Yes, Massachusetts licenses plumbers at the state level. A plumbing license in Massachusetts comes from the Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters, part of the Division of Occupational Licensure. You start as a licensed apprentice, log 6,800 work hours and 550 hours of Tier classes, then pass the journeyman exam. After at least a year and 1,700 hours as a journeyman, you can test for master.
Who issues the license
The Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters licenses apprentices, journeymen, masters, and plumbing businesses. It sits inside the Division of Occupational Licensure. The Board reviews your application, and PSI Exams runs the tests.
The law behind it is M.G.L. Chapter 142, which says you can’t work as an apprentice, journeyman, or master plumber unless you’re licensed or registered by the Board. The education and experience rules are in 248 CMR 11.00.
Requirements change, so confirm with the Board before you apply. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice.
License types
- Apprentice Plumber. Your entry license. You work under a master plumber, or a journeyman employed by a master, while you take Tier classes.
- Journeyman Plumber. A full working license. You can do plumbing work, but you work for a licensed master. Chapter 142 also lets a journeyman plumber do gas fitting anywhere in the state.
- Master Plumber. The top individual license. Masters employ and supervise apprentices and journeymen, and must display their license at their place of business. Any ad or sign has to show the license number.
- Plumbing business license. For a corporation, LLC, or partnership. A corporation lists its master plumber of record as an officer, an LLC lists one as a manager, and in an LP, LLP, or general partnership all partners must be licensed master plumbers.
Gas fitter licenses are a separate track with their own hours. Don’t mix them up: the 5,100 hour figure you may see online is the journeyman gas fitter requirement, not a plumbing one.
How to become a plumber in Massachusetts
Here’s the ladder under 248 CMR 11.00:
- Get your apprentice license. Apply through eLIPSE with a Statement of Employing Master form, a passport photo, and a notarized CORI form.
- Start Tier classes within 9 months. The rules say apprentices must begin their education within nine months of getting the apprentice license.
- Finish 550 hours of theory. Plumbing education is five Tiers of 110 hours each. You need 550 hours of plumbing and gas fitting theory, spread over at least 4 years, with no more than 165 hours credited per calendar year. You also need a high school diploma or the equivalent.
- Log 6,800 work hours. That’s clock hours as a licensed apprentice under direct supervision of a master, or a journeyman employed by a master. For each year you take 165 education hours, you need 1,700 hours of work that year.
- Pass the journeyman exam. You get six tries before you need special Board approval.
- Go for master. After at least 1 year and 1,700 hours as a Massachusetts journeyman, plus Tier 5, you can apply for the master exam.
What “Level 1” or Tier 1 means
People search “plumbing level 1,” but the state calls it Tier 1. According to the Plumbing Tier Program, Tier 1 is the first year: safety, tools and joining, valves, residential blueprints, and 40 hours of math. Tiers 2 through 4 move into drainage, venting, water supply, and the gas code. Tier 5 is a code review plus 15 hours on business costs.
Here’s a catch. Tier 5 counts toward the master. If you already finished it as an apprentice, you don’t need more classes for master. You take Tiers at Board-approved schools, and the apprentice page links to the list.
Watch the clock. Apprentice licenses can’t be renewed or reissued more than 10 years after you first got one (or September 1, 2018, if that’s later). You can petition the Board for good cause.
Exams
PSI Exams gives the journeyman and master plumber tests. Once the Board approves you, PSI contacts you and you book a slot online or by phone. Here’s what the current PSI candidate bulletin says:
- Format. Closed book, computer based, in two parts. Each part is scored separately and you must pass both.
- Passing score. At least 70% on each part.
- Scores expire. A passing score is good for one year only.
- Veterans. You get a 5% credit on each part if you send in your DD214.
Scores come right away. If you don’t pass, the Board says you can retake within 12 months. Get there 30 minutes early, because late arrivals lose the exam fee.
Renewal
Massachusetts plumbing licenses renew every two years on a fixed calendar, not your birthday. Per the Board’s renewal page, renewal opens February 1 of every even-numbered year and is due by May 1.
- CE. Journeyman and master plumbers need 12 hours of approved continuing education each two-year cycle.
- Online only. You renew through eLIPSE and upload the DOL CORI form. Mailed renewals get sent back.
- Late fee. Anything received after May 1 costs an extra $57.
- Missing license? If it doesn’t show up for renewal, a Department of Revenue hold may be the reason.
Cost
These fees come from mass.gov and the PSI bulletin. They’re all non-refundable:
- Apprentice application: $14.
- Journeyman: $31 application fee to the Board, $80 PSI exam fee, then a $52 license fee at the test center after you pass.
- Master: $31 application fee, $80 exam fee, then a $78 license fee at the test center.
- Retakes: $80 per exam.
- Renewal (every two years): $40 apprentice, $52 journeyman, $78 master.
- Plumbing business license: $225, and $225 to renew.
- Late renewal: $57.
Active military, spouses, and veterans may get fee cuts under the Valor Act. You’ll also pay for Tier classes, but tuition is set by each school, not the state, so ask your school.
Reciprocity
The rules allow reciprocity, but the Board doesn’t publish a list of partner states. Here’s what the official sources say:
- Licensed in another state. Under the Board’s substantially equivalent license policy, you need a license active at least 3 years, proof your state’s rules are substantially equivalent, and a certified statement that it’s in good standing.
- The exam. Unless Massachusetts has a reciprocity agreement with your state, you still have to pass the Massachusetts exam.
- Out-of-state hours. Education and work from elsewhere count only if the Board approves them. If you have no license, petition the Board before you apply.
We couldn’t find any named reciprocity states on mass.gov, so plan on testing unless the Board tells you otherwise. See our plumbing license reciprocity guide for how other states handle it.
How to apply
- Go online. Make a MyMassGov account, read the “Linking Your License” guide first, then apply in eLIPSE. Mailed applications are returned.
- Gather the forms. For journeyman: an Education Verification form signed by your school, a Statement of Experience signed by your master, a 2×2 photo, and the CORI form with page two notarized.
- Wait for approval. The Board reviews it, then tells PSI you’re cleared to schedule.
- Don’t stall. Incomplete applications stay open 180 days, then you start over and pay again.
- Need help? Call the Board at 617-701-8798, email Plumbingboard@mass.gov, or visit the Welcome Center at One Federal Street, Suite 600, Boston.
Heads up: an older journeyman application PDF on mass.gov still says to mail it to the Board with a check. The current Board pages say online only. Go with eLIPSE and confirm with the Board if you’re unsure.
FAQ
How long does it take to get a plumbing license in Massachusetts?
At least 4 years to journeyman, since the 550 Tier hours can’t be done faster. Master takes at least 1 more year.
How much does a Massachusetts plumbing license cost?
For journeyman, $31 to apply, $80 for the exam, and $52 for the license. Master is $31, $80, and $78.
How do I renew my Massachusetts plumbing license?
Online through eLIPSE between February 1 and May 1 of even years, with 12 hours of CE.
What is plumbing Tier 1?
The first 110 hour block of the five Tier theory program. Most apprentices take it in year one.
Next steps
If you’re starting out, find a master plumber to work under, get your apprentice license, and sign up for Tier 1 within 9 months. To compare Massachusetts 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 New Hampshire plumbing license page too. Once you’re a master and ready to run your own shop, read how to start a plumbing business.
