Plumbing License in Massachusetts: Fees, Requirements & Startup Costs
Quick answer: Massachusetts licenses journeyman plumbers, master plumbers and plumbing businesses separately. A business entity needs a master plumber of record in the required company role. The business application lists a $225 fee; the individual master application lists $31 to apply and $78 for the license after passing. A journeyman application is a different pathway, not a substitute for business authority.
Source check: October 23, 2026. The business, journeyman and master application pages and renewal guidance were checked. The linked posted regulation supplies the master experience/education detail; it is not a new market fee survey. Original publication and other data-record dates are retained.
Two licenses, two roles
Massachusetts separates the business license from the individual credential. The plumbing business license is issued to the entity that offers plumbing work, and the business must name a Master Plumber of record who is an officer, manager, or partner as appropriate to the entity type. The Master Plumber license belongs to the individual and serves as the qualifying credential. A company cannot establish plumbing authority on its own; the Master Plumber of record carries it.
For a corporation, the organizing documents must list the master plumber of record as an officer; an LLC lists that person as a manager. The Board’s business requirements say all partners in the specified partnership structures must be licensed master plumbers. Do not treat a generic outside contractor agreement as the required company role.
Licensing in Massachusetts
Jurisdiction: state
Authority: Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters
The Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters issues plumbing business and individual Master Plumber licenses under 248 CMR 3.00.
Plumbing business license
BUSINESS Business entity offering plumbing; Master Plumber of record must be an officer, manager or partner as appropriate to entity type.
| Fee | Amount | Period (years) |
|---|---|---|
| New plumbing business license | $225 OFFICIAL FEE Source — www.mass.gov | — |
| Corporation or partnership plumbing business renewal | $225 OFFICIAL FEE Source — www.mass.gov | 2 |
Exam: Not listed here
Experience: Master Plumber of record required.
Renewal and CE: Renewal period: 2 years · Source
Background check: Each Master Plumber officer, manager or partner must submit a notarized CORI form and pass a CORI check.
Master Plumber
INDIVIDUAL Individual qualifying license for a plumbing business.
| Fee | Amount | Period (years) |
|---|---|---|
| Master Plumber exam/license application | $31 OFFICIAL FEE Source — www.mass.gov | — |
| Original Master Plumber license after passing exam | $78 OFFICIAL FEE Source — www.mass.gov | — |
| Master Plumber renewal | $78 OFFICIAL FEE Source — www.mass.gov | 2 |
Exam: Provider: PSI · Source
Experience: Posted 248 CMR 11.02(2): Massachusetts journeyman credential and at least one year / 1,700 hours of relevant experience.
Education: Posted 248 CMR 11.02(2): 110-hour Tier Five; no repeat if already completed as an apprentice. Signed experience/education verification required.
Renewal and CE: Renewal period: 2 years · Continuing education: 12 hours · Source
Background check: Notarized CORI acknowledgement required.
Local note: Local plumbing permits and inspections may apply.
Data notes
Gas fitting requires a separate license from the same board.
Verified: 2026-09-25
Fees for year one
The business application lists $225 per license. The master pathway lists $31 for the application and $78 for the license after a pass; a journeyman application instead lists $31 and $52. These are different credentials, not charges every applicant must add together. The reviewed application text does not state a complete PSI exam bill, so confirm any separate testing charge before budgeting.
Renewal is a separate cycle, not a promise of a full two-year first-license term. The Board’s renewal page opens renewals February 1 in even-numbered years with a May 1 deadline. It lists $78 for master plumber renewal and $225 for corporation or partnership renewal. The text does not settle an LLC’s renewal category here, so an LLC should confirm the applicable category with the Board.
Experience and education for the Master Plumber license
The posted 248 CMR 11.02(2) requires a Massachusetts journeyman credential and at least one year / 1,700 hours of relevant practical experience for master-exam admission. It also specifies the 110-hour Tier Five education requirement, without requiring it again if completed as an apprentice. The application page describes the signed experience/education verification and CORI documents; an application checklist alone does not replace the regulation.
The exam is administered by PSI. The application fee of $31 is paid with the exam and license application, and the $78 license fee follows after the exam is passed. A notarized CORI acknowledgement is required from the individual applicant.
CORI checks on the business side
Each Master Plumber who serves as an officer, manager, or partner of the business must submit a notarized CORI form and pass a CORI check. This applies to the business license application, not only to the individual license. A new entity with more than one qualifying officer should expect a CORI form from each one.
The official sources reviewed for this page do not list a bond or insurance requirement for either the business license or the Master Plumber license. Confirm current requirements with the board before submitting, since coverage rules can change.
Renewal and continuing education
Both licenses renew every two years. The Master Plumber renewal requires 12 hours of continuing education, per the renewal guidance. The business license renewal page does not list a continuing education requirement for the entity itself. Put both renewal dates on the operating calendar so a job does not outlast the authority to perform it.
Local permits and gas fitting
Local plumbing permits and inspections may apply on top of the state license. Ask the city or town with jurisdiction over each job address which work needs a permit, who must apply, and how inspections are scheduled. A state license does not set a statewide permit policy.
Gas fitting is separately licensed by the same board. A plumbing business that wants to offer gas work needs the gas fitting credential in addition to the plumbing license. Do not assume the plumbing license covers gas piping.
Budget the launch
The preset below includes the listed $225 business fee plus the $31 application and $78 original master fee for a scenario where those individual charges are also needed. It is not the additional cost for every already-qualified owner. Add any separate PSI charge once confirmed, plus vehicle, tools and coverage quotes. See the startup costs guide and plumbing business guide.
Startup Cost Calculator
Estimated startup cost: $9,550–$11,700
Estimated startup cost: $9,550–$11,700. Break-even at about 7 jobs per month.
| Licensing & exam fees | $334 OFFICIALLicense details |
|---|---|
| Business formation (state filing) | $500 OFFICIAL |
| Insurance (first year) | $1,750 MARKET ESTIMATEGeneral liability |
| Vehicle acquisition | $0 YOUR INPUTYour existing vehicle; acquisition cost $0Vehicle price sources |
| Tools & equipment | $50 MARKET ESTIMATEStarter kit items
|
| Software (first year) | $590–$2,250 MARKET ESTIMATEPublished monthly list price × 12Software price sources
|
| Launch marketing | $1,500 YOUR INPUTYour input — default: 3 months × $500 |
| Payroll reserve | $0 CALCULATEDBLS median wage × 173 hours/month × employees × employer taxes and ECEC benefits × working-capital months |
| Working capital | $4,800–$5,250 CALCULATEDMonthly overhead excluding payroll (shown separately) × working-capital months |
| Permits & compliance | $0 YOUR INPUTYour input — default $0; local requirements may apply |
Monthly overhead: $1,600–$1,750 · Annual operating: $19,300–$21,000 · Break-even: 7 jobs/month
Vehicle operating per month: $760 CALCULATED
Phone and admin per month: $150 YOUR INPUT
Show formula
Startup total is the sum of available first-year cost lines. Monthly overhead includes insurance, software, marketing, vehicle operating, phone and admin, and payroll. Break-even jobs = monthly overhead ÷ (average ticket × gross margin).
For a broader comparison, read the plumbing license requirements by state and the sibling pages for California and Florida.
The business needs its own entity license and a master plumber of record in the required company role. A journeyman credential alone does not fill that role. The individual application page lists $31 to apply and $78 for the license after passing. Business licensing is separate, and any separate testing-provider charge should be confirmed. 248 CMR 11.02(2) specifies at least one year and 1,700 hours of relevant experience as a Massachusetts journeyman, plus the Tier Five education requirement with credit where already completed. The Board opens renewal February 1 in even-numbered years and gives a May 1 deadline. Journeyman and master plumbers need 12 hours of approved continuing education under the reviewed renewal guidance.Frequently asked questions
Is a Massachusetts journeyman plumber license enough to qualify a plumbing business?
What are the listed master plumber application and license fees?
What experience does the posted master examination regulation require?
When do Massachusetts plumber renewals fall due?
Last updated: October 23, 2026