Plumbing License Renewal by State (2026): Deadlines, CE & Fees

Most plumbing licenses renew every 1 to 3 years, and 30 states make you finish continuing education (CE) before you can renew. Texas, Kentucky and Connecticut renew every year. Iowa, Hawaii, Washington and Oregon run on three-year cycles, and Wisconsin renews journeyman and master licenses every four years. Eleven states with a state license, including California, Arizona, North Carolina and Maryland, don’t require any CE for plumbers at all.

This plumbing license renewal by state guide pulls the renewal cycle, CE hours, late rules and fees from our 50 state guides, and each of those guides is built from the official board’s own pages. Where a board doesn’t publish something, or our guide doesn’t list it yet, the table says so instead of guessing.

How plumbing license renewal works

The details change by state, but almost every renewal comes down to the same four things:

The renewal date. Some states put everyone on one calendar date (Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina and South Dakota all expire December 31). Others tie it to your birthday (Washington, Rhode Island, Kentucky, Oklahoma) or to the date your license was issued (Idaho, Maryland, New Hampshire).
Continuing education. Usually a set number of hours per cycle from a board-approved provider, often with a required slice of code hours. Texas wants 6 hours a year. Washington wants 24 hours every three years.
The fee. Anywhere from $15 a year for a Cheyenne, Wyoming journeyman to several hundred dollars per cycle, like $450 to $700 every two years for a California C-36 contractor.
Paperwork for contractors. Business-level licenses often need proof of insurance, a bond or financial statements at every renewal, not just the first time (our plumbing business insurance guide covers what to carry). Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Tennessee and South Carolina all work this way.

Most boards now renew online and send a reminder 60 to 90 days out. Don’t count on the reminder. Maine and New Mexico both say flat out that a missed notice doesn’t excuse a late renewal.

What happens if your plumbing license expires

This is where states differ the most, and it’s the part that can cost you the exam. A few examples from the table:

Arizona: the license is suspended the next business day after your renewal date.
West Virginia: expired 90 days or more and it can’t be renewed at all. You start over as a new applicant.
Texas: 1.5 times the fee within 90 days, double after that, and once you’re 2 years out you take the exam again.
Kentucky: 180 days past expiration and the license is canceled automatically.
Maryland: one of the most forgiving. The Board must reinstate you within 4 years if you meet the renewal rules.

In most states, working on an expired license counts as unlicensed work. Utah, for example, says DOPL can discipline you for the unlicensed stretch even after you reinstate. Put the date in your calendar the day the new card shows up.

States with no continuing education for plumbers

Based on our guides, these states license plumbers or plumbing contractors at the state level but don’t require CE to renew: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. A few others are partial. Michigan has no yearly hours but requires a code update course after Michigan adopts a new plumbing code, and Mississippi only requires CE for residential licenses issued on or after July 1, 2015.

Rules change, though. Rhode Island added a 7-hour CE rule that starts being enforced in January 2027, and Delaware’s 5-hour requirement starts with the 2026 cycle. Check your board before every renewal, not just the first one.

Renewal deadlines coming up

As of November 2026, these are the big ones on the calendar:

November 30, 2026: Georgia (even-year renewal in GOALS) and Utah (even-year renewal with 12 CE hours).
December 31, 2026: the annual December states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, North Carolina, North Dakota and South Dakota, plus Omaha, Nebraska.
End of February 2027: Colorado, which then moves to a three-year cycle starting March 1, 2027.
April 30, 2027: Illinois (every license) and Michigan (apprentice and journey plumbers, plus masters and contractors in their renewal year).

Two transitions to watch: Louisiana’s State Plumbing Board hands licensing to the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors on January 1, 2027, and Utah’s plumber statute is recodified effective January 1, 2027. Our guides for both states cover what we could confirm.

Plumbing license renewal table (all 50 states)

Each state name links to our full guide for that state, and “Official source” goes to the board we used. Where a cell says a number isn’t listed on our guide yet, the board may still publish it, so check before you renew.

State	Renewal cycle	Continuing education	Late or expired	Renewal fee	Source
Alabama	Every year. Everything expires Dec 31; renewal season runs Oct 1 to Dec 31.	CE required 4 hours a year for journeymen and masters (2 plumbing + 2 gas if you hold both), due before Nov 1. Missing it triggers a $100 deficiency fee.	Late penalty equals the renewal rate for that certificate.	$75 journeyman, $175 master, $35 apprentice	Official source
Alaska	Journeyman certificate every 2 years (renew up to 90 days early). Mechanical administrator expires Dec 31 of odd years.	CE required Journeyman: 16 hours per 24 months, at least 8 on Uniform Plumbing Code changes. Administrator: one 8-hour workshop per period.	Not valid for code work once expired; renew without retesting within 2 years after expiration.	$200 journeyman per 2-year term	Official source
Arizona	ROC contractor license every 2 years, staggered dates.	No CE None found in ROC statutes or rules.	Suspended the next business day; $50 late penalty. Within 1 year, reactivate with application fee + $50. After 1 year, new license.	$650 CR-37, $540 R-37, $480 C-37	Official source
Arkansas	Every year. Master, journeyman and apprentice expire Dec 31.	No CE None published for master or journeyman (inspectors need 8 hours).	$5 a month penalty after early February. Past 30 days, reinstatement: master $325, journeyman $150 plus back fees.	$75 journeyman, $200 master	Official source
California	C-36 contractor license every 2 years (inactive every 4). CSLB mails a notice about 60 days out.	No CE None listed by CSLB for C-36.	Renew within 90 days after expiration and the license is reinstated retroactively, at a higher fee.	$450 sole owner, $700 non-sole owner (late $675 / $1,050)	Official source
Colorado	Expires the last day of February in odd years (current cycle ends Feb 2027). Moves to a 3-year cycle March 1, 2027.	CE required 8 hours a year (CE year Mar 1 to end of Feb); at least 4 code hours in any 24 months.	60-day grace period, then reinstatement. Expired 2+ years: prove competency again, which can mean the exam.	Roughly $100 to $140 depending on tier	Official source
Connecticut	Every year. All plumbing and pipefitting licenses expire Oct 31.	CE required 2-year CE cycle: 5 hours (contractors, unlimited journeyperson), 3 hours (limited journeyperson). CE deadline July 31.	Reinstate within 3 years of expiration; past 3 years, reapply and retest.	$120 journeyperson, $150 contractor per year	Official source
Delaware	Every 2 years. Expires Oct 31 of even years.	CE required 5 hours per renewal period starting with the 2026 cycle (6 if you also hold HVACR). Reduced for new licensees.	Late renewal adds 50%. You can renew up to 1 year late but can’t work until it goes through; after that, apply as new.	Not a fixed posted amount (shown at renewal)	Official source
Florida	Every 2 years. Certified expires Aug 31 of even years; registered Aug 31 of odd years.	CE required 14 hours per cycle, including 1 hour each of workplace safety, workers’ comp, business practices, advanced code and laws and rules.	Insurance has to stay in force to stay active. Late renewal costs $25 more.	$205 certified active ($255 if qualifying a business)	Official source
Georgia	Every 2 years. Renew in GOALS by Nov 30 of even years.	CE required 4 hours a year (8 per renewal). Renewals are randomly audited.	Late window Dec 1 to 31 with late fees. Lapsed under 3 years: reinstate with CE and experience. Over 3 years: references and the exam.	On the GOALS fee schedule (not published in packets)	Official source
Hawaii	Plumbers every 3 years by June 30 (2027, 2030, 2033). C-37 contractor every 2 years by Sept 30 of even years.	CE required Continuing competency course on the 2021 UPC (UH Community College system) to renew.	Missing the course, fee or application means forfeiture. Late restoration $406 active. Contractor restoration window is only 60 days.	$306 active, $12 inactive (per 3 years)	Official source
Idaho	Every 3 years from your issue date. Renew during the month before it expires.	No CE None. Idaho deleted plumbing CE in its 2023 rule rewrite.	Revive within 2 years without retesting by paying the full initial fee.	$21.60 journeyman, $108 contractor (per 3 years)	Official source
Illinois	Every year. Plumber and apprentice licenses expire April 30.	CE required 4 hours of IDPH-approved CE, starting after your first renewal (2 extra hours after repeat code violations). Chicago also requires 4 hours.	Reinstatement fee on top of renewal. Expired over 5 years: restoration fee and the exam again.	$150 plumber, $100 apprentice ($100 late/reinstatement)	Official source
Indiana	Every 2 years. Journeyman and contractor expire Dec 31 of odd years; apprentice Oct 1 of even years.	No CE None listed in the statute, rules or PLA pages.	Costs more after Dec 31 and more again after March 1. Expired 3+ years: reinstate in person before the Commission.	$30 journeyman, $100 contractor, $10 apprentice (late $45 or $130)	Official source
Iowa	Every 3 years. Expires June 30 of the third year (current period July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029). Renewal opens May 1.	CE required 8 classroom hours per 3-year term: 2 Iowa code, 4 plumbing, 2 Iowa OSHA. Up to half online.	No late fee through July 31; license valid through Aug 31. Lapsed over a year: retake the exam or make up every missed CE period.	$180 journeyperson, $240 master (late $60 Aug, $100 after)	Official source
Kansas	Local only. Topeka renews yearly by Dec 14; Lawrence by Dec 31; Wichita/Sedgwick contractor licenses expire Dec 31 of odd years.	Local State minimum for every jurisdiction: 12 hours every 2 years or 6 a year, half of it code.	Lawrence: late until the last working day of January at double the fee, then void. Johnson County: $75 late fee from Feb 1.	Johnson County $225; Lawrence $10 a year	Official source
Kentucky	Every year, on the last day of your birth month.	CE required 6 hours a year (no more than 2 safety). Extra hours carry forward up to 12. First renewal can be exempt.	Small late fee to revive. 180 days past expiration, the license is canceled automatically.	$60 journeyman, $250 master (masters show insurance)	Official source
Louisiana	Every year. Expires Dec 31. The State Plumbing Board’s duties move to LSLBC on Jan 1, 2027.	CE required 3.5 hours for journeyman and residential, 5 hours for an active master (more if you also hold gas fitter). Finish before you renew.	Late fees after Dec 31 and again after March 31.	$50 journeyman, $190 master active ($40 inactive), $20 apprentice	Official source
Maine	Every 2 years, based on your first license date. Online renewal opens 60 days before.	No CE None published by the board.	Within 90 days: $50 late fee. 90 days to 2 years: $200 plus $100 penalty. After 2 years: new applicant and the exam.	$200 journeyman or master, $100 trainee	Official source
Maryland	Every 2 years from your issue date. Notice about 60 days before.	No CE None for plumbers (inspectors need 8 hours a year).	Lapsed up to 4 years: the Board must reinstate if you meet renewal rules. Over 4 years: new application and the exam.	$43.50 journey, $87.50 master	Official source
Massachusetts	Every 2 years. Renewal opens Feb 1 of even years and is due May 1. Online only (eLIPSE).	CE required 12 hours per 2-year cycle for journeyman and master.	Anything received after May 1 costs an extra $57.	$52 journeyman, $78 master	Official source
Michigan	Due April 30. Apprentice and journey every year; master and contractor every 3 years. Renew up to 90 days early.	Partial No yearly hours. A board-approved code update course within 12 months after Michigan adopts a new code.	Within 60 days with a late fee. Up to 3 years: pay the missed years, no retest. Past 3 years: test again.	$15 apprentice, $40 journey (yearly); $300 master or contractor (3 years)	Official source
Minnesota	Personal licenses every 2 years (check your date in the DLI system). Contractor licenses expire Dec 31 of odd years; unlicensed registrations June 30 yearly.	CE required 16 hours every 2 years for journeyworkers and masters (at least 8 on the State Plumbing Code), no carryover. Unlicensed registrants: 2 code hours a year.	Late fees: $20 journeyworker, $40 master.	$53 journeyworker, $93 master, $188 contractor	Official source
Mississippi	Every year (MSBOC contractor). Expires the last day of the 12th month after issue or renewal.	Partial Residential: 2 hours a year (licenses issued on or after July 1, 2015). Commercial: none.	180-day late window; residential late is the fee plus 10%. Past 180 days: new application.	$400 commercial, $100 residential (city cards separate)	Official source
Missouri	Local only. St. Louis City every 3 years (Dec 31 cycle); Kansas City every 4 years; Springfield yearly; Columbia every 3 years by Jan 1.	Local St. Louis City: 12 PEU per 3 years. Kansas City, Springfield and Columbia don’t publish one.	Kansas City: lapse 2 years and it goes inactive; you retest.	Varies by city (see our cost table)	Official source
Montana	Every year. The 2026 cycle opened July 2 and was due Sept 1, 2026.	CE required 4 hours of board-approved code CE each cycle.	Late fees apply. (On-time renewal fee was 100% abated for the current cycle.)	$160 journeyman, $200 master	Official source
Nebraska	Local only. Omaha: expires Dec 31. Lincoln: renew March 1 to May 31. Plus a state DOL contractor registration every 12 months.	Local Omaha: 8 hours a year for masters and journeymen.	Omaha: renew by March 31 without retesting; within 12 months at 4x the renewal. Lincoln: 60 days late means revoked and a retest.	Omaha master $75 + $6; DOL registration $40	Official source
Nevada	NSCB contractor license every 2 years. NBOPE journeyman/master card every 3 years, no grace period.	Partial NSCB: none found. NBOPE card: recertify by online exam ($150) or 8 hours of CE ($75).	NBOPE has zero grace period.	NSCB $600 every 2 years	Official source
New Hampshire	Every 2 years, last day of the month you were issued.	CE required 6 hours per 2-year cycle per endorsement, in board-approved classroom seminars.	Working expired is unlicensed work. Reinstate within 1 year with renewal and CE; after that, apply as new.	$198 journeyman, $330 master, $275 business	Official source
New Jersey	Master plumber every 2 years. Expires June 30 of odd years.	CE required 5 credits per 2-year period, 1 on NJ laws and rules. First renewal exempt.	30 days with a $50 late fee, then suspended. Reinstatement $150.	$160	Official source
New Mexico	Certificates run up to 3 years from the month issued.	CE required 8 code hours, with proof sent in with the renewal.	6 months to renew at double the fee without retesting. Then cancelled and back to the exam.	Not listed separately on our guide ($75 journeyman certificate covers the cycle)	Official source
New York	Local only. NYC master license every 3 years via DOB NOW, 30 to 90 days before. NYC journeyman registrations never renew.	Local NYC: 7 hours from a DOB-approved course taken in the year before you renew. Westchester masters: 4 hours every year.	NYC: late fee; reinstatement without a new exam up to 5 years after expiration.	NYC $225 per 3 years ($150 license + $75 seal)	Official source
North Carolina	Every year. Expires Dec 31; renewal opens about Oct 1. No grace period.	No CE None since Dec 31, 2012 (the board can still order classes after a complaint).	$25 late fee after January. Reinstate up to 3 years by paying back fees; after that, exams again.	$150 contractor, $75 technician	Official source
North Dakota	Every year. Expires Dec 31; state law says renew within 30 days after.	CE required 2 to 4 credit hours per 2-year period for journeymen and masters.	$50 late fee. Expired a year or more: the board can require the exam again.	Not listed on our guide yet; apprentice $20 to $75	Official source
Ohio	State contractor license every year on your original license date. Renew up to 90 days early (eLicense).	CE required Sources differ: 10 hours a year in statute, 8 a year (or 24 for 3-year renewers) per the board page. Confirm on your notice.	Late fee after expiration. Expired over 1 year: reapply and retest.	$60 a year or $180 for 3 years (late up to $120)	Official source
Oklahoma	Every year, last day of your birth month. Apprentices 1 year from registration.	CE required 6 hours every 36 months for journeymen and contractors. New licensees exempt for 3 years.	Renew within 30 days before or after; late fee after 30 days. Unpaid CIB fines block renewal.	$75 journeyman (+$25 late), $200 contractor (+$100 late)	Official source
Oregon	Individual plumber licenses every 3 years on April 1. BCD business licenses every 3 years on July 1. CCB every 2 years.	CE required 24 hours per 3-year cycle for journeymen, part of it code-change. Must be registered with BCD before you renew.	Goes “expired-renewable” and you can’t work. Lapsed over a year: retest.	BCD fee not published; CCB $400 every 2 years	Official source
Pennsylvania	Local only. Philadelphia yearly (eCLIPSE). Allegheny County yearly on your birthday. HIC registration every 2 years.	Local Neither Philadelphia nor Allegheny County lists one.	Philadelphia: over 60 days late adds 1.5% a month.	Philadelphia $126 journeyman, $253 master; Allegheny $125 journeyman	Official source
Rhode Island	Every 2 years on your birthday.	CE required 7 hours per 2-year cycle under the new rule; enforcement starts January 2027.	Reinstate within 2 years: renewal, past-due fees and $12 a month. After 2 years: forfeited, test again.	$72 journeyperson, $240 master (2 years)	Official source
South Carolina	Residential plumber every 2 years, due June 30 of odd years. Mechanical contractor (PB) expires Oct 31 of odd years.	No CE Neither board publishes one.	Residential: $270 up to a year late, then $480 reinstatement. Over 3 years: start over. PB contractors refile financials or bond every renewal.	$220 residential; $135 PB contractor	Official source
South Dakota	Every year. Plumber and contractor expire Dec 31; specialty licenses June 30.	CE required 4 hours per license year, at least 2 code related.	Official sources conflict (Jan 31 in rule vs 6 months in statute). Call the commission before you lapse.	$105 plumber, $275 contractor	Official source
Tennessee	Every 2 years, in CORE. Opens 90 days before; the board says file 30 days early.	No CE None listed for LLP or CMC-A (8 hours applies only to residential building).	LLP: 3-month grace with a late fee, then reapply. Contractor: 12-month grace.	$50 LLP, $200 contractor	Official source
Texas	Every year.	CE required 6 hours a year, 3 on health protection, energy and water conservation. Plus 2 hours of medical gas if endorsed.	1.5x the fee within 90 days, double after. Expired 2+ years: can’t renew, start over with the exam.	$40 journeyman, $75 master, $300 RMP	Official source
Utah	Every 2 years, by Nov 30 of even years (Nov 30, 2026, then 2028).	CE required 12 hours (apprentices too). Contractors have a separate 6-hour requirement.	Working on an expired license is unlawful conduct, and DOPL can discipline it even after you reinstate.	$74	Official source
Vermont	Every 2 years.	CE required 8 hours in the prior 24 months (2 code review) plus the Vermont Energy Goals module.	Within 90 days: $15 plus renewal. After 90 days: appear before the board.	$90 journeyman, $120 master, $50 per specialty	Official source
Virginia	3 years from the last day of the month issued, per the regulation (DPOR’s page says 2, so check your license).	CE required 3 hours on the plumbing code before you expire (gas fitters 1 hour).	30 days without the reinstatement fee. Reinstate up to 24 months; after that, apply as new.	$160 (reinstatement $210)	Official source
Washington	Every 3 years on your birthday.	CE required 24 hours for journey level and residential: at least 12 code and 4 electrical.	Double fee late. Expired 90 days without paying and finishing CE: retest.	$242.70 per 3 years (journey level)	Official source
West Virginia	Every year (plumber certification and contractor license).	No CE None.	$25 late fee after 15 days. Expired 90+ days: can’t renew, apply as new.	$75 journeyman or master, $90 contractor	Official source
Wisconsin	Journeyman and master every 4 years, expiring March 31. Apprentices yearly.	CE required 24 hours per 4-year term (12 for restricted and utility contractor). Your provider reports it.	CE finished after expiration: $25 late fee. LicensE blocks renewal until hours post.	$180 journeyman, $500 master (per 4 years)	Official source
Wyoming	Local only. Cheyenne: every year from your issue date. Casper: ask the building division.	Local Neither Cheyenne nor Casper lists one.	Cheyenne: miss it and you apply as new.	Cheyenne $15 journeyman, $25 master; Casper $15 / $37.50	Official source

Plumbing license renewal FAQ

How often do you renew a plumbing license?

It depends on the state. Many renew every year (Texas, Connecticut, Kentucky, North Carolina), a lot of states use a two-year cycle (Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Utah), and some go three years (Iowa, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon) or four (Wisconsin). In local-only states like New York, Pennsylvania and Missouri, the city or county sets the schedule.

How do I renew my Texas plumbing license?

Texas licenses renew every year through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners. You need 6 hours of board-approved continuing professional education each year, with 3 of those hours on health protection, energy conservation and water conservation, plus 2 hours of medical gas if you hold that endorsement. Renewal is $40 for a journeyman, $75 for a master and $300 for a Responsible Master Plumber. Renew late and it’s 1.5 times the fee within 90 days, double after that. Full details are on our Texas plumbing license guide.

When is the Massachusetts plumbing license renewal deadline?

Massachusetts plumbing licenses renew every two years. Renewal opens February 1 of even-numbered years and is due May 1, online only through eLIPSE. Journeymen and masters need 12 hours of approved CE each cycle, and anything received after May 1 costs an extra $57. See our Massachusetts guide.

Can I renew an expired plumbing license without retaking the exam?

Usually, if you move fast. Most states give you a window: 30 days in New Jersey, 6 months in New Mexico, 1 year in New Hampshire, 2 years in Alaska and Idaho, 3 years in Connecticut and Michigan, and 5 years for an NYC master license. Past that window you’re typically back to the exam. West Virginia is the strict one at 90 days.

Does continuing education from another state count?

Don’t assume it does. Most boards only accept hours from providers they approved, and Oklahoma says outright that CE approved by another agency doesn’t count unless the plumbing committee approved it. If you hold licenses in more than one state, check each board’s approved provider list. Our plumbing license reciprocity by state page covers which states recognize each other’s licenses.

Renewal rules and fees change, sometimes every year. Always confirm with the board before you renew. This page is a guide, not legal advice. Last checked against our state guides on November 5, 2026.

Next steps

Pick your state from the plumbing license by state index, or start with the plumbing license guide if you’re new to the trade. For the full cost of getting licensed, see plumbing license cost by state. And once you’re renewing every cycle, you’re running a business: the free pricing calculator helps make sure your rates cover license fees, CE and insurance.

Plumbing License Renewal by State: 2026 Deadlines, CE and Fees