In Maryland, you must be licensed through the state to do any work as a plumber. The application and licensing process for plumbers differs from that of electricians and general contractors in Maryland; while this may be confusing, it’s important to take the time to follow this process carefully and correctly. If you do any sort of plumbing work in the state of Maryland without a valid license, you could potentially face jail time or other legal penalties.
The licensing process is fairly straightforward. First, you must work as a plumbing apprentice for a minimum of four years. After that, you can apply for your journey license and take the appropriate exam. Then, if you would like to pursue the master plumber status, you can do so after another two years, and after successfully passing the exam. However, there are a few more specifics that you need to know about before you submit an application or secure an apprenticeship.
Maryland Plumbing License Reciprocity
Currently, Maryland only maintains reciprocity for plumbers with the state of Delaware. If you already have a journey or master plumbing license from either Delaware or Maryland, you are free to begin working in either state.
If you’re interested in working in a different state or are coming to Maryland from another state, you can submit a reciprocal licensing application to the State Plumbing Board. In addition to the application, you may also need to submit some supporting documents, including:
- Verification letter from Baltimore County, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) or State of Delaware;
- Natural Gas Fitter verification form;
- Certificate of Insurance (your name must appear on the certificate and the Maryland State Board of Plumbing must be named as the certificate holder);
- Copy of current license;
- Copy of current master HVACR or master restricted (applicable to master natural gas fitter reciprocal licensing only);
- Copy of Photo ID or driver’s license;
- Backflow Certification (applicable to master and journey plumbing/gas fitter only).
These supporting documents should be emailed to the State Plumbing Board at DLOPLplumbing_DLLR@maryland.gov.
Maryland Master Plumber License Requirements
The state of Maryland defines a master plumber as “an individual who is licensed by the Board to provide plumbing services and natural gas services.” Master plumber gas fitters are also included under this definition. To become a master plumber in Maryland, you must meet a specific set of licensing requirements:
- You must hold a journey plumbing contractor license for at least two years prior to your master license application;
- You must complete 3,750 hours of training under the direction of a licensed master plumber;
- And you must pass the written licensing examination.
Your application should also include the necessary supporting documents listed above, as well as the $70 license fee. You can submit your application and pay the fee online, at the State Plumbing Board’s License Application portal.
Master Plumbers Exam
To obtain your license, you have to sit and pass the plumbing master examination, which is offered by PSI Exams. In this exam, you have four hours to answer 100 questions about:
- Plumbing fundamentals and safety;
- Materials, uses, and specifications;
- Traps, interceptors, and backwater valves;
- Plumbing fixtures, fixture fittings, and plumbing appliances;
- Water supply systems;
- Backflow prevention;
- Drain, waste, and vent systems;
- Special topics;
- Gas appliances and piping;
- And plumbing mathematics.
This is an open-book exam, but you may only bring the following materials:
- National Standard Plumbing Code Illustrated;
- NFPA 54 – National Fuel Gas Code;
- Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters;
- Code of Federal Regulations – 29 CFR Part 1926, or Code of Federal Regulations – 29 CFR Part 1926 Selections by PSI;
- And any standard backflow text.
You must get at least 70% of the questions correct to pass the exam. It costs $65 to take the exam, but upon passing and approval from the State Plumbing Board, you will successfully have obtained your master license. For more information about exam scheduling and locations, please see the PSI Maryland Plumbing Candidate Bulletin.
You must continually renew your master plumbing license in Maryland. All licenses require renewal and will expire two years from the date they were issued. You will receive a notice in the mail 60 days before your license is set to expire. If you fail to renew your license four years after expiration, you must start the application and examination process over again.
Maryland Journey Plumber License Requirements
According to the same statute that defines a master plumber, a journey plumber in Maryland is defined as “an individual who is licensed by the Board to provide plumbing services while under the direction and control of a master plumber or holder of a limited master plumber license.” If you want to become a journey plumber in Maryland, you have to meet a specific set of licensing requirements first:
- You must hold an apprentice license for at least four years prior to your license application;
- You must complete a minimum of 7,500 hours of training under the supervision of a licensed master plumber;
- You must complete a minimum of 32 hours of training in backflow prevention device testing;
- You must pass the licensing examination.
You must also submit any of the necessary supporting application documentation listed above and pay a $35 license fee. You can use the same License Application portal on the State Plumbing Board’s website when applying for a journey license.
Journey Plumber Exam
To receive a journey plumber’s license in Maryland, you must pass the plumber examination offered by PSI. Just as with the master exam, you will have four hours to complete 100 questions. In the journey exam, you’ll be tested on the following areas:
- Plumbing fundamentals and safety;
- Materials, uses, and specifications;
- Traps, interceptors, and backwater valves;
- Plumbing fixtures, fixture fittings, and plumbing appliances;
- Water supply systems;
- Backflow preventions;
- Gas appliances and piping;
- And plumbing mathematics.
This is an open-book exam, but you may only bring the following materials:
- National Standard Plumbing Code Illustrated;
- NFPA 54 – National Fuel Gas Code;
- Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters;
- Code of Federal Regulations – 29 CFR Part 1926, or Code of Federal Regulations – 29 CFR Part 1926 Selections by PSI;
- And any standard backflow text.
You must get at least 70% of the questions correct to pass this exam. You must also pay a $65 fee to take the exam. Once you pass the exam and your application is approved by the State Plumbing Board, you will receive your journey plumbing contractor license in the mail in about two weeks.
Like master licenses, journey licenses will expire every two years from the date of issue. You will have to continually renew it, but you will receive a notice from the State Plumbing Board in the mail 60 days prior to expiration. As with master licenses, if you fail to renew your license four years after it expires, you will have to resubmit your application and retake the exam to receive a valid license.
Plumbing Apprenticeship Requirements
Before becoming a master or even journey plumber, however, you must first become an apprentice. The same Maryland statute linked above defines an apprentice as “an individual who is licensed by the Board to assist a master plumber or a holder of a limited master plumber license in providing plumbing services while:
(1) under the direction and control of the master plumber or holder of the limited master plumber license; and
(2) in training to become a journey plumber.”
You must register as an apprentice with the State Plumbing Board. To apply, you must be at least 16 years old; have never been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor in any state or federal court; and have never had this type of license denied, suspended, or revoked by any jurisdiction. You must also pay a $15 application fee. You can submit your apprentice application online via the Maryland Department of Labor website.
Maryland Plumbing Apprentice Jobs
There are several ways you can secure a plumbing apprenticeship in Maryland. The Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Program (MATP) provides many resources for individuals looking for an apprentice position, as well as for organizations who are looking to hire apprentices. Their Apprenticeship Locator is a simple way to find an available position in various counties throughout Maryland. If you are at least 16 years old, but younger than 18, you may also look into Apprenticeship Maryland, a youth apprenticeship program.
You can also look into apprenticeships offered through plumbing unions, including Local 486 and United Association. You may also be able to find other apprenticeship opportunities, both union and nonunion, using general job search websites, such as Indeed, Monster, and Glassdoor. Finding and applying for an apprenticeship is much like looking for any other type of job, and you should look at all available avenues to find the right one for you.
Plumbing Trade Schools in Maryland
There are a number of different educational opportunities available for prospective plumbers throughout Maryland. Some of the programs listed below are a precursor to an apprenticeship, while others offer a more in-depth look at the trade of plumbing. Please note that all the tuition fees listed are for Maryland state residents, and the cost may change if you are coming from another state.
- College of Southern Maryland
- Public
- Locations: La Plata, Leonardtown, Prince Frederick, Hughesville
- Tuition & Costs: $286.25 per credit hour
- Contact Information:
- Phone numbers for all locations: (301)-934-2251 or (800)-933-9177
- La Plata
- 8730 Mitchell Road, La Plata, MD 20646-0910
- Leonardtown
- 22950 Hollywood Road, Leonardtown, MD 20650-4700
- Prince Frederick
- 115 J.W. Williams Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
- Hughesville
- 6170 Hughesville Station Place, Hughesville, MD 20637
- Community College of Baltimore County
- Public
- Locations: Catonsville, Dundalk, Essex
- Tuition & Costs: $235 pe credit hour
- Contact Information:
- Phone number for all locations: (443)-840-2222
- Catonsville
- 800 South Rolling Road, Baltimore, MD 21228
- Dundalk
- 7200 Sollers Point Road, Baltimore, MD 21222
- Essex
- 7201 Rossville Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21237
- Hagerstown Community College
- Public
- Location: Hagerstown
- Tuition & Costs: $190.00 per credit hour
- Contact Information:
- (240)-500-2000
- 11400 Robinwood Drive, Hagerstown, Maryland, 21742
- Montgomery College
- Public
- Locations: Germantown, Rockville, Takoma Park/Silver Spring, Gaithersburg, Westfield
- Tuition & Costs: $341.80 per credit hour
- Contact Information:
-
- Phone number for all locations: (240)-567-5000
- Germantown
- 20200 Observation Drive, Germantown, MD 20876
- Rockville
- 51 Mannakee Street, Rockville, MD 20850
- Takoma Park/Silver Spring
- 7600 Takoma Avenue, Takoma Park, MD 20912
- Gaithersburg
- 12 South Summit Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20877
- Westfield South Center
- 11002 Veirs Mill Road, Suite 306, Wheaton, MD 20902
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- Prince George’s Community College
- Public
- Locations: Largo, Joint Base, Laurel, Camp Springs, Hyattsville, Upper Marlboro
- Tuition & Costs: $202 per credit hour
- Contact Information:
- Phone number for all locations: (301)-546-7422
- Largo
- 301 Largo Rd., Largo, MD 20774
- Joint Base Andrews
- 1413 Arkansas Rd., Joint Base Andrews, MD 20762
- Laurel
- 312 Marshall Ave., Suite 205, Laurel, MD 20707
- Camp Springs
- 6400 Old Branch Ave., Camp Springs, MD 20748
- Hyattsville
- 6505 Belcrest Rd., Suite 125, Hyattsville, MD 20782
- Upper Marlboro
- 9109 Westphalia Rd., Upper Marlboro, MD 20774
Maryland Professional License Search
The Maryland Department of Labor maintains a database of active plumbing licensees on their website. You can search for licensed plumbers by their name, location, or license registration number. If you have any questions about your results or the database, please contact the Maryland Board of Plumbers.
For More License and Career Guides
To find out how to become a Plumbing Contractor in another state, start here.
For information on other trades in Maryland, click on a link below to learn more about the licensing requirements:
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