Nebraska · plumber licensing · verified July 2026
Nebraska plumber license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, Nebraska has no state-level plumbing license; plumbers are licensed by individual cities, e.g., Lincoln (Building & Safety, Planning and Development Services) and Omaha (Planning Department Plumbing Board). In Lincoln, a journeyman candidate needs at least 4 years of practical plumbing experience (registered apprenticeship time counts year-for-year) and must pass a city exam; a master must hold a Lincoln journeyman certificate for at least 1 year or qualify via mechanical engineering credentials. Registrations renew annually (March 1 - May 31 in Lincoln) with 6 CEU hours for journeymen and 10 for masters/master contractors.
Do you need a license to work as a plumber in Nebraska?
Nebraska has no statewide license for plumbers. Cities and counties license the trade, so the requirement depends on where you work.
No state plumbing license or state plumbing board exists; licensing is municipal (major examples: Lincoln and Omaha). Lincoln transfer rule: an applicant holding a valid journeyman or contractor/master plumbing license obtained BY EXAMINATION from another state or municipal agency may sit the equivalent Lincoln exam without additional qualifications (not a reciprocal license grant).
What licenses does Nebraska issue?
No credential for this trade is issued at state level in Nebraska; the classes below are issued by cities or counties, and the exact set depends on which one you work in.
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 (City of Lincoln registration) | not published | not published | No |
| Journeyman Plumber (City of Lincoln) | not published | not published | Yes |
| Master Plumber (City of Lincoln) | not published | not published | Yes |
| Master Plumber Contractor (City of Lincoln) | not published | not published | No |
Source: the governing statute (lincoln.ne.gov). Verified July 2026.
What exam does Nebraska require?
City of Lincoln Plumbing Journeyman Examination. Administered by City of Lincoln Building and Safety. Exam fee $183.
City of Lincoln Plumbing Master Examination. Administered by City of Lincoln Building and Safety. Exam fee $208.
Source: examination page (lincoln.ne.gov). Verified July 2026.
How much does a Nebraska plumber license cost?
Nebraska sets its fees per license class rather than as one figure for the trade, so no single total would be true of every applicant. The published items are below exactly as the board sets them.
- Exam feeset per license class
- Renewal fee (recurring)set per license class
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: Varies by city; Lincoln: annual, renewal window March 1 - May 31 (revocation and re-examination if not renewed within 60 days of expiration)
Continuing education: Lincoln: 6 CEU hours per year for journeyman plumbers; 10 CEU hours for master plumbers and master plumber contractors (submitted before renewal approval)
How does the apprenticeship route work?
In Lincoln, a registered apprentice employed full-time by a plumbing firm receives 1 year of practical-experience credit per year of employment toward the 4-year journeyman requirement; there is no statewide apprenticeship-to-license pathway because licensing is municipal.
Which states does Nebraska have license reciprocity with?
Nebraska 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 Nebraska 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | not published | City or county |
| Colorado | 6,800 | Statewide |
| Iowa | not published | Statewide |
| Kansas | not published | City or county |
| Missouri | not published | City or county |
| South Dakota | not published | Statewide |
| Wyoming | 8,000 | City or county |
Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.
Sources and verification
Every fact on this page traces to one of these
- City of Lincoln - Plumbing (Building & Safety)
- City of Lincoln - Plumbing Trade Registration (fees, CEUs, renewal)
- City of Lincoln - Plumbing Trade Exams
- City of Lincoln - Plumbing Journeyman Requirements (PDF)
- City of Lincoln - Plumbing Master Requirements (PDF)
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: New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico.
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.