Guides · State ladders
Texas runs the classic ladder through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE) — with one rule that decides careers before the exam ever does: your hours must be worked as a registered apprentice.
8,000 hours of work as a registered apprentice (the Tradesman-Limited license is the other on-ramp), plus a 48-hour training course unless you completed a federally registered apprenticeship program. The journeyman exam fee is $40; the license renews annually with 6 hours of continuing education.
Work first, register later is the most expensive order of operations in Texas plumbing. Hours worked outside registration are hours the board may refuse to count — the difference between testing this year and starting the clock over. The board has also raised the stakes for shops: employing unregistered individuals draws penalties of $4,000 per violation under the enforcement schedule in force from January 1, 2026.
Register as an apprentice → work and log hours under a Responsible Master → complete the 48-hour course (or a registered program) → apply and sit the exam → renew every year with your 6 CE hours. Texas also runs the strictest lapse rule in the country — see the expired-license guide before you ever let this license lapse.
Run your own numbers in the eligibility checker or read the full Texas ladder page.
