How to get a plumbing license in Rhode Island: the official requirements
The Journeyperson Plumber license, the experience and training it takes, the exam and how to apply, from the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Professional Regulation.
In Rhode Island, the state plumbing license for individual plumbers is issued by the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Professional Regulation. The journeyperson plumber license, issued by the Director of the Department of Labor and Training to applicants who meet the requirements of R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-20-17 and the plumbing licensing rules. Apprentice or trainee registration: Register as an apprentice plumber; apprentice plumbers work under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyperson and/or master plumber and carry their registration certificate while working. Experience and training: 8,000 hours of on-the-job training as a registered apprentice plumber, employed as an apprentice plumber in Rhode Island for the whole of those hours. Employer affidavits (or other evidence the Board accepts) show the plumbing work you did as an apprentice. Licensing exam: A written examination approved by the Board, which sets the passing score. Examinations are given at least three times a year; if you fail, you may retake the exam on paying the fee again. How to apply: Apply on the Division's forms, submitted to the Department at least 15 days before the scheduled exam, with proof of citizenship or legal residency, a recent photo, a chronological resume of experience, the fee, employer affidavits and instruction transcripts.
Rhode Island plumbing license requirements
| Requirement | Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| License you apply for | The journeyperson plumber license, issued by the Director of the Department of Labor and Training to applicants who meet the requirements of R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-20-17 and the plumbing licensing rules. |
| Apprentice or trainee registration | Register as an apprentice plumber; apprentice plumbers work under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyperson and/or master plumber and carry their registration certificate while working. |
| Experience and training | 8,000 hours of on-the-job training as a registered apprentice plumber, employed as an apprentice plumber in Rhode Island for the whole of those hours. Employer affidavits (or other evidence the Board accepts) show the plumbing work you did as an apprentice. |
| Classroom hours | Related instruction at a training program recognized or accredited by the Department of Labor and Training, shown with certified transcripts signed by the school. |
| Licensing exam | A written examination approved by the Board, which sets the passing score. Examinations are given at least three times a year; if you fail, you may retake the exam on paying the fee again. |
| How to apply | Apply on the Division's forms, submitted to the Department at least 15 days before the scheduled exam, with proof of citizenship or legal residency, a recent photo, a chronological resume of experience, the fee, employer affidavits and instruction transcripts. |
| Background check | Not stated in the official source we read. Check with the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Professional Regulation. |
| State fees | Not stated in the official source we read. Check with the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Professional Regulation. |
| License term | Two years: the license expires on your birthday, in odd years if you were born in an odd year and in even years if you were born in an even year. Renew with the renewal application and fee before your birthday. |
| Continuing education | Seven hours of approved continuing education with an approved provider every two-year license cycle, as a condition of renewal. |
Where the official source we read does not state something, the table says so rather than guessing. Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools, apprenticeship programs, fingerprint vendors and application portals are not included.
This page covers the plumbing license issued by the state. Cities and counties can have their own registration, permit or license rules; ask the local building department where you will work.
How to get licensed in Rhode Island
- Register as an apprentice plumber and work under the direct supervision of a licensed journeyperson or master plumber.
- Complete 8,000 hours of on-the-job training employed as an apprentice plumber in Rhode Island, plus related instruction at a recognized program.
- Submit the application and supporting documents at least 15 days before the scheduled exam.
- Pass the Board-approved written examination.
- Renew every two years before your birthday, with seven hours of approved continuing education per cycle.
Go further
Requirements state by state.
Open →CareerHow to become a plumberThe career path, nationally.
Open →PayPlumber salaryWhat plumbers earn.
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Open →ResumePlumber resumeHow to present your hours and licenses.
Open →InterviewPlumber interview questionsWhat hiring managers ask.
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Questions people ask
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How this page is built
Each fact on this page comes from the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Professional Regulation and the rules it publishes (sources named below), read on the dates shown, with the exact wording we relied on kept on file. Requirements and fees change; the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training, Division of Professional Regulation's current instructions govern. We re-read each state's sources every six months (next review by May 10, 2027).
- Not legal advice.
- Licensing rules can change. Verify current requirements with the issuing agency.
- Fees shown are the licensing authority's own. Fees charged by exam vendors, schools, apprenticeship programs, fingerprint vendors and application portals are not included.
- This page covers the plumbing license issued by the state. Cities and counties can have their own registration, permit or license rules; ask the local building department where you will work.
- This page covers the individual license named above. Master, contractor, specialty, residential, limited and out-of-state (reciprocity) licenses have their own rules.
- Rhode Island Department of State, Code of Regulations: Licensing of Plumbers, Irrigators and Water System Installers (260-RICR-30-15-9), Department of Labor and Training, active rule effective 01/04/2022, official source, read Nov 9, 2026.