LicensebyState

Moving to Minnesota as a master plumber: every state's rule

Minnesota has reciprocity agreements with 2 states. Everyone else follows its standard out-of-state path: experience credit.

Minnesota master plumber · “Master Plumber”

Statewide license

Verified September 16, 2026· 6 sources

Issued by Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), Plumbing Board

Minnesota issues a statewide, person-held Master Plumber license through DLI; the license 'authorizes the individual to perform plumbing statewide', and a separate Plumbing Contractor license (a business license that must have a licensed master plumber as its responsible individual and carry a bond, general liability and workers' compensation insurance under Minn. Stat. 326B.46) is not covered here. DLI also issues a Restricted Master Plumber license limited to cities and towns under 5,000. A new master applicant must pass DLI's written master plumber exam ($50 exam fee) and is eligible to sit it after at least one year of practical experience as a licensed journeyworker plumber, with a current master plumber license from another state whose requirements DLI determines are equivalent to Minnesota's, or with a Minnesota restricted master license plus five years in business as a plumbing contractor. Master plumbers licensed by examination in North Dakota or South Dakota may be licensed without the Minnesota exam. Master licenses expire December 31 of even-numbered years (Minn. Stat. 326B.49); renewal is $93 and requires 16 hours of continuing education, at least eight on the State Plumbing Code.

States Minnesota reciprocates with

Every origin state

Reciprocity 2Experience credit 36No credit 12
Every state's path into Minnesota
StateMechanismNoteVerified
AlabamaExperience credit2026-09-16
AlaskaExperience credit2026-09-16
ArizonaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
ArkansasExperience credit2026-09-16
CaliforniaExperience credit2026-09-16
ColoradoExperience credit2026-09-16
ConnecticutExperience credit2026-09-16
DelawareExperience credit2026-09-16
District of ColumbiaExperience credit2026-09-16
FloridaExperience credit2026-09-16
GeorgiaExperience credit2026-09-16
HawaiiExperience credit2026-09-16
IdahoExperience credit2026-09-16
IllinoisExperience credit2026-09-16
IndianaExperience credit2026-09-16
IowaExperience credit2026-09-16
KansasNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
KentuckyExperience credit2026-09-16
LouisianaExperience credit2026-09-16
MaineExperience credit2026-09-16
MarylandExperience credit2026-09-16
MassachusettsExperience credit2026-09-16
MichiganExperience credit2026-09-16
MississippiNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
MissouriNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
MontanaExperience credit2026-09-16
NebraskaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
NevadaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
New HampshireExperience credit2026-09-16
New JerseyExperience credit2026-09-16
New MexicoExperience credit2026-09-16
New YorkNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
North CarolinaExperience credit2026-09-16
North DakotaReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-16
OhioExperience credit2026-09-16
OklahomaExperience credit2026-09-16
OregonNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
PennsylvaniaNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
Rhode IslandExperience credit2026-09-16
South CarolinaExperience credit2026-09-16
South DakotaReciprocityexplicit agreement2026-09-16
TennesseeNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
TexasExperience credit2026-09-16
UtahExperience credit2026-09-16
VermontExperience credit2026-09-16
VirginiaExperience credit2026-09-16
WashingtonNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16
West VirginiaExperience credit2026-09-16
WisconsinExperience credit2026-09-16
WyomingNo creditno state license to transfer2026-09-16

Getting licensed in Minnesota from scratch

No license yet, or nothing that transfers? This is how Minnesota issues a master plumber license to a first-time applicant.

Verified September 23, 2026· 11 sources

Master Plumber license by examination

A Minnesota journeyworker plumber becomes a master by holding the Journeyworker Plumber license for at least one year of practical plumbing experience and passing the Department of Labor and Industry's written master plumber exam. You apply for the exam online through iMS with the $50 application and examination fee, and after you pass DLI sends instructions for paying the master license fee. The Master Plumber license is held by the individual; a business that contracts for plumbing work also needs a Plumbing Contractor license with a licensed master plumber as its responsible individual. There is no separate law or business exam.

Plumbing exams are given at DLI's St. Paul office and regional test sites and have a 5.5-hour time limit; DLI does not publish the passing score or question count. After a failed exam you must wait 30 days before reapplying, and a retest needs a new application and fee. The Plumbing Contractor license (Minn. Stat. 326B.46) is issued to the business, which must carry a $25,000 bond and public liability insurance of at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per occurrence plus $10,000 property damage coverage. The Restricted Master Plumber license, valid only in cities and towns under 5,000 population, is a separate credential, as are medical gas certification, backflow tester certification and water conditioning licenses.

Trade exam
Required
Law / code exam
Not required
Exam given by
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry
Renewal
Every 2 years
Continuing education
16 hours per cycle

Who can apply

  • Hold a Minnesota Journeyworker Plumber license for at least 1 year first.At least one year of practical plumbing experience (1,750 hours) while licensed as a journeyworker plumber.

Other ways to qualify

Each of these replaces the requirements above. You only need one.

Current master plumber license from an equivalent state

A current master plumber license from another state qualifies you to sit the exam if DLI determines that state's licensing requirements are equivalent to Minnesota's. Enclose a copy of the license with the exam application; the Minnesota exam is still required. Masters licensed by examination in North Dakota or South Dakota may instead apply for a license without the exam through DLI's reciprocity route.

  • Current master plumber license from another state whose licensing requirements DLI determines are equivalent to Minnesota's

Restricted master plumber with five years as a contractor

A holder of a current Minnesota Restricted Master Plumber license qualifies after five years of verifiable experience in business as a plumbing contractor in Minnesota.

  • Current Minnesota Restricted Master Plumber license
  • You must document at least 5 years of qualifying work experience.

Steps to get licensed

  1. 1Application fee. Pay the application fee ($50). Application and examination fee, paid when you apply for the exam through iMS; nonrefundable, and each retest needs a new application and fee.
  2. 2Trade exam. Pass the destination's trade exam. Minnesota master plumber written exam given by DLI; 5.5-hour time limit.
  3. 3License fee. Pay the license or certificate fee ($88). Master license fee, paid after you pass the exam: $80 base fee plus $8 board fee for a two-year license, or $44 if the first term is one year or less (Minn. Stat. 326B.092, subd. 7).

Published fees on this path total $138, excluding exam-vendor fees, bonds, and insurance.

Keeping it active

Every 2 years with 16 hours of continuing education per cycle and a $93 renewal fee.

16 hours of DLI-approved continuing education each two-year license period, at least eight on the State Plumbing Code; the rest may cover the plumbing code, technical plumbing topics, the Minnesota State Building Code or the statutes governing plumbing work. Course sponsors report attendance to DLI.

Under Minn. Stat. 326B.49, master plumber licenses expire December 31 of each even-numbered year. A late renewal costs $133, and a license not renewed within two years of expiring cannot be renewed; the exam must be passed again.

Exam preparation

Most boards contract PSI, Prov, or ICC for exams. Check which code edition the exam is written to before buying a prep course.

  • Trade exam

Continuing education

Renewals usually need approved CE hours, often on the latest NEC. Reciprocal licensees are rarely exempt.

  • Continuing education

Sources for this section

  1. Minnesota DLI - License exam schedule · Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  2. Minnesota DLI - Continuing education requirements for plumbers · Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  3. Minnesota DLI - Individual Plumber License Examination Application · Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry · Form · verified September 23, 2026
  4. Minnesota DLI - Plumbing Personal License Renewal · Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry · Form · verified September 23, 2026
  5. Minnesota DLI - Plumbing license experience requirements · Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  6. Minnesota DLI - Plumbing license basics · Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  7. Minnesota DLI - Plumbing license types and credentials · Minn. Stat. 326B.46 · Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry · Agency Page · verified September 23, 2026
  8. Minnesota Rules chapter 4716 - Plumber licensing and apprentice registration · Minn. R. 4716.0020-4716.0050 · Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes · Admin Rule · verified September 23, 2026
  9. Minnesota Statutes 326B.092 - Fees (application, examination and license fees) · Minn. Stat. 326B.092, subds. 1, 3, 6, 7 · Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  10. Minnesota Statutes 326B.46 - Plumbing licensing, bond and insurance · Minn. Stat. 326B.46, subds. 1, 1b and 2 · Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes · Statute · verified September 23, 2026
  11. Minnesota Statutes 326B.49 - Plumber license applications, fees and expiration · Minn. Stat. 326B.49, subd. 1 · Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes · Statute · verified September 23, 2026

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