Pen-and-ink Texas scene: a water tower and a windmill on one side, a ranch house with exposed copper piping in the middle, and a tall live oak with a plumber’s van on the other.

Texas plumbing license types

which Texas
plumbing license
do you need?

Texas licenses the plumber, not the company. Here’s each license type.

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the short answer

The Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners licenses individual plumbers, not companies: tradesman plumber‑limited, journeyman, master and plumbing inspector, plus registrations and endorsements. A plumbing business contracts under a master plumber with the responsible master plumber designation, which needs a certificate of insurance on file with the board.

every Texas plumbing license.

The board’s licenses, the designation and the add‑ons, in plain words.

Tradesman plumber‑limited: Residential plumbing under a master plumber’s supervision, within the limits the board sets for the class.
Journeyman plumber: Plumbing work under a master plumber. Renews each year with continuing education.
Master plumber: Can secure contracts and supervise the trade. Renews every three years.
Responsible master plumber: A designation, not a separate license. A master plumber in good standing with the board’s certificate of insurance on file, responsible for the work under contracts secured under the license.
Plumbing inspector: Inspects plumbing for a city or other political subdivision. Can’t be combined with the responsible master plumber designation.
Registrations: Plumber’s apprentice, drain cleaner, drain cleaner‑restricted and residential utilities installer.
Endorsements: Medical gas piping installation, water supply protection and multipurpose residential fire sprinklers.

Sources: Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners license types and responsible master plumber pages, Texas Occupations Code chapter 1301. Last reviewed September 2026.

find the license for your work.

Tap what you do to see which license, designation or endorsement goes with it.

What the board issues

run the business.

A master plumber license with the responsible master plumber designation. Contracts are secured under that license, and the board’s certificate is filed in that name.

Who asks: Cities, which check the board’s record for a current certificate before a permit.

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what’s different
about Texas.

The plumber holds it.
Texas licenses people, not companies. Your policy’s named insured, the responsible master plumber and the board’s certificate all need to line up.
One license, statewide.
A city can’t require a second plumbing license. It can check the board for your certificate before a permit, and some add a registration or bond of their own.

good to know.

Straight answers on Texas plumbing licenses.

What are the plumbing license types in Texas?

The State Board of Plumbing Examiners issues four plumbing licenses: tradesman plumber-limited, journeyman, master and plumbing inspector. It also issues registrations for apprentices, drain cleaners and residential utilities installers, and endorsements for medical gas, water supply protection and residential fire sprinklers. Contracts run under a master plumber with the responsible master plumber designation.

Does a plumbing company need its own license in Texas?

No. Texas licenses the individual plumber. A company works under a master plumber who holds the responsible master plumber designation and supervises the work under contracts secured under that license. The board’s certificate of insurance is filed in that person’s name, so the policy’s named insured and the certificate need to line up.

What’s the difference between a journeyman and a master plumber in Texas?

A journeyman plumber works under a master plumber and renews every year with continuing education. A master plumber can secure contracts and supervise the trade, renews on a longer cycle, and is the only license that can take the responsible master plumber designation. That designation is the one tied to the board’s insurance requirement.

Sources: Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, Texas Occupations Code chapter 1301. Last reviewed September 2026.

Insurance words, in plain English: waiver of subrogation · certificate of insurance · additional insured · primary and noncontributory · hold harmless agreement · contractual liability · per-project aggregate · completed operations