Yes, Indiana licenses plumbers at the state level. A plumbing license in Indiana comes from the Indiana Plumbing Commission, run through the Professional Licensing Agency (PLA). Most people start as a registered apprentice at 17, finish a four year approved apprenticeship, then pass a PROV exam for journeyman. The contractor license uses the same four year rule, plus a separate exam. There’s no continuing education to renew.
Who licenses plumbers in Indiana
The Indiana Plumbing Commission issues every plumbing credential in the state. The PLA handles the paperwork, the online portal, and the phones.
The law is IC 25-28.5-1. The detailed rules (fees, hours, exam retakes) are in 860 IAC, Articles 1 and 2. One useful part of the statute: a city or county can still require you to register and pull permits, but it can’t make a state licensee get a separate local plumbing license.
Requirements change, so confirm with the Indiana Plumbing Commission before you apply. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice.
License types
- Plumbing Apprentice. You must be at least 17 and enrolled in a Commission approved apprenticeship program. You work under the direction and immediate supervision of a licensed contractor or journeyman.
- Journeyman Plumber. You must be at least 18. This is the full working license for doing plumbing for a contractor.
- Plumbing Contractor. You must be at least 18. This is the license you need to run the plumbing side of a business and take on work yourself.
- Plumbing Corporation. A business license. The company needs a licensed Indiana plumbing contractor on file who is responsible for it. If that person leaves, the company has 30 days to tell the Commission.
- Temporary Plumbing Contractor. A short term license for an owner or officer when the company’s licensed contractor has died or can’t run the business. It runs in six month blocks, up to two years, and the rule calls for a bond.
Indiana has no separate “master plumber” title. Contractor is the top tier.
How to become a plumber in Indiana
Here’s the usual path, based on the PLA licensing page and 860 IAC 1-1-9:
- Join an approved apprenticeship. The PLA lists about 16 programs, union and non-union, around the state. Your program sponsor signs a certification form.
- Register as an apprentice. Apply online with that form once you’re 17 or older.
- Put in four years. The rule defines a four year apprenticeship as 576 classroom hours and 6,400 on the job hours. No more than 40 hours a week count.
- Pass the practical exam. Apprenticeship schools give a hands on test with copper, cast iron, and plastic pipe projects. You need at least 70% on each one.
- Apply for journeyman. Send the certificate of completion, signed by your school and sponsor. Once the Commission approves you, book the PROV exam.
- Go for contractor when you’re ready. The contractor license also needs four years, and it has its own exam.
Other ways to qualify
You don’t have to come up through a school. For journeyman or contractor, the PLA also accepts four years of plumbing trade experience (6,400 hours under the rule) proven with a notarized employer affidavit, or a license from another state. For contractor only, four years working in a plumbing business under a licensed contractor also counts, with a letter on company letterhead that lists your duties and dates.
Prior training can be credited, but not more than 75% of the apprenticeship, and the Commission has to approve it.
Exams
PROV, Inc. runs the Indiana plumbing exams. You can’t book until the Commission approves you and sends a letter with your candidate ID. Here’s what the current PROV candidate bulletin (June 2026) says:
- Format. Journeyman and contractor exams are each 90 multiple choice questions in 3 hours. You can test at a PROV center or remotely.
- Books. Both use the 2006 International Plumbing Code (2012 Indiana printing) and the Indiana amendments in 675 IAC 16-1.4. The contractor exam adds the NASCLA business and law guide.
- Passing score. Not published. If you pass, you get a PASS letter with no number. If you fail, you see your score and a breakdown by subject.
- Attempts. Up to seven tries within two years of your first scheduled date. You have to sit for the first one within a year of approval, or reapply.
- Scheduling. Book online or call PROV. Cancel at least three business days ahead, or you lose the fee.
Heads up: the PLA’s FAQ still names ICC as the exam company for rescheduling. The PLA’s own plumbing home page and the bulletin both point to PROV, so go with PROV.
Renewal
Indiana licenses renew every two years on a fixed calendar. The PLA emails or mails a notice about 90 days before you expire.
- Apprentice. Expires October 1 of every even year. You have to confirm you’re still enrolled in an approved program.
- Journeyman, contractor, and corporation. Expire December 31 of every odd year.
- CE. Neither the statute, the 860 IAC rules, nor the PLA plumbing pages list any continuing education for plumbers. Renewal is the fee.
- Late renewal. It costs more after December 31, and a lot more after March 1. See the fee list below.
- Expired 3 years or more. You have to reinstate: pay the fees, send a work history, and appear in person before the Commission.
Cost
These come from the PLA licensing page and the PROV bulletin. PLA fees are nonrefundable:
- Apprentice: $10 to apply, $10 to renew, $20 to reinstate.
- Journeyman: $30 application, $75 PROV exam, then a $30 license fee in an even year or $15 in an odd year.
- Journeyman renewal: $30. Late is $45 (after December 31 and before March 1) or $130 (after March 1). Reinstatement after 3 or more years is $60.
- Contractor: $50 application, $100 PROV exam, then a $100 license fee in an even year or $50 in an odd year.
- Contractor renewal: $100. Late is $115 or $300. Reinstatement after 3 or more years is $150.
- Corporation: $50 to apply, $100 to renew, $115 or $300 late, $200 to reinstate.
- Temporary contractor: $25, then $25 every six months, up to two years.
- Exam extras from PROV: $80 for a review of a failed test (only within 10 points of passing), $25 for a hand score. Every retake is a new exam fee.
Apprenticeship tuition is set by each program, not the state, so ask your school.
Reciprocity
Here’s what each source says:
- The PLA. Its licensing page says plainly that reciprocity is not available for journeyman or contractor plumbers.
- The statute. IC 25-28.5-1-19 allows a license without an exam if your state’s rules were substantially equal to Indiana’s and your state does the same for Indiana plumbers. We couldn’t find any partner states published anywhere by the PLA.
- What actually happens. With an out-of-state license, you present it to the Commission, apply, pay, and if approved, take the Indiana exam. If your state doesn’t license plumbers, you have to meet Indiana’s experience rules first.
So plan on testing. See our plumbing license reciprocity guide for how other states handle it.
How to apply
- Go online. Apply, renew, and check status through the PLA’s MyLicense portal.
- Gather the forms. Apprentices need the sponsor certification form. Journeymen and contractors need either the apprenticeship certificate of completion or the employer affidavit of experience.
- Don’t stall. An application not finished within one year is treated as abandoned, and you start over.
- Denied? You can reapply, or file a petition within 18 days of the denial letter.
- Need help? Email pla14@pla.in.gov or call 1-800-457-8283.
FAQ
How long does it take to get a plumbing license in Indiana?
About four years for journeyman, because the apprenticeship is 576 classroom hours and 6,400 work hours, capped at 40 hours a week.
How much does an Indiana plumbing license cost?
For journeyman, $30 to apply, $75 for the exam, and $15 or $30 for the license. Contractor is $50, $100, and $50 or $100.
Does Indiana require continuing education for plumbers?
No. We found no CE rule for plumbers in the statute, the rules, or on the PLA site.
Is there a master plumber license in Indiana?
No. The tiers are apprentice, journeyman, and contractor. Contractor is the top license.
Next steps
If you’re starting out, get into an approved apprenticeship and register as an apprentice. To compare Indiana 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 Ohio plumbing license pages too. Once you hold a contractor license and want your own shop, read how to start a plumbing business.
