeyman. An accredited engineering degree (civil, mechanical, or another approved plumbing-related curriculum) also qualifies you to sit for the exam.

The restricted tracks are shorter. For example, the restricted service journeyman needs 1,000 hours in one continuous year as a registered learner, plus 100 hours of classes (40 on code, 20 blueprint reading, 10 transit or level, 20 math, 10 first aid and safety).

Exams

Per the DSPS trades exam page, all plumbing exams are now given only at Pearson VUE centers in Eau Claire, Madison, Brookfield, Kenosha, Ashwaubenon, and Milwaukee. Here’s what to expect:

Two parts. The journeyman exam is two 3-hour parts. The master exam is two 4-hour parts. Restricted exams are a single 3-hour test.
Open book. You can bring only nine items: one binder with Wis. Stat. ch. 145 and 106, SPS 302, 305, 325, and 381 to 387 plus printed notes, NFPA 13D and NFPA 24 (2019 editions), five POWTS component manuals, and the Multi-Purpose Piping design manual. Scale rulers and highlighters are allowed.
Binder rules. Everything is punched into a three-ring binder. No loose paper, sticky notes, removable tabs, paperclips, or old exams.
Passing score. 70%.

Heads up: the older master application form (Form 3129, revised 2023) lists DSPS exam sites like DeForest and Pewaukee. The current exam page says Pearson centers only. Go with the current page.

Renewal

Journeyman and master licenses run 4 years and expire March 31. You can renew about 4 weeks before expiration, and DSPS emails you instructions. Per the fees and renewal dates page:

CE for journeyman and master. At least 24 hours of approved continuing education each 4-year term (SPS 305.91 for masters, SPS 305.93 for journeymen).
CE for restricted and utility contractor. 12 hours per term.
Your provider reports it. The course provider enters your hours. LicensE won’t let you renew until they show up.
Late CE. CE finished after the license expires costs a $25 late fee.
Waivers. You can ask DSPS to waive CE for prolonged illness or disability. They decide case by case.
Apprentices. Renew every year from the date of issue, no CE.

Cost

These fees come from the DSPS fee and exam pages. Credential fees are charged after you pass, and DSPS prorates them depending on when in the term you’re licensed:

Plumbing apprentice: $15 application, $15 credential, $15 a year to renew.
Plumbing learner (restricted appliance or service): $15 application, $15 credential.
Journeyman: $10 application, $180 credential. Each exam part costs $90 to Pearson plus $20 to DSPS.
Master: $20 application, $500 credential. Each exam part costs $95 to Pearson plus $30 to DSPS.
Restricted journeyman: $10 application, $180 credential, exam $90 Pearson plus $20 DSPS.
Restricted master: $20 application, $500 credential, exam $90 Pearson plus $30 DSPS.
Pipe layer: $15 application, $180 credential. Utility contractor: $10 application, $500 credential.
Renewal (every 4 years): $180 journeyman, $500 master.
Late CE: $25. Reinstatement: $200.

Veterans can get the initial credential fee waived with a WDVA voucher code. Apprenticeship classes are tied to your sponsor, so ask them about any unpaid extra classes.

Reciprocity

Wisconsin doesn’t publish a list of reciprocity states. Instead, DSPS has “comity” paths for out-of-state plumbers. Per the journeyman other application methods page:

Out-of-state apprenticeship plus exam. A 5-year apprenticeship with at least 576 hours of instruction, recognized under chapter 106 or by the U.S. Department of Labor. You get an equivalency certificate from the Bureau of Apprenticeship Standards, then pass the Wisconsin exam.
Experience path. A finished apprenticeship, a passed journeyman exam in another state, and at least 5 years under a journeyman (or equal) license from a state DSPS finds substantially similar, with no discipline.
Master comity. Form 3129 allows an out-of-state 5-year apprenticeship plus 3 years of 1,000 hours as a journeyman, or a current license plus 8 years of experience. Both still require the Wisconsin master exam.

One catch: the comity page contradicts itself on whether the experience path still needs the Wisconsin exam. Plan on testing and ask DSPS. See our plumbing license reciprocity guide for how other states handle it.

How to apply

Make a LicensE account. Choose an individual account at license.wi.gov and use an email you’ll always have.
Pick your pathway. Exam, comity, exchange, or reinstatement. Each has its own document list.
Upload and pay. Card or ACH. ACH can add 3 to 5 business days.
Convictions? You can ask for a predetermination first. Disclosures may add legal review time.
Need help? Call DSPS at (608) 266-2112 or (877) 617-1565, email dsps@wisconsin.gov, or open a ticket in LicensE.

FAQ

How long does it take to get a plumbing license in Wisconsin?

About 5 years of apprenticeship to reach journeyman. Master takes at least 3 more years of journeyman work.

How much does a Wisconsin plumbing license cost?

For journeyman, $10 to apply, $110 per exam part, and $180 for the license. Master is $20, $125 per part, and $500.

How many CE hours do Wisconsin plumbers need?

24 hours every 4-year term for journeymen and masters, and 12 for restricted licenses.

Do I need a contractor license to run a plumbing company in Wisconsin?

No separate one. A licensed master plumber must be in charge of the work, and anyone overseeing plumbing for the business needs a master license.

Next steps

If you’re starting out, find a sponsor for a registered plumbing apprenticeship and register with DSPS. To compare Wisconsin with other states, see our plumbing license by state page, the full plumbing license guide, and plumbing license cost by state. Working near the border? Check the Illinois plumbing license and Minnesota plumbing license pages too. Once you’re a master and ready to run your own shop, read how to start a plumbing business.