X
Get A FREE Insurance Quote With No Commitment To Buy!
Subscribe and get your FREE business insurance quote in minutes!
Pop Up

USLicenses.com

Your #1 Source on How to Become a Licensed Contractor in all 50 States

How to Become a Plumbing Contractor in Michigan: License Requirements and Trade Schools

If you live in Michigan and want to start a career with relatively low education requirements and good job security and wages, plumbing is an excellent field to look into. With job growth of 9.2% and a median hourly wage of $32.24, becoming a plumber is a smart move. But how can you become licensed as a plumbing contractor?

Just as with general contractors and electricians, Michigan has strict licensing requirements to follow for plumbers. This includes navigating the education and experience requirements for each of the three tiers of plumbing contractors, including apprentice, journeyman, and master plumber. If you’re interested in entering this field, read on for guidance on becoming a plumber.

A photograph of downtown Detroit, Michigan, taken from the Detroit River.

Michigan Plumbing License Reciprocity

If you are already licensed to perform plumbing contract work in another state, you may be interested in whether the Great Lakes State has any license reciprocity agreements in place. Unfortunately, this is not the case; there are no existing agreements of this nature between Michigan and any other state. You will need to obtain a journey or master plumbing license in order to perform work as a plumber. Read more on these steps below.

Michigan Master Plumber License Requirements

By Michigan law, a “master plumber” is defined as “an individual who possesses the necessary skills and qualifications to plan and supervise the installation of plumbing and who is licensed as a master plumber.” A master plumber is a highly qualified plumbing contractor who is licensed to work with the fewest number of restrictions in the state.

To become a master plumber in Michigan, you must:

  • Be at least 18 years old;
  • Have worked at least 4,000 hours as a journeyman plumber over a period of at least two years. You must have notarized letters from your current and former employers that document your experience;
  • Pass a required examination — read more on this in the “Plumbing Journeyman Exam” section below, as the process is very similar for journeymen. 

Those interested must complete the application online or fill out and print the form. The latter must be mailed to:

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Bureau of Construction Codes / Licensing Division
P.O. Box 30255
Lansing, MI 48909

Search Plumber Programs

Get information on Plumber programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Listings

Note that there is a license fee of $300 — payable online or by check/money order to “State of Michigan – BCC” — that must be paid at the time of the application’s submission. If you have any questions during the application process, you can reach out to the licensing department at (517) 241-9316.

Michigan Journeyman Plumber License Requirements

You must become a journeyman plumber before you can be a master plumber. A journeyman plumber is defined by Michigan as a person “who is qualified to engage in the practical installation of plumbing and who is licensed as a journey plumber.” A journeyman can work for a licensed plumbing contractor or work independently, but they cannot open their own plumbing business.

To become a journeyman plumber, you must:

  • Be at least 18 years old;
  • Have accrued at least 6,000 hours of experience as an apprentice over a period of at least three years. You must include documentation that proves this, such as a notarized letter from your apprenticeship sponsor;
  • Pass a required exam.

Just like master plumber candidates, those applying to become journeymen can complete the application online or fill out and print the form. If you complete the paper form, it must be mailed to:

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Bureau of Construction Codes / Licensing Division
P.O. Box 30255
Lansing, MI 48909

There is a license fee of $40, which is payable online or by check/money order to “State of Michigan – BCC.” This must be paid at the time you submit the application. If you have any concerns while filling out the application, call the licensing department at (517) 241-9316.

Once this application is processed, you’ll be sent instructions by PSI Exams to schedule your journeyman exam — see more on this below. 

Plumbing Journeyman & Master Exams

Once your application is processed, you will be instructed to apply online for the journeyman exam or master exam. You may also apply by phone at (800) 733-9267. It is essential that you do not apply for an exam until you hear from PSI Exams. There is an examination fee of $100, regardless if you are taking the plumbing journeyman or master exam. This is payable online or via the above phone number by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover). 

You will also be sent the Michigan plumbing contractor candidate information bulletin. This document contains everything you need to know about the exam process, including where to go and what to bring with you on exam day. 

The exam will take place on a computer at a designated testing center. There are locations in Dearborn, Holt, Southfield, Grand Rapids, Gaylord, and Marquette. A PSI representative can help you locate the nearest testing center to you. When you go to take the exam, be sure to bring a government-issued ID and any approved reference materials and tools listed in the bulletin.

The journeyman exam will have 125 questions, while the master exam will have 130. Regardless of which exam you apply for, you must get at least 70% of the questions correct to pass. You will have three hours to complete either exam, so be sure to use your time effectively.

Plumbing Apprenticeship Requirements

An apprentice is not qualified to perform work unless they are under the supervision of a qualified, licensed plumber. As noted above, you must earn 6,000 hours of experience over at least three years in an apprenticeship before you can go on to become a journeyman plumber. To start this process, you must seek out an apprenticeship — see the “Michigan Plumbing Apprentice Jobs” section below for more info on this process.

Within the first 30 days of your employment as a plumbing apprentice, you must register with the state. To apply to become a plumbing apprentice in Michigan, you must fill and print out the registration application, then mail it to:

Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Bureau of Construction Codes
P.O. Box 30255
Lansing, MI 48909

Unless you qualify for the veteran’s exemption, you’ll need to include a $15 check made out to “State of Michigan” with your application. This is nonrefundable.

Michigan Plumbing Apprentice Jobs

If you’re looking for apprenticeship opportunities, you have several options. You can reach out to government or nonprofit organizations designed to connect potential apprentices with opportunities, contact a local union branch, or personally seek out opportunities with local plumbing employers.

When it comes to the first of these approaches, Apprenticeship.Gov is a great resource. This website has an apprenticeship finder tool that can help users locate nearby apprenticeship job listings.

You can also apply for a plumbing apprenticeship through the Plumbers 98 & MCA Detroit Training Center. Note that you must be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or GED to be eligible. If accepted, you’ll be set up with a paid plumbing apprenticeship.

Finally, if you opt to look for apprentice jobs by contacting employers in your area, be sure to demonstrate your worth and commitment. Earning some skills by completing a pre-apprenticeship training program or going to a trade school can prove to be invaluable in this search. Read more on the education options below.

Plumbing Trade Schools in Michigan

Getting an education through a trade school is a great way to learn the essentials and gain some invaluable knowledge and experience. Check out the following options to see which programs, courses, or school-facilitated apprenticeships are right for you:

Michigan Professional License Search

Once you become a licensed plumber, you will appear in the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs license database. You can also use this tool to verify the license status of another plumber or plumbing business. 

To do a search, enter any combination of the entity’s name, license type (“Plumbing Contractor,” “Plumbing Master,” or “Plumbing Journey”), license number, and their contact information. You can then click on the person’s or business’s license number in the results to see whether the license is active or expired.

 

 

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 Michigan, click on a link below to learn more about the licensing requirements:

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons

Call Us