Plumber
rankings by state.
Use the figures to narrow your reading, then check the state’s license level, pathway and qualifications. A low issuance fee does not establish the cheapest overall route to licensure.
Lowest license fee
Ranked only by the recorded license issuance fee. Application, exam, training and other costs are not included. This is not a ranking of total cost to qualify.
7 of 51 jurisdictions ranked. Equal values share a rank; the next rank skips tied places. Calculations use unrounded values. Source scope may differ between states.
| 1 | Ohio | $25.00Source and scopeTwenty-five dollars for issuance of any license;Official source Last verified Oct 24, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | New Mexico | $75.00 |
| 2 | West Virginia | $75.00Source and scopeHow much is the initial certification? Master - $75.00 Journeyman - $75.00Official source Last verified Oct 24, 2026 |
| 4 | Oregon | $100.00Source and scopeLicense Fee Description Exemptions $100.00 NoneOfficial source Last verified Oct 24, 2026 |
| 5 | Alaska | $200.00Source and scopeA separate $200 certificate fee upon issue.Official source Last verified Oct 24, 2026 |
| 6 | South Carolina | $220.00 |
| 7 | Washington | $242.70Source and scope$242.70 – Journey Level / Residential / Residential Service.Official source Last verified Oct 24, 2026 |
44 jurisdictions not ranked for this measure
Not verified yet, stale, or not a single comparable number. A missing rank does not mean no requirement. Use each state page’s official source to check.
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Fewest required hours
Ranked only where the required-hours field is a single verified number. Conditional text and alternative pathways are excluded. Hours are not elapsed time to licensure.
Not verified yet
There are no eligible numeric values for this measure in the current records.
Read the verified state requirements and official sources51 jurisdictions not ranked for this measure
Not verified yet, stale, or not a single comparable number. A missing rank does not mean no requirement. Use each state page’s official source to check.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Fastest time to get licensed
Requires a verified total time-to-license figure in days for the cited pathway. Training hours, experience requirements and agency processing estimates cannot establish that total.
Not verified yet
The current records do not establish total time to get licensed. No fastest state is named.
Read the verified state requirements and official sources51 jurisdictions not ranked for this measure
Not verified yet, stale, or not a single comparable number. A missing rank does not mean no requirement. Use each state page’s official source to check.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Renewal cost per year
Calculated as the verified renewal fee divided by its verified renewal period in years. This is an annualized fee, not an annual bill; CE and other costs are not included. An initial fee or initial license term is never substituted.
Not verified yet
A separate renewal fee and its matching renewal period are needed. Initial license fees cannot fill that gap.
Read the verified state requirements and official sources51 jurisdictions not ranked for this measure
Not verified yet, stale, or not a single comparable number. A missing rank does not mean no requirement. Use each state page’s official source to check.
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Read before you choose a route
Last verified Oct 24, 2026.
Official sources (7)
- https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/chapter-4101:16-2
- https://www.rld.nm.gov/construction-industries/forms-and-applications/fees/
- https://labor.wv.gov/licensing/plumber-certification/plumber-certification-faq
- https://apps.oregon.gov/SOS/LicenseDirectory/LicenseDetail/675
- https://dol.alaska.gov/lss/mi-license-req.html
- https://www.llr.sc.gov/res/resplumber.aspx
- https://www.lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/plumbing/plumber-certification/get-or-renew-your-certification
Not legal or tax advice. Confirm with the official agency before filing.