Michigan · plumber licensing · verified July 2026
Michigan plumber license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, Michigan licenses plumbers statewide under the Skilled Trades Regulation Act (2016 PA 407) through LARA's Bureau of Construction Codes. The ladder is registered apprentice, journey plumber (6,000 hours over at least 3 years plus written and hands-on practical exams), master plumber (4,000 additional hours over the 2 years immediately preceding application), and plumbing contractor (business license requiring a master plumber as qualifier). Journey licenses renew annually and master/contractor licenses every 3 years, all by April 30.
Do you need a license to work as a plumber in Michigan?
Michigan licenses plumbers statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
All hour requirements, license fees, and renewal fees/cycles were read directly from LARA pages and official LARA application forms. Military/veteran application-fee and exam waivers are available. New apprentice-to-plumber supervision ratio rules took effect 4/2/2025 (LARA FAQ).
What licenses does Michigan issue?
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes - Licensing Section (Plumbing) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Plumbing Apprentice | not published | not published | No |
| Journey Plumber | 6,000 | not published | Yes |
| Master Plumber | 4,000 | not published | Yes |
| Plumbing Contractor | not published | not published | Yes |
Source: Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes - Licensing Section (Plumbing) (michigan.gov). Verified July 2026.
Journey Plumber: Actively registered plumbing apprentice for at least 3 years
Master Plumber: Licensed journey plumber for the 2 years immediately preceding application
How many hours do you need in Michigan?
Michigan requires 6,000 hours of on-the-job experience for a Journey Plumber license. At a 40-hour week the on-the-job portion is roughly 3 years of full-time work.
What exam does Michigan require?
Journey Plumber Examination (written portion). Administered by PSI (scheduled after LARA application approval).
Journey Plumber Hands-On Practical Skills Examination. Administered by LARA Bureau of Construction Codes (held at scheduled sites, e.g., Lansing, Mason, Cadillac, St. Ignace).
Master Plumber Examination. Administered by PSI.
Source: examination page (michigan.gov). Verified July 2026.
How much does a Michigan plumber license cost?
Michigan 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.
- Exam feenot published
- Initial license fee$40
- Renewal fee (recurring)$40
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: Apprentice and journey plumber: annually by April 30. Master plumber and plumbing contractor: every 3 years by April 30.
Continuing education: No hour-based annual CE; LARA requires an approved plumbing code-update course in connection with renewal when a new Michigan Plumbing Code is adopted (see LARA 'Plumbing Code Update Information').
Source: renewal requirements (michigan.gov). Verified July 2026.
How does the apprenticeship route work?
Register as a plumbing apprentice with the Bureau of Construction Codes and maintain the registration continuously; all supervised hours as an actively registered apprentice count toward the 6,000-hour journey plumber requirement. Hours worked while the registration is lapsed do not count.
Which states does Michigan have license reciprocity with?
No published agreement for this trade names Michigan. That is not the same as a closed door: states without a published list usually take out-of-state applicants through an endorsement or equivalency review instead, decided case by case on the requirements set out above.
How does Michigan 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 6,000 | Statewide |
| Indiana | not published | Statewide |
| Ohio | not published | Contractor level only |
| Wisconsin | not published | Statewide |
Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.
How does Michigan compare nationally?
21 states publish an explicit hour figure for this trade, and they range from 4,000 to 12,000 hours. Michigan sits 2th of the 21, with 1 below it and 19 above. The full comparison is on the hours by state table.
Sources and verification
Every fact on this page traces to one of these
- Plumbing Examination, Licensing/Registration & Application Information - LARA
- License/Registration Renewals - LARA Bureau of Construction Codes
- BCC-329 Application for Master Plumber/Plumbing Contractor Examination & License
- Application for Journey Plumber Examination & License
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: Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska.
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 Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), Bureau of Construction Codes - Licensing Section (Plumbing) before making decisions. Not legal advice.