West Virginia · plumber licensing · verified July 2026
West Virginia plumber license requirements
The short answer
As of July 2026, Since January 1, 2009, no one may perform plumbing work in West Virginia without a license from the WV Division of Labor, in three classifications: plumber-in-training ($25/year, no exam), journeyman plumber, and master plumber (each $75/year). Qualification is examination-based: journeyman and master applicants must pass a written International Plumbing Code exam with at least 70% (administered by Prov, Inc.), and the master exam may not be taken until 12 months after passing the journeyman exam. Licenses are valid for one year and renew annually; the current statute and rule set no specific experience-hour thresholds.
Do you need a license to work as a plumber in West Virginia?
West Virginia licenses plumbers statewide, so one credential is valid across the whole state.
Widely repeated claims that WV requires 8,000 hours (journeyman) or 12,000 hours (master) do NOT appear in the current statute (W. Va. Code 21-14) or current rule (42CSR32, eff. 5/1/2023), qualification is exam-based with experience certified by affidavit. Reciprocity: under 42CSR32 s.14 the Commissioner may, at his or her discretion, license without examination applicants licensed in states with equivalent requirements, or applicants with work experience from states that do not license plumbers, no fixed list of reciprocal states. Exemptions exist for homeowner work, industrial/manufacturing facilities, HVAC work, utility work, and others (21-14-3(c)).
What licenses does West Virginia issue?
The West Virginia Division of Labor (Commissioner of Labor) - Plumber Certification 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumber-in-Training | not published | not published | No |
| Journeyman Plumber | not published | not published | Yes |
| Master Plumber | not published | not published | Yes |
Source: West Virginia Division of Labor (Commissioner of Labor) - Plumber Certification (labor.wv.gov). Verified July 2026.
What exam does West Virginia require?
West Virginia Journeyman Plumber examination (written, International Plumbing Code, 70% minimum passing score). Administered by Prov, Inc. (contracted testing agent; fee paid directly to Prov).
West Virginia Master Plumber examination (written, International Plumbing Code, 70% minimum; eligible 12 months after passing journeyman exam). Administered by Prov, Inc. (contracted testing agent; fee paid directly to Prov).
How much does a West Virginia plumber license cost?
Getting a Journeyman Plumber license in West Virginia costs $75 in board fees, before any training. That is 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. An exam is required and its fee is not in that figure, because no amount for it appears in the board material this page is built from. Check the board's current fee schedule before budgeting.
- Initial license fee$75
- Renewal fee (recurring)$75
Source: fee schedule (labor.wv.gov). Verified July 2026.
How often do you renew, and what continuing education is required?
Renewal period: 1 year (license valid up to one year; cannot be renewed once expired 90+ days)
Continuing education: No continuing education requirement appears in W. Va. Code 21-14 or legislative rule 42CSR32
Source: renewal requirements (labor.wv.gov). Verified July 2026.
How does the apprenticeship route work?
The plumber-in-training license functions as the apprentice tier: no exam, annual $25 renewal, work only under direct supervision of a licensed master or journeyman (maximum 3 trainees per supervisor). Advancement is by passing the journeyman examination rather than by accumulating a set number of hours.
Which states does West Virginia have license reciprocity with?
No published agreement for this trade names West Virginia. 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 West Virginia 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 |
|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | not published | Statewide |
| Kentucky | not published | Statewide |
| Maryland | 7,500 | Statewide |
| Ohio | not published | Contractor level only |
| Pennsylvania | not published | City or county |
| Virginia | not published | Statewide |
Source: state licensing boards. Verified July 2026.
Sources and verification
Every fact on this page traces to one of these
- WV Division of Labor - Plumber Certification
- WV Division of Labor - Plumber Certification Fees
- WV Division of Labor - Plumber Certification FAQ (Prov exam administration)
- Legislative Rule 42CSR32, Supervision of Plumbing Work (fees, renewal, exams, reciprocity)
- W. Va. Code Chapter 21, Article 14 - Supervision of Plumbing Work (hosted by WV Division of Labor)
- WV Plumber License Application/Affidavit
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: Wisconsin, Wyoming, Alabama.
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 West Virginia Division of Labor (Commissioner of Labor) - Plumber Certification before making decisions. Not legal advice.