Massachusetts plumbing license requirements and insurance
To work for yourself as a plumber in Massachusetts, you need the Master Plumber license. Massachusetts has 5 plumbing license types, and which one you need depends on the work you take on. The state sets no minimum liability insurance, and workers' comp is required. The state does not ask for a bond.
1Who needs a plumbing license in Massachusetts? What is this?
Master Plumber: the license you need to run a plumbing business, employ others and pull permits in your own name
| License | Who needs it | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice Plumber | Anyone learning the trade on the job. You must hold this license before your hours start to count | Plumbing work under the direct supervision of a licensed master or journeyman plumber |
| Journeyman Plumber | Anyone doing plumbing work without a master standing over them. It does not let you run a plumbing business or pull permits in your own name | All plumbing and gas fitting work covered by the plumbing code, working for a master plumber |
| Master Plumber | The license you need to run a plumbing business, employ others and pull permits in your own name | All plumbing work. A master may supervise journeymen and apprentices |
| Master Gas Fitter | Anyone running a business that installs or repairs gas piping and gas appliances. Most plumbing businesses hold this as well | Gas fitting work under the state fuel gas code |
| Plumbing Corporation or Partnership Certificate | Any corporation, LLC or partnership that has plumbing employees. A person working under their own name or a trade name does not need it | Lets the company, not just the master, hold itself out as a plumbing business |
2Who issues plumber licenses in Massachusetts? What is this?
Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters, part of the Division of Occupational Licensure issues plumbing licenses in Massachusetts.
See how this compares in every state: How to check a contractor's license, state by state
| Name | Board of State Examiners of Plumbers and Gas Fitters, part of the Division of Occupational Licensure |
|---|---|
| Website | mass.gov |
| Look up a license | mass.gov |
| The law | Massachusetts General Laws chapter 142 |
| The rulebook | 248 CMR, mainly 248 CMR 3.00 for business licenses and 248 CMR 11.00 for experience, exams and training hours |
The same board licenses gas fitters. Most plumbing businesses hold both the plumbing and the gas fitting licenses. Applications and renewals go through the state's eLIPSE portal.
3How to become a plumber in Massachusetts What is this?
Massachusetts has 5 licenses that matter to a plumber: Apprentice Plumber, Journeyman Plumber, Master Plumber, Master Gas Fitter, Plumbing Corporation or Partnership Certificate. Each is below, with what you need before you apply.
| License | Experience required | Training required | Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice Plumber | None to start. You must be issued the license by the board before you work as an apprentice | You must start the classroom program within nine months of getting the license. It runs 550 hours over at least four years, and no more than 165 hours count in any one year | No |
| Journeyman Plumber | 6,800 hours as a licensed apprentice under the direct supervision of a licensed master or journeyman plumber | The 550 hour apprentice classroom program | Yes, run by the board's exam administrator. You need 70 percent on each part. If you fail one part you retake that part within a year, or you start over on all parts |
| Master Plumber | At least one year, and at least 1,700 hours, of plumbing work as a licensed journeyman | The 110 hour Tier Five course of the plumber education program, unless you finished it as an apprentice | Yes, run by the board's exam administrator. You need 70 percent on each part |
| Master Gas Fitter | 5,100 hours as a licensed apprentice gas fitter, then at least one year and 1,700 hours as a licensed journeyman gas fitter | 330 hours of gas fitting theory over at least three years as an apprentice, then 50 hours for the journeyman step unless you finished Tier Three | Yes, with the same 70 percent rule as the plumbing exams |
| Plumbing Corporation or Partnership Certificate | — | — | — |
4How much does a plumbing license cost in Massachusetts? What is this?
The government fees on this page add up to about $206 in Massachusetts. Add insurance, tools, and a vehicle to get the real number.
| License | Application | Retaking the exam | First license | First certificate | Renewal | Late renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice Plumber | — | — | — | $14 | $40 | $57 |
| Journeyman Plumber | $31 | $31 | $52 | — | $52 | $57 |
| Master Plumber | $31 | $31 | $78 | — | $78 | $57 |
| Master Gas Fitter | $31 | — | $97 | — | $97 | $57 |
| Plumbing Corporation or Partnership Certificate | — | — | — | $225 | $225 | $57 |
Added up
| Government fees, added up | $206 |
|---|
Apprentice certificate $14, journeyman application $31 and license $52, master application $31 and license $78. There is no separate exam sitting fee. Does not include the classroom courses, insurance, tools, a vehicle, permits, or the $225 corporation certificate if you form a company
5How much plumbing insurance do you need in Massachusetts? What is this?
Massachusetts sets no minimum liability insurance for this license. Customers and general contractors usually ask for $1,000,000 anyway. Workers' comp is required.
| Minimum liability insurance | None required by the state |
|---|---|
| Type of policy | Liability insurance that includes completed operations cover. The law sets no dollar amount |
| Who this applies to | Every licensed plumber or gas fitter who works as a self-employed contractor. The local inspector cannot issue you a permit without proof of the policy |
| Who must be named on the certificate | Not named in the law. The inspector may instead accept the owner's signature on the permit application for work on that owner's property |
| Workers' comp required? | Yes. Every employer in Massachusetts must carry it for their employees, whatever the hours or the head count |
| Who can opt out |
|
| Workers' comp: what to know | If you want cover for yourself, ask an insurance broker for it. The state does not sell it |
| Workers' comp: if you skip it |
|
| Why other websites say a different number | Some websites quote a dollar minimum for plumbing liability insurance in Massachusetts. The permit law names no amount, and the board rules name none either |
·5 official pages
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter142/Section21A
- mass.gov/info-details/workers-compensation-insurance-requirements
- mass.gov/info-details/corporate-officers-and-sole-proprietors
- law.onecle.com/massachusetts/152/25A.html
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXXI/Chapter152/Section25C
6Does Massachusetts check your credit for a plumber license? What is this?
Massachusetts does not check your credit for this license.
| Credit score you need | None. Massachusetts does not check your credit, your net worth or a financial statement for a plumbing license |
|---|---|
| If your score is lower | Not needed |
| How we know | The licensing chapter of the plumbing law and the two board rules on licensing have no section about credit, net worth, a financial statement or a surety |
7Does a plumber need a bond in Massachusetts? What is this?
Massachusetts does not require a state bond for this license. Some cities ask for one before they issue permits.
| Does the state require a bond? | No |
|---|---|
| Amount | None required by the state |
The state does not ask for a bond (a promise, backed by an insurance company, that customers can be paid if you do not finish the job) to hold a plumbing license. The permit law is headed insurance or bond, so a city may take a bond in place of the liability policy. Ask your local inspector before you count on it.
8Where must a Massachusetts plumber show the license number? What is this?
In Massachusetts: no state rule found that puts the license number on quotes, contracts or invoices. A master must display the license itself at the place of business.
| On ads | Every sign, listing and advertisement of a master or journeyman plumber or gas fitter must carry the license designation and the license number. An ad without them counts as deceptive advertising under the board rules |
|---|---|
| On quotes, contracts, and invoices | No state rule found that puts the license number on quotes, contracts or invoices. A master must display the license itself at the place of business |
| On your vehicles | No state rule found for vehicles. A lettered truck is an advertisement, so the safe reading is to put the designation and number on it |
| If you forget | Discipline against the license for deceptive advertising. No fixed fine was found |
9Does a plumber charge sales tax on labor in Massachusetts? What is this?
In Massachusetts, no sales tax on your labor. The only services the state taxes are telecommunications services. The rest of the rules are below.
See how this compares in every state: Can you charge sales tax on labor? The rule in 25 states
| Tax rate | 6.25 percent statewide. Massachusetts has no city or county sales tax |
|---|---|
| Labor | No sales tax on your labor. The only services the state taxes are telecommunications services |
| Who pays tax on materials |
|
| Materials, when you quote one total price | One price for the whole job means no tax on the bill. You already paid the tax when you bought the parts |
| Materials, when you list them separately | If you show the part and the labor as separate prices, you are selling the part. Charge the customer 6.25 percent on the part. The labor line stays untaxed |
| When you quote one total price | A lump sum repair bill carries no tax at all, because the materials are not priced separately |
| Resale certificate | Only use a resale certificate, Form ST-4, for parts you are reselling as a separate priced item. Never for parts going into a job you price as one figure |
| Working for a tax exempt customer | A job for a government body, a public school or a 501(c)(3) charity. Buy the building materials with a Contractor's Exempt Use Certificate, Form ST-5C, and Form ST-2 where it applies |
| Fixtures (things attached to the building) | A faucet billed at its own price is taxed on that price. If you do not price it separately, the whole bill is taxed when the part is worth more than 10 percent of it |
| Repairs | Tools you buy or rent are yours, so you pay tax on them. The one break is a tool rented for a job for a tax-exempt customer |
10Getting paid: lien and notice deadlines for a Massachusetts plumber What is this?
If you are not paid in Massachusetts, a lien on the property is your backstop, but only if your notice goes out on time: if you have no contract with the general contractor, for example you supply a subcontractor, send a written notice of identification within 30 days of starting. Without it your lien is capped at what is still owed to the subcontractor above you.
- Day 0Your first day on the job
The clock starts here.
- Day 30Send your notice
If you have no contract with the general contractor, for example you supply a subcontractor, send a written notice of identification within 30 days of starting. Without it your lien is capped at what is still owed to the subcontractor above you
- Day 90File your lien
File your Statement of Account by the earliest of 90 days after a notice of substantial completion, 120 days after a notice of termination, or 120 days after the last day of work. With last work on June 1 and no other notices, file by September 29
Each day count is counted from the day the rule beside it names, which is not always the same day. Read the sentence under each one.
| What to do |
|
|---|---|
| Who has to send a notice | Everyone who wants a lien, including the general contractor. A subcontractor or supplier files a Notice of Contract and must also give the owner actual notice of it |
| Notice when you are a subcontractor |
|
| Send your notice by | If you have no contract with the general contractor, for example you supply a subcontractor, send a written notice of identification within 30 days of starting. Without it your lien is capped at what is still owed to the subcontractor above you |
| File your lien by | File your Statement of Account by the earliest of 90 days after a notice of substantial completion, 120 days after a notice of termination, or 120 days after the last day of work. With last work on June 1 and no other notices, file by September 29 |
| File a lawsuit by | Start a lawsuit within 90 days after you file the Statement of Account, and record an attested copy of the complaint at the registry within 30 days of starting it. Miss either and the lien is dissolved |
| Copy to the owner | The lien only takes effect once you have filed the Notice of Contract and given the owner actual notice of it |
·5 official pages
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleIV/Chapter254/Section4
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleIV/Chapter254/Section2
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleIV/Chapter254/Section8
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleIV/Chapter254/Section11
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleIV/Chapter254/Section5
11How do you renew a plumbing license in Massachusetts? What is this?
The Master Plumber renews every two years, on or before May 1. You need 12 hours of training each renewal.
| License | Renewal | Training hours each renewal |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice Plumber | Every two years, on or before May 1 | — |
| Journeyman Plumber | Every two years, on or before May 1 | — |
| Master Plumber | Every two years, on or before May 1 | — |
| Master Gas Fitter | Every two years, on or before May 1 | — |
| Plumbing Corporation or Partnership Certificate | Every two years | — |
Renewal fees are in what the license costs. The official page for each license is linked under how you get it.
12What catches people out in Massachusetts What is this?
The things people get wrong or do not expect about Massachusetts, in a few sentences.
- Massachusetts licenses the apprentice too. You cannot start learning on the job until the board has issued you an apprentice license, and the clock on your 6,800 hours starts then.
- There is no dollar figure for liability insurance in the plumbing law. A self-employed plumber still cannot get a permit without a policy that includes completed operations cover.
- Every sign, listing and advertisement must carry your license designation and your license number. The rule sits in the statute itself, and an ad without them counts as deceptive advertising.
- A lien here starts with a Notice of Contract at the registry of deeds, not with a letter to the owner. A second filing, the Statement of Account, keeps it alive.
- The state fees are small. The whole path from apprentice certificate to master license adds up to about $206, and there is no separate exam sitting fee.
- You pay the sales tax on pipe and fixtures yourself and leave tax off a one-price bill. Price a part separately and you become its seller, so that line is taxed.
13Where these numbers come from
The labels under each table are explained on how to read a page.
- mass.gov/orgs/board-of-state-examiners-of-plumbers-and-gas-fitters
- mass.gov/how-to/check-an-occupational-board-license
- law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/department-248-CMR
- law.onecle.com/massachusetts/142/index.html
- mass.gov/how-to/renew-a-plumber-gas-fitter-or-liquified-petroleum-installer-license
- law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/248-CMR-11-02
- law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/248-CMR-3-03
- law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/801-CMR-4-02
- law.onecle.com/massachusetts/142/6.html
- mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-a-journeyman-plumber-license
- law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/248-CMR-11-03
- law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/248-CMR-11-04
- mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-a-master-plumber-license
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter142/Section3
- licensing.reg.state.ma.us/public/dpl_fees/dpl_fees_results.asp?board_code=PL
- law.onecle.com/massachusetts/142/3B.html
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXX/Chapter142/Section21A
- mass.gov/info-details/workers-compensation-insurance-requirements
- mass.gov/info-details/corporate-officers-and-sole-proprietors
- law.onecle.com/massachusetts/152/25A.html
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXXI/Chapter152/Section25C
- law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/department-248-CMR/title-248-CMR-3.00
- law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/department-248-CMR/title-248-CMR-11.00
- law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/248-CMR-3-06
- mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-sales-tax-guide-for-plumbers
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleIX/Chapter64H/Section2
- law.onecle.com/massachusetts/64h/1.html
- law.onecle.com/massachusetts/64h/6.html
- law.cornell.edu/regulations/massachusetts/830-CMR-64H-1-1
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleIV/Chapter254/Section4
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleIV/Chapter254/Section2
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleIV/Chapter254/Section8
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleIV/Chapter254/Section11
- malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartIII/TitleIV/Chapter254/Section5
- sec.state.ma.us/reg_pub/pdf/800/801004.pdf
- law.onecle.com/massachusetts/142/21A.html
- law.onecle.com/massachusetts/142/3.html
- law.onecle.com/massachusetts/254/4.html