Massachusetts renewal guide
Journeyman Plumber License
If this license is up for renewal, this page gives you the fee, the timeline, and the items that usually hold the filing up.
See this alongside the other 16 Massachusetts license pages we track.
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What matters before you file.
Check the fee, the renewal window, and the documents or insurance records that can slow approval down.
Issuing authority
Renewal period
Every 24 months
Renewal fee
$52.00
Late penalty
$57.00
Bond requirement
No
Insurance requirement
No
Continuing education
12 hours
Last verified
Sep 2026
Before you renew
Get the filing straight.
- 1
Finish the CE first
Complete the 12 required hours before you start the renewal.
- 2
File with the board
File through Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters and pay the $52.00 renewal fee once the supporting proof is ready.
Renew online - 3
Leave room for processing
Typical processing time is 30 days, so do not wait until the last minute.
If you miss the deadline, the late penalty is $57.00.
Detailed notes
The fine print is here.
Massachusetts Journeyman Plumber License
The Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters issues the Journeyman Plumber license under M.G.L. c.142. A licensed Journeyman Plumber may perform plumbing work under the supervision of a licensed Master Plumber but may not independently contract for plumbing work or pull permits.
What This License Authorizes
Journeyman Plumbers may install, maintain, and repair plumbing systems when working under the supervision of a licensed Master Plumber. Journeymen may not independently pull plumbing permits; that authority belongs to the Master Plumber.
Requirements
- Examination: Must pass the Massachusetts journeyman plumber exam administered by the Board.
- Experience: Apprenticeship or equivalent experience as required by the Board.
- Insurance: Massachusetts law (M.G.L. c.142 §21A) requires permit applicants — typically the Master Plumber — to maintain liability insurance. Journeymen working as employees under a licensed master typically are not required to maintain separate contractor liability coverage. Verify with the Board.
Continuing Education
M.G.L. c.142 §6A requires licensed plumbers to complete continuing education set by the Board. The Board's renewal page requires 12 hours of approved continuing education from an approved provider for journeyman and master plumber renewals.
Fees
- Application Fee: $31, paid to the Board when you apply.
- License Fee: $52, paid at the PSI test center after you pass the exam.
- Total cost to become licensed: $83 ($31 + $52).
- Renewal Fee: $52 every 2 years.
- Late Fee: $57 for any renewal received after May 1. There is no grace period.
Renewal
- Renewal Period: Every 2 years. Licenses become eligible for renewal on February 1 of every even-numbered year, and the deadline is May 1 of the same year (M.G.L. c.142 §6). Renewals are filed online in eLIPSE.
- Local Registration: M.G.L. c.142 §6 requires master plumbers (not journeymen) to register with the local inspector of buildings or board of health where they do business; the town fee is capped at $20.
Advancement
To advance to a Master Plumber license, a Journeyman must typically accumulate sufficient additional experience and pass the Master Plumber examination.
Penalties
Working as a journeyman plumber without being lawfully licensed is punishable by a fine of not more than $100 (M.G.L. c.142 §16).
*Disclaimer: This information is provided for general reference only and does not constitute legal advice. Always verify current requirements and fees directly with the Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters.*
Official links
Check the board or agency directly.
Required documents
- Examination Results
Source notes
M.G.L . c.142 §§3–6, 6A, 16, 21A (malegislature.gov). Fees from the mass.gov 'Apply for a Journeyman Plumber license' page (application $31 + license $52 = $83), the mass.gov plumber/gas fitter renewal page (Journeyman renewal $52, $57 late fee after May 1, 12 CE hours), and 801 CMR 4.02 (248 Board: application $31, original $52, renewal $52 biennial). Corrected 2026-09-28: unsourced 30-day grace removed, penalty corrected to the c.142 §16 $100 maximum, local registration limited to masters per c.142 §6. Re-verified 2026-09 against https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-a-journeyman-plumber-license, https://www.mass.gov/how-to/renew-a-plumber-gas-fitter-or-liquified-petroleum-installer-license, https://www.mass.gov/doc/801-cmr-4-rates/download, https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter142/Section6, https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter142/Section16.
Rules move. Check Massachusetts Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters again before you pay, renew, or schedule work around this requirement.
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