Eligibility Requirements
You may take the Journeyman Plumber Examination if:
- you are a citizen or national of the United States or an alien or non-immigrant eligible for licensure by the State of Texas;
- you are currently registered as a Plumber’s Apprentice or currently licensed as a Tradesman Plumber-Limited in Texas or currently licensed as Journeyman Plumber or Master Plumber in another state;
- you have at least 8,000 hours of experience working in the plumbing trade; and
- you have completed a 48-hour training course* approved by the TSBPE or you are enrolled and in or have completed a training program approved by the United States Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship.
*If you hold a Journeyman or Master Plumber License issued to you by another state, you do not have to complete the 48-hour training program.
How to Apply for the Examination
To apply for the Journeyman Plumber Examination you must submit a completed application with all supporting documentation, your Employer Certification Form(s), and a $40 fee to the TSBPE. If you have been convicted of a felony, you must also submit a Supplemental Criminal History Information Form (SCHIF).
Journeyman Plumber Exam Application
Employer’s Certification Form
Supplemental Criminal History Information Form
Once you have successfully passed the exam, you must submit a $40 fee to obtain your certificate of licensure and pocket card.
Fingerprints
All applicants and examinees in the state of Texas are required by law to submit fingerprint data. This is a one-time requirement; applicants who have previously submitted fingerprint data to the TSBPE are not required to re-submit per application. If the TSBPE has not received fingerprint data for a Journeyman Plumber Exam Applicant, however, the application will remain deficient until the issue has been resolved. For more information on fingerprints or to download instructions for applicants seeking to submit their fingerprints, please see this page.
Scope of Work Permitted
A Journeyman Plumber may install, change, repair, service, or renovate plumbing under the supervision of a Responsible Master Plumber. A Journeyman may also directly supervise a Plumber’s Apprentice on all job sites or a Tradesman Plumber-Limited on job sites for structures other than one and two-family dwellings.
Possible Endorsements
A Journeyman Plumber who meets the eligibility requirements may obtain a Medical Gas Piping Installation Endorsement, a Multipurpose Residential Fire Protection Sprinkler Specialist Endorsement, or a Water Supply Protection Specialist Endorsement. Click here to learn more about endorsements.
Fees
Exam Fee: $40
Initial License Fee: $40
Renewal Fee: $40*
Late Renewal Fee (expired less than 90 days): $20
Late Renewal Fee (expired more than 90 days): $40
*If you hold both a Journeyman and a Master Plumber License, you only have to pay the renewal fee for your Master License.