United States · Licensing examHow do you get a Texas plumbing apprentice license?
Strictly it's a registration, not a license. As of October 2026 you must be at least 16, send the TSBPE an application with a $15 fee, and give fingerprints once. You can then learn and help with plumbing, but only with a licensed plumber on site the whole time. The TSBPE says you must register before you can start counting hours.
Drain cleaning and residential utility work are separate registrations added on top of the apprentice registration.
Texas plumbing licenses compared
A tradesman can work on one- and two-family homes under a Responsible Master Plumber. On other buildings, a journeyman or master has to be on the job site. The written exam fee is paid to Pearson VUE on top of these: $68.50 for tradesman and journeyman, $128.50 for master.
The Master Plumber page says 2 years as a journeyman, but the August 2025 candidate handbook still says 4 years, and lists a $175 application fee instead of $25. Check with the TSBPE at (512) 936-5200 before you apply.
| License | Experience | Training | Fees as of October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tradesman Plumber-Limited | 4,000 hours | 24-hour TSBPE-approved course, or a US Department of Labor registered apprenticeship | $36 exam fee, $35 license |
| Journeyman Plumber | 8,000 hours | 48-hour TSBPE-approved course, or a registered apprenticeship | $40 exam fee, $40 license |
| Master Plumber | 2 years as a licensed journeyman, or 1 year plus a registered apprenticeship | None listed | $25 processing, $75 license |
| Plumbing Inspector | 500 hours of training and experience, or a Texas plumbing, engineering or architect license | High school diploma or GED | $55 exam fee, $55 license |
The Texas plumbing exam: written, then hands-on
| Exam | Written | Practical |
|---|---|---|
| Tradesman Plumber-Limited | 85 questions, 120 minutes | 6 parts, 240 minutes |
| Journeyman Plumber | 100 questions, 120 minutes | 6 parts, 240 minutes |
| Master Plumber | 308 questions, 360 minutes plus an optional 30-minute break | None |
You need 70%, and you haven't passed until both parts are passed. The written test is at Pearson VUE centers. The practical is only at the TSBPE's sites in Austin and Waco, and you book it at least ten days ahead.
On the journeyman practical you cut and join PVC, copper, threaded steel and cast iron, judge water heater installations, and design a two-story drain and vent system, then build it in a scale model. The board supplies the materials. Short pants and open-toed shoes aren't allowed. If you already hold a tradesman license, you skip the practical when you move up.
You study the Texas plumbing law and board rules plus one code: the 2018 International Plumbing Code with the 2018 International Fuel Gas Code, or the 2018 Uniform Plumbing Code.
Texas plumbing inspector license
Inspectors are licensed by the same board. You need a high school diploma or GED and 500 hours of training and experience in the plumbing industry, unless you already hold a Texas master or journeyman plumber, engineer or architect license. The exam fee is $55, and so is the license.
Keeping and checking a Texas license
Your first license gets a random expiry date 6 to 18 months after you pass, then it renews yearly. Renewal fees and the late rules are on the renewal page, and the TSBPE's public search shows whether a plumber is licensed.
Sources: TSBPE · Pearson VUE · TSBPE home page (public license search and 7 more. Checked October 2026.
- TSBPE: Plumber's Apprentice registration ↗
- TSBPE: Tradesman Plumber-Limited license ↗
- TSBPE: Journeyman Plumber license ↗
- TSBPE: Master Plumber license ↗
- TSBPE: Plumbing Inspector license ↗
- TSBPE: License Types ↗
- TSBPE: Exam training (24-hour and 48-hour programs) ↗
- Pearson VUE: TSBPE Candidate Handbook (August 2025) ↗
- TSBPE: Journeyman Plumber Examination Review Course (rev. September 2025) ↗
- TSBPE home page (public license search, apply and renew) ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.