Construction / Plumber License / Alabama
- Alabama
- Plumber License
- Journeyman & Master
- Updated Oct 2026
How to Get Your Alabama Plumber License
Here’s what it takes to earn an Alabama Journeyman or Master Plumber license: the experience you need, the exams you’ll sit, how to apply and how to stay licensed.
Last updated October 27, 2026 from Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board requirements
Application fee
$50
Plus exam fee ($110 Journeyman; $160 + $100 Business & Law for Master) and certificate fee
Exam time
3–6 hrs
Journeyman 3 hrs; Master 4 hrs plus 2-hr Business & Law
Time to get license
~2–3 yrs
2 yrs as an apprentice, plus 1 yr as a journeyman for Master
Continuing ed
4 hrs
Every year, due by December 31
Overview
Do you need an Alabama plumber license?
Yes, if you install, repair or replace plumbing systems in Alabama, or contract for or supervise that work. The Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board issues two plumbing licenses: Journeyman and Master.
License required when
- You install, repair or replace plumbing systems (Journeyman)
- You contract to do plumbing work (Master)
- You superintend the installation, maintenance or repair of plumbing (Master)
Common exceptions
- Apprentices gaining their required experience before they qualify for the Journeyman exam
- Any other exemptions aren’t listed in our sources, so check with the Board before you take on work without a license
Penalties for unlicensed work
Our sources don’t list specific penalty amounts. The Board enforces Alabama’s plumbing law (Code of Alabama, Title 34, Chapter 37) and its own rules, so doing licensed work without a license can lead to enforcement action. Check with the Board for current penalties.
Your fast-track Alabama plumber license checklist
The Alabama application, one page
- 2 years of apprentice experience, or a Board-approved apprentice program
- 1 year as a Journeyman (Master only)
- Completed, signed and notarized application
- Testing pre-approval before you schedule with Prov
- Passing score on your plumbing exam (plus Business & Law for Master)
- Plan for 4 hours of CE every year
Types
Alabama plumber license types and classifications
Alabama has two plumbing license levels. Most people start as a Journeyman and move up to Master after a year of journeyman work.
JRY
Start here
Journeyman Plumber
Do the hands-on work: installing, repairing and replacing plumbing systems.
Exam
Journeyman Plumbing
Limit
Not stated
MST
Contracting
Master Plumber
Everything a Journeyman can do, plus contracting for and superintending plumbing installation, maintenance and repair.
Exam
Master Plumbing + B&L
Limit
Not stated
Requirements
Alabama plumber license requirements, class by class
The Journeyman license is based on apprentice experience or an approved training program. The Master license builds on a year of journeyman work and adds the Business & Law exam.
| Requirement | Journeyman Plumber | Master Plumber |
|---|---|---|
| Experience | 2 years as an apprentice, or a Board-approved apprentice program | 1 year as a Journeyman Plumber |
| Application | Completed, signed and notarized form | Not stated |
| Exam pre-approval | Required before scheduling | Required before scheduling |
| Trade exam | Journeyman Plumbing (70 questions, 3 hrs) | Master Plumbing (100 questions, 4 hrs) |
| Business & Law exam | Not required | Required (40 questions, 2 hrs) |
| Continuing ed | 4 hrs a year | 4 hrs a year |
Steps
How to get your Alabama plumber license, step by step
- Get your experienceBefore you apply
Work at least 2 years as an apprentice, or finish a Board-approved apprentice training program. For Master, add at least 1 year as a Journeyman Plumber. - Apply to the BoardBefore the exam
Contact the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board at 205-945-4857 or visit pgfb.alabama.gov. Journeyman applicants submit a completed, signed and notarized application. - Get pre-approved to testBefore you schedule
You need pre-approval from the testing agency before you can book your exam. - Pass your exams with ProvExam day
Schedule at provexam.com or call 866-720-7768. Test centers are in larger cities across the state. Master applicants also take Business & Law. - Receive your licenseAfter you pass
Once you’ve met every requirement, finish your license through the Board. - Keep up with CEEvery year
Complete 4 hours of continuing education by December 31 each year.
Exam
What to expect on the Alabama plumber exam
You take the plumbing exam for your license level. Master applicants also take Business & Law. The exams are open book, and you can tab and highlight the permitted references.
Format
Open book
Questions
70 (JRY) · 100 + 40 (MST)
Passing score
70% (Journeyman)
Exam vendor
Prov
Scoring & content
- Journeyman: 70 questions, 3 hours, 70% to pass
- Master: 100 questions, 4 hours; passing score not stated in our sources
- Business & Law: 40 questions, 2 hours
- Trade topics: fixtures, traps and interceptors, drainage, venting, water distribution, plan analysis (plus laws and rules for Master)
- Permitted references are listed in the Board’s exam packet
Retake policy
- Retake rules aren’t stated in our sources
- Pre-approval is required before you schedule
- Contact Prov at 866-720-7768 with scheduling questions
- Check the Board’s exam application packet for current rules
Exam references · Open book
The Alabama Journeyman and Master Plumber exams and the Business and Law exam are open book, and you can tab and highlight the approved references and use them during the test. Master Plumber applicants also take the Business and Law exam, which has its own references.
| Book | Edition | Use |
|---|---|---|
| International Plumbing Code (IPC) — Journeyman and Master exams | 2021 | Allowed in exam |
| International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC) — Journeyman and Master exams | 2021 | Allowed in exam |
| Modern Plumbing — Journeyman and Master exams | 9th edition | Allowed in exam |
| Mathematics for Plumbers and Pipefitters — Journeyman and Master exams | 8th edition | Allowed in exam |
| Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 720: Rules of the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board — all exams (print) | Not stated | Allowed in exam |
| Code of Alabama, Title 34, Chapter 37: Plumbers and Gas Fitters — all exams (print) | 2022 | Allowed in exam |
| NASCLA Contractor’s Guide to Business, Law and Project Management — Business and Law exam | Basic Edition | Allowed in exam |
| Alabama Electrical Contractors Supplement to the Contractor’s Guide — Business and Law exam | Not stated | Allowed in exam |
The Code of Alabama and Administrative Code chapters are free to download from the Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board, so candidates print them and bring them in.
Prep
Best Alabama plumber exam prep, compared
We haven’t compared prep courses for this exam yet.
Costs
How much does an Alabama plumber license cost?
| Item | Type | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Application processing fee | Fixed | $50 |
| Trade exam | Fixed | $110 Journeyman; $160 Master |
| Business & Law exam (Master only) | Fixed | $100 |
| Initial certificate fee | Fixed | $75 Journeyman; $175 Master |
| Code books and references | Variable | Varies |
| Continuing education | Variable | Varies |
| State fees and exams | Excludes code books and CE; Journeyman $235, Master $485 | $235–$485 |
Fees from the Board’s fee schedule in Administrative Code Chapter 720-X-4, checked October 2026.
Reciprocity
Does Alabama accept out-of-state plumber licenses?
Alabama may accept licenses from other boards that recognize, at a minimum, the standards set by the Alabama Board. There’s no published list in our sources, so check with the Board.
Other states — case by case
Reciprocity is possible when your home board recognizes, at a minimum, Alabama’s standards. Contact the Board at 205-945-4857 for details.
Local
Do Alabama cities and counties have their own plumber licensing rules?
Your plumbing license comes from the state. Cities and counties still handle the job-site side of the work.
State handles
- Journeyman and Master Plumber licenses
- Exam approval and scheduling through Prov
- Continuing education requirements
- Reciprocity decisions
City & county handle
- Plumbing permits
- Inspections
- Local business licenses
Governance
Who regulates plumbers in Alabama
Oversight responsibilities
- Issues Journeyman and Master Plumber licenses
- Approves applicants to sit for the state exams
- Sets continuing education requirements
- Enforces Code of Alabama Title 34, Chapter 37 and Administrative Code Chapter 720
Maintenance
How to renew your Alabama plumber license and keep it active
Alabama plumbers complete 4 hours of continuing education every year, due by December 31. The yearly certificate renewal fee is $75 for a Journeyman and $175 for a Master, and a late renewal carries a penalty equal to the renewal fee.
Renewal cycle
Every year
CE hours
4
Renewal fee
$75 Journeyman; $175 Master
Late penalty
$75 Journeyman; $175 Master
FAQ
Alabama plumber license FAQs
How long does it take to become a plumber in Alabama?
About 2 years for a Journeyman license, since you need 2 years as an apprentice or a Board-approved apprentice program. A Master license takes at least 1 more year working as a Journeyman.
Is the Alabama plumbing exam open book?
Yes. You can tab and highlight the permitted references and use them during the exam. The Journeyman exam is 70 questions in 3 hours, and you need 70% to pass.
Who gives the Alabama plumbing exams?
Prov. You need pre-approval before you schedule, then book at provexam.com or by calling 866-720-7768.
Do Master Plumbers take a business exam?
Yes. Master applicants take the Business & Law exam (40 questions, 2 hours) along with the 100-question Master Plumbing exam.
How much continuing education do Alabama plumbers need?
4 hours every year, completed by December 31.
Does Alabama accept out-of-state plumbing licenses?
Possibly. Alabama may grant reciprocity when another board recognizes, at a minimum, Alabama’s standards. Check with the Board for details.
What’s the difference between a Journeyman and a Master Plumber?
A Journeyman does the hands-on installation, repair and replacement. A Master can do all of that, plus contract for and superintend plumbing work.
Sources
Official sources for the Alabama plumber license
- Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board
- Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board, Master exam application packet (PDF)
- Code of Alabama Title 34, Chapter 37 and Administrative Code Chapter 720
- Prov, exam scheduler
- Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 720-X-4, Plumbers and Gas Fitters fee schedule
Last updated October 27, 2026. Spot something out of date? Tell us.
Exam Insiders is an independent guide and is not affiliated with the Alabama Plumbers and Gas Fitters Examining Board.