Alabama · plumber licensing · verified July 2026
Alabama plumber license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, Alabama licenses plumbers statewide through the Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board at apprentice, journeyman, and master tiers. Journeyman certification requires two years as a registered apprentice (or a board-approved apprentice training program plus registered time equal to two years) and a written exam; master certification requires one year as a certified journeyman plus a written trade exam and, effective January 1, 2026, a business law exam. Certificates renew annually (renewal season October 1 to December 31) and holders must complete 4 hours of continuing education per certification each year before November 1.
Do you need a license to work as a plumber in Alabama?
Alabama licenses plumbers statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
Fee schedule is from Ala. Admin. Code Rule 720-X-4-.01 (operative Jan 1, 2026). Reciprocity: Master Plumber with Mississippi (Mississippi Board of Contractors); a separate agreement via the Alabama LP Gas Board covers Louisiana for Master GAS Fitter only (not plumbing). Out-of-state licensees whose license was earned by exam (min score 70%) and is in good standing may qualify to sit for Alabama exams. Reciprocal applicants must pass the business law exam. Plumbing businesses also pay a $25 annual business registration fee.
What licenses does Alabama issue?
The Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board issues the credentials below for this trade. Boards often list further classes for specialties and business licenses; these are the ones this page covers.
Hours are what each class asks for on its own terms. Where a senior class shows fewer than a journeyman, the board is counting time served after the earlier license rather than from the start; the prerequisite column says which.
| License | On-the-job hours | Classroom hours | Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice Plumber | not published | not published | No |
| Journeyman Plumber | not published | not published | Yes |
| Master Plumber | not published | not published | Yes |
| Medical Gas Piping Fitter (endorsement) | not published | not published | No |
Source: Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board (admincode.legislature.state.al.us). Verified July 2026.
What exam does Alabama require?
Journeyman Plumber Examination (2021 International Plumbing Code). Administered by Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board. Exam fee $110.
Master Plumber Written Examination. Administered by Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board. Exam fee $160.
Business Law Examination (required for Master level effective 1/1/2026). Administered by Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board. Exam fee $100.
Source: examination page (pgfb.alabama.gov). Verified July 2026.
How much does an Alabama plumber license cost?
Getting a Journeyman Plumber license in Alabama costs $235 in board fees, before any training. That is the application fee, the exam fee and the initial license fee charged once, with renewal charged separately below. No board publishes this total, so it is added up here from the schedule it does publish.
- Application fee$50
- Exam fee$110
- Initial license fee$75
- Renewal fee (recurring)$75
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: Annual (renewal season October 1 - December 31; late penalty applies after)
Continuing education: 4 hours of board-approved CE annually per certification held, completed before November 1 (Rule 720-X-21-.02). Exemptions: age 65+ (year after turning 65) and the initial certification year.
Source: renewal requirements (pgfb.alabama.gov). Verified July 2026.
How does the apprenticeship route work?
Register with the board as an Apprentice Plumber ($35/year) and work under licensed supervision; 2 years as a registered apprentice, or completion of a board-approved apprentice training program combined with registered time equal to 2 years, qualifies the applicant for the journeyman examination.
Which states does Alabama have license reciprocity with?
Alabama appears in 1 published reciprocal licensing agreement for this trade, covering Mississippi. Boards write these as agreements between two states rather than as a one-way list, and some publish the list while their counterpart does not, so this counts every agreement naming Alabama from either side. Recognition is never automatic: the board you apply to decides, and most require the original license to have been earned by examination and to be in good standing.
Source: reciprocity agreement (pgfb.alabama.gov). Verified July 2026.
How does Alabama compare to neighboring states?
Requirements stop at the state line, which matters if you live near one or expect to move. Here is what the neighboring states ask of the same trade.
| State | Journeyman hours | Licensing model |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | not published | Statewide |
| Florida | 12,000 | Contractor level only |
| Georgia | not published | Statewide |
| Mississippi | not published | Contractor level only |
| Tennessee | not published | Contractor level only |
Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.
Sources and verification
Every fact on this page traces to one of these
- How Do I Become Licensed? - AL Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board
- Exams - AL Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board
- Ala. Admin. Code Rule 720-X-4-.01 Forms, Requirements, and Fee Schedule
- Ala. Admin. Code Chapter 720-X-21 Continuing Education
- Reciprocation - AL Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board
- Continuing Education - AL Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board
Last verified July 2026. Found an error? Report it and it will be corrected and logged on the corrections page.
Other states with published requirements for this trade: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California.
Price the whole path with the license cost estimator, or weigh earning against paying for school with the apprenticeship comparison. Back to plumbers overview.
Licensing requirements change between our verification sweeps. This page is informational only, so confirm current requirements with Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board before making decisions. Not legal advice.