Texas plumber license: requirements, reciprocity & renewal

The master license in Texas

Master Plumber: Currently licensed as a Journeyman Plumber in Texas or another state and held that license for at least 2 years — OR held it for at least 1 year and completed a USDOL Office of Apprenticeship-approved training program (same two routes for out-of-state masters based on their prior journeyman time). NOTE: the experience requirement was reduced from 4 years to 2 years effective September 1, 2025 (TSBPE notice).

Master exam cost is split: $25 exam processing fee payable to the TSBPE plus $128.50 exam fee payable to Pearson VUE on the day of the exam. Initial license fee after passing is $75; renewal is $75/year (late renewal $37.50 under 90 days, $75 over 90 days).

Master exam fee: $128.50

Renewal & lapse in Texas

A Texas license, registration or endorsement expired for more than two years cannot be renewed at all — it goes to 'reinstate' status, which TSBPE treats as if the license was never held.

Reinstatement: Expired 2 years or less: renew with late fees and current CE — for a Journeyman, renewal $40 plus late fee $20 if expired less than 90 days or $40 if expired more than 90 days, and 6 hours of continuing professional education for renewal.

Past the line: Expired more than 2 years: cannot renew. Reinstatement means registering again as a Plumber's Apprentice and applying for and passing all applicable exams, meeting ALL current eligibility requirements (e.g. the 48-hour training course for the journeyman exam) even if they were not in effect when first licensed.

Expired? Run the renewal checker with your month count →

Opening a plumbing company in Texas

The seat: Responsible Master Plumber (RMP). A plumbing company may operate only under an RMP: a Texas Master Plumber in good standing who holds the RMP designation for that company. The RMP is responsible for general supervision and management, obtaining permits and inspections, ensuring everyone performing plumbing holds a current license or registration, and ensuring a licensee directly supervises registrants on site. An RMP may act as RMP of record for only ONE company at a time. RMP designation: $225 initial application fee, $300 renewal.

Insurance minimum: $300,000 general commercial liability insurance

Penalty color: employing or subcontracting to an unregistered or unlicensed individual is a $4,000 penalty per violation, and from January 1, 2026 TSBPE no longer settles those cases for a reduced penalty (Board action Dec 3, 2025). Cities also require permits/inspections, but licensing is state-level.

Run the owner gate for your situation →

Sources

Rules as published by Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners and the statutes it administers, checked October 22, 2026. Board: https://www.tsbpe.texas.gov/

• TSBPE — Journeyman Plumber (8,000 hrs, 48-hr course, $40 exam / $40 license / $40 renewal, late fees) — accessed 2026-10-22
• TSBPE — Master Plumber (2-yr / 1-yr + USDOL routes; $25 processing + $128.50 Pearson VUE; $75 license/renewal) — accessed 2026-10-22
• TSBPE — License Types (annual renewal, 6 hrs CE, expired >2 years cannot be renewed — reinstate as if never held) — accessed 2026-10-22
• TSBPE — Responsible Master Plumber ($300,000 insurance, one company at a time, $225 initial / $300 renewal) — accessed 2026-10-22
• TSBPE — Notice: Master experience requirement drops from 4 years to 2 years on September 1, 2025 — accessed 2026-10-22
• TSBPE — Out-of-State Licensing / Louisiana reciprocal agreement (LA journeymen with gas fitter license, no exam) — accessed 2026-10-22
• TSBPE — $4,000 fine for employing unregistered individuals, no reduced settlement from Jan 1, 2026 — accessed 2026-10-22