How many hours to become a journeyman plumber? Hours by state

Short answer

It varies by state. Below are the experience requirements we confirmed with an official source in 22 states and territories. Last checked: 2026-10-30.

State	Experience required	Source
Alabama	2 years as a registered apprentice, or a Board-approved apprentice program plus registered time equal to 2 years	Official rule
Alaska	8,000 hours of plumbing installation work (max 1,000 classroom, max 2,000 gas) while holding a trainee certificate	Official rule
Connecticut	8,000 on-the-job hours plus 576 hours of related instruction	Official rule
District of Columbia	Journeyman exam: 4 years / 8,000 work hours (apprenticeship completion can waive exam)	Official rule
Florida	For a local journeyman license: a registered state-approved apprenticeship or at least 12,000 hours of on-the-job training, plus a proctored exam	Official rule
Hawaii	5 years but not less than 10,000 hours of plumbing work	Official rule
Idaho	8,000 hours of work experience plus 4 years of approved schooling, or 16,000 hours	Official rule
Indiana	Indiana residents: at least 4 years in a Commission-approved apprenticeship program	Official rule
Kentucky	At least 2 consecutive years as an apprentice plumber, or a department-approved course (see regulation)	Official rule
Maryland	Apprentice license held at least 4 years, 7,500 hours under a licensed master plumber, 32 hours of backflow training, and exam	Official rule
Michigan	6,000 hours over 3 years as a registered plumber apprentice (or equivalent military experience)	Official rule
Montana	Completion certificate from a registered apprenticeship program plus a 5-year experience affidavit vouched by a licensed master plumber or plumbing contractor	Official rule
New Mexico	JP: 2 years of experience	Official rule
North Dakota	4 years in the trade and 7,600 hours under a licensed master plumber	Official rule
Oklahoma	3 years of experience while employed by a licensed plumbing contractor (approved education can substitute part)	Official rule
Oregon	Registered plumber apprenticeship term: 7,700 hours (Area I standards)	Official rule
Puerto Rico	Oficial plomero: approved plumbing course of at least 1,000 study hours plus exam	Official rule
South Dakota	Plumber license: 4 years as an apprentice plumber, at least 1,900 hours per year	Official rule
Texas	At least 8,000 hours in the plumbing trade (plus TSBPE-approved training; see board rules)	Official rule
Utah	576 classroom hours apprenticeship education plus 8,000 hours licensed experience, or 16,000 hours experience alone	Official rule
Virginia	Journeyman: 4 years practical experience plus 240 hours vocational training (other combos: 2-yr degree + 2 years; 5 years + 160 hrs; 6 years + 80 hrs; or 8 years)	Official rule
Washington	4+ years (at least 8,000 hours) as a plumber trainee under a certified journey-level plumber; at least 4,000 commercial/industrial	Official rule

Not yet confirmed (see each state page for what we know): Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Questions

How many hours do you need to become a journeyman plumber?

It depends on the state. We have confirmed the requirement with an official source in 22 states and territories; each one is listed on this page with its source. Many states also license at the city or county level.

Do apprentice hours count toward the journeyman plumber exam?

It depends on the state. Some states require apprentices to register before hours count. Each state page lists the confirmed rule and its official source.