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You can earn more than $59000 a year as a plumber in Missouri. And that’s just the average. But for that to happen, you need a Missouri plumbing license before you start providing plumbing services.
However, if you are wondering how to get your license, don’t worry. In this post, we will walk you through the costs and requirements to start your plumbing journey.
Table of Content
Who Provides Plumbing Licenses in Missouri?
Unfortunately, there is no state-wide governing authority for plumbing licenses here. You will need to apply for a license in the city or county you want to serve. Here are the licensing authorities in the popular cities/counties in Missouri:
- Department: City Planning and Development Department
- Phone: 816-513-1313
- Address: 414 E. 12th Street Kansas City, MO 64106
- Department: Department of Transportation and Public Works
- Phone: 314-615-3741
- Address: 6th Floor, 41 South Central Avenue Clayton, MO 63105
- Timing: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.- 4 p.m.
- Department: City Administration
- Phone: 573-634-6410
- Address: 320 E. McCarty St Jefferson City MO 65101
1. Kansas city
2. St.Louis
3. Jefferson city
Here, we will cover how you can get your plumbing license in these main regions of Missouri. But first, let’s look at the types of licenses you can get as a plumber in Missouri.
What are the Types of Plumbing Licenses in Missouri?
Usually, plumbing licenses are divided into four stages where you have to move from one to the next as you get eligible.
1. Apprentice
This is where it all begins. An apprenticeship license allows you to provide plumbing services under the supervision of a journeyman or master plumber.
2. Journeyman
As a licensed journeyman plumber, you can provide plumber services on your own while working for a plumbing business.
3. Master
A master plumbing license gives you the power to plan and supervise plumbing services, in addition to executing them yourself.
Remember that, in some regions, master and contractor are the same. Thus, a master plumber also allows you to take plumbing contracts and start your plumbing business.
4. Contractor
If you want to start your plumbing business, you will need to be licensed as a contractor. However, you don’t need to be a master to get licensed as one. You just need a master plumber on your team to represent your business.
Now, let’s take on various regions of Missouri and start your plumbing journey.
Kansas City Plumbing License
Plumbing license requirements
1. Apprentice plumber license
You don’t need to be a licensed apprentice to move on to become a journeyman plumber in Kansas City. However, you will need to gather 2 years of plumbing experience.
You can even get enrolled in an apprenticeship program or approved vocational program.
2. Journeyman plumber license
- Get to 21 years of age with a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
- Submit the application form along with paying the required fees.
- Submit 2 notarized reference letters proving that you have at least 2 years of experience.
- Apply for the exam and pass it with a minimum of 70% score.
3. Master plumber license
- Submit an application for becoming a licensed master plumber along with paying the required fees.
- Submit 2 notarized letters from licensed plumbers.
- Gather 2 years of plumbing installation experience and 3 years of trade experience. You need to complete 1 year as a licensed journeyman.
- Apply for the exam and pass it with a minimum of 70% score.
Plumbing license costs
| License type | Application fee | License fee | Exam fee |
| Apprentice | $25 | Refer to the official website | – |
| Journeyman | $60 | Refer to the official website | Refer to the official website |
| Master | $60 | Refer to the official website | Refer to the official website |
| Contractor | $60 | $181 | Refer to the official website |
Note: You will need to renew your Kansas City plumbing license every 4 years.
St. Louis Plumbing License
Plumbing license requirements
1. Apprentice plumber license
- Get employed by a master plumber and receive training under the supervision of a journeyman and master plumber.
- Register with the plumbing board with the application form along with paying the $10 fee.
2. Journeyman plumber license
- Register yourself at the Office of Plumbing and Sewer Inspection and pay the application fee.
- Submit an application and pass the journeyman exam.
- Verify your apprenticeship.
3. Master plumber license
- Submit an application and pass the journeyman exam.
- Pay the applicable fees.
- Submit a notarized letter signed by all your employers verifying your work experience.
Plumbing license costs
| License type | Application/Exam fee |
| Apprentice | $10 |
| Journeyman | $30 |
| Master | $30 |
Note: You need to renew your St. Louis plumbing license every 3 years.
Jefferson City Plumbing License
Plumbing license requirements
1. Journeyman plumber license
- Get a minimum of 4 years of experience as a licensed apprentice by the city of Jefferson.
OR
get a minimum of 4 years of experience as a plumber with 8000 working hours. - Apply for the journeyman plumbing license and pay the applicable fees.
- Score a minimum of 75% in the journeyman plumber exam.
2. Master plumber license
- Get a minimum of 2 years of experience as a licensed journeyman by the city of Jefferson.
OR
provide proof of licensed journeyman or master experience. - Gather experience a total of 12000 hours in the plumbing trade.
- Apply for the master plumbing license and pay the applicable fees.
- Score a minimum of 75% in the master plumber exam.
Plumbing license costs
| License type | Application fee | Exam fee |
| Apprentice | $12 | – |
| Journeyman | $105 | $100 |
| Master | $105 | $100 |
| Contractor | $210 | – |
We understand that you still might have some nagging questions. So let’s address some of them.
-
Do plumbers have a good career in Missouri?
Yes, of course. As we stated earlier that plumbers earn a lucrative amount of over $59k a year on average. In fact, the state, as of now, employs over 9000 licensed plumbers.
-
Can I provide any plumbing services in Missouri without a license?
No. You will need to get licensed from your city or county to provide any plumbing services in your region. The state doesn’t have any governing authority for providing plumbing licenses.
Conclusion
There you have it. Now you have a basic idea of getting your plumbing license in Missouri. However, we recommend you visit your applicable authority for plumbing to get more details and get started.
