Michigan Plumbing License: How to Become a Licensed Plumber

If you want the details to get a Michigan plumbing license, look no further. This post will dissect all the information you need so you can get licensed as a plumber without any frustration.

Who Provides Plumbing Licenses in Michigan?

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) in the state of Michigan is authorized for providing you with a plumbing license.

It receives and approves/rejects applications based on whether they meet the required criteria. We will discuss those ahead in this post.

Here are its contact details:

What are the Types of Plumbing Licenses in Michigan?

There are four types of plumbing licenses you can get in Michigan:

1. Apprentice plumber license

This is the first stage for any plumber in Michigan. Becoming a registered plumbing apprentice will allow you to perform plumbing services under the supervision of a master plumber.

2. Journey plumber license

Next comes the journeyman plumbing license. You will need to meet a certain experience level (number of work hours and years) before you can sit in the exam for it. Once you clear the exam, you will get your journey plumber license.

3. Master plumber license

Just like the journeyman plumber license, you will have to accrue the required minimum experience as a journeyman plumber before you can apply for its exam. Pass the exam to get your master plumbing license.

4. Master contractor license

The ones with a master contractor license are allowed to start a plumbing business, render plumbing services without any restrictions as well as can get more leads by winning plumbing contracts.

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What are the Requirements to Get a Michigan Plumber License?

1. Apprentice plumber license

Thankfully, becoming a registered apprentice in Michigan doesn’t demand much.

To get enrolled in a plumbing apprenticeship, you need to submit your application within 30 days of your employment as an apprentice plumbing pursuant.

Fill out this form and mail it to the address of LARA (mentioned above) along with a check of $15 made payable to the “State of Michigan.” This amount will go as your registration fee.

2. Journey plumber license

These are the requirements to become a journeyman plumber: –

• Have 18 years of age or more.
• Gather more than 6000 hours of supervised plumbing experience over 3 years (at least) as a registered apprentice plumber in the practical installation of plumbing under the master plumbers’ supervision.
• Submit the application with the required documents and fees ($40).
• Pay the examination fees ($100) and pass the written and practical exams.

The document required with your application form is a notarized letter(s) from your employer(s) to prove that you have the required plumbing experience.

3. Master plumber license

These are the requirements to get a master plumbing license: –

• Have 18 years of age or more.
• Gather more than 4000 hours of plumbing experience over 2 years (at least) as a licensed journey plumber.
• Submit the application with the required documents and fees ($300).
• Pay the examination fees ($100) and pass the written and practical exams.

The document required with your application form is a notarized letter(s) from your employer(s) to prove that you have the required plumbing experience.

4. Master contractor license

These are the requirements to get a master contractor license: –

• Get a master plumber license or employ a licensed master plumber as the representative.
• Only an individual who is a sole proprietor, a partner in a partnership, an officer of a corporation, OR a member of a limited liability company, may apply for licensure as a plumbing contractor.
• Pay the license fee ($300) and provide these details along with your master contractor application:
  • A statement listing the complete address of each place where the applicant has resided and has been engaged in business during the last 5 years. Also, include the length of time at each residence and the type of businesses engaged in or employment.
  • The name of the business owner, president of the corporation, OR member/manager of the limited liability company. And the name and title of the individual who is applying (if different from the name of the business owner, president, or member/manager)
  • The name, residence address, and license number of the licensed master plumber who represents the person.
• Pay the examination fees ($100) and clear the exam.

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Requirements in your notarized experience letter

The notarized document of your experience letter(s) from your employer(s) must include all the following details:

Note that the notary MUST date and sign the notary stamp, or the document will not be accepted.

What is the Cost to Become a Licensed Plumber in Michigan?

These are the cost involved at each stage of your plumbing journey:

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Step-by-Step Process to Become a Licensed Plumber in Michigan

Follow these steps to climb through the plumbing hierarchy: –

Step 1: To apply for a licensed plumber, your age must be of at least 18 years and must have a high school diploma or GED to get employed as a plumbing apprentice pursuant to a licensed master plumber.

Step 2: Fill out the application for apprentice registration and mail it to the office of LARA with the check for the required fees. You have to submit this application within 30 days of your employment.

Step 3: Gather 6000 hours of plumbing experience under the supervision of a master plumber in no less than 3 years.

Step 4: Apply for the examination of the journey plumber and pay the license fees. You will also need to submit a notarized proof of your experience with your employer(s).

Step 5: Once your application is approved, you will be asked to schedule your exam and pay your exam fees.

Step 6: Pass the exam to become a licensed journey plumber.

Step 7: Gather 4000 hours of plumbing experience under a master plumber in no less than 2 years.

Step 8: Apply for the examination of a master plumber and pay the license fees. You will need to submit a notarized proof of your experience with your employer(s).

Step 9: Once your application is approved, you will be asked to schedule your exam and pay your exam fees.

Step 10: Pass the exam to become a licensed master plumber.

If you want to start your plumbing business, you can apply for a master contractor license.

Remember that you don’t need to have a master plumber license yourself. In that case, you will need to employ a licensed master plumber.

Step 11: Form a legal business structure – Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, LLC, or Corporation.

Step 12: Apply for the examination of a master plumbing contractor and pay the license fees. You will also need to provide the details we mentioned earlier.

Step 13: Once your application is approved, you will be asked to schedule your exam and pay your exam fees

Step 14: Pass the exam to become a licensed master contractor.

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Conclusion

Now that you have all the information needed to become a licensed plumber in Michigan, the only thing missing is your action. Remember that even after starting a plumbing license, you cannot provide any plumbing service in Michigan without an appropriate plumbing license.

So get yourself registered and start your plumbing journey.