- In Massachusetts only a master or journeyman plumber licensed by the Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters can do plumbing work, with a permit from the local plumbing inspector.
- Master: at least one year as a journeyman plus 100 hours of advanced plumbing theory. Journeyman: three years as an apprentice plus 300 hours of theory at an approved school.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Pay runs from about $25.01 an hour for the lowest-paid tenth of plumbers to $64.94 for the top tenth.
- Jobs are projected to grow 6.9% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 2.3% projected nationally.
The path in Massachusetts, step by step
Massachusetts licenses plumbing work at the state level through the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters, Division of Occupational Licensure. These are the steps it lays out, in order.
- Register as an apprentice plumber and work under a master or journeyman.
- Complete 300 hours of theory and three years as an apprentice, then pass the journeyman exam.
- Work at least one year as a journeyman and complete 100 hours of advanced plumbing theory.
- Apply online in eLIPSE for the master exam with the $31 fee, then schedule and pass the exam with PSI.
- Pay the $78 license fee, and if you operate as a corporation or LLC, apply for a plumbing business license.
- Renew in even numbered years by May 1 after 12 hours of continuing education.
The full license guide, with every fee and form: plumbing license in Massachusetts.
Finding an apprenticeship in Massachusetts
Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts
The license to aim for: Master Plumber license.
Trade exam. Yes. The master plumber exam, scheduled through PSI after the board approves your application. Scores are available right away.
Keeping it. Licenses renew in even numbered years, opening February 1 with a May 1 deadline. Master and journeyman plumbers need 12 hours of approved continuing education.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Master Plumber | Run a plumbing business as an individual, firm or corporation and employ journeymen and apprentices. |
| Journeyman Plumber | Do plumbing work as an individual. |
| Apprentice Plumber | Registered learner working under direct supervision of a master or journeyman. |
| Plumbing business license | Corporations and LLCs that list a master plumber of record as an officer or manager. |
What the Massachusetts license costs
The fees the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters, Division of Occupational Licensure lists. Exam fees from a testing company, insurance and any bond come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Master plumber application | $31 |
| Master plumber license | $78 |
| Master plumber renewal | $78 |
| Plumbing business license | $225 |
| Late renewal fee (after May 1) | $57 |
What plumbers earn in Massachusetts
The median plumber in Massachusetts earned $45.14 an hour in May 2025, 6th of 51 states, with 13,460 on payrolls. The national median was $30.67.
At the bottom of the range, a quarter of plumbers in Massachusetts earned under $29.74 an hour and a tenth under $25.01. At the top, a quarter earned over $52.13 and a tenth over $64.94.
| Pay level | Hourly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $25.01 | $52,010 |
| 25th percentile | $29.74 | $61,860 |
| Median | $45.14 | $93,880 |
| 75th percentile | $52.13 | $108,430 |
| 90th percentile | $64.94 | $135,080 |
Every state, the neighbors and what a business should charge: plumber salary in Massachusetts.
Jobs ahead in Massachusetts
Massachusetts's labor market office projects jobs for plumbers growing from 5,690 in 2022 to 6,080 in 2032, a change of 6.9%. Counting people who retire or change careers, that is about 540 openings a year.
Jobs are projected to grow 6.9% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the 2.3% projected nationally, ranking 30th 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 Massachusetts
To contract on your own in Massachusetts, the license is the Master Plumber license.
Insurance. When applying for a permit, the plumber must sign that they carry liability insurance, or present a waiver of insurance signed by the homeowner.
Pricing comes next. Paying yourself the Massachusetts median of $45.14 an hour, the labor rate calculator's starting numbers (one person, 2 unbilled hours a day, $90,000 of overhead, 15% profit) come to $149.86 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 Massachusetts'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.
- Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters (checked 2026-10-08)
- Plumbers and gas fitters consumer fact sheet (checked 2026-10-08)
- Apply for a Master Plumber license (checked 2026-10-08)
- Renew a plumber license (checked 2026-10-08)
- Apply for a plumbing business license (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.