- Kentucky requires a state master or journeyman plumber license from the Division of Plumbing, and plumbing work must be done under a licensed master plumber.
- Master: a journeyman license for at least 2 of the last 5 years and 2 years working under a licensed master (other routes exist for out-of-state plumbers). Journeyman: at least 2 consecutive years as an apprentice, or an approved course plus 1 year.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Pay runs from about $21.57 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of plumbers to $45.53 for the top tenth.
- Jobs are projected to grow 2.4% from 2022 to 2032, about the same as the 2.3% projected nationally.
The path in Kentucky, step by step
Kentucky licenses plumbing work at the state level through the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC), Division of Plumbing. These are the steps it lays out, in order.
- Work at least two years as an apprentice plumber.
- File Form PLB-3 with the $50 fee and pass the journeyman exam, then get the journeyman license ($60).
- Work two years as a licensed journeyman under a master plumber.
- File Form PLB-3 with the $150 fee and pass the master exam with at least 80% on each part.
- Get $250,000 liability insurance and workers' compensation and unemployment coverage.
- Apply for the master plumber license on Form PLB-1.
The full license guide, with every fee and form: plumbing license in Kentucky.
Finding an apprenticeship in Kentucky
Kentucky runs Registered Apprenticeship through its own State Apprenticeship Agency, recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor to register and oversee programs there. Its staff are state employees, and it may use the federal paperwork or forms of its own. Apprenticeship.gov lists the Kentucky State Apprenticeship Agency 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 Kentucky
The license to aim for: Master Plumber license.
Trade exam. Kentucky master plumber exam, at least 80% on each portion. Exams are held in February, May, August and November.
Keeping it. Licenses expire on the last day of your birth month. Renewal needs the fee, continuing education under 815 KAR 2:010 and proof of insurance for masters.
Coming from another state. Kentucky may license plumbers from states with a statewide plumbing code, an equal exam and a reciprocity agreement with Kentucky.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Master plumber | Can get plumbing permits and supervises journeyman plumbers. |
| Journeyman plumber | Installs plumbing under the supervision of a licensed master plumber. |
What the Kentucky license costs
The fees the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction (DHBC), Division of Plumbing lists. Exam fees from a testing company, insurance and any bond come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Master plumber exam | $150 |
| Journeyman plumber exam | $50 |
| Journeyman plumber license | $60 |
| Master plumber renewal | $250 |
What plumbers earn in Kentucky
The median plumber in Kentucky earned $30.84 an hour in May 2025, 24th of 51 states, with 6,360 on payrolls. The national median was $30.67.
At the bottom of the range, a quarter of plumbers in Kentucky earned under $24.04 an hour and a tenth under $21.57. At the top, a quarter earned over $40.79 and a tenth over $45.53.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $21.57 | $44,860 |
| 25th percentile | $24.04 | $50,000 |
| Median | $30.84 | $64,160 |
| 75th percentile | $40.79 | $84,840 |
| 90th percentile | $45.53 | $94,710 |
Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: plumber salary in Kentucky.
Jobs ahead in Kentucky
Kentucky's labor market office projects jobs for plumbers growing from 6,640 in 2022 to 6,800 in 2032, a change of 2.4%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 590 openings a year.
Jobs are projected to grow 2.4% from 2022 to 2032, about the same as the 2.3% projected nationally, ranking 47th 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 Kentucky
To contract on your own in Kentucky, the license is the Master Plumber license.
Insurance. General liability insurance of at least $250,000, plus proof of compliance with workers' compensation and unemployment insurance laws. Proof is needed before the master license is issued or renewed.
Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the Kentucky median of $30.84 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $124.75 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 Kentucky'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.
- DHBC Division of Plumbing (checked 2026-10-08)
- KRS 318.030 (checked 2026-10-08)
- KRS 318.040 (checked 2026-10-08)
- 815 KAR 20:030 (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.