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Plumber · Local (city/county) licenses

How to become a licensed plumber in Pennsylvania

State law and licensing-board sources · Last reviewed October 11, 2026

Journeyman level Licensed by cities or counties, not the state What's a journeyman?

Pennsylvania has no state plumbing license. The Department of Labor and Industry says some municipalities license plumbers on their own. The two biggest systems are Philadelphia, where the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) issues apprentice, journeyman and master plumber licenses, and Allegheny County (including Pittsburgh), where the Health Department's Plumbing Program does. In both, you become a journeyman after about four years as an apprentice and a passed exam, then a master after more years as a journeyman and a second exam. [1][2][3][4][5][6]

New to the trade?

Starting from zero in Pennsylvania

Get hired by a master plumber or into an apprenticeship. In Philadelphia you then apply for a Plumber Apprentice License ($25) with a letter from your master plumber; in Allegheny County you get an Apprentice Plumbers card when you register at an accredited apprenticeship program. Elsewhere in the state, ask your town whether it licenses plumbers. [1][5][9]

  • High school diploma or GED

    No state rule, because Pennsylvania has no state plumber license. Philadelphia's apprentice license page asks for an employment statement from a master plumber and a photo, not an education credential. ABC Keystone asks for a copy of your diploma or GED but says it's "not required" and only "helpful for placement." Ask union locals for their current rules. [1][9][14]

  • Minimum age

    Pennsylvania's apprenticeship rules define a registered apprentice as a worker "at least 16 years of age." Programs can set a higher age. [17]

  • Register before you work

    Philadelphia: a Plumber Apprentice License All work must be done as an employee of a licensed master plumber ($25 a year, $20 of it paid as the application fee). Allegheny County: an Apprentice Plumbers card, issued when you register at an accredited apprenticeship program; it lets you do plumbing "as long as a journeyman plumber is present" and expires each September 30. [5][9]

  • Classroom hours

    Allegheny County requires 576 hours of school plus 4 years of employment with a registered master plumber before the journeyman exam. [5]

  • Math and entrance tests

    ABC Keystone gives a math entrance exam and charges a $125 application fee. [14]

  • Application windows

    Plumbers Local 690 (Philadelphia) posted that apprentice applications "will not be offered in 2026." ABC Keystone's 2026-2027 enrollment is closed It points applicants to 2027-2028. [11][14]

  • Pay while you learn

    UA apprentices "Earn While You Learn" in programs that typically last five years ABC Keystone apprentices are paid as they train. [10][13]

  • Still in high school?

    Pennsylvania's SOAR programs of study (Department of Education) include 46.0503 Plumbing Technology/Plumber They turn career and technical center (CTC) coursework into at least 9 college credits, used within 16 months of graduation, with a 2.75 GPA in technical courses. In 2024 the Department of Labor and Industry also funded pre-apprenticeship programs for high school students through CTE programs. No source says high school hours count toward a plumbing license. [19][20][21]

Where to apply in PennsylvaniaHow to get an apprenticeshipHelper jobs

Pennsylvania plumbing license at a glance

Who issues licenses
Municipalities and counties No state plumber license [1]
Philadelphia journeyman
4 years as a registered Philadelphia apprentice plus an ICC exam $126 a year [3]
Philadelphia master
1 year as a Philadelphia journeyman plus an ICC exam $303 license, $253 yearly renewal [4]
Allegheny County journeyman
576 hours of school, 4 years with a registered master plumber, exam ($133) $125 yearly renewal [5]
Allegheny County master
2 years as a journeyman, exam ($265) $375 yearly renewal [5]
Allegheny County exam dates
Spring and fall As of October 2026, the next exam is December 14, 2026 (apply by November 16, 2026) [5]
Minimum age
16 for a registered apprentice under state apprenticeship rules [17]
On this page
  1. At a glance
  2. Starting from zero
  3. The license pathway
  4. No state license: who licenses plumbers in Pennsylvania
  5. Philadelphia: apprentice, journeyman and master
  6. Allegheny County (including Pittsburgh)
  7. Union and open-shop apprenticeships
  8. Running your own business
  9. If you're licensed in another state
  10. Steps to get licensed
  11. Where to get the hours
  12. Licensed in another state?
  13. Questions people ask

The license pathway in Pennsylvania

  1. 1

    Apprentice plumber

    • Allegheny County: 576 hours of school before the journeyman exam
    • Philadelphia: $25 a year
    • Philadelphia: yearly; Allegheny County cards expire each September 30

    In Philadelphia you hold a Plumber Apprentice License and work as an employee of a licensed master plumber. In Allegheny County you get an Apprentice Plumbers card through an accredited apprenticeship program and work with a journeyman present. [5][9]

  2. 2

    Journeyman plumber

    • 4 years of experience
    • Allegheny County: 576 hours
    • Yes. Philadelphia: Journeyman Plumber Examination (ICC). Allegheny County: Journeyman Plumbers Examination, spring and fall, $133
    • Philadelphia: $126. Allegheny County: $133 exam
    • Yearly. Philadelphia $126; Allegheny County $125 on your birthday

    Philadelphia: 4 years registered as a Philadelphia apprentice plumber (or a similar authorization elsewhere, if L&I approves) and a passed exam; the license doesn't let you run a business. Allegheny County: 4 years with a registered master plumber, 576 hours of school and a passed exam. [3][5]

  3. 3

    Master plumber

    • Yes. Philadelphia: Master Plumber Examination (ICC). Allegheny County: Master Plumber Examination, $265
    • Philadelphia: $303. Allegheny County: $265 exam
    • Yearly. Philadelphia $253; Allegheny County $375 on your birthday

    Philadelphia: at least 1 year as a registered Philadelphia journeyman plumber, a passed exam and insurance ($500,000 general liability, $300,000 auto); plumbing work there "needs to be done by a licensed master plumber." Allegheny County: two full years of work as a journeyman, then the master exam. [4][5]

No state license: who licenses plumbers in Pennsylvania

The Department of Labor and Industry says Pennsylvania "currently has no licensure or certification requirements for most construction contractors (or their employees)." Some of the state's 2,562 municipalities license trades, typically electricians and plumbers, and the state keeps no list of them, so you have to ask "the municipality where construction work will occur."

The state's home improvement law bars towns from creating new contractor licenses, but it keeps local licensing standards for plumbers that were in effect when it started (July 1, 2009) and that depend on testing or training certificates. [1][7][8]

Philadelphia: apprentice, journeyman and master

Philadelphia's L&I issues three plumber licenses, all renewed every year:

Apply through eCLIPSE or at the Permit and License Center, 1401 John F. Kennedy Blvd. Renewing more than 60 days late costs 1.5% of the license fee per month. Questions: call 311 in the city or (215) 686-8686. [3][4][9]

Allegheny County (including Pittsburgh)

The Allegheny County Health Department's Plumbing Program enforces the county Plumbing Code (Article XV) and "issues licenses for Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master Plumbers upon passage of the exam."

As of October 2026, the next exam is December 14, 2026; apply by November 16, 2026, online through the Citizen Access Portal, with a notarized work statement. The exam uses the 2022 Article XV. Main plumbing office: (412) 578-8123. [5][6]

Union and open-shop apprenticeships

United Association (UA) apprenticeships "typically last five years" and combine paid work with classes. In Philadelphia, Plumbers Local 690 runs five-year programs but posted that apprentice applications will not be offered in 2026. Pittsburgh Plumbers Local 27 trains apprentices at its Coraopolis center; find other locals with the UA locator.

The open-shop route in central Pennsylvania is ABC Keystone, which lists plumbing among its 11 registered apprenticeships. See union vs. non-union and how to get an apprenticeship. [10][11][12][13][14]

Running your own business

If you do home improvement work on private homes worth $5,000 or more a year, you must also register with the Attorney General under the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act. The Attorney General's FAQ names "master plumbers" among the businesses that must register when they do home improvements. Registration costs $100 every two years and needs $50,000 of personal injury and $50,000 of property damage insurance. Register through the Attorney General's HIC system. [8][15][16]

If you're licensed in another state

There's no state license, so there's no state reciprocity. Philadelphia will accept "a similar authorization granted by any other state or local jurisdiction with equal or greater qualification requirements" in place of its journeyman and master experience rules, subject to L&I approval; you still need its ICC exam. See the license reciprocity guide. [1][3][4]

Steps to get licensed in Pennsylvania

  1. Check who licenses plumbers where you'll work

    Philadelphia L&I and the Allegheny County Health Department license plumbers; in other places, ask the municipality. [1][2][6]

  2. Get hired and register as an apprentice

    Philadelphia: apply for a Plumber Apprentice License through eCLIPSE with an employment letter signed by your master plumber. Allegheny County: register at an accredited apprenticeship program to get your card. [5][9]

  3. Complete about four years of work

    Philadelphia wants 4 years as a registered apprentice. Allegheny County wants 4 years with a registered master plumber plus 576 hours of school. [3][5]

  4. Pass the journeyman exam

    Philadelphia's exam is given by the International Code Council (ICC); apply within 12 months of passing unless the exam covers the current code. Allegheny County applies online through its Citizen Access Portal with a notarized work statement. [3][5][6]

  5. Move up to master

    After 1 year as a Philadelphia journeyman or 2 years as an Allegheny County journeyman, apply for and pass the master plumber exam. [4][5]

Where to get the hours

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

Licensed in another state?

  • Journeyman and master plumber (Philadelphia)

    Philadelphia accepts proof of a similar authorization from any other state or local jurisdiction with equal or greater qualification requirements in place of its experience rule, subject to L&I approval. You still need to pass Philadelphia's ICC exam. [3][4]

Open the reciprocity map · How reciprocity works

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PA Listed here (agreement or endorsement)

Questions people ask

Does Pennsylvania have a state plumbing license?

No. Plumbers are licensed by some municipalities and counties, including Philadelphia and Allegheny County. [1][2][6]

How long does it take to become a journeyman plumber in Philadelphia?

At least four years registered as a Philadelphia apprentice plumber, then a passed ICC Journeyman Plumber Examination. [3]

How much is the Allegheny County plumbing exam?

$133 for the journeyman exam and $265 for the master exam. Both are given in spring and fall. [5]

Sources (21)
  1. Contractor Licensing, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  2. Trade licenses, City of Philadelphia. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  3. Get a Journeyman Plumber License, City of Philadelphia, Department of Licenses and Inspections. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  4. Get a Master Plumber's License, City of Philadelphia, Department of Licenses and Inspections. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  5. Licensing Information (Plumbing Program), Allegheny County Health Department. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  6. Plumbing Program, Allegheny County Health Department. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  7. Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act (Act 132 of 2008, as amended), Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  8. Frequently Asked Questions (Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act), Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  9. Get a Plumber Apprentice License, City of Philadelphia, Department of Licenses and Inspections. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  10. Apprenticeship, United Association (UA). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  11. Training Center, Plumbers Local Union 690 (UA). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  12. Apprenticeship - Pittsburgh Plumbers, Plumbers Local Union 27 (UA). Accessed October 11, 2026.
  13. Apprenticeship, ABC Keystone Chapter. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  14. Apprenticeship – Enrollment, ABC Keystone Chapter. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  15. Home Improvement Contractor Registration, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  16. HIC Registration: Home Improvement Contractor, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  17. 34 Pa. Code § 83.2. Definitions, Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  18. Apprenticeship & Training Office (ATO), Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  19. Programs of Study SOAR, Pennsylvania Department of Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  20. Programs of Study Framework, Pennsylvania Department of Education. Accessed October 11, 2026.
  21. Shapiro Administration Invests $3.9 Million in Pre-Apprenticeship Opportunities for Pennsylvania High School Students, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Accessed October 11, 2026.

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