- Journeyman: 8,000 hours as an apprentice plus 576 hours of a board-approved course, or 16,000 hours of plumbing experience. Contractor: hold a journeyman certificate.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Compliance bond of $2,000 for the contractor certificate.
- Proof that your compliance bond is renewed is needed to renew. Check with the board for the renewal period.
Do you need a state license in Idaho?
Idaho licenses plumbing work at the state level through the Idaho Plumbing Board, Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL). Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
Idaho license types for plumbing work
Idaho splits the work into 3 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 |
|---|---|
| Plumbing contractor | The business certificate. You must already hold a journeyman certificate. |
| Journeyman plumber | Certificate to do plumbing installations. |
| Apprentice registration | Apprentices register with DOPL while they gain experience. No exam. |
Steps to get licensed in Idaho
- Register with DOPL as a plumbing apprentice.
- Log 8,000 supervised hours and finish 576 hours at a board-approved apprenticeship school, or log 16,000 hours.
- Apply for the journeyman certificate and pass the board exam.
- Apply for the plumbing contractor certificate. After approval you get exam information.
- Pass the contractor exam, file proof of a $2,000 compliance bond and pay the $147 license fee.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. Journeyman: 8,000 hours as an apprentice plus 576 hours of a board-approved course, or 16,000 hours of plumbing experience. Contractor: hold a journeyman certificate.
The license to apply for. Plumbing Contractor certificate of competency.
Idaho plumbing exams
Trade exam. A board-designated exam for the journeyman certificate, and another board-designated exam for the contractor certificate.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in Idaho
The board lists 4 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 |
|---|---|
| Plumbing contractor license fee | $147 |
| Plumbing contractor application processing fee | $22.50 |
| Plumbing journeyman application | $51.90 |
| Apprentice registration, per renewal | $50 |
Insurance and bond
Insurance. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Bond. Compliance bond of $2,000 for the contractor certificate.
Renewal and licenses from other states
Renewal. Proof that your compliance bond is renewed is needed to renew. Check with the board for the renewal period.
Reciprocity. Journeyman applicants licensed in Montana or Oregon can apply through a reciprocity pathway.
Good to know in Idaho
- Hours worked in Idaho only count if you held an active Idaho plumbing apprentice registration.
- You have one year from your contractor application to pass the exam.
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 Idaho Plumbing Board, Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL) 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.