Kansas · plumber licensing · verified July 2026
Kansas plumber license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, Kansas has no statewide plumber license and no state plumbing board; plumbers and plumbing contractors are licensed by individual cities and counties, so requirements, exams, and fees vary by jurisdiction. For example, Johnson County's Contractor Licensing Division issues Class DP plumbing contractor licenses, and the Wichita/Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department (MABCD) issues journeyman and master plumber trade certificates. Anyone working in Kansas must check the local jurisdiction where the work will be performed.
Do you need a license to work as a plumber in Kansas?
Kansas has no statewide license for plumbers. Cities and counties license the trade, so the requirement depends on where you work.
No Kansas state agency licenses plumbers (the Kansas State Board of Technical Professions covers engineers/architects/surveyors only). Major local licensing jurisdictions include Johnson County (Contractor Licensing Division, Class DP plumbing contractor; recognizes ICC, Prometric/ETS, and IAPMO exams; requires general liability and workers' comp insurance) and Wichita/Sedgwick County (MABCD journeyman and master plumber trade certificates). Johnson County details were read directly from the county's official site.
What exam does Kansas require?
ICC or IAPMO journeyman/master plumber exams (recognized by local jurisdictions such as Johnson County and Wichita/Sedgwick County; e.g., ICC 560 Journeyman Plumber with Gas, ICC 557 Master Plumber with Gas). Administered by International Code Council (ICC) / IAPMO / Prometric, per local jurisdiction rules.
How much does a Kansas plumber license cost?
Kansas does not publish every fee a first-time applicant pays, so there is no complete total to give. What the board does publish is below.
- Application feenot published
- Initial license feenot published
- Renewal fee (recurring)set per license class
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: varies by jurisdiction (e.g., Sedgwick County/Wichita trade certificates renew on a 2-year cycle expiring Dec 31 of odd-numbered years)
Continuing education: varies by jurisdiction (e.g., Sedgwick County/Wichita requires 12 hours per 2-year cycle, at least 6 hours on trade-specific code, per the county's official page as summarized in search results)
Source: renewal requirements (sedgwickcounty.org). Verified July 2026.
How does the apprenticeship route work?
No state apprenticeship-to-license pathway exists. Local example (Wichita/Sedgwick County MABCD): journeyman plumber eligibility requires 1 year field experience plus 1 year plumbing trade school, or 2 years field experience, plus a score of 75% or better on an approved ICC or IAPMO exam; master requires a journeyman certificate plus 2 years journeyman field experience, or 4 years field experience, plus the master exam.
Which states does Kansas have license reciprocity with?
Kansas does not license this trade at state level, so there is no state agreement to publish. Whether an out-of-state license helps is decided by the city, county or contractor board that issues the credential where you intend to work.
How does Kansas 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas | not published | City or county |
| Colorado | 6,800 | Statewide |
| Missouri | not published | City or county |
| Nebraska | not published | City or county |
| Oklahoma | not published | Statewide |
Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.
Sources and verification
Every fact on this page traces to one of these
- Johnson County KS Contractor Licensing - New License & License Types
- Sedgwick County KS MABCD - Master & Journeyman Trade Certificates (official county page; content via search excerpt, direct fetch refused)
- Kansas State Board of Technical Professions - licenses architecture/engineering/geology/landscape architecture/surveying only
Last verified July 2026, independently re-verified before publication. Found an error? Report it and it will be corrected and logged on the corrections page.
Other states with published requirements for this trade: Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland.
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 your city or county building department before making decisions. Not legal advice.