Yes, Vermont licenses plumbers at the state level. A Vermont plumbing license comes from the Plumbers’ Examining Board, which works through the Division of Fire Safety in the Department of Public Safety. The state issues Master and Journeyman Plumber licenses plus limited Specialist licenses, and apprentices work under a registered apprenticeship instead of holding their own license.
Who issues the license
The Vermont Division of Fire Safety, Plumbers’ Examining Board handles plumbing licenses. The five-member board sits within the Department of Public Safety, and applications and renewals go through the Division of Fire Safety licensing office in Waterbury.
The rules come from Title 26, Chapter 39 of the Vermont Statutes and the board’s Vermont Plumbing Rules (effective November 4, 2025). The law says all plumbing and specialty work in Vermont has to be done by licensed people, with a short list of exceptions. The biggest one: an owner can do plumbing in their own owner-occupied, freestanding single-family home and its outbuildings. Towns don’t issue separate plumber licenses.
Requirements change, so always confirm with the Vermont Plumbers’ Examining Board before you apply. This page is a plain-English guide, not legal advice.
License types
- Master Plumber (PM). Can run a plumbing business, hire plumbers, and do all parts of the trade.
- Journeyman Plumber (PJ). Installs plumbing, water treatment, and heating specialties under the direction of a master plumber. A journeyman can supervise an apprentice who is employed by a master, but can’t act as a master.
- P1 Water Heater Specialist. Installs, replaces, and repairs domestic water heaters and hot water supply tanks.
- P2 Heating System Specialist. Covers hydronic space heating, including radiant and solar. Steam work is limited to systems at or under 15 PSIG. A combined P1/P2 license is also available and counts as two specialty fields.
- P3 Water Treatment Specialist. Covers potable water treatment and filtration equipment.
- Apprentice. Not a license. Apprentices must be in a program registered with the Vermont Apprenticeship Council and supervised on the job by a master or journeyman.
Specialists can only do work inside their named field.
How to become a plumber in Vermont
The typical path runs from apprentice to journeyman to master. Here is how the board’s application lays it out:
- Step 1: Register as an apprentice. Get hired by a master plumber and enroll in a plumbing apprenticeship registered with the Vermont Apprenticeship Council.
- Step 2: Qualify for journeyman. The standard route is a Certificate of Completion from the Vermont State Apprenticeship Council. If you trained another way, the application asks for documented instruction, training, and experience acceptable to the board, including at least 12,000 hours of on-the-job training.
- Step 3: Qualify for master. Hold a Vermont journeyman license for at least 12 months. Other routes on the application include being licensed out of state for 1 year at a level equal to a Vermont journeyman (with proof of schooling and experience), or documented training and experience that includes at least 14,000 hours.
Specialist licenses have their own shorter paths. For P1 and P2, you need either a registered apprenticeship plus 2,000 documented hours with a Department of Labor completion certificate, or 4,000 on-the-job hours plus at least 144 hours (1 year) of formal instruction. For P3, you need 4,000 hours plus a board-certified water treatment course, or other training the board accepts.
Experience hours have to be documented on the board’s notarized Employer Affidavit of Experience forms, signed by a licensed master plumber (or, for specialists, a licensed specialist in that field or a master).
Exams
Once the board approves your application, you test with Prov, the board’s exam vendor. According to the 2026 Prov candidate bulletin for the Division of Fire Safety:
- Journeyman Plumber. 80 questions, 3 hours.
- Master Plumber. 97 questions, 3 hours.
- Specialists. 30 to 60 questions and 2 to 3 hours, depending on the field.
The passing score is 70%. Approved references include the 2025 Vermont Plumbing Rules and the 2024 International Plumbing Code. You can test at a Prov site or from home with a remote proctor.
If you fail, the bulletin lets you retake twice more within your eligibility period with no waiting period. Under the board’s rules, after three failed attempts you have to appear before the board, which may recommend more education or tutoring before a fourth try.
Cost and fees
- Master license: $120.
- Journeyman license: $90.
- Specialist license: $50 per specialty field (so a P1/P2 combo is two fields).
- Exam fee: $80 per exam, paid to Prov, per the 2026 bulletin. Retakes cost the same.
- Late reinstatement: $15 on top of the renewal fee if you renew within 90 days after expiration.
The board waives application fees for qualified military members and military spouses on request.
Renewal and continuing education
Licenses are good for 2 years and renew at the same amounts as the initial fee: $120 for a master, $90 for a journeyman, and $50 per specialty field. You can renew online.
Each renewal needs 8 hours of board-approved continuing education completed within the previous 24 months, and at least 2 of those hours must be code review. A course only counts for one renewal. You also need the Vermont Energy Goals education module (no more than 2 hours) for both initial licensure and renewal.
If your license lapses, you can reinstate within 90 days by paying the $15 fee plus the renewal fee. After 90 days, you have to appear before the board to ask for reinstatement.
Bond, insurance, and business registration
The plumbing law and board rules don’t list a bond or insurance requirement for a plumbing license. Only a master plumber can run a plumbing business and hire plumbers.
Vermont does require residential contractor registration with the Office of Professional Regulation for jobs worth $10,000 or more, and that program requires liability insurance. But its FAQ says tradespeople licensed by the Department of Public Safety are exempt while working within the scope of their license. If you do general remodeling beyond plumbing, check with that office. If you form an LLC or corporation, register it with the Vermont Secretary of State.
Reciprocity
Vermont doesn’t publish a list of partner states. Instead, it has a few ways in for licensed plumbers from elsewhere:
- Reciprocity. The statute allows a license without an exam if your state has equivalent standards and gives Vermont licensees the same treatment.
- Endorsement. The statute says the board shall license plumbers who have held a license in good standing in another U.S. jurisdiction for at least 3 years.
- Universal license. The board’s application asks for a certified letter of licensure from your state (a copy of your license isn’t accepted), proof of the schooling your license required, 8,000 hours of experience for journeyman or 12,000 for master, and a 2-hour Vermont code course, plus the Energy Goals module.
- Military. Service members and recent veterans with a 12K Plumber designation and at least 8,000 hours and 4 years of active duty field work can get a journeyman license without an exam.
The statute’s 3-year endorsement rule and the application’s hour requirements don’t line up neatly, so call the board at 802-479-7564 before you apply.
How to apply
- Get the form. Download the Plumbers License Application from the Division of Fire Safety plumbing page. Initial licenses aren’t available on the online portal.
- Gather proof. Include your apprenticeship certificate, Vermont license number, or out-of-state certified letter, depending on your route.
- Document hours. Have each employer fill out a notarized Employer Affidavit of Experience.
- Sign and notarize. List three unrelated references, sign in blue or black ink, and have the application notarized.
- Mail it with payment. Send it to the Division of Fire Safety in Waterbury with a check. Get it in two weeks before a board meeting.
- Test. Once approved, schedule your exam with Prov.
FAQ
Does Vermont have a journeyman plumber license?
Yes. Vermont issues both journeyman and master plumber licenses. A journeyman works under the direction of a master and can supervise apprentices employed by that master.
Can I do my own plumbing in Vermont?
Yes, in your owner-occupied, freestanding single-family home or its outbuildings. The work still has to meet state rules.
Can I use my New Hampshire or Maine license in Vermont?
Not directly. Apply for a Vermont license by reciprocity, endorsement, or the universal license route, and call the board to see which fits.
Do I need a separate license to install water heaters or boilers?
Masters and journeymen already cover it. If you only want that work, a P1, P2, or P3 specialist license is a shorter path.
Next steps
Figure out your route first, then start collecting notarized employer affidavits early. To compare Vermont with other states, see our plumbing license by state page and the full plumbing license guide. If you work near the border, check the New Hampshire plumbing license page too. Ready to go out on your own as a master? Read how to start a plumbing business.
