- Indiana licenses plumbing contractors at the state level through the Indiana Plumbing Commission.
- Four years in an apprenticeship program, a plumbing license from another state, or four years in the plumbing business under a licensed plumbing contractor.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Pay runs from about $22.54 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of plumbers to $49.29 for the top tenth.
- Jobs are projected to grow 3.6% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 2.3% projected nationally.
The path in Indiana, step by step
Indiana licenses plumbing work at the state level through the Indiana Plumbing Commission, Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA). These are the steps it lays out, in order.
- Complete four years in an approved apprenticeship, or four years in a plumbing business under a licensed contractor, or hold another state's license.
- Apply online to the Plumbing Commission for the contractor exam and pay the $50 application fee.
- After approval, register with PROV and pass the exam.
- Pay the license issuance fee and get your plumbing contractor license.
- Renew by December 31 of every odd year.
The full license guide, with every fee and form: plumbing license in Indiana.
Finding an apprenticeship in Indiana
Indiana has no recognized State Apprenticeship Agency, so the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Apprenticeship registers and oversees programs there through a state field office. Apprenticeship.gov lists the Indiana Apprenticeship Office as the contact.
Either way, a registered program means paid work with a mentor, raises as you progress, classroom instruction and a credential recognized in every state. Search open spots in the Apprenticeship Job Finder.
Across the country. Most plumbers learn the trade in a 4 or 5 year apprenticeship, with about 2,000 hours of paid on-the-job training plus some classroom instruction each year.
License levels and exams in Indiana
The license to aim for: Plumbing Contractor license.
Trade exam. Indiana plumbing exam from PROV. The Plumbing Commission must approve your application before you register at provexam.com.
Keeping it. Plumbing contractor licenses expire December 31 of every odd year. Renewal is $100.
Coming from another state. No reciprocity for journeyman or contractor plumbers. You apply, and if approved you take the exam.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Plumbing contractor | The license for a plumbing business owner. |
| Plumbing corporation | For a corporation in the plumbing business. Requires a licensed plumbing contractor. |
| Journeyman plumber | Individual plumber license. |
| Plumbing apprentice | For apprentices in an approved Indiana apprenticeship program. |
What the Indiana license costs
The fees the Indiana Plumbing Commission, Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) lists. Exam fees from a testing company, insurance and any bond come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Plumbing contractor application | $50 |
| Plumbing contractor license issued in an even year | $100 |
| Plumbing contractor license issued in an odd year | $50 |
| Plumbing contractor renewal | $100 |
| Journeyman plumber application | $30 |
What plumbers earn in Indiana
The median plumber in Indiana earned $36.69 an hour in May 2025, 16th of 51 states, with 11,280 on payrolls. The national median was $30.67.
At the bottom of the range, a quarter of plumbers in Indiana earned under $27.89 an hour and a tenth under $22.54. At the top, a quarter earned over $46.52 and a tenth over $49.29.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $22.54 | $46,890 |
| 25th percentile | $27.89 | $58,010 |
| Median | $36.69 | $76,320 |
| 75th percentile | $46.52 | $96,760 |
| 90th percentile | $49.29 | $102,520 |
Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: plumber salary in Indiana.
Jobs ahead in Indiana
Indiana's labor market office projects jobs for plumbers growing from 12,720 in 2022 to 13,180 in 2032, a change of 3.6%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 1,150 openings a year.
Jobs are projected to grow 3.6% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 2.3% projected nationally, ranking 42nd of the 50 states in the file.
These are the state's own long-term projections, published together on Projections Central for the occupation group plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters.
Starting your own plumber business in Indiana
To contract on your own in Indiana, the license is the Plumbing Contractor license.
Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the Indiana median of $36.69 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $135.02 per billable hour. Try your own in the plumber labor rate calculator.
The full checklist is in how to start a plumbing business. The free Koira Office plan gives you a website on a Koira address, estimates customers sign with a deposit, invoices with card payments and your day's jobs in one place, with no per-person fee. See the plans.
Where this comes from
The license steps, fees and rules are from the official pages below, read on the date shown. Pay is the BLS May 2025 state estimate, the job outlook is Indiana's own long-term projection, and the apprenticeship details are from the U.S. Department of Labor. A detail an official page did not confirm is left out.
- Plumbing licensing information (checked 2026-10-08)
- Indiana Plumbing Commission (checked 2026-10-08)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 47-2152
- Projections Central, long-term occupational projections 2022 to 2032 (state labor market offices) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Apprenticeship System (Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agencies) (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, State Offices (checked 2026-10-09)
- U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Program (checked 2026-10-09)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters (checked 2026-10-09)
Training, schools and certifications for every state: how to become a plumber.