Free practice test

Tests

Driving testsCitizenship testsSchool and university admissionsNursing, medicine and healthEnglish and French testsTeachingMoney, law and insuranceTrades and work licencesPilots, drones, boats and radio

Countries

United StatesCanadaUnited KingdomAustraliaNew Zealand

United States · Licensing exam

How to become a plumbing apprentice

Find a sponsor, either a union program or an employer, and register with your state if it asks. Age rules for becoming a plumbing apprentice depend on the state and program: Texas, Washington and Illinois register apprentices from 16, while Iowa and Rochester's Local 13 program ask for 18. BLS says a high school diploma or equivalent is typically required, and that apprentices get about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training a year, over 4 or 5 years.

Free practice test

Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

How do you become a plumbing apprentice?

  1. Finish high school or get a GED. BLS says a diploma or equivalent is typically required, and United Association programs ask for one.
  2. Find a program: a United Association (UA) local, a contractor that sponsors apprentices, or a registered program on the Apprenticeship Finder.
  3. Apply. UA says its process may include an interview, an aptitude test and physical requirements.
  4. Register with your state if it licenses apprentices, before you start counting hours.
Plumbing aptitude test →Apprenticeship Finder ↗Find a UA local ↗

Plumbing apprentice license rules by state

WhereWhat you register forRules
TexasPlumber's Apprentice registrationAge 16, $15, fingerprints; a licensed plumber on site at all times
WashingtonPlumber trainee certificateAge 16, $60 a year, direct supervision, 8 hours of CE yearly
IllinoisApprentice plumber licenseAge 16, sponsored by a licensed plumber or approved program, 48 to 72 months
IowaApprentice licenseAge 18, high school or GED, a US Department of Labor registered program
Texas apprentice registration →Renewing an apprentice license →

What a union plumbing apprenticeship looks like

UA apprenticeships typically last five years and are registered with the US Department of Labor. UA describes 2,000 hours of on-the-job training and 216 hours of classroom instruction a year, with core courses in safety, plan reading and design, math, science, and tools. UA says apprentices get wages and benefits from day one, with no student debt.

After the apprenticeship

Your logged hours lead to the journeyman exam in Texas, Washington, Virginia and Iowa.

Journeyman plumbing exam →
Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics · United Association · Apprenticeship.gov and 8 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

Explore

Everything else, in one place

OverviewPractice testWhere to learnCostOnline examStudy guideJourneymanMaster plumberHow to get licensedContractor licenseRenewalLicense lookupDo you need a license?Aptitude testState boards

By state

CaliforniaIllinoisIowaNew York CityNorth CarolinaTexasVirginiaWashington