Minnesota plumber license: requirements, reciprocity & renewal

The master license in Minnesota

Master Plumber: At least 1 year of practical plumbing experience as a licensed journeyworker plumber (DLI) — OR a current master license from another state whose requirements DLI determines are equivalent to Minnesota's — OR a current Minnesota restricted master license plus 5 years of verifiable experience in business as a plumbing contractor in Minnesota. Master exam fee is also $50.

The '1 year as a journeyworker' is the full experience gate for the standard route; there is no additional multi-year journeyman-hour total beyond that year in DLI's published requirements.

Master exam fee: $50

Renewal & lapse in Minnesota

Full tiers (Minn. Stat. 326B.49, 326B.094 and Minn. R. 4716.0040): a licensee who does not renew within 2 years after expiration is no longer eligible for renewal at all. A renewal filed late but within those 2 years requires all past-due renewal fees plus the late fee, and the licensee may not work as a plumber until the renewal application, fee and penalty are submitted.

Reinstatement: Within 2 years after expiration: renewal is still available on payment of all past-due renewal fees plus the late fee (DLI lists late fees of $20 journeyworker / $40 master on its current renewal page; 326B.094 requires DLI to decide a complete renewal application filed within 2 years within 60 days). The same 2-year lapse also destroys reciprocity eligibility — see reciprocity note.

Past the line: More than 2 years after expiration: no longer eligible for renewal — the person must retake and pass the license examination before a new license will be issued (Minn. R. 4716.0040; Minn. Stat. 326B.49), and a Minnesota license holder in that position also does not qualify to reacquire the same class of license through a reciprocal agreement (DLI reciprocity page / Minn. Stat. 326B.48(6)). Restricted licenses have a shorter fuse: a restricted journeyworker/master who does not renew within 12 months permanently forfeits the restricted license.

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Opening a plumbing company in Minnesota

The seat: Licensed Master Plumber as the responsible individual in charge of the plumbing work. Minn. Stat. 326B.46 subd. 1(b): no person may engage in the business of planning, superintending or installing plumbing unless at all times a licensed master plumber (restricted master only in cities/towns under 5,000 population) who is responsible for proper installation is in charge of the plumbing work. A contractor's license is separately required to perform or offer plumbing work; if the responsible master leaves, a new responsible licensed individual must be secured within 60 days or the contractor license terminates.

Insurance minimum: $25,000 surety bond to the state, plus public liability insurance (including products liability) of at least $50,000 per person / $100,000 per occurrence and property damage insurance of at least $10,000 (Minn. Stat. 326B.46 subd. 2)

State licensing is comprehensive, with a parallel 'restricted' master/journeyworker track for work in cities and towns under 5,000 population. Homeowners may do plumbing on premises they own and actually occupy as a residence unless a local ordinance forbids it (326B.46 subd. 1(a)). NOTE: the $300,000 insurance figure repeated in secondary contractor guides is NOT the figure in the current statute — 326B.46 subd. 2 sets the bond at $25,000 and liability limits at $50,000/$100,000 + $10,000 property damage.

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Sources

Rules as published by Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) — Plumbing Board and the statutes it administers, checked October 22, 2026. Board: https://www.dli.mn.gov/workers/plumber/plumbing-license-basics

• Plumbing license basics — Minnesota DLI (routes, $50 exam fee, renewal fees, 16 hrs CE)
• Plumbing license experience requirements — Minnesota DLI (7,000 hrs; 2,000/2,000/1,000 categories; master = 1 year as journeyworker)
• Plumbing reciprocity — Minnesota DLI (ND & SD only; 2-year lapse kills reciprocity eligibility)
• Minn. Stat. 326B.46 — Licensing, bond and insurance (master in charge at all times; $25,000 bond; insurance limits)
• Minn. Stat. 326B.48 — Reciprocity with other states
• Minn. R. 4716.0040 — Expiration of licenses (no renewal after 2 years; retest required)