Indiana Plumbing License: How to Get Certified as a Plumber in IN

Do you have to have a license to be a plumber in Indiana?

To work as a plumber in Indiana, you must meet all the licensing requirements and exams established by the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. First, you need to become an apprentice and then a journeyman plumber, both of which work under the supervision of a fully-licensed plumbing contractor. From there, you can take the final step and become a plumbing contractor in Indiana, but more on that later. 

Plumbing contractors in the state of Indiana are eligible to perform the following services:

• Residential and commercial plumbing systems
• Waste and vent piping for building interiors and exteriors
• Fixture installation
• Sewer drainage
• Underground water supply
• Stormwater systems

Types of plumbing licenses in Indiana

The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency gives out three classes of plumber licenses that determine the extent of plumbing work you’re allowed to perform. There are 3 main licensing classifications for Indiana plumbers depending on your level of experience:  

Plumbing Apprentice

As a plumbing apprentice, you need to build up the necessary knowledge and skills by attending an accredited apprenticeship program and working under the supervision of a licensed journeyman plumber or plumbing contractor.

Journeyman Plumber

As a journeyman plumber, you are permitted to perform plumbing services while working under the direction of a licensed plumbing contractor. 

Plumbing Contractor 

As a fully-licensed plumbing contractor, you are permitted to perform plumbing installation, service, and repair in any commercial or residential building.

Indiana plumbing license requirements

The Indiana licensing agency has certain requirements that applicants must meet before obtaining an apprentice, journeyman, or contractor license for plumbing. Here’s a list of the criteria you must meet at each level of licensing:

License Type	Requirements
Plumbing Apprentice	– Be an Indiana resident who is at least 18 years of age – Provide proof of enrollment in an accredited school and the license number of your supervising journeyman plumber or plumbing contractor  – Complete the necessary application and apprentice registry forms
Journeyman Plumber	– Pass the journeyman plumber examination – There are 2 ways of qualifying to write the journeyman plumber license in Indiana: 1) Complete an approved plumbing apprenticeship program and provide proof of 4 years of experience working as an apprentice under the supervision of a licensed plumbing contractor. 2) Have a plumbing license from another state and proof of 4 years of experience working for a licensed plumbing business – Complete the necessary applications and pay the $30 fee
Plumbing Contractor	– Pass the plumbing contractor examination – There are 2 ways of qualifying to write the plumbing contractor license in Indiana: 1) Provide proof of 4 years of experience working as a journeyman for a licensed plumbing business 2) Have a plumbing license from another state and provide proof of 4 years of experience working for a licensed plumbing business – Complete the necessary applications and pay the $50 fee

How to become a plumber in Indiana?

To become a plumbing contractor in Indiana, you’ll have to pass through the 3 licensing stages currently required by the state. This process takes 4-8 years, depending on whether you want to stop at your journeyman license or progress to a plumbing contractor.

Here are the steps you need to take to achieve a plumbing contractor license: 

1) If you are a resident of Indiana and at least 18 years of age, submit your plumbing apprentice application to the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency and pay the associated fees.

As part of your application, you need to prove that you are enrolled in an accredited plumbing apprenticeship program by providing the name and license number of the program, as well as the signature of the program manager.  

You also need to provide the name, license number, and signature of the licensed journeyman plumber or plumbing contractor who will employ and direct you as an apprentice.

A list of the approved plumbing apprenticeship programs in Indiana is provided on the state website and can be found below:

• Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) of Indiana Apprenticeship Trust
• Evansville Plumbers & Pipefitters Training
• Fort Wayne Area Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling Contractors, Inc. (FWAPHCC)
• Indianapolis Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 440 JATC
• Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 166 JATC Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee of Local 166
• Fort Wayne Plumbers & Steamfitters JAC
• Mechanical Skills, Inc. 
• North-Central Indiana Association of Plumbing, Heating, & Cooling
• NWIPHCC Apprentice School Inc.
• Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 210
• S.E.P.H.C.C. School at Processer School of Tech
• South Bend & Vicinity Plumbers & Pipefitters JATC-Local 172
• South Central Indiana Association of PHCC
• (SCIPHCC)
• Southwestern Indiana Association of PHCC
• (SWIPHCC)
• Terre Haute Plumbers & Steam Fitters JAC Local 157
• Local 392 JATC
• NWIPHCC Apprenticeship School Inc.

Indiana plumbing license test

After building experience as an apprentice and then journeyman plumber, you are eligible to upgrade your license to the next level through examination. All plumber licensing exams in Indiana are scheduled and administered by the state’s testing vendor Prov. 

Prov does not provide numerical scores for their examinations. Instead, they provide test-takers with a PASS or FAIL, indicating their competency in the plumbing trade. 

The Indiana Professional Licensing Agency website provides a candidate bulletin that outlines what you need to do to prepare for these licensing tests. Here’s what you can expect when writing either of the Indiana plumbing license tests:

1) Journeyman Plumber Exam

When writing the Indiana journeyman plumber exam, candidates have 3 hours to answer 90 questions on the following topics:

Topic	Number of Questions
Water supply and distribution	14
Plumbing fixtures	10
Sanitary drainage methods	15
Vents	17
Water heaters	7
Storm water systems	6
Developed length and isometric system analysis	8
General plumbing requirements	7
Indiana business laws	6

Indiana plumbing license reciprocity

Reciprocal licensing agreements between states allow plumbing professionals to work legally with an out-of-state license.

At this time, Indiana does not reciprocate licenses with any other state. So, if you’re a fully-licensed plumber from another state and want to start working in Indiana, you’ll need to apply for a new license. 

Licensed plumbers from other states can apply for a journeyman or plumbing contractor license by filling out the Application for Plumbing Contractor or Journeyman Plumber Licensing and including their work experience and Affidavit of Experience.

Indiana plumbing license costs

The cost of getting your plumbing license in Indiana changes depending on which level of license you want to achieve. In general, you can expect to spend around $30 for an apprentice license and $400 for a plumbing contractor license. 

There are licensing fees that journeyman and contractor plumbers have to pay every year, which change depending on whether it’s an even or odd year. 

Here’s a more detailed look at how the Indiana plumbing license costs break down based on exam, licensing, and reinstatement fees:

	Plumbing Apprentice	Journeyman Plumber	Plumbing Contractor
Application	$10	$30	$50
Examination	N/A	$75	$100
License Fee (Odd Year)	$10	$15	$50
License Fee (Even Year)	$10	$30	$100
Renewal (Every Two Years)	$10	$30	$100

Indiana plumbing license renewal

You need to renew your license annually if you’re a plumbing apprentice in Indiana. For journeyman and contractor plumbing licenses, renewal occurs every 2 years based on the month that the license is first issued. 

For example, if you apply for the license in June but receive it in July, you will have to renew it in July 2 years later. 

Renewal forms can be completed through the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency website portal or by downloading forms from the site. Here are the renewal forms you’ll need depending on your current license: 

• Plumbing apprentice renewal form
• Journeyman plumber renewal form
• Plumbing contractor renewal form 

If you submit your renewal form physically, you’ll need to send it to the licensing agency office at the following address: 

402 West Washington Street

Room W072

Indianapolis, IN 46204

What happens if my plumbing license expires? 

The first thing you should do if you think your Indiana plumbing license has expired is to stop providing services and check your license status at the licensing agency’s online portal.

Working with an expired license is one of many forms of professional misconduct which may result in probation, suspension, and even the revocation of your plumbing license. 

For licenses that have been expired for less than 3 years, all you need to do is renew online. If your license has expired for more than 3 years, you’ll need to apply for reinstatement, provide a letter of work history, and pay the associated fees. The fees you need to pay change depending on the current license you hold: 

• Plumbing apprentice license reinstatement: $20
• Journeyman plumber license reinstatement: $60
• Plumbing contractor license reinstatement: $150

For more information on the disciplinary action and penalties you face for infractions while working as a plumber in Indiana, visit the state agency website.

Requirements for business owners

Once you pass all the licensing exams and pay all the associated fees as a plumbing contractor in Indiana, you’re ready to take the next step in your plumbing journey: Starting your own plumbing business. 

This is the perfect opportunity for you to level up your earning potential. But first, what are the requirements for plumbing business owners in Indiana?

Aside from receiving your license as a plumbing contractor, you need to perform the following steps to become a legal business operator in Indiana: 

1) Identify your goals and craft your business plan

2) Make the necessary financial arrangements

3) Register and insure your business

4) Invest in the necessary plumbing equipment

But that’s just the start — there are lots of boxes you still need to check before your Indiana plumbing business is fully ready to go. 

For an in-depth view of starting a plumbing business in Indiana or anywhere else in the United States, check out our guide.

Does a plumbing license in Indiana increase your earning potential? 

The current plumbing market is worth an estimated $129 billion in the United States, and it’s expected to keep growing at 2% until 2030. That means it’s the perfect time for you to get started in this lucrative industry by getting your Indiana plumbing license.

Progressing from a journeyman to a fully-licensed plumbing contractor in Indiana increases your average salary from $36,000 to well over $51,000. Not to mention, plumbing business owners stand to increase their earning potential even more, when they go out on their own.

Interested in learning more about the average salary for plumbers in different states across the country? 

Our Essential Plumber Salary Guide contains information about salaries in every state to help you identify where you can make the most money putting this in-demand skill set to use.