- No license is needed for work that does not need a plumbing permit. Homeowners may do plumbing in their own single family home if it meets board laws and rules.
- Master: at least one year with 2,000 hours as a licensed journeyman, or at least four years with 8,000 hours as a licensed trainee under a master.
- Plan for a trade exam.
- Every two years based on your first licensure date. The renewal fee is $200.
Do you need a state license in Maine?
Maine licenses plumbing work at the state level through the Maine Plumbers' Examining Board, Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation. Below is what the board asks for, in the order you will run into it.
No license is needed for work that does not need a plumbing permit. Homeowners may do plumbing in their own single family home if it meets board laws and rules.
Maine license types for plumbing work
Maine 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 |
|---|---|
| Master Plumber | In the business of installing plumbing or plumbing systems |
| Journeyman Plumber | Installs plumbing for a master plumber, or does plumbing repair as a regular part time job |
| Trainee Plumber | Helps with plumbing under direct supervision of a journeyman or master |
| Journeyman-in-Training | One time four year license that cannot be renewed |
Steps to get licensed in Maine
- Get a trainee plumber license and work under a journeyman or master.
- Log the hours and pass the journeyman exam.
- Work one year and 2,000 hours as a journeyman (or four years and 8,000 hours as a trainee).
- Apply to the board for the master exam and pass it with Prov.
- Pay the $200 license fee and $21 background check fee.
- Renew every two years for $200.
Experience and other requirements
Experience. Master: at least one year with 2,000 hours as a licensed journeyman, or at least four years with 8,000 hours as a licensed trainee under a master.
The license to apply for. Master Plumber license.
Maine plumbing exams
Trade exam. Yes. A computer based exam at Prov testing centers, after board approval. You need 75% to pass.
Business and law exam. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
What it costs in Maine
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 |
|---|---|
| Master plumber license | $200 |
| Criminal background check | $21 |
| Biennial renewal | $200 |
| Late fee (up to 90 days) | $50 |
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 two years based on your first licensure date. The renewal fee is $200.
Reciprocity. The official pages we read do not say. Check with the board (official site).
Good to know in Maine
- You must get board approval before scheduling the exam, or the score is void.
- A license renewed more than two years after it expires is treated as a new application.
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 Maine Plumbers' Examining Board, Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation 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.