How to get a plumbing license in New Hampshire

Journeyman level 8,000 hours on the job + state exam What's a journeyman?

Licensing office Mechanical Licensing Board, Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) · (603) 271-2152 [1][8]

The license pathway in New Hampshire

1. 1

   Plumbing apprentice

   • $88
   • $88; proof of continued apprenticeship enrollment

   You must be at least 16, sponsored by a licensed New Hampshire master plumber, and in an apprenticeship registered with the U.S. Department of Labor or run under the Board's rules. [3][8][9]

2. 2

   Journeyman plumber

   • 8,000 hours on the job
   • 600 hours of training
   • Yes, 85 questions in 3 hours through ProV (International Plumbing Code-based); 70% to pass
   • $198 license; $90 exam
   • Every 2 years; $198; 3 hours of code update a year

   Installs, maintains and repairs plumbing under the direction of a master plumber. You need an apprenticeship completion certificate, 8,000 hours and 600 training hours, plus a letter from your supervising plumber. [2][3][5][8][9][10]

3. 3

   Master plumber

   • 0.5 years of experience
   • Yes, 100 questions in 3 hours through ProV; 75% to pass under Board rule (ProV's bulletin says 70%)
   • $330 license; $90 exam
   • Every 2 years; $330; 3 hours of code update a year

   A master plumber can run a plumbing business and hire others. You need at least 6 months holding a New Hampshire journeyman license and no recent disciplinary sanctions from consumer complaints. [2][3][5][9]

Who needs a license in New Hampshire

State law defines plumbing as piping, fixtures and appliances for drainage, venting and water systems in or next to a building, up to the first fitting beyond the foundation wall or 5 feet from the building. Licensed plumbers may not subcontract plumbing to unlicensed people.

Exemptions include a homeowner working on their own single-family home or townhouse, a company's regular maintenance employees doing incidental plumbing on its property, utility employees, and plumbing done while installing heating, cooling or water heating systems (within 10 feet of the appliance). Exempt work must still meet the state plumbing code and permit rules. [2][3][4]

The license ladder

• Apprentice. A license from OPLC at 16 or older, sponsored by a licensed master plumber. Direct supervision for the first 2 years.
• Journeyman. An apprenticeship completion certificate, 8,000 hours on the job, 600 training hours and the 85-question exam. A journeyman works under the direction of a master plumber.
• Master. At least 6 months as a New Hampshire journeyman and the 100-question master exam (75% to pass under the Board's rule). A master can run a plumbing business.

A licensed plumber can add a fuel gas piping installer license after 60 hours of approved gas training. The Board's licensing rules (Mec 300) were readopted effective February 13, 2026; as of October 2026 OPLC also lists a further Mec 300 proposal whose comment period closed April 23, 2026. More on the levels: journeyman vs. master. [2][3][5][6]

The exam

OPLC's notice says ProV has proctored the plumbing exams since May 12, 2025. The Board's education page tells candidates to schedule their exam directly with an approved testing organization before submitting paperwork, and lists NH Gasfitters as one; confirm the current provider with OPLC at (603) 271-2152.

ProV's bulletin describes:

• Journeyman: 85 questions in 3 hours on calculations, drainage, fixtures, traps, venting and water distribution, with the International Plumbing Code as a reference. You need 70% to pass.
• Master: 100 questions in 3 hours. The Board's rule requires 75% to pass; ProV's bulletin says candidates need 70% on its written exams, so confirm with OPLC.

Each attempt costs $90. Passing the exam doesn't guarantee a license: you must also meet every other requirement. [3][5][7][8]

Fees and renewal

OPLC lists these fees for the application and each renewal:

• Apprentice: $88.
• Journeyman: $198.
• Master: $330.

Journeyman and master licenses expire every 2 years, on the last day of the month they were issued. Licensees need 3 hours of code update training each year (6 per 2-year cycle). Renewal is online; an expired license can't be renewed in the portal. If your license has been expired a year or more, you must meet the requirements for new applicants. [8][9][10][11]

Union and open-shop apprenticeships

New Hampshire's state apprenticeship council works with the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship, which registers programs here. Your sponsoring master plumber can register you with the Department of Labor, or run the apprenticeship under the Board's rules; registration isn't required.

To find openings, search the Apprenticeship Finder or contact ApprenticeshipNH. See union vs. non-union and how to get an apprenticeship. [2][3][12][13][14]

If you're licensed in another state

Under RSA 310 (Revised Statutes Annotated):17, OPLC licenses holders of an active license in good standing from a "qualifying jurisdiction." For plumbers, OPLC lists 34 states for journeyman licenses (including Connecticut, Vermont and Rhode Island, but not Maine or Massachusetts) and 9 states for master licenses: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, Rhode Island, Utah and Vermont.

From any other state, the Board's rule offers a second journeyman route: show your out-of-state journeyman license and pass the New Hampshire journeyman exam with 70% or better. See license reciprocity. [3][15][16]

Steps to get licensed in New Hampshire

1. Get a sponsor and an apprentice license

   Find a licensed master plumber to employ and sponsor you. Mail OPLC the Universal Application, apprentice application and your sponsor's letter, with the $88 fee. [3][9][11]

2. Work 8,000 hours and take 600 hours of training

   Your sponsor monitors your hours and schooling. Renew your apprentice license with proof that you're still enrolled. [3][8]

3. Finish your apprenticeship

   Get your apprenticeship completion certificate from the Department of Labor or your sponsoring plumber, plus a letter from your supervising plumber saying you're competent to be a journeyman. [3]

4. Pass the journeyman exam

   Schedule the exam before you send your license paperwork, then pass with 70% or better. The exam fee is $90. [3][5][8]

5. Apply for your license

   Send the application, your exam score and supporting documents to OPLC with the $198 fee. [3][9]

Where to get the hours

Programs that train plumbers in or for New Hampshire, from their own official pages. Listed by type, not ranked.

• Other

  Apprenticeship with a licensed master plumber

  Your sponsoring master plumber registers you with the U.S. Department of Labor or runs the apprenticeship under the Board's rules, and records your hours and schooling. [3][11]

• Other

  Apprenticeship.gov Apprenticeship Finder

  The U.S. Department of Labor's search tool for registered apprenticeship openings, including plumbing programs in New Hampshire. [13]

• State program

  ApprenticeshipNH

  The Community College System of New Hampshire's apprenticeship initiative, funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, connects career seekers and high school students with registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeship training. [14]

Licensed in another state?

Questions people ask