- None stated as a dollar amount. The board lists small jobs that need no certification, such as toilet filler, flapper or handle repair and drain cleaning that does not break a trap seal.
- Journeyman: two years as an apprentice (current work experience). Master: at least one year as a certified journeyman plumber.
- Plan for a trade exam and a business and law exam.
- Every year. Certificates are annual and company registrations are renewed each year between October 1 and December 31. Journeyman and master holders need 4 hours of continuing education.
Do you need a state license in Alabama?
Alabama licenses plumbing work at the state level through the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
None stated as a dollar amount. The board lists small jobs that need no certification, such as toilet filler, flapper or handle repair and drain cleaning that does not break a trap seal.
Alabama license types for plumbing work
Alabama splits the work into 4 licenses. Pick the one that matches the jobs you take, since working outside its scope is the same as working without one.
| License | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Apprentice Plumber/Gas Fitter | Registered learner working under a journeyman or master |
| Journeyman Plumber | Installs, repairs and replaces plumbing systems after passing the board exam |
| Master Plumber | Can contract for plumbing and serve as principal for a business |
| Plumbing company registration | Business registration under a principal master, updated every year |
Steps to get licensed in Alabama
- Register as an apprentice with the board and work under a journeyman or master.
- After two years as an apprentice, apply for and pass the journeyman plumber exam.
- Work at least one year as a certified journeyman plumber.
- Apply for the master exam and pass both the master plumber exam and the business law exam.
- Within 90 days, submit the master certificate application and fees.
- Register your company with the board and renew every year with continuing education.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. Journeyman: two years as an apprentice (current work experience). Master: at least one year as a certified journeyman plumber.
The license to apply for. Master Plumber certification.
Alabama plumbing exams
Trade exam. Yes. Journeyman and master plumbing exams, given by Prov, based on the 2021 International Plumbing Code or 2021 International Fuel Gas Code.
Business and law exam. Yes. Since January 1, 2026, master applicants must also pass a business law exam.
What it costs in Alabama
The board lists 6 fees along the way. These are the state's own numbers. Insurance, any bond, exam prep and your business registration come on top.
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Master plumber exam fee (nonrefundable) | $160 |
| Business law exam fee (nonrefundable) | $100 |
| Initial application processing fee | $50 |
| Initial master certificate fee | $175 |
| New company registration | $25 |
| Annual company renewal | $25 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Bond. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Every year. Certificates are annual and company registrations are renewed each year between October 1 and December 31. Journeyman and master holders need 4 hours of continuing education.
Reciprocity. Out-of-state journeyman or master plumbers whose license came from a 70 percent exam may take the Alabama exam. Mississippi Board of Contractors licensees can use a reciprocal request form for the master plumber license.
Good to know in Alabama
- Plumbing companies must show the business name on both sides of service vehicles in letters at least two inches tall.
- After passing an exam you have 90 days to pay fees and get certified or you must retest.
After you are licensed
The license lets you take the work. Getting the work is the next job.
- Register the business. If you work under a name other than your own, register it where your state asks (often the Secretary of State, sometimes the county), and keep the name the same on your license, your truck and your invoices.
- Claim your Google Business Profile. It is the listing people see when they search for a plumber near them. Fill in your service area, hours and real photos of your work.
- Put up a website that shows the license. Customers look for it before they call. Koira builds a contractor website for you and keeps it current.
- See where you stand. The free Koira report checks how your business shows up in search and on maps against shops near you.
Where this comes from
Every fact on this page comes from the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board and the official pages below, checked October 8, 2026. Fees and rules change, so confirm with the board before you file.
More for your trade: how plumbing companies run on Koira.